Presentation of media content from multiple media sources

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/226,758, filed Aug. 21, 2000.

[0002] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/246,652, filed Nov. 7, 2000.

[0003] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/251,965, filed Dec. 5, 2000.

[0004] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/259,075, filed Dec. 29, 2000.

[0005] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/302,778, filed Jul. 2, 2001.

[0006] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/644,669, filed Aug. 24, 2000.

[0007] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/649,215, filed Aug. 28, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/644,669, filed Aug. 24, 2000, which is a non-provisional of provisional application Ser. No. 60/220,397, filed Jul. 24, 2000.

[0008] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/295,856, filed Apr. 21, 1999.

[0009] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/296,202, filed Apr. 21, 1999.

[0010] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/296,098, filed Apr. 21, 1999.

[0011] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/09/295,688, filed Apr. 21, 1999.

[0012] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/295,964, filed Apr. 21, 1999.

[0013] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/295,689, filed Apr. 21, 1999.

[0014] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/295,826, filed Apr. 21, 1999.

[0015] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/476,190, filed Jan. 3, 2000.

[0016] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,345, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0017] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,337, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0018] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,143, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0019] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,613, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0020] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,155, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0021] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/489,600, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0022] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/488,614, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0023] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/489,601, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0024] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/489,597, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0025] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/489,596, filed Jan. 20, 2000.

[0026] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/499,247, filed Feb. 7, 2000.

[0027] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/898,479, filed Jul. 2, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/216,822, filed Jul. 7, 2000.

[0028] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/935,756, filed Aug. 21, 2001, entitled PRESENTATION OF MEDIA CONTENT FROM MULTIPLE MEDIA SOURCES, to Lamkin et al., which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/912,079, filed Jul. 24, 2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/220,400, filed Jul. 24, 2000.

[0029] All of the above-referenced patent documents are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in their entirety.

[0030] The present invention relates to the presentation of multimedia content, and more particularly to the presentation of locally stored media content combined with remote interactively-obtained network media content.

[0031] In marketing, many things have been long recognized as aiding success, such as increasing customer satisfaction through such devices as providing personalized service, fast service, access to related or updated information, etc. Traditional marketing has made use such things as notice of promotional offers for related products such as providing coupons, etc. Additionally, some studies have shown that simple repeated brand exposure, such as by advertisement, increases recognition and sales.

[0032] One of the largest marketing industries today is the entertainment industry and related industries. To date, digital versatile disks (DVDs) are poised to encompass consumer sales of home entertainment, business and home computer industry, and business information market with a single digital format, eventually replacing audio CDs, videotapes, laserdiscs, CD-ROMs, and video game cartridges. To this end, DVD has widespread support from all major electronics companies, all major computer hardware companies, and all major movie and music studios.

[0033] Currently, the fastest growing marketing and informational access avenue is the Internet. The share of households with Internet access in the U.S. soared by 58% in two years, rising from 26.2% in December 1998 to 41.5% in August 2000 (Source: Falling Through the Net: Toward Digital Inclusion@ by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, October 2000).

[0034] Some initial efforts have been made to integrate the success of optical disks, such as the DVD, with the speed and accessibility of the Internet. Programs such as music players currently are able to access the internet to obtain artist information, order music, etc. for inserted disks. However, in the DVD-video arena, little has been done to utilize the vast power for up-to-date, new, and promotional information accessibility to further the aims of improving marketability and customer satisfaction.

[0035] Accordingly, it is evident that improvements are possible in the way that entertainment, computing, and academic disks have been supported.

[0036] The present invention advantageously addresses the needs mentioned previously as well as other needs by providing an application programming interface that facilitates the access and use of related or updated web content to provide augmented or improved content with playback of DVD content.

[0037] In one embodiment, the invention can be characterized as an integrated system for combining web content and disk content comprising: a display; a computing device operably coupled to a removable media, a network and the display, the computing device at least once accessing data on the network, the computing device comprising: a storage device, a browser having a presentation engine displaying content on the display, an application programming interface residing in the storage device, a decoder at least occasionally processing content received from the removable media and producing media content substantially suitable for display on the display, and a navigator coupled to the decoder and the application programming interface, the navigator facilitating user or network-originated control of the playback of the removable media, the computing device receiving network content from the network and combining the network content with the media content, the presentation engine displaying the combined network content and media content on the display.

[0038] In another embodiment, the invention can be characterized as a method comprising: a) receiving a removable media; b) checking if said removable media supports media source integration; c) checking if said removable media source is a DVD responsive to said removable media supporting source integration; d) checking whether said device is in a movie mode or a system mode responsive to said removable media being a DVD; e) launching standard playback and thereafter returning to said step (a) responsive to said device being in said movie mode; f) checking if said device has a default player mode of source integration when said device is in said system mode; g) launching standard playback and thereafter returning to said step (a) responsive to said device not having a default player mode of source integration; h) checking if said removable media contains a device-specific executable program when said device having a default player mode of source integration; i) executing said device-specific executable program when said device has said device-specific executable program and thereafter returning to said step (a); j) checking whether said device has a connection to a remote media source; k) launching a default file from said removable media when said device does not have a remote media source connection and thereafter returning to said step (a); l) checking whether said remote media source has content relevant to said removable media; m) displaying said relevant content when said relevant content exists and thereafter returning to said step (a); n) otherwise launching a default file from said removable media and thereafter returning to said step (a); o) returning to said step (f).

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a general example of a display device receiving content from local and offsite sources according to one embodiment.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a general example of a computer receiving content from local and offsite sources according to one embodiment.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a general example of a television set-top box receiving content from local and offsite sources and according to one embodiment.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a diagram showing the interaction between an embedded web browser and a media subsystem according to one embodiment.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows an example of media and other content integration according to one embodiment.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a general overview of the interaction of the components of a DVD device according to one embodiment.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows one exemplary method for handling disk insertion according to one embodiment resulting in the launching of various contents or the display of a logo depending on the outcome of multiple determinations.

[0046] FIG. 8 shows a media disk directory structure according to one embodiment.

[0047] FIGS. 9-10 show 2 parts of one exemplary algorithm 900 for handling disk insertion according to one embodiment resulting in the launching of different contents depending on disk determinations.

[0048] FIG. 11 shows a general exemplary diagram of synchronous viewing of content according to one embodiment.

[0049] FIG. 12 shows a depiction of user interaction using a remote control.

[0050] FIG. 13 shows a remote control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 14 shows an example of a computer to Internet connection according to one embodiment.

[0052] FIG. 15 shows an example of a bookmark according to one embodiment.

[0053] The following non-patent documents are hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in their entirety: InterActual API Design Guidelines for Consumer Electronics Manufacturers; InterActual Application programming interface (API) Specification (also called InterActual API Specification).

[0054] An application programming interface (API) of the present embodiment is based on a scripting model, leveraging, e.g., industry standard HTML and JavaScript standards for integrating locally stored media content and remote interactively-obtained network media content, e.g., video content on a web page. The application programming interface (API) enables embedding, e.g., video content in web pages and can display the video in full screen or sub window format. Commands can be executed to control the playback, search, and overall navigation through the embedded content.

[0055] Additionally, the application programming interface can be queried and/or set by the use of properties. Effects may be applied to playback. Video sequences have an associated time element during playback, and events are triggered to provide notification of various playback conditions, such as time changes, title changes, and user operation (UOP) changes. Events can be used for use in scripting and synchronizing video with HTML or read only memory (ROM)-based content.

[0056] A goal of the application programming interface (API) is to enable content developers to create products that seamlessly combine, e.g., the Internet with content from other digital versatile disk-read only memory (DVD-ROM), digital versatile disk-audio (DVD-Audio), and compact disc-audio (CD-Audio). Hereinafter, by the use of DVD-Video, it is to be understood that all three of these disk/disc media are included. The combination of the Internet with DVD-Video creates a richer, more interactive, and personalized entertainment experience for users.

[0057] Further, the application programming interface (API) provides a common programming interface allowing playback of this combined content on multiple playback platforms simultaneously. While the application programming interface (API) allows customized content and functions tailored for specific platforms, the primary benefit of the application programming interface (API) is that content developers can create content once for multi-platform playback, without the need of becoming an expert programmer on specific platforms, such as Windows, Macintosh, and other platforms. The document InterActual Usage Guide for Developers (hereby incorporated by reference) describes this in more detail for DVD content developers.

[0058] Internet connectivity is not a requirement for the use of the application programming interface (API). Stand-alone systems with web browser functionality are all that is required. In addition, compact disc-digital audio (CD-DA) can also be enhanced by use of the application programming interface (API). This is also described in the document InterActual Usage Guide for Developers (hereby incorporated by reference).

[0059] Personal video recorders (PVRs), such as the TiVo, RePlay, and digital versatile disk-recordable (DVD-R) devices, enable the ability to purchase video or audio products by downloading them from a satellite or other high-bandwidth system when implemented with the present invention. When so downloaded, the video or audio can be stored to a local disk system or burned onto a DVD-R.

[0060] The application programming interface (API) provides a basic set of guidelines for the production of internet-connected DVDs and for the playback of these enhanced DVDs on a range of computer, set-top platforms, and players. Based on the industry standard publishing format hypertext markup language (HTML) and JavaScript, the application programming interface (API) provides a way to easily combine DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, and CD-Audio with and within HTML pages, whereby HTML pages can control the media's playback. The application programming interface (API) provides a foundation for bringing content developers, consumer electronics manufacturers, browser manufacturers, and semiconductor manufacturers together to provide common development and playback platforms for enhanced DVD content.

[0061] Regarding FIG. 1, shown is a general example of a display device receiving content from local and offsite sources according to one embodiment.

[0062] Shown are a display device (102), a local content source (104), and an offsite content source (106).

[0063] The display device (102) is coupled to the local content source (104) as shown by a bi-directional arrow. The display device (102) is coupled to the offsite content source (106) as shown by a bi-directional arrow.

[0064] In operation, the display device (102) displays video and/or hypertext markup language (HTML) documents to a user. In an alternative embodiment, the display device (102) can be audio only. Display device (102) can be any device capable of displaying an external video feed or playing an external audio feed such as, but not limited to, a computer, a set top box, gaming platforms, or a player. The display device (102) receives content for display from either the local content source (104) or the offsite content source (106). The local content source (104), in one embodiment, can be any device capable of playing any media disk including, but not limited to, digital versatile disks (DVDs), digital versatile disk read only memories (DVD-ROMs), compact discs (CDs), compact disc-digital audios (CD-DAs), optical digital versatile disks (optical DVDs), laser disks, DATAPLAY (TM), streaming media, PVM (Power to Communicate), etc. The offsite content source (106), in one embodiment, can be any device capable of supplying web content or HTML-encoded content such as, but not limited to, a network-connected server or any source on the Internet.

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a general example of a computer receiving content from local and offsite sources according to one embodiment.

[0066] Shown are a local content source (104), an offsite content source (106), a computer (202), a microprocessor (204), and a memory (206).

[0067] The local content source (104) is coupled to the computer (202). The offsite content source (106) is coupled to the computer (202). The computer (202) includes the microprocessor (204) and the memory (206).

[0068] In operation, computer (202) is any computer able to play/display both video or audio provided by the local content source (104) and/or web or HTML content as provided by the offsite content source (106). Additionally, computer (202) can display both video and web/HTML content synchronously according to one embodiment of the present invention. Microprocessor (204) and memory (206) are used by computer (202) in executing software of the present invention.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows an example of a general system 300 comprising a television set-top box receiving content from local and offsite sources and according to one embodiment.

[0070] Shown are a local content source (104), an offsite content source (106), a set-top box (302), a microprocessor (304), a memory (306), and a television (308).

[0071] In operation, set-top box (302) enables selection between video or audio provided by the local content source (104) and web or HTML content as provided by the offsite content source (106). The set-top box (302) provides selected content to television (308) for display. Additionally, set-top box (302) can combine both video and web/HTML content synchronously according to one embodiment of the present invention and provide the same to television (308) for display. Microprocessor (304) and memory (306) are used by computer (202) in executing software of the present invention.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 4, shown is a diagram showing the interaction between an embedded web browser and a media subsystem according to one embodiment.

[0073] Shown are a hardware platform (402), an embedded web browser (410), and a media subsystem (420).

[0074] The hardware platform (402) executes both the embedded web browser (410) and the media subsystem (420). The embedded web browser (410) is coupled to the media subsystem (424). The media subsystem (420) is a superset of media services including DVD navigator for DVD disc. The media services is discussed in greater detail in relation to FIG. 6 later herein. When the media is not disc oriented, the media navigation is carried out by another component.

[0075] In operation, the hardware platform (402) has microprocessor or other processing circuitry (as shown in FIGS. 2-3) executing both the embedded web browser (410) and the media subsystem (420). The hardware platform (402) can be any device suitable for the present invention such as, but not limited to, television set-top boxes, DVD players, computers, etc.

[0076] The application programming interface (API) provides a common programming interface for hypertext markup language (HTML) and ECMAScript (a standardized script based on JavaScript and the like) for ensuring playback of enhanced content on multiple playback platforms. Internet connectivity is not required for the use of the application programming interface (API) when content originates from disk ROM.

[0077] The application programming interface (API) facilitates the playback of audio and/or video embedded within a web page. The application programming interface (API) can play back full-screen video or video within a web page window (sub window). Audio and/or video is embedded within a HTML-encoded page by use of an appropriate tag such as, but not limited to, the object tag (for the Microsoft Windows operating system) and the embed tag (for the Apple Macintosh Liberate operating system).

TABLE 4
Examples of embedding DVD-Video in HTML
	Operating
	System	Example
	Microsoft	<OBJECT classid=clsid:E358A3BE-6E9A-4BD4-
	Windows	93FB-F95FAA72FC01 height=140
		id=InterActual style=“HEIGHT: 189px;
		WIDTH: 320px” width=160>
		</OBJECT>
	Apple	<embed TYPE=‘application/x-itx-plugin’
	Macintosh	HIDDEN=‘true’ name=‘InterActual’
	Liberate	ALIGN=center HEIGHT=100 WIDTH=200
		CODEBASE=‘ITXClasses.jar’ TitleSleep=10000
		ChapterSleep=10000 TimeSleep=10000
		PropertySleep=10000 MAYSCRIPT>
		</embed>
	Linux	TBD
	Others	TBD

[0078] Optionally, on players that support the ATVEF standard, the object could be referenced in the following manner:
<object data=“tv: ” height=x width=x>

[0079] After the DVD-Video object is embedded in the web page, it can be accessed using any style sheet, link, or scripting language. Values for the ID string must begin with a letter (A-Z or a-z) and may be followed by any number of letters, digits, hyphens, and periods up to a maximum of 48.

[0080] Unlike computers, set-top boxes do not generally have a full-featured operating system and browser. Therefore, the capabilities within the browser are often more restricted. For embedding DVD-Video within these platforms using the application programming interface (API), the “InterActual” indentifier (ID) must be integrated within the embedded browser as any other tag structure. The ID allows the API to be associated with the HTML object. With this approach, any embedded browser that encounters the “InterActual” tag would automatically associate this identifier with the application programming interface (API).

[0081] The embedding of the video object assumes a certain level of Wwindow handling:

• [0082] Toggling between full screen presentation of HTML and full screen video
• [0083] Displaying DVD-Video within an HTML frame/window
• [0084] Dynamic resizing of the video window size
  • [0085] Note: The application programming interface (API) will play video full screen down to a 4:1 downscale (180×120 for NTSC and 180×144 for PAL).

[0086] The application programming interface (API) provides interaction with hardware platform (402) by means of commands (or methods), properties, and events. Commands (also called methods) are executed to control the playback of, search of, and navigation through video and/or audio content. The environment can be queried to ascertain the status of various properties. Events are triggered by the occurrence of various operating or playback conditions and serve to provide notification of these playback conditions. Events are essential for scripting and the simultaneous presentation of the media content (audio and/or video) with other web assets (such as text, graphics, etc.). Thus, properties are passive (provided in response to queries) and events are active (provided without queries).

[0087] Commands such as InterActual.PlayTitle, allows the HTML content to control playback of the media. Commands are parsed by the browser presentation engine (described later in greater detail in reference to FIG. 6) and then passed to the DVD navigator (described later in greater detail in reference to FIG. 6) to effect playback.

[0088] Properties allow the HTML content to query for state information of the DVD navigator. An example includes InterActual.TitleNumber. Properties are parsed by the presentation engine and passed thereafter to the DVD navigator. In response, the DVD navigator interprets the query and returns the requested information.

[0089] Events allow the HTML content to receive state information from the DVD navigator. An example of an event notification would be InterActual.TitleEvent. Events are propagated from the DVD navigator to the browser presentation engine whenever the requested state changers. The HTML content can subscribe to events using any of the event handlers as described in the application programming interface (API) specification.

[0090] FIG. 5 shows an example of media and other content integration according to one embodiment.

[0091] Shown are a display device (502), a screen (504), a content area (505), and a sub window (508).

[0092] The display device (502) contains the screen (504) able to display graphics and text. The content area (506) contains the sub window (508) (also referred to as a video window or alternate frame).

[0093] An important aspect of this embodiment is that audio and/or video can be integrated with other content such as text and/or graphics described in web compatible format (although the source need not be the Internet, but can be any source such as a disk or server able to deliver this content).

[0094] As an example, the sub window (508) displays movie content, such as the movie T2, and the content area (506) displays text and/or graphics (provided by HTML coding) which is topically related to the part of the movie playing in the sub window (508). When the user/viewer interacts with the content in the content area (506), such as by clicking on a displayed button, effects will be reflected in the media sub window (508). As an example, clicking on buttons or hypertext links indicating sections or particular points in the movie results in the video playback jumping to the selected point. Additionally, the media displayed in sub window (508) can result in changes in the content area (506). As an example, progression of the movie to a new scene results in a new text display giving information about the scene.

[0095] A primary feature of the application programming interface (API) is the ability to view HTML pages while playing video and/or audio content. The concurrent playback of browser and video places additional requirements on the processing power and memory of the underlying hardware. Each DVD semiconductor solution should be designed to perform both of these functions simultaneously. A required feature of the application programming interface (API) is the ability to display downscaled video within a frame of a web page. Additionally, video upscale is another feature of an embodiment as HTML content is already being designed with the assumption that this capability will be available in future devices.

[0096] As example of one embodiment is a movie authored with the entire screenplay provided on the DVD disk in HTML format. When a viewer clicks on any screen visually represented in HTML, the system links the viewer to that scene (by use of the command InterActual.SearchTime to go to the specific location within a title) within the DVD-Video. Besides being capable of a finer granularity than the normal chapter navigation provided on DVD-Video, the HTML-based script can contain other media such as a picture (by use of the command “InterActual.DisplayImage”) or special audio (by use of the command “InterActual.SelectAudio”) and/or live links for other information. Further, the text of the screenplay in HTML could automatically Ascroll@ with the DVD-Video to give the appearance of being synchronized with the DVD-Video. Although many of these types of features can be authored in DVD-Video (except, of course, live web links and synchronized scrolling), HTML authoring is much more efficient, immediate, and widely known.

[0097] FIG. 6 shows a general overview of the interaction of the components of a DVD device according to one embodiment.

[0098] Shown are a DVD device (602), an embedded web browser (410), a presentation engine (612), a web browser application programming interface for media services (614), DVD hardware (620), a DVD navigator (622), a media services (628), a DVD decoder (626), and an internet (630).

[0099] The DVD device (602) includes both the embedded web browser (410) and the DVD hardware (620). The embedded web browser (410) includes the presentation engine (612). The embedded web browser (410) is coupled to the web browser application programming interface for media services (614) which, in turn, is coupled to the DVD hardware (620). The DVD hardware (620) includes the DVD navigator (622) and the DVD decoder (626). The DVD navigator (622) includes the media services (628). The media services (628) is coupled to the DVD decoder (626). The DVD device (602) is coupled to the internet (630). The media services (628) corresponds to the media subsystem (628) but has a more specific implementation. The media subsystem (628) is a superset of the media services (628) and includes DVD navigator for DVD disc.

[0100] With the DVD device (602), the user is able to interact with an enhanced DVD on a television in the same fashion as can be experienced on a computer. The display area of a television can show video and HTML content concurrently. This is accomplished by the embedded web browser (410) in the DVD player. As discussed herein in reference to FIG. 4, the HTML content can control the playback of the video through embedded application programming interface (API) commands.

[0101] The embedded web browser (410) is responsible for displaying the HTML content authored on InterActual-compatible disks, stored locally on device (602), or served from a remote server location. The embedded web browser (410) also supports concurrent playback of video and audio while presenting the HTML page.

[0102] The presentation engine (612) of the browser must provide for the embedding of video within web pages. Embedding video within web pages defines the location where the video is played. This location information is then parsed by the presentation engine and passed to the underlying video rendering engine.

[0103] The presentation engine (612) of the embedded web browser (410) parses the HTML instructions for controlling the media playback, generates any graphic portions of the display, positions a video window when it exists, and also interfaces directly with the underlying DVD Navigator. InterActual-specific instructions are interpreted by the presentation engine (612) and passed to a DVD abstraction layer, which can be part of the embedded browser or developed by the DVD navigator manufacturer. This layer serves as an abstraction that makes it possible to map the browser into a DVD player-specific DVD navigator developed either by the semiconductor manufacturer or the player manufacturer. Of course, the DVD Navigator interfaces with the underlying video and audio decoders.

[0104] The web browser application programming interface for media services (614) (or DVD navigator abstraction layer (614)) is a very thin interface layer between the presentation engine (612) and the media services (628).

[0105] The DVD Navigator abstraction layer (614) may be developed by the player manufacturer or the semiconductor manufacturer. To support a flexible and portable solution, the DVD navigator abstraction layer (614) is recommended to reside in between the browser (410) and the DVD navigator (622). Abstracting the communication between the browser (410) and navigator (622) offers a more robust and portable design, so that either the browser or the navigator can be changed in future player designs.

[0106] The DVD navigator (622) controls the decoding and playback of media in the drive.

[0107] The media services (628) serves as a middleware layer between web browser application programming interface for media services (614) and the DVD navigator (622). The media services (628) facilitates content running in the embedded web browser (410) to control the DVD navigator (622). The media services (628) allows the DVD navigator (622) to work with any web browser compliant with the present embodiment.

[0108] The DVD decoder (626) interfaces between the DVD media interface hardware contained in the DVD hardware (620) and the DVD navigator (622).

[0109] The Internet (630) is shown as a specific example of the offsite content source (106) shown in FIGS. 1-3.

[0110] Referring to FIG. 7, shown are the details for the web browser application programming interface for media services (414) of FIG. 4.

[0111] Shown are an embedded web browser (410), a command handler (with command API) (702), a properties handler (with properties API) (704), an event generator (with event API) (706), a cookie manager (with cookie API) (708), an identifier engine (710), an initialization module (712), a navigator state module (714), a bookmark manager (716), a system resources (720), a system timer (722), a system monitor (724), a system initialization (726) a DVD/CD navigator (422), a user remote control (730), a front panel display module (732), a CD decoder (734), a DVD decoder (426), an I/O controller (736), a disk (738), a HTML/JavaScript content (740), and an InterActual API (742).

[0112] The embedded web browser (410) is coupled to the command handler (which has an associated command API) (702) as shown by a bi-directional arrow. The embedded web browser (410) is coupled separately to the properties handler (which has an associated properties API) (704), the event generator (which has an associated event API) (706), and the cookie manager (which has an associated cookie API) (708), all three connections shown by an arrow pointing towards the embedded web browser (410).

[0113] The command handler (702) is coupled to the bookmark manager (716) shown by a bi-directional arrow. The command handler (702) is coupled to the DVD/CD navigator (422) shown by a bi-directional arrow. The command handler (702) is coupled to the navigator state module (714) shown by a bi-directional arrow. The command handler (702) is coupled to the system resources (720) by an arrow pointing to the system resources (720).

[0114] The properties handler (704) is coupled separately to the bookmark manager (716) and the identifier engine (710), both shown by an arrow pointing to the properties handler (704). The properties handler (704) is coupled the event generator (706) by a bi-directional arrow.

[0115] The event generator (706) is coupled to the navigator state module (714) shown by a bi-directional arrow. The event generator (706) is coupled to the system timer (722) shown by an arrow pointing to the event generator (706). The event generator (706) is coupled to the cookie manager (708) by an arrow pointing to the cookie manager (708).

[0116] The cookie manager (708) is coupled to the identifier engine (710) shown by a bi-directional arrow.

[0117] The identifier engine (710) is coupled to the I/O controller (736) by an arrow pointing towards the identifier engine (710) and to the navigator state module (714) by a bi-directional arrow.

[0118] The initialization module (712) is coupled to the system initialization (726) by an arrow pointing towards the initialization module (712). The initialization module (712) is coupled to the navigator state module (714) by an arrow pointing to the navigator state module (714).

[0119] The navigator state module (714) is also coupled separately to the bookmark manager (716) and the DVD/CD navigator (422) by bi-directional arrows.

[0120] The DVD/CD navigator (422) is coupled to the user remote control (730) by an arrow pointing to the DVD/CD navigator (422). The DVD/CD navigator (422) is coupled to the front panel display module (732) by an arrow pointing to the front panel display module (732). The DVD/CD navigator (422) is coupled to the DVD decoder (426) by a bi-directional arrow.

[0121] The I/O controller (736) is coupled separately to both the DVD decoder (426) and the CD decoder (734) by arrows pointing away from the I/O controller (736). The I/O controller (736) is coupled to the disk (738) by an arrow pointing to the disk (738).

[0122] The disk (738) is coupled to the HTML/JavaScript content (740) by an arrow pointing to the HTML/JavaScript content (740).

[0123] The HTML/JavaScript content (740) is coupled to the Application programming interface (API) (742) by an arrow pointing to the Application programming interface (API) (742).

[0124] In operation, the embedded web browser (410) receives HTML/JavaScript content from disk (738) which is displayed by presentation engine (612). The embedded web browser (410) originates commands (as a result of user interaction which can be via the remote in set-top systems, the keyboard or mouse in computing systems, the game interface in gaming systems, etc.), which are sent to the command handler (702) by way of the command API. The embedded web browser (410) also receives commands from the command handler (702) by way of the command API. An example of such a command is InterActual.FullScreen(w). The embedded web browser (410) also receives cookies from the cookie manager (708) via the cookie API, generally in response to the accessing of an Internet website. The embedded web browser (410) also receives events (notifications) each of which is a notification that a respective defined event (generally related to media playback) has occurred. These events are generated by the event generator (706) and sent via the event API. The embedded web browser (410) also queries properties from the properties handler (704) via the properties API. Properties are received in response to inquiries generated by the embedded web browser (410).

[0125] The command handler (702) controls the DVD/CD navigator (422) including starting and stopping playback, changing audio streams, and displaying sub-pictures from JavaScript, among many things. The command handler (702) provides live web content for non-InterActive disks when an active Internet connection is present through such commands as InterActual.NetConnect( ) and InterActual.NetDisconnect( ). The command handler (702) commands the bookmark manager (716) through such commands as InterActual.GotoBookmark( ) and InterActual.SaveBookmark( ). The command handler (702) also interacts with the navigator state module (714) generally regarding user interaction. The Navigator state module (714) keeps the current state of the system and receives it directly from the decoder (or maps directly into it). When the bookmark manager (716) is going to save a bookmark and needs to know the current title, the bookmark manager (716) receives it from the navigator state module (714) and places it in a bookmark and returns it to the command handler to allow it to provide a return value to the InterActual.SaveBookmark command.

[0126] The properties handler (704) provides the embedded web browser (410) with the ability to interrogate the navigator state module (714) for the DVD/CD navigator (422) state which includes the properties (also referred to as attributes) of the elapsed time of the current title, the disk type, and the disk region, among others. The properties handler (704) maintains knowledge of system attributes. The Event Generator monitors these attributes and triggers and event when one is changed.

[0127] The event generator (706) provides notification to the DVD/CD navigator (422) of events such as a change of title or chapter with web content (based on DVD time codes and the system time from the system timer (722)). The event generator (706) notifies the properties handler (704) of event triggerings which are of interest to the properties handler (704). The event generator (706) also provides events to the cookie manager (708) such as relate to the accessing of web pages, disk insertion, and disk ejection events.

[0128] The cookie manager (708) interacts with the identifier engine (710) to provide the ability to save information regarding the disk, platform, current user, and the application programming interface (API) version in local storage.

[0129] The identifier engine (710) provides the ability to generate a unique identifier for the media which enables the DVD ROM content (HTML and JavaScript from the disk) to carry out platform validation to ensure a certified device is present. The identifier engine (710) provides the ability to serialize each disk by reading and processing the information coded in the burst code area (BCA) of the disk. The BCA is read by the identifier engine (710) and stored in the navigator state module (714). Hence commands such as InterActual.GetBCAField( ) can get the BCA information from the navigator state module (714) after insertion of a disc. This BCA information provides the ability to uniquely identify each disk by serial number. Conditional access to content, usage tracking, and other marketing techniques are implemented thereby. The identifier engine (710) gets the BCA information for the serial identifier (SerialID), hashes the video .IFO file to identify the title (called the MediaID), and then reads the ROM information to establish a data identifier (DataID) for the HTML/JavaScript data on the disc. The identifier engine (710) provides this information to the navigator state module (714) which stores this information and provides it to whichever of the command handler (702), properties handler (704), or event generator (706) needs it. The identifier engine (710) interacts with the navigator state module. The identifier engine (710) receives the BCA information (read differently than files) from the I/O controller (736). The identifier engine (710) interacts with the cookie manager (708) to place disc related information read from the BCA as discussed previously herein into the InterActual System cookie.

[0130] The initialization module (712) provides the ability to establish the DVD/CD navigator environment. The initilization module (712) allows the internal states and the State Modules (i.e. the navigator state module (714)) to be initialized. This initialization also includes reading the current disc in the drive and initializing a system cookie. It is noted that the embedded web browser (410) interfaces which allow registering a callback for the event handler are established at power-up as well.

[0131] The navigator state module (714) provides the ability to coordinate user interaction and DVD behavior with front panel controls and/or a remote control. In one embodiment, arbitration of control happens in the navigator (422) itself between the remote and front panel controls. DVD/CD navigator (722) playback is initiated by the navigator state module (714) in response to input from the initialization module (712). The navigator state module (714) receives locations of book marked points in the video playback from the bookmark manager (716) and controls the DVD/CD navigator (422) accordingly.

[0132] The bookmark manager (716) provides the ability for the JavaScript content to mark spots in video playback, and to return later to the same spot along with the saved parameters which include angle, sub-picture, audio language, and so forth. The bookmark manager (716) provides the ability to use video bookmarks in conjunction with web bookmarks. As an example, a video bookmark is set, a web session is launched going to a preset web book marked source to retrieve video-related information, then later a return to the video at the book marked spot occurs.

[0133] The system timer (722) provides time stamps to the event generator (706) for use in determining events for synchronization or controlled playback.

[0134] The system monitor (724) interacts with the properties handler (704). In one embodiment, the system generates a 900 millisecond timer tick as an event which the HTML/JavaScript uses in updating the appropriate time displays as is needed. For systems that do not have a DVD Navigator that creates events the timer is used to poll the property values every 900 milliseconds and compares the poll results with a previous result. If the result changes then an event is generated to the HTML/JavaScript.

[0135] The system initialization (726) provides initialization control whenever the system is turned on or reset.

[0136] The DVD decoder (427) generally receives the media stream from the I/O controller (736) and decodes the media stream into video and audio signals for output. The DVD decoder (426) receives control from DVD/CD navigator (422).

[0137] The CD-DA decoder (734) receives a media stream from I/O controller (736) and decodes it into audio which it provides as output.

[0138] The I/O controller (736) interfaces with disk (738) and controls its physical movement, playback, and provides the raw output to the appropriate decoder. The I/O controller (736) also provides disk state information to identifier engine (710).

[0139] The disk (738) can be any media disk such as, but not limited to, DVD-ROM, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, CD-ROM, CD-Audio.

[0140] Referring to FIG. 8, shown is a media disk directory structure according to one embodiment.

[0141] Shown are a disk (802), a /ROOT directory (804), a /COMMON directory (806), a /MAC directory (808), a /WIN directory (810), a /NUON directory (812), and a /SONY directory (814).

[0142] The disk (802) includes each of the directories listed: the /ROOT directory (804), the /COMMON directory (806), the /MAC directory (808), the /WIN directory (810), the /NUON directory (812), and the /SONY directory (814).

[0143] In one embodiment, the application programming interface (API) uses the file structure depicted in FIG. 8 to access platform-specific binaries. Platforms for which directories are defined include the /MAC (Macintosh operating system), /NUON (VM labs, NUON technology), /SONY (Sony playstation), /WIN (Microsoft Windows operating systems). Other directories are allowed and can be used when desired, such as /LINUX (for the LINUX operating system), /NINTENDO (Nintendo Dolphin), /SEGA (Sega Dreamcast), and /XBOX (Microsoft X-Box).

[0144] The directory structure allows for proprietary executable binary files for each platform. The platform-specific directory structure and its associated set of binaries enable any platform to run executables specifically designed for that platform. This capability, in essence, allows the platform-specific binaries to override the general purpose content, or override the standard browser mechanism. While actual ROM content may reside in a platform directory, in one embodiment, all ROM content resides in the /COMMON directory (806) when possible. The /COMMON directory (806) can support any number of subdirectories including platform-specific directories.

[0145] The /COMMON directory (806) and platform-specific directories are standardized, however, each platform developer is free to create their own subdirectory structure under their reserved platform-specific directory. As example, Sony may create PS2 and PS3 subdirectories under the /SONY directory (814).

[0146] The /COMMON directory (806) stores the actual ROM content (as opposed to platform-specific binaries). It is recommended that all ROM content, including platform-specific ROM content, reside in this directory as this facilitates an intuitive content development approach and provides an easy way for JavaScript to be used to detect platforms and render the appropriate HTML pages tailored to specific platforms when required.

[0147] Even if platform-specific binaries are included on the disk, the general purpose content can still be called. In one embodiment, a DVD utilizes the directory structure by placing the Windows version of software in the /WIN directory, the Macintosh version of PCFriendly in the /MAC directory (808), and so forth. Upon insertion of the disk, whichever platform the disk has been inserted into will execute the appropriate binaries (found in that platform's directory and autorun), and these binaries thereafter load the INDEX.HTM file located in the /COMMON directory (806), which is the starting point for any general-purpose InterActual-compatible disk. The meta-data tag in the head section of the INDEX.HTM file, in one embodiment, contains the Application programming interface (API) version information. The INDEX.HTM file serves as a background container web page during standard playback that allows JavaScript event handlers to be loaded and activated to handle button events during playback. JavaScript can be used to detect platforms and render the appropriate HTML pages customized for those platforms.

[0148] The specifications for DVD-video and DVD-audio require that each disk contain specific directories and files. As example, DVD-video files are contained in a directory named VIDEO_TS and DVD-audio files are contained in a directory named AUDIO_TS. There is no such requirement for DVD-ROM, so developers can arrange files in any desired manner.

[0149] Files stored for use with InterActual-compatible disks can be in any DVD disc directory. In the case where no platform-specific executable file exists, there must be a method which allows the browser and/or playback engine to identify the initial HTML file.

[0150] During disk creation, DVD-video zone files must be placed physically at the beginning of the disk, contiguously, in the order specified by the DVD-video specification. Likewise, DVD-audio zone files must follow the DVD-video files in contiguous order.

[0151] In one embodiment, the VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS directories are the first entries in the directory descriptor. In one embodiment, the ROM zone files are placed in subdirectories rather than the /ROOT directory.

[0152] The placement of files on a dual-layer disk (DVD-9, DVD-14, or DVD-18) is generally independent of the layer details. DVD-video and DVD-audio files must begin on layer 0. ROM zone files are placed at the end, beginning on whichever layer the DVD-video (or DVD-audio) files end on, and can cross the layer boundary if needed.

[0153] DVD authoring systems and tools support different naming capabilities such as UDF, ISO-9660, ISO-9660 with Joliet extensions, Macintosh file names, Macintosh resources, hybrid disks, etc. Some authoring systems force a certain character capitalization (such as all capitals).

[0154] The disk insertion flow of FIG. 8 is commonly described in terms of phases.

[0155] The first phase is InterActual disk detection where the disk is checked to determine if it has InterActual content. This is done by seeking the INDEX.HTM file in the /COMMON directory on the disk. If the INDEX.HTM file exists, then the DVD is compatible with the present embodiment, otherwise, it is not.

[0156] The second phase is disk type detection where the disk is checked to determine if it is a DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, or CD-DA disk.

[0157] The third phase is player mode detection where the device is checked to determine the default playback mode for the system. This is done by reading the player mode by the properties query InterActual.PlayerMode. When the device is configured for play mode, content in accordance with the present embodiment, in one embodiment, is bypassed.

[0158] If the default playback mode for the device is “InterActual” mode, then content in accordance with the present embodiment is launched beginning with /COMMON/INDEX.HTM. The content itself can be updated dynamically if there is an active Internet connection. When there is no active Internet connection, the device will render the content from the disk ROM.

[0159] For disks not in accordance with the present embodiment in players with a default playback mode of “InterActual,” the default content homepage (CONNECT.HTM) is rendered and an Internet connection is attempted to potentially provide web content.

[0160] The fourth phase is platform-specific file detection where directories on the disk are checked to determine if any platform-specific files are located. This is done by searching for the appropriate file structures for the device.

[0161] The fifth phase is internet connection determination where the device is checked to see whether an Internet connection is active or possible. The system can access and updated content files for the current title of disks in accordance with the present embodiment. For non-enhanced titles, the system will look online to see if there is any content available for the current title. If there is such content, the system can offer the same interactive experience as a title in accordance with the present embodiment affords.

[0162] When the device is in player mode play, a disk in accordance with the present embodiment can display a logo to signify that there is content in accordance with the prtesent embodiment available from the disk ROM.

[0163] Referring to FIGS. 9, shown is part 1/2 of one exemplary algorithm 900 for handling disk insertion according to one embodiment resulting in the launching of different contents depending on disk determinations.

[0164] Algorithm 900 begins when a user inserts a media disk into a device at “insert disk” block (902) and determines if the inserted disk is a DVD or music CD in accordance with the present embodiment block (904).

[0165] When the determination (block 904) is that the inserted disk is not a disk in accordance with the present embodiment, the algorithm (900) continues through connector A (906) to the corresponding connector A in FIG. 10.

[0166] When the determination (block 904) is that the inserted disk is a disk in accordance with the present embodiment, the determination is next made whether the disk is a DVD (block 908).

[0167] If the result of the determination of block 908 is that the disk is a DVD, a check is made whether the author mode is movie mode or system mode (block 910). If the author mode is movie mode, standard DVD playback is initiated (block 914). If the author mode is system mode, the determination is made whether the default player mode is “InterActual” (block 912). If it is not, the algorithm (900) launches standard DVD playback (block 914). If it is, the determination is made whether platform specific binaries exist for the current platform (block 916), and if so, platform specific binaries are launched (block 918). If no platform-specific binaries are found, the determination is made whether there is an active Internet connection (block 920), and if not, the file INDEX.HTM is launched from the DVD (block 922). If there is an active Internet connection, a check is made for web content for the current title (block 924), and if there is content for the current title it is displayed (block 926).

[0168] If the result of the decision at block 908 is that the disk is not a DVD, the determination is next made whether the default player mode is “InterActual” (block 930) and if not, CD standard playback is launched (block 932). If the default player mode is “InterActual,” a check is made for any platform-specific binaries (block 934) and if any are present, the platform-specific binaries are launched (block 936). If there are no platform-specific binaries, a check is made whether there is an active Internet connection (block 938) and if not, INDEX.HTML is launched from the CD-ROM (block 940). If there is an active Internet connection, a check is made for web content for the current title, and if there is any, it is displayed (block 944). If there is no web content for the current title, INDEX.HTML is launched from the CD-ROM (block 940).

[0169] A disc in accordance with the present embodiment is detected by checking for the existence of the /COMMON/INDEX.HTM file. The application programming interface (API) version information can be found in the meta-data area of the HTML file.

[0170] Referring to FIG. 10, shown is part 2/2 of the exemplary algorithm 900 for handling disk insertion according to one embodiment resulting in the launching of different contents depending on disk determinations.

[0171] Algorithm 900 continues from connector A (connector 906) in FIG. 9 and begins at connector A (connector 1002) in FIG. 10. A determination is made whether the disk is a DVD (block 1004) and if the disk is a DVD, a check is made whether the default player mode is InterActual (block 1006). If the default mode is not “InterActual,” standard DVD playback is launched (block 1008). If the default playback mode is “InterActual,” then DEFAULT.HTM is launched from memory (block 1014).

[0172] If the disk is determined to not be a DVD (block 1004), a check is made whether the default player mode is “InterActual” (block 1010) and if it is not, standard playback is launched (block 1012). If the default player mode is “InterActual” (block 1010), DEFAULT.HTM is launched from memory (block 1014). After launching DEFAULT.HTM, a check is made whether an active Internet connection exists (block 1016) and if not, standard playback is launched (block 1018). If an active Internet connection exists, a check is made for online content for the current title (block 1020). If no online content is found for the current title, standard playback is initiated (block 1018). If online content for the current title is found, the online content found is displayed (block 1022).

[0173] FIG. 11 shows a general exemplary diagram of synchronous viewing of content according to one embodiment.

[0174] Shown are a server (1102), an Internet (1104), an InterActive device (1106), and an InterActive device 2 (1108).

[0175] The server (1102) is coupled to the Internet (1104) shown by a bi-directional arrow. The Internet (1104) is coupled separately to both the interactive device (1106) and the interactive device 2 (1108) shown by bi-directional arrows.

[0176] DVDs can be used for multiple user synchronous use. Generally, this is done by having a prearranged time for an event (such information could be programmed on the disk or provided to users from online content accessed via the disk) at which time interested users connect to a prearranged website by use of the appropriate disk. The network site can control all connected devices by sending commands such as play, pause, fast forward, etc. By this manner, content resident on the disks as well as live web-originated content can be synchronously interwoven for any number of connected users simultaneously. With the server being coupled to the interactive devices the server can send commands to these devices for remotely controlling content stored on local interactive devices connected to a network system, such as the Internet. First, the interactive devices begin with the same interactive content, such as a DVD-Video disk. The interactive devices and a server are adapted to be connected to a network. In operation, information is transmitted from the server to the interactive devices that begin playback of the interactive content utilizing the network. Each interactive device receives the command at the same time and thus the commands and therefore the content are synchronized at start of playback. If the interactive devices support different commands such as a playing at a given time or only playing at a given chapter the server must utilize the supported features for the interactive device and send out only the supported commands to the interactive devices. This allows for the simultaneous playback of the event on each of the client apparatuses. Late synchronization can be achieved by a similar method by sending a command from the server to the interactive devices of the current time position the DVD-Video is playing. For those interactive devices that only support chapter commands the server must wait until the next chapter change to send the command to the interactive device to synchronize with the other interactive devices currently viewing the DVD-Video. Furthermore, This allows content such as DVD Video content to be locked so that play can only be accomplished through verification of interactive devices identity and also allows augmentation and supplementation of the content provided by the video from a remote server. Upon verification of a interactive device's credentials, the locally stored content can be supplemented with additional content delivered over the network system. This is achieved by using precise command sequences from the server to the interactive devices that unlock the local DVD-Video for example.

[0177] DVDs can be used for multiple user synchronous use. Generally, this is done by having a prearranged time for an event (such information could be programmed on the disk or provided to users from online content accessed via the disk) at which time interested users connect to a prearranged website by use of the appropriate disk. The network site can control all connected devices by sending commands such as play, pause, fast forward, etc. By this manner, content resident on the disks as well as live web-originated content can be synchronously interwoven for any number of connected users simultaneously.

[0178] Referring to FIG. 12, shown is a depiction of user interaction using a remote control.

[0179] Shown are a “view button pressed” block (1202), a web view (1204), a content view (1206), an InterActual mode (1208), and a full-screen mode (1210).

[0180] A user has two views between which he or she can switch, one being from the world wide web (WWW) and the other being from the disk content. Users accessing a display device (102) by remote control has, in one embodiment, access to both views (or “worlds”) at any time through the “view” button. Additionally, in one embodiment, a graphics subsystem can support this by having two graphic “planes,” one for each view. By having a separate disk content view, the content owner can control the presentation of information (scripts, pictures, videos, etc.). This aids in merchandising of the content.

[0181] In the example of FIG. 12, by use of a remote control view button at “view button pressed” block (1202), the user can select either the web view (1204) or the content view (1206). The content view (1206) is the INDEX.HTM file (residing in the /COMMON directory on a disk) which is a cross-platform (or multi-platform) file designed to be viewable on substantially all of the supported platforms. Alternatively, the content view (1206) is the CONNECT.HTM file from the storage of the device (used in lieu of the INDEX.HTM, for example, when no disk is inserted, or when a disk not in accordance with the present embodiment is inserted).

[0182] The web view (1204) is the InterActual-compatible device's “home page.” This page is under the control of the device manufacturer. As an example, this page may contain the manufacturer's logo and/or system (device) specific information. Alternatively, this page may be determined by user-controlled settings of the device.

[0183] The content view (1206) is the content “home page” and resides at /COMMON/INDEX.HTM (on a disk) or as CONNECT.HTM in the device's memory (e.g. flash ROM). Depending on the player mode of the device, the content view (1206) can default to either “InterActual” mode (1208) or full-screen mode (1210).

[0184] When a disk contains “InterActual” content, the content authors can create it such that the user experience begins with the “InterActual” content. This is an option available to the disk authors at the time of authoring.

[0185] Referring to FIG. 13, shown is a remote control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0186] Shown is a remote control (1300), having a back button (1302), a view button (1304), a home button (1306), an IA (InterActual) button (1308), a stop button (1310), a next button (1312), a prev button (1314), a play button (1316), an up button (1318), a left button (1320), a right button (1322), and a down button (1324).

[0187] The back button (1302) has different uses. In an Internet view, the back button (1302) goes back to the previously-visited web page. In a content (from disk) view, the back button (1302) goes back to the last web page or video/web page combination which was viewed.

[0188] The view button (1304) switches between a full-screen Internet (or web) view to a full-screen content (from disk) view.

[0189] The home button (1306) has different uses. In an Internet view, the home button (1306) goes to the device's home page which, as example, could be the manufacturer's page or a user-specified page if changed by the user. In a content (from disk) view, the home button (1306) goes to the content home page which, as example, could be INDEX.HTM from the disk ROM or CONNECT.HTM from the flash system memory.

[0190] The IA button (1308), or “InterActual” button, is a dedicated button which is discussed in greater detail under the subheading “context sensitive application” later herein in reference to FIG. 13.

[0191] The playback buttons, stop (1310), next (1312), prev (previous) (1314), and play (1316), control the video whenever there is video being displayed (either in full-screen mode or in a window). If no video is being displayed, pressing of the play button (1316), in one embodiment, loads a special page VIDPLAY.HTM if it is present in the /COMMON directory of an inserted disk ROM. If the VIDPLAY.HTM file is not found, pressing of the play button (1316), in one embodiment, plays the DVD in full-screen video mode.

[0192] The navigation buttons, up (1318), left (1320), right (1322), and down (1324), in one embodiment, do not work for DVD navigation unless video is playing in full-screen mode. If video is playing in a window within a web page, these buttons enable navigation of the web page, especially useful for navigating to and selecting HTML hyperlinks. In this embodiment, the windowed video will be a selectable hyperlink as well. Selecting the video window (by an enter button not shown) causes it to change to full-screen video. In another embodiment, a mouse or other pointing device such as a trackball, hand glove, pen, or the like can be integrated with the system.

[0193] In one embodiment, use of a unique event and a special button on the remote control (1300), a specific section in the media can trigger a context-sensitive action. Events that are used for this purpose are context sensitive to the media content. As example, an event can trigger during a certain scene, upon which, in response to a user's selection of an object within the scene can display information relating to the selected object.

[0194] In one embodiment, when media content subscribes to a particular event for context sensitive interaction, which can be done on a chapter or time basis, the DVD navigator can optionally overlay transparently some place on the display alerting the user that context-sensitive interaction is available. Similar to when a network logo is transparently displayed at the bottom of a television screen, in one embodiment, an InterActual logo is displayed to signify there is more info available for the displayed scene, and so forth. This ability is implemented through the media services (420) and the graphical subsystem of the DVD navigator (622).

[0195] Regarding FIG. 14, shown is an example of a computer to Internet connection according to one embodiment.

[0196] Shown are a server 1402, an Internet 1404, a cookie 1406, and a computer 1408.

[0197] The server 1402 is coupled to the Internet 1404. The Internet (1404) is coupled to the computer (1408) with the cookie (1406) shown being communicated along the connection between the computer (1408) and the Internet (1404).

[0198] In operation, a user causes computer (1408) to access a web page resident on the server (1402) via the connections through the Internet. In so doing, the website containing the accessed web page causes the cookie (1406) to be sent to the computer (1408) and stored on a local storage drive for later reference by the storing website.

[0199] A cookie is information that a web site (server side program) puts on a client's computer or permanent storage so that information is retained from browsing session to browsing session (or later use in the same session). Typically, a cookie records user-specific information such as past user choices during interaction with the web site. Cookies are useful because the nature of the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) used by the World Wide Web (WWW) is that each web page request is completely independent of all other requests. Thus a cookie is a mechanism which allows a web site to retain access to past interaction history with particular clients.

[0200] The embedded browser supports two types of cookies, system cookies and general-purpose cookies. System cookies are predefined in both name and size as part of the Application programming interface (API). System cookies are automatically created and modified by the player hardware and embedded browser. General-purpose cookies are cookies that can be placed by web pages. Both system cookies and general- purpose cookies may be volatile or non-volatile (maintained even if storing system is powered off) depending on their specific function.

[0201] The following cookies are supported by the application programming interface (API):

[0202] Platform cookie, a non-volatile cookie of 32 bytes length that contains unique hardware information, including a hardware identifier for the device.

[0203] UserID cookie, a non-volatile cookie of 32 bytes length that contains unique user login information (useful for multi-user households).

[0204] An application programming language version cookie, a non-volatile cookie of 32 byte in length which maintains version information for the supported levels of the application programming interface (API).

[0205] Player Mode cookie, a non-volatile cookie of 32 bytes length which maintains the default player mode for the Application programming interface (API) playback, movie mode, or InterActual mode.

[0206] Disk cookie, a volatile cookie of 214 bytes length which contains currently inserted disk information including a unique ID generated by local hardware based on hashing algorithm provided by InterActual and (2) the id field from PCFreindly titles (based on the file DISC.ID) provided the disk is a PCFreindly (PCF) disk. This cookie is generated with null content when no disk is currently in the drive.

[0207] The application programming interface (API) also provides for a minimum of 100 general-purpose cookies that can be used by general web sites. Each of these cookies can be up to 200 bytes in size, therefore the minimum storage requirement for cookies is determined as follows:

[0208] 4 reserved 32 byte system cookies=128 bytes

[0209] 1 reserved 214 byte system cookie=214 bytes

[0210] 100 general-purpose cookies of 200 bytes=20,000 bytes

[0211] Thus total cookie storage is a minimum of 20,342 bytes.

[0212] Referring to FIG. 15, shown is an example of a bookmark according to one embodiment.

[0213] Shown are a video (1504), a bookmark (1504), and a screen image (1506).

[0214] In operation, bookmark (1504) records the necessary information to return to the same point in the video playback of video (1502) by recording the title number, time position, chapter, angle, sub picture, and language.

[0215] Bookmarks maintain the state of player by storing general parameter registers (GPRMs) for a specific title. Video bookmarks mark where the video player state was last. For the application programming interface (API), one bookmark per title is required. In one embodiment, 32 bookmarks are recommended.

[0216] A bookmark has a minimum size of 10 bytes. There is at least one bookmark per disk. These bookmarks are managed in a queue such that creating a new bookmark for a specific disk (using the disk cookie) will overwrite the last bookmark in the queue for that disk provided the queue is full. If a new disk is encountered, the oldest bookmark of the set is overwritten. In one embodiment, a capacity of 32 bookmarks is required, which requires a minimum of 320 bytes of persistent storage.

[0217] A more detailed treatment of bookmarks and the queue is presented in Application programming e (API) Specification@ (hereby incorporated by e).

[0218] Bookmark structure is described in table 1.

TABLE 1
byte			data
offset	field name	description	type
0	TitleNumber	number of title (1-99)	signed
			byte
1-5	ElapsedTime	time in elapsed	signed 4
		milliseconds from start	byte
		(0 to 2{circumflex over ( )}31 − 1)
6	Chapter	Chapter (1-99)	signed
			byte
7	Angle	Angle (1-9)	signed
			byte
8	sub picture	Sub picture (0-31)	signed
			byte
9	AudioLang	Audio Language (1-99)	signed
			byte

[0219] In an embodiment, one megabyte (1 MB) of cached simultaneous content is recommended. In an embodiment, the cache size should be specified in the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) header sent between the player and attached servers. Larger local storage for caching web pages and the like can be used with the present invention.

[0220] In one embodiment, the Application programming interface (API) content support for fully compatible InterActual-compliant devices is defined in the two areas of content format support and content type support as follows:

[0221] Content format support, according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) version 1.0, hypertext markup language (HTML) version 4.0 (frames, tables, event handler extensions), (CSS) version 1, (DOM) version 0, ECMAScript version 1.1 (note ECMAScript and DOM 0 is equivalent to JavaScript version 1.1. Requires platform and language detection), (SSL) version 2.0, Application programming interface (API) version 1.0 (embedding, commands, properties, and events), cookies (used to store hardware platform information and essential disk identification information).

[0222] Mandatory content type support includes MPEG1 and MPEG2 video files, WAV, AU, AIFF, and MP3 audio files, GIF, JPEG, and PNG graphics files

[0223] The advanced format support is not required for a standard implementation. Advanced formats include, but are not limited to, Macromedia Flash (this is encouraged as Flash is very popular for studio DVDs), extensible markup language (XML), Chat, and streaming media such as MPEG4, Real Player, and Quicktime. With the advent of modern and other advanced Internet connectivity solutions, more additions to the advance format capabilities will be made.

[0224] More complex menu structures A DVD-Video is shipped with a simple HTML page that does little except start a movie. However, it also checks to see if that movie has any web site updates. If it does, then it launches a new movie menu that is downloaded from the web. Obviously, the downloaded menu can be designed much later than the DVD. The menu may have e-commerce opportunities, such as promoting gifts for purchase, tickets for the sequel to the movie on the DVD, etc. The window of time of these opportunities is decided by the content owner and is completely independent of the DVD. The menu can have links to actors/actresses featured in the DVD. Additionally, the menu can provide options to navigate the DVD with finer granularity than the original chapters on the DVD provide.

[0225] DVDs authored with different logos at the head (such as logos for Best Buy, Circuit City, or the like) can be used for advertising purposes. For example, the disk start-up can be specified to display the logo of the original retailer and the consumer can be directed to access the retailer's website for promotional advertisements. This can be accomplished by checking the burst cutting area (BCA) on the disk which would indicate the identity of the retailer.

[0226] Following is presented an exemplary list of the commands, properties, and events for several embodiments of the InterActual Programming Interface. This list is presented as follows:

• • [0227] A The DVD-Video and CD-Digital programming interface
    • [0228] A.1 Commands
    • [0229] A.2 Properties
    • [0230] A.3 Events
    • [0231] A.4 Interface Applicability
  • [0232] B The DVD-Audio Specific Interface
    • [0233] B.1 Commands
    • [0234] B.2 Properties
    • [0235] B.3 Events
  • [0236] C Advanced InterActual API
    • [0237] C.1 Commands
    • [0238] C.2 Properties
    • [0239] C.3 Events

A.1 Commands

[0240] Commands will control the playback and navigation mechanisms of a DVD-Video/Audio or CD-DA disc. Commands can be used by the calling application (HTML/JavaScript) to initiate these functions. This section provides a detailed description of each InterActual command with its associated parameters.

[0241] 1) All commands support return values. These will all be JavaScript numbers, however the underlying API implementation should set a signed 4-byte (32-bit) value for each of these.

[0242] 2) Each command lists applicable return values.

[0243] 3) A “−3” will be returned for commands not supported by a specific system or navigator.

A.1.1 InterActual.Play( )

[0244] Summary:

• • [0245] Starts playback of the DVD.

[0246] Parameters:

• • [0247] None required

[0248] Example:

• • [0249] This command controls playback of the video.
  • [0250] InterActual.Play( )

[0251] Notes:

• • [0252] For DVD Video this command starts playing from the First Play PGC. See also: InterActual.PlayTitle(t);
  • [0253] InterActual.PlayChapter(t,c);
  • [0254] InterActual.PlayTime(t,h,m,s,x)

[0255] Media Supported:

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
x	x	x

[0256] Return Values:

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.2 InterActual.PlayTitle(t)

[0257] Summary:

• • [0258] Start playback at the specified title number.

[0259] Parameters:

	t	Title number ranging from 1-99; signed 1
		byte integer

[0260] Example:

• • [0261] Play title number 3.
  • [0262] InterActual.PlayTitle(3)

[0263] Notes:

• • [0264] This command requires that the UOP2 operation is permitted.

[0265] See also:

• • [0266] InterActual.Play( ); InterActual.PlayTime(t,h,m,s,x);
  • [0267] InterActual.PlayChapter(t,c)

[0268] Media Supported:

DVD
Video	DVD Audio	CD Audio
x

[0269] Return Values:

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.3 InterActual.PlayChapter(t,c)

[0270] Summary:

[0271] Start playback at the specified title number and chapter value. Parameters:

	t	Title number ranging from 1-99; signed 1
		byte integer
	c	Chapter number ranging from 1-99 for
		One_Sequential_PGC_Title
		Chapter number ranging from 1-999 for
		Multi_PGC_Title
		Signed 2 byte integer

[0272] Example:

• • [0273] Play the 2^nd chapter of title number 6.
  • [0274] InterActual.Playchapter(6,2)

[0275] Notes:

• • [0276] If in TO_DOM and already within specified title, InterActual.SearchChapter is issued to maintain GPRM values. Otherwise, InterActual.PlayChapter is issued.

[0277] Requires:

• • [0278] This command requires that the UOP1 operation be permitted.

[0279] See also:

• • [0280] InterActual.PlayTitle(t); InterActual.SearchChapter(c)

[0281] Media Supported

DVD
Video	DVD Audio	CD Audio
x

[0282] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.4 InterActual.PlayChapterAutoStop(t,c,n)

[0283] Summary:

• • [0284] Start playback of the specified title t at chapter c for n chapters.

[0285] Parameters:

t	Title number ranging from 1-99; signed 1 byte
	integer
c	Chapter number ranging from 1-99 for
	One_Sequential_PGC_Title
	Signed 2 byte integer
n	Number of chapters to play ranging from 1-998;
	a value of “1” signifies that the chapter
	“c” will be played and play will stop after
	that chapter;
	Signed 2 byte integer

[0286] Example:

• • [0287] Play the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th chapters of title number 6.
  • [0288] InterActual.PlayChapterAutoStop(6,2,3)

[0289] Requires:

• • [0290] This command requires that the UOP1 operation be permitted.

[0291] See also:

• • [0292] InterActual.PlayChapter(t,c)

[0293] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X

[0294] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.5 InterActual.PlayTime(t,h,m,s,x)

[0295] Summary:

• • [0296] This command starts playback in the specified title number (t) at the specified time in hours (h), minutes (m), seconds (s) and milliseconds (x). For DVD-Audio, the first parameter represents the title group number (t).

[0297] Parameters

t	DVD-Video: Title number ranging from 1-99
	DVD-Audio: Title group number ranging from 1-9
	CD-Audio: Track number ranging from 0-99
	where
	if t = 0 then h, m, s are relative to the
	start of the CD-Audio,
	else t is the track number and
	the h, m, s are relative to that track
	Signed 1 byte integer
h	Hours where h can range from 00-23; signed
	1 byte integer
m	Minutes where m can range from 00-59;
	signed 1 byte integer
s	Seconds where s can range from 00-59;
	signed 1 byte integer
x	Milliseconds where x can range from 0-999
	(e.g. 1 would be interpreted as 0.001 second;
	for video, this will be rounded to the
	nearest frame)
	Signed 2 byte integer

[0298] Examples:

• • [0299] Start playing from the specified time position of the current title. For example to play title 2 from 1 hour, 10 minutes, 30 seconds, millisecond 79 in the title
  • [0300] InterActual.PlayTime(2,1,10,30,79)

[0301] Notes:

• • [0302] If in TT_DOM or TT_GR_DOM and already within a specific title, InterActual.SearchTime is issued to maintain GPRM values. Otherwise, InterActual.PlayTime is issued and the GPRM registers are initialized.

[0303] Requires:

• • [0304] DVD-Video: This command requires that the UOP0 operation be permitted.

[0305] See also:

• • [0306] InterActual.SearchTime(h,m,s,x)

[0307] Media Supported:

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X	X

[0308] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.6 InterActual.PlayTimeAutoStop(t,sh,sm,ss,sx,eh,em,es,ex)

[0309] Summary

• • [0310] This command starts playback in the specified title number (t) at the specified start time in hours (sh), minutes (sm), seconds (ss) and milliseconds (sx) and ends at the specified end time (using the same variables for hours, minutes, seconds and milliseconds: eh, em, es, ex). For DVD-Audio, the first parameter represents the title group number (t).

[0311] Parameters

	t	DVD-Video: Title number ranging from 1-99
		DVD-Audio: Title group number ranging from 1-9
		CD-Audio: Track number ranging from 0-99
		where
		if t = 0 then h, m, s are relative to the
		start of the CD-Audio,
		else t is the track number and
		the h, m, s are relative to that track
		Signed 1 byte integer
	sh	Start hour where h can range from 00-23;
		Signed 1 byte integer
	sm	Start minutes where m can range from 00-59;
		Signed 1 byte integer
	ss	Start seconds where s can range from 00-59;
		Signed 1 byte integer
	sx	Start milliseconds where x can range from 0-999
		(e.g. 1 would be interpreted as 0.001 second;
		for video, this will be rounded to the nearest
		frame);
		Signed 2 byte integer
	eh	End hour where h can range from 00-23;
		Signed 1 byte integer
	em	End minutes where m can range from 00-59;
		Signed 1 byte integer
	es	End seconds where s can range from 00-59;
		Signed 1 byte integer
	ex	End milliseconds where x can range from 0-999
		(e.g. 1 would be interpreted as 0.001 second;
		for video, this will be rounded to the nearest
		frame)
		Signed 2 byte integer

[0312] Examples

• • [0313] Start playing from the specified time position of the current title to the end position. For example to play title 2 from 1 hour, 10 minutes, 30 seconds, millisecond 79 in the title to 1 hour, 11 minutes, 30 seconds and 0 milliseconds:
  • [0314] InterActual.PlayTimeAutoStop(2,1,10,30,79,1,11,30,0)

[0315] Requires

• • [0316] DVD-Video: This command requires that the UOP0
  • [0317] operation be permitted.

[0318] See also

• • [0319] InterActual.PlayTime(t,h,m,s,x)

[0320] Media Supported

	DVD
DVD Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X	X

[0321] Return Values

No.	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.7 InterActual.PlayTrack(g,t)

[0322] Summary

• • [0323] Start playback at the beginning of the specified track number with the selected title group number.

[0324] Parameters

g	DVD-Audio: Title group number ranging from 1-9
	(within a Volume); signed 1 byte integer
	CD-Audio: Ignored
t	Track number ranging from 1-99; signed 1 byte
	integer

[0325] Example

• • [0326] Start playing the 2^nd track of title group 1.
  • [0327] InterActual.PlayTrack(1,2)

[0328] Notes

• • [0329] If in TT_GR_DOM and already within specified title group, InterActual.SearchTrack is issued to maintain GPRM values. Otherwise, InterActual.PlayTrack is issued. In case of CD-DA, group number should be 1 by default.
  • [0330] This method shall not be used for the playing a Hidden Track. The method InterActual.HiddenPlayTrack( ) shall be used instead.

[0331] See also:

• • [0332] InterActual.SearchTrack(t);
  • [0333] InterActual.PlayTitleGroup(g)

[0334] Media Supported:

DVD Video	DVD Audio	CD Audio
	X	X

[0335] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.8 InterActual.SearchChapter(c)

[0336] Summary

• • [0337] Jump to the beginning of the specified chapter within the current title.

[0338] Parameters

c	Chapter number ranging from 1-99 for
	One_Sequential_PGC_Title
	Chapter number ranging from 1-999 for
	Multi_PGC_Title; Signed 2 byte integer

[0339] Example

• • [0340] Play the 2^nd chapter of currently playing title.

[0341] InterActual.SearchChapter(2)

[0342] Notes:

• • [0343] Maintains current GPRM values.

[0344] Requires:

• • [0345] This command requires that the UOP1 and UOP5 operations are permitted.

[0346] See also:

• • [0347] InterActual.PlayTitle(t); InterActual.PlayChapter(t,c)

[0348] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
x

[0349] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.9 InterActual.SearchTime(h,m,s,x)

[0350] Summary

• • [0351] This command starts playback at the specified time in hours (h), minutes (m), seconds (s) and milliseconds (x).

[0352] Parameters

h	Hours where h can range from 00-23; signed
	1 byte integer
m	Minutes where m can range from 00-59;
	signed 1 byte integer
s	Seconds where s can range from 00-59;
	signed 1 byte integer
x	Milliseconds where x can range from 0-999
	(e.g. 1 would be interpreted as 0.001 second;
	for video, this will be rounded to the
	nearest frame)
	Signed 2 byte integer

[0353] Examples

• • [0354] Start playing from the specified time position of the current title. For example to play from 1 hour, 10 minutes, 30 seconds, millisecond 200 in the title InterActual.SearchTime(1, 10, 30, 200)

[0355] Notes

• • [0356] Maintains current GPRM values. For CD-Audio, h, m, s are relative to the start of the CD-Audio.

[0357] Requires

• • [0358] DVD-Video: This command requires that the UOP0 and UOP5 operations are permitted.

[0359] See also:

• • [0360] InterActual.PlayTime(t,h,m,s,x)

[0361] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
X	X	X

[0362] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.10 InterActual.SearchTrack(t)

[0363] Summary:

• • [0364] Start playback at the beginning of the specified track number with the current title group number.

[0365] Parameters

	t	Track number ranging from 1-99; signed 1 byte
		integer

[0366] Example

• • [0367] Start playing the 3^rd track of the current title group.
  • [0368] InterActual.SearchTrack(3)

[0369] Notes

• • [0370] GPRM values are maintained. Should also work for CD-DA.

[0371] See also:

• • [0372] InterActual.PlayTrack(g,t);
  • [0373] InterActual.PlayTitleGroup(g)

[0374] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
	x	x

[0375] Return Values

No.	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.11 InterActual.TotalNumChapters(t)

[0376] Summary

• • [0377] Returns the total number of chapters (Part of Titles—PTT) available for current title/title group.

[0378] Parameters

	t	Title Number ranging from 1-99; signed 1
		byte integer

[0379] Return Value

	JavaScript	Signed 2 byte integer;
	Number	Number of chapters (or PTTs)
		ranging from 1-999
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0380] Example

• • [0381] Query the total number of chapters in the title/title group.
  • [0382] TotalChapters=InterActual.TotalNumChapters(1)

[0383] Notes

• • [0384] The Title Group range is only from 1-9.

[0385] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.12 InterActual.NextPG( )

[0386] Summary

• • [0387] Halts playback of the current presentation and starts the presentation from the beginning of the next Program within the same Program Chain (PGC).

[0388] Parameters

• • [0389] None
  • [0390] required

[0391] Example

• • [0392] DVD-Video Example: Proceed to the next program, skipping the remainder of the current program of the current title.
  • [0393] InterActual.NextPG( )

[0394] Notes

• • [0395] DVD-Video: Valid in both the title and menu domains. For a One Sequential PGC Title, this method halts playback of the current program and starts playback from the next program within the title.
  • [0396] DVD-Audio: Valid in only video-capable DVD-Audio player, and only in the Audio Manager domain.

[0397] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0398] Return Values

No.	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current UOP
		fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported at
		this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.13 InterActual.PrevPG( )

[0399] Summary

• • [0400] Halts playback of the current presentation and starts the presentation from the beginning of the previous Program with the same Program Chain (PGC).

[0401] Parameters

• • [0402] None
  • [0403] required

[0404] Example

• • [0405] DVD-Video example: Proceed to the previous program of the current title.
  • [0406] InterActual.PrevPG( )

[0407] Notes

• • [0408] DVD-Video: Valid in both the title and menu domains. For a One Sequential PGC Title, this method halts playback of the current program and starts playback from the start of the current program within the title (same as TopPG_Search). If playback is within 10 seconds of the start of a program, however, this method will force the presentation to go to the start of the previous program. If already in first program, then playback starts at beginning of the program upon InterActual.PrevPG( ).
  • [0409] DVD-Audio: Valid in only video-capable DVD-Audio player, and only in the Audio Manager domain.

[0410] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0411] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.14 InterActual.GoUp( )

[0412] Summary

• • [0413] Halts playback of the current Program Chain (PGC) and starts the playback of the new PGC which is specified as GoUp_PGCN.

[0414] Parameters

• • [0415] None
  • [0416] required

[0417] Example

• • [0418] Proceed to the PGC specified as the GoUp_PGCN in the PGCI.
  • [0419] InterActual.GoUp( )

[0420] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
X	X

[0421] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.15 InterActual.NextTrack( )

[0422] Summary

• • [0423] Halts playback of the current track and starts playback from the next track in the same Title Group.

[0424] Parameters

• • [0425] None required

[0426] Example

• • [0427] Skip to the next track.
  • [0428] InterActual.NextTrack( )

[0429] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
	X	X

[0430] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.16 InterActual.PrevTrack( )

[0431] Summary

• • [0432] Halts playback of the current track and starts playback from the start of the current track. If it is at the start of a track, it will go to the start of the previous track.

[0433] Parameters

• • [0434] None required

[0435] Example

• • [0436] Skip back to the previous track.
  • [0437] InterActual.PrevTrack( )

[0438] Notes

• • [0439] This method halts playback of the current track and starts playback from the start of the current track within the title group (same as TopTK_{—Search). If playback is within} 10 seconds of the start of a track, however, this method will force the presentation to go to the start of the previous track (same as PrevTK_Search). If already in first track, then playback starts at beginning of the track upon InterActual.PrevTrack( ).

[0440] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
	X	X

[0441] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.17 InterActual.TotalTrackTime(t)

[0442] Summary

• • [0443] Returns the total time of track t in milliseconds (for CD-DA).

[0444] Parameters

	t	CD-DA track number ranging from 1-99; signed 1
		byte integer

[0445] Return Value

	JavaScript	Signed 4 byte (32-bit) integer
	Number	ranging from 0 to 231 − 1
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0446] Example

• • [0447] Query the length of track 5.
  • [0448] Track5Length=InterActual.TotalTrackTime(5)

[0449] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
	X

A.1.18 InterActual.Pause( )

[0450] Summary

• • [0451] Pause playback of the DVD (pause is on). Subsequent use of this command resumes playback (e.g. pause is off). In other words, this method operates in a “toggle” fashion.

[0452] Parameters

• • [0453] None
  • [0454] required

[0455] Example

• • [0456] Pause the playback.
  • [0457] InterActual.Pause( )

[0458] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
X	X	X

[0459] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
		at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.19 InterActual.Stop( )

[0460] Summary

• • [0461] Stops the playback of the current media. Stops execution of the current PGC and transfers to the “Stop State”.

[0462] Parameters

• • [0463] None
  • [0464] required

[0465] Example

• • [0466] Stop playback of the current DVD.
  • [0467] InterActual.Stop( )

[0468] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
X	X	X

[0469] Return Values

	Number	Name	Description
	0	OK	Successful
	−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
	−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
			UOP fields
	−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
			at this time
	−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.20 InterActual.FastForward(x)

[0470] Summary

• • [0471] This command fast-forwards the current DVD at speed x.

[0472] Parameters

	x	x can range from 2-99; signed 1
		byte integer
		For CD-DA, the number 2-99
		correlates to the number of seconds to
		advance and resume playback.

[0473] Example

• • [0474] Fast-forwards the current DVD at 8× speed.
  • [0475] InterActual.FastForward(8)

[0476] Notes

• • [0477] Some players may only allow values of 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32. If this command is used with a value not in the list, then the underlying software will approximate to the nearest available value (for instance 3 is specified and 4 is chosen) rather than return with an error code.

[0478] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
X	X	X

[0479] Return Values

No.	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current UOP
		fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
		at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.21 InterActual.Rewind(x)

[0480] Summary

• • [0481] Rewind or reverse play the current DVD at speed x.

[0482] Parameters

	x	x can range from 2-99; signed 1 byte
		integer For CD-DA, the number 2-99
		correlates to the number of seconds to
		rewind and resume playback.

[0483] Example

• • [0484] Rewind the current DVD at 8× speed.
  • [0485] InterActual.Rewind(8)

[0486] Notes

• • [0487] Some players may only allow values of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32. If this command is used with a value not in the list, then the underlying software will approximate to the nearest available value (for instance 3 is specified and 4 is chosen) rather than return with an error code.

[0488] Media Supported

DVD	DVD	CD
Video	Audio	Audio
X	X	X

[0489] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.22 InterActual.Menu(menuID)

[0490] Summary

• • [0491] This command jumps to the selected menuID.

[0492] Parameters

	menuID	Menu choices for DVD-Video:
		0: reserved
		1: Title Menu 2: Root Menu
		3: Chapter Menu
		4: Audio Languages Menu
		5: Sub-picture Languages Menu
		6: Angle Menu
		Signed 1 byte integer
	“”	DVD-Audio does not support a menu ID.
		For DVD-Audio, the Menu method calls the
		Entry PGC in the Audio Manager Menu.

[0493] Example

• • [0494] DVD-Video: To call the Root Menu of the current VTS
  • [0495] InterActual.Menu(2)

[0496] Notes

• • [0497] All menus are optional and not necessarily present on each DVD disc.

[0498] Requires

• • [0499] DVD-Video: The associated menu UOP must permit the operation: Title Menu (UOP10), Root Menu (UOP11), Sub-picture Menu (UOP12), Audio Menu (UOP13), Angle Menu (UOP14), Chapter Menu (UOP15).

[0500] See also:

• • [0501] InterActual.Resume( )

[0502] Media Supported

	DVD
DVD Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0503] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.23 InterActual.Resume( )

[0504] Summary

• • [0505] Resume the playback interrupted by a menu call.

[0506] Parameters

• • [0507] None required

[0508] Example

• • [0509] We will resume video or audio playback after a menu call.
  • [0510] InterActual.Resume( )

[0511] Notes

• • [0512] This is called after a Menu command and it is only valid from a Menu.

[0513] See also:

• • [0514] InterActual.Menu(menuID)

[0515] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
x	x

[0516] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−5	NoDisc	Attempt to play with no disc

A.1.24 InterActual.StillOff( )

[0517] Summary

• • [0518] This command is the operation to release a Still (VOBU Still, Cell Still, PGC Still).

[0519] Parameters

• • [0520] None required

[0521] Example

• • [0522] The following releases the current still:
  • [0523] InterActual.StillOff( )

[0524] Notes

• • [0525] The Still is enforced by the Navigation system, versus a Pause that is enforced by User Operation. During a Still condition, the count of the Navigation Timer and General Parameters in Counter mode are continued as usual. However, this is not the case for Pause. Additionally, button functions are valid during a Still condition—not so for Pause.

[0526] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0527] Return Values

No.	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time

A.1.25 InterActual.SelectUpButton( )

[0528] Summary

[0529] Selects the up direction button.

[0530] Parameters

• • [0531] None
  • [0532] required

[0533] Example

• • [0534] Select the “up” direction button on the current menu.
  • [0535] InterActual.SelectUpButton( )

[0536] See also:

• • [0537] InterActual.SelectDownButton( );
  • [0538] InterActual.SelectLeftButton( );
  • [0539] InterActual.SelectRightButton( )

[0540] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0541] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time

A.1.26 InterActual.SelectDownButton( )

[0542] Summary

• • [0543] Selects the down direction button.

[0544] Parameters

• • [0545] None
  • [0546] required

[0547] Example

• • [0548] Select the “down” direction button on the current menu.
  • [0549] InterActual.SelectDownButton( )

[0550] See also

• • [0551] InterActual.SelectUpButton( )
  • [0552] InterActual.SelectLeftButton( )
  • [0553] InterActual.SelectRightButton( )

[0554] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0555] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time

A.1.27 InterActual.SelectLeftButton( )

[0556] Summary

• • [0557] Selects the left direction button.

[0558] Parameters

• • [0559] None
  • [0560] required

[0561] Example

• • [0562] Select the “left” direction button on the current menu.
  • [0563] InterActual.SelectLeftButton( )

[0564] See also

• • [0565] InterActual.SelectUpButton( )
  • [0566] InterActual.SelectDownButton( )
  • [0567] InterActual.SelectRightButton( )

[0568] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0569] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time

A.1.28 InterActual.SelectRightButton( )

[0570] Summary

• • [0571] Selects the right direction button.

[0572] Parameters

• • [0573] None
  • [0574] required

[0575] Example

• • [0576] Select the “right” direction button on the current menu.
  • [0577] InterActual.SelectRightButton( )

[0578] See also:

• • [0579] InterActual.SelectUpButton( );
  • [0580] InterActual.SelectDownButton( );
  • [0581] InterActual.SelectLeftButton( )

[0582] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0583] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time

A.1.29 InterActual.SelectButtonAndActivate(n)

[0584] Summary

[0585] Activate the specified highlighted button, where n is the button number.

[0586] Parameters

n	Number of the button where n may
	range from 1-36; signed 1 byte
	integer

[0587] Example

• • [0588] Select button number 2 on the current menu.
  • [0589] InterActual.SelectButtonAndActivate(2)

[0590] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0591] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.30 InterActual.ActivateButton( )

[0592] Summary

• • [0593] Activate the current highlighted button.

[0594] Parameters

• • [0595] None
  • [0596] required

[0597] Example

• • [0598] Activate the currently highlighted button.
  • [0599] InterActual.ActivateButton( )

[0600] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0601] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields

A.1.31 InterActual.SelectAudio(n)

[0602] Summary

• • [0603] Sets the stream number of the Audio to play.

[0604] Parameters

	n	DVD-Video:
		Number of the Audio streams in the Title
		Domain may range
		from 0 to 7
		DVD-Audio:
		The Audio selection may be changed to 0 or 1
		Signed 1 byte integer

[0605] Example

• • [0606] Select audio stream number 1.
  • [0607] InterActual.SelectAudio(1)

[0608] Notes

• • [0609] The number of audio streams in Menu Domain is, at most, 1; the author either includes audio in a menu or not.

[0610] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0611] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
		at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.32 InterActual.SelectSubpicture(n)

[0612] Summary

• • [0613] Sets the stream number of the Sub-picture to display.

[0614] Parameters

	n	DVD-Video:
		Number of the Sub-picture streams in the
		Title Domain may
		range from 0 to 31
		DVD-Audio:
		The Sub-picture selection may range from 0
		to 31
		Signed 1 byte integer

[0615] Example

• • [0616] Select sub-picture number 23.
  • [0617] InterActual.SelectSubpicture(23)

[0618] Notes

• • [0619] This command is only applicable for the Title Domain.

[0620] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0621] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
		at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.33 InterActual.SelectAngle(n)

[0622] Summary

• • [0623] Sets the angle number of the Angle to play.

[0624] Parameters

n	Angle number n ranging from 1-9; signed 1
	byte integer

[0625] Example

• • [0626] Set the angle number to 3.
  • [0627] InterActual.SelectAngle(3)

[0628] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

[0629] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
		at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.34 InterActual.SelectParentalLevel(n)

[0630] Summary

• • [0631] Selects parental level of the player.

[0632] Parameters

n	Parental level ranging from 1-8 where
	1 = G 2 = Reserved 3 = PG 4 = PG13 5 = Reserved
	6 = R 7 = NC-17 8 = Reserved
	Signed 1 byte integer

[0633] Example

• • [0634] Set the Parental Level to 3 for PG.
  • [0635] PG=3;
  • [0636] InterActual.SelectParentalLevel(PG)

[0637] Notes

• • [0638] At the start of playback of a DVD, this command can be used to select the level and the ParentalEvent will be raised. Thus, parents can use this to prevent playback of objectionable material.
  • [0639] This command is only available in Stop State.

[0640] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X

[0641] Return Values

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

A.1.35 InterActual.AudioLanguage(x, rc)

[0642] Summary

• • [0643] Returns the audio language for specified audio stream number x.

[0644] Parameters

	x	Audio stream number ranging from 0-7
		Signed 1 byte integer
	rc	Character value; unsigned 2 bytes char
		represented by the coded “Language Symbols”
		defined in ISO-639. See the language codes
		section in the appendix.

[0645] Return Value

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful execution but code not
		specified
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0646] Example

• • [0647] Query the language for audio stream 3.
  • [0648] AudioLang3=InterActual.AudioLanguage(3)

[0649] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.36 InterActual.AudioLanguageExtension(x)

[0650] Summary

• • [0651] Returns the audio language extension for specified audio stream number x.

[0652] Parameters

	x	Audio stream number ranging from 0-7

• • [0653] Signed 1 byte integer

[0654] Return Value

	JavaScript	Unsigned 1 byte integer
	Number	See the language codes extensions
		section in the appendix.
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0655] Example

• • [0656] Query the language extension for audio stream 3.
  • [0657] AudioLangExt3=InterActual.AudioLanguageExtension(3)

[0658] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.37 InterActual.SubpictureLanguage(x, rc)

[0659] Summary

• • [0660] Returns the sub-picture language for specified sub-picture number x (sub-picture language is the 2-digit locale).

[0661] Parameters

	x	Sub-picture number ranging from 0-31
		Signed 1 byte integer
	rc	Character return value; unsigned 2 bytes char
		represented by the coded “Language Symbols”
		defined in ISO-639. See the language codes
		section in the appendix.

[0662] Return Value

Number	Name	Description
0	OK	Successful execution but code not
		specified
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0663] Example

• • [0664] Query the locale for sub-picture 3.
  • [0665] LocaleSubP23=InterActual.SubpictureLanguage(3)

[0666] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.38 InterActual.SubpictureLanguageExtension(x)

[0667] Summary

• • [0668] Returns the sub-picture language extension for the specified sub-picture number x.

[0669] Parameters

	x	Sub-picture number ranging from 0-31
		Signed 1 byte integer

[0670] Return Value

	JavaScript	Unsigned 1 byte integer
	Number	See the language code extensions
		section in the appendix.
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
		at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0671] Example

• • [0672] Query the language for sub-picture language extension 3.
  • [0673] Lang3Ext=InterActual.SubpictureLanguageExtension(3)

[0674] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.39 InterActual.GetGPRM(r)

[0675] Summary

• • [0676] Gets the specified General Parameter Register value.

[0677] Parameters

	r	General Parameter Register Number from 0 to
		15; signed 1 byte integer

[0678] Return Value

	JavaScript	Signed 4 byte (32-bit) value in
	Number	the GPRM;
		If the return value is zero (0) or
		any positive number, it can be
		assumed that the 2 low-order bytes
		are the register contents. If
		this value is negative, it is an
		error condition, which are listed
		below.
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0679] Example

• • [0680] Get the contents of GPRM(1)
  • [0681] X=InterActual.GetGPRM(1)

[0682] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.40 InterActual.GetSPRM(r)

[0683] Summary

• • [0684] Get the specified System Parameter Register value.

[0685] Parameters

	r	SPRM Register Number from 0 to 25; signed 1 byte
		integer
		0: Menu Description Language Code (M_LCD or
		AMGM_LCD)
		1: Audio Stream number (ASTN for TT_DOM, or ASLN
		for TT_GR_DOM)
		2: Sub-picture stream number (SPSTN) and On/Off
		flag for TT_DOM
		3: Angle Number (AGLN for TT_DOM)
		4: Title Number (TTN for TT_DOM)
		5: VTS Title Number (VTS_TTN for TT_DOM)
		6: Title PGC number (TT_PGC for TT_DOM)
		7: Part_of_Title number (PTTN) for
		One_Sequential_PGC_Title, or PG Number for
		TT_GR_DOM
		8: Highlighted Button number (HL_BTNN) for
		Selection State
		9: Navigation Timer (NV_TMR)
		10: TT_PGCN for NV_TMR
		11: Player Audio Mixing Mode (P_AMXMD) for
		Karaoke
		12: Country Code (CTY_CD) for Parental
		Management
		13: Parental Level (PTL_LVL)
		14: Player Configuration (P_CFG) for Video
		15: Player Configuration (P_CFG) for Audio
		16: Initial Language Code (INI_LCD) for AST
		17: Initial Language Code Extension
		(INI_LCD_EXT) for AST
		18: INI_LCD for SPST
		19: INI_LCD_EXT for SPST
		20: Player Region
		21: ATT Group Number (ATT_GRN)
		22: ATT number (ATTN for TT_GR_DOM)
		23: Track number (TKN for TT_GR_DOM)
		24: ASV number (ASVN)
		25: reserved

[0686] Return Value

	JavaScript	Signed 4 byte (32-bit) value
	Number	stored in the SPRM
		If the return value is zero (0) or
		any positive number, it can be
		assumed that the 2 low-order bytes
		are the register contents. If
		this value is negative, it is an
		error condition, which are listed
		below.
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0687] Example

• • [0688] Get System Parameter Register 1

[0689] X=InterActual.GetSPRM(1)

[0690] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.41 InterActual.ValidUOP(x)

[0691] Summary

• • [0692] Check if a User Operation is valid. The disabled operations are defined on the disc itself. The main purpose of this command is to retrieve the current UOP status.

[0693] Note:

• • [0694] The specific operation (UOP bit) is disabled when the corresponding bit is set to a “1”.

[0695] Parameters

Signed 4 byte	Bit Assignments:
(32-bit)	0 = Time Play, Time Search
	1 = PTT Play, PTT Search
	2 = Title Play
	3 = Stop
	4 = Go Up
	5 = Time Search, PTT Search
	6 = Previous PG Search
	7 = Next PG Search
	8 = Forward Scan
	9 = Backward Scan
	10 = Title Menu Call
	11 = Root Menu Call
	12 = Sub-picture Menu Call
	13 = Audio Menu Call
	14 = Angle Menu Call
	15 = Chapter Menu Call
	16 = Resume
	17 = Button Select/Activate
	18 = Still Off
	19 = Pause Off; Pause On
	20 = Audio Stream Change
	21 = Sub-picture Stream Change
	22 = Angle Change; Parental level
	select
	23 = Karaoke Presentation Mode
	Change
	24 = Video Presentation Mode
	Change

[0696] Return Value

	JavaScript	0 = Permitted
	Number	1 = Prohibited
		Signed 1 byte integer
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not
		supported at this time
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or invalid

[0697] Example

[0698] To retrieve and test the UOP bit for InterActual.PlayTime.

	if (InterActual.ValidUOP (0x01))
	f.write(“Time Play is prohibited”);
	else
	f.write(“Time Play is permitted”);

[0699] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.42 InterActual.GetBCAField( )

[0700] Summary

• • [0701] Gets the 2-byte field from within the BCA for the current disc side.

[0702] Parameters

• • [0703] None required

[0704] Return Value

	JavaScript	Signed 4 byte (32-bit) value from
	Number	the BCA;
		If the return value is zero (0) or
		any positive number, it can be
		assumed that the 2 low-order bytes
		are the BCA field contents
		(unencrypted). These individual bits
		can be used to determine actions
		(like the start-up title) based on
		the specific disc (versus title).
		If this value is negative, it is an
		error condition, which are listed
		below.
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−3	NotSupported	File type or feature not supported
		at this time, in this case, the BCA
		is not accessible

[0705] Example

• • [0706] Query for the BCA field:
  • [0707] BCA Test bits=InterActual.GetBCAField( )

[0708] Media Supported

NDVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X

A.1.43 InterActual.SupportedFeatures(x)

[0709] Summary

• • [0710] Use this command to check if features are supported. A number is passed in to test a specific feature of the API corresponding to the capabilities of the current system. A “0” or “1” value is returned specifying if the feature is supported or not. If a “1” is returned, the corresponding feature is supported and a “0” means it is not supported.

[0711] Parameters

	Signed 1 byte	Index number corresponding to the
		command, property or events to be
		tested. See the table following
		for the list of number; ranging
		from 1-255 with “0” being a
		reserved value.

[0712] Return Value

	JavaScript	0 = Feature is not available
	Number	1 = Feature is available
		Signed 1 byte integer
Number	Name	Description
−1	GeneralError	Unknown error condition
−2	UOPNotAllowed	Operation not allowed by current
		UOP fields
−6	ParmRangeErr	Parameter out of range or
		invalid

[0713] Example

[0714] To retrieve the supported features for this InterActual device:

	ZOOMPAN =
	InterActual.SupportedFeatures(IA_CMD_ZOOM)
	if (ZOOMPAN)
	{
	// can use Zoom...
	}

[0715] Media Supported

DVD	DVD
Video	Audio	CD Audio
X	X	X

[0716] Index List

[0717] The interfaces are listed below in a form that will be used for authoring templates (defined using a “var” statement in JavaScript) to avoid having to specify the numerical value directly.

TABLE 5
Supported Features Indices
	Index
Interface	value
DVD-Video & CD-DA Basic
Reserved	0
IA_CMD_PLAY	1
IA_CMD_PLAYTITLE	2
IA_CMD_PLAYCHAPTER	3
IA_CMD_PLAYTIME	4
IA_CMD_PLAYTRACK	5
IA_CMD_SEARCHCHAPTER	6
IA_CMD_SEARCHTIME	7
IA_CMD_SEARCHTRACK	8
IA_CMD_TOTALNUMCHAPTERS	9
IA_CMD_NEXTPG	10
IA_CMD_PREVPG	11
IA_CMD_GOUP	12
IA_CMD_NEXTTRACK	13
IA_CMD_PREVTRACK	14
IA_CMD_TOTALTRACKTIME	15
IA_CMD_PAUSE	16
IA_CMD_STOP	17
IA_CMD_FASTFORWARD	18
IA_CMD_REWIND	19
IA_CMD_MENU	20
IA_CMD_RESUME	21
IA_CMD_STILLOFF	22
IA_CMD_SELECTUPBUTTON	23
IA_CMD_SELECTDOWNBUTTON	24
IA_CMD_SELECTLEFTBUTTON	25
IA_CMD_SELECTRIGHTBUTTON	26
IA_CMD_SELECTBUTTONANDACTIVATE	27
IA_CMD_ACTIVATEBUTTON	28
IA_CMD_SELECTAUDIO	29
IA_CMD_SELECTSUBPICTURE	30
IA_CMD_SELECTANGLE	31
IA_CMD_SELECTPARENTALLEVEL	32
IA_CMD_AUDIOLANGUAGE	33
IA_CMD_AUDIOLANGUAGEEXTENSION	34
IA_CMD_SUBPICTURELANGUAGE	35
IA_CMD_SUBPICTURELANGUAGEEXTENSION	36
IA_CMD_GETGPRM	37
IA_CMD_GETSPRM	38
IA_CMD_VALIDUOP	39
IA_CMD_GETBCAFIELD	40
IA_CMD_SUPPORTEDFEATURES	41
IA_CMD_ENABLESUBPICTURE	42
IA_CMD_SETGPRM	43
IA_CMD_MUTE	44
IA_CMD_FULLSCREEN	45
IA_CMD_GOTOBOOKMARK	46
IA_CMD_SAVEBOOKMARK	47
IA_CMD_NETCONNECT	48
IA_CMD_SUBSCRIBETOEVENT	49
IA_CMD_PLAYCHAPTERAUTOSTOP	50
IA_CMD_PLAYTIMEAUTOSTOP	51
IA_CMD_NETDISCONNECT	52
Reserved	53-59
IA_PR_ELAPSEDTIME	60
IA_PR_TOTALELAPSEDTIME	61
IA_PR_TOTALTIME	62
IA_PR_TITLENUMBER	63
IA_PR_PGCNUMBER	64
IA_PR_CHAPTERNUMBER	65
IA_PR_TRACKNUMBER	66
IA_PR_PLAYSTATE	67
IA_PR_DOMAIN	68
IA_PR_AUDIONUMBER	69
IA_PR_SUBPICTURENUMBER	70
IA_PR_ANGLENUMBER	71
IA_PR_PARENTALLEVEL	72
IA_PR_BUTTONNUMBER	73
IA_PR_TOTALNUMAUDIO	74
IA_PR_TOTALTRACKS	75
IA_PR_TOTALTITLES	76
IA_PR_TOTALNUMSUBPICTURE	77
IA_PR_TOTALNUMANGLE	78
IA_PR_TOTALNUMBUTTON	79
IA_PR_MAJORVERSION	80
IA_PR_MINORVERSION	81
IA_PR_PLAYERMODE	82
IA_PR_MAXFAST	83
IA_PR_MAXFASTREVERSE	84
IA_PR_MEDIAID	85
IA_PR_DISCTYPE	86
IA_PR_BOOKMARK	87
IA_PR_ROMTYPE	88
IA_PR_INTERNETSTATUS	89
IA_PR_FULLSCREENMODE	90
Reserved	91-99
IA_EV_TITLE	100
IA_EV_CHAPTER	101
IA_EV_PGC	102
IA_EV_TIME	103
IA_EV_TRACK_TIME	104
IA_EV_TRACK	105
IA_EV_ANGLE	106
IA_EV_STATE	107
IA_EV_SPEED	108
IA_EV_UOP	109
IA_EV_DOMAIN	110
IA_EV_AUDIO	111
IA_EV_SUBPICTURE	112
IA_EV_PARENTAL	113
IA_EV_REGION	114
IA_EV_EJECT	115
IA_EV_INSERT	116
IA_EV_GPRM	117
IA_EV_INFO	118
IA_EV_RC_BUTTON	119
IA_EV_NUMBER_OF_ANGLES	120
Reserved	121-129
DVD-Audio Basic
IA_CMD_PLAYTITLEGROUP	130
IA_CMD_NEXTSLIDE	131
IA_CMD_PREVSLIDE	132
Reserved	133-139
IA_PR_TITLEGROUPNUMBER	140
IA_PR_SLIDENUMBER	141
Reserved	142-144
IA_EV_TITLE GROUP EVENT	145
IA_EV_SLIDE EVENT	146
Reserved	147-149
DVD-Video & CD-DA Advanced
IA_CMD_OPEN	150
IA_CMD_SLOW	151
IA_CMD_STEP	152
IA_CMD_SLOWREVERSE	153
IA_CMD_ZOOM	154
IA_CMD_PAN	155
IA_CMD_ENABLECCTEXT	156
IA_CMD_MENULANGUAGE	157
IA_CMD_SELECTMENULANGUAGE	158
IA_CMD_SELECTPARENTALCOUNTRY	159
IA_CMD_SELECTKARAOKE	160
IA_CMD_SETMIXVOLUME	161
IA_CMD_CLOSE	162
IA_CMD_SHOWCONTROLS	163
IA_CMD_HIDECONTROLS	164
IA_CMD_SHOWCONTEXTMENU	165
IA_CMD_POPUPMENU	166
IA_CMD_SUPPRESSERRORS	167
IA_CMD_AUTOMOUSEHIDE	168
IA_CMD_OPENDRIVE	169
IA_CMD_LAUNCH	170
IA_CMD_PRESENTATIONMODE	171
IA_CMD_PRINT	172
IA_CMD_PLAYPERIODINTITLEAUTO	173
STOP
Reserved	174-189
IA_PR_CURRENTMENULANGUAGE	190
IA_PR_TOTALNUMMENULANGUAGE	191
IA_PR_PARENTALCOUNTRY	192
IA_PR_CCTEXTSTATUS	193
IA_PR_CCTEXT	194
IA_PR_MAXSLOW	195
IA_PR_MAXSLOWREVERSE	196
IA_PR_DISCREGION	197
IA_PR_DISCDIRECTORY	198
IA_PR_LOCALDIRECTORY	199
IA_PR_CURRENTZOOMX	200
IA_PR_CURRENTZOOMY	201
IA_PR_CURRENTPANX	202
IA_PR_CURRENTPANY	203
IA_PR_MIXVOLUME	204
IA_PR_FRAMESPERSECOND	205
Reserved	206-220
IA_EV_MOUSE EVENT	221
IA_EV_MENU BUTTON EVENT	222
IA_EV_KARAOKE EVENT	223
IA_EV_STILL EVENT	224
IA_EV_CC TEXT EVENT	225
IA_EV_FULLSCREEN	226
Reserved	227-239
DVD-Audio Advanced
IA_CMD_HIDDENPLAYGROUP	240
IA_CMD_HIDDENPLAYTRACK	241
IA_CMD_HIDDENPLAYTIME	242
IA_CMD_SELECTTEXTLANGUAGE	243
Reserved	244-255

A.1.44 InterActual.EnableSubpicture(n)