Layered coding of image data using separate data storage tracks on a storage medium

Abstract

A source image is encoded into a base layer and an enhancement layer. The base layer represents a standard definition portion of the source image and the enhancement layer represents a high-resolution portion of the source image. The base layer is stored on a first data storage track of a storage medium, such as a DVD, and the enhancement layer is stored on a second data storage track of the storage medium. The first data storage track may be a default camera angle track and then second data storage track may be a second camera angle track. The data is formatted such that a standard definition device will not read the enhancement layer data. A high-resolution decoding system decodes the base layer and the enhancement layer simultaneously to generate a high-resolution image.

1 . A method of encoding a source image, the method comprising: 
 encoding a base layer representing a standard definition portion of the source image, wherein the base layer is stored on a first data storage track of a storage medium; and    encoding an enhancement layer representing a high-resolution portion of the source image that corresponds to the standard definition portion of the source image, wherein the enhancement layer is stored on a second data storage track of the storage medium.    
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the storage medium is a DVD.  
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first data storage track is a default camera angle track.  
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the second data storage track is a second camera angle track.  
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first data storage track is interleaved with the second data storage track.  
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein encoding an enhancement layer includes identifying the second track as being used to store enhancement layer data.  
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the base layer is encoded on a first physical layer of the storage medium and the enhancement layer is encoded on a second physical layer of the storage medium.  
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 1  wherein enhancement layer data is formatted such that a standard definition device is prevented from reading the enhancement layer data.  
     
     
         9 . One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A method comprising: 
 decoding a base layer from a first data storage track of a storage medium, wherein the base layer represents a standard definition portion of an encoded image; and    decoding an enhancement layer from a second data storage track of the storage medium if data stored on the second data storage track is identified as enhancement layer data, wherein the enhancement layer data represents a high-resolution portion of the encoded image corresponding to the standard definition portion of the encoded image.    
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 10  wherein decoding a base layer is performed simultaneously with decoding an enhancement layer.  
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the storage medium is a DVD.  
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the first data storage track is a default camera angle track.  
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the second data storage track is a second camera angle track.  
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 10  further including communicating the base layer to a standard definition television.  
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 10  further including combining the base layer and the enhancement layer to generate a high-resolution image.  
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the method is executed by a television.  
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 10  wherein the method is executed by a device capable of reading a DVD.  
     
     
         19 . One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in  claim 10 .  
     
     
         20 . A method comprising: 
 encoding a source image into a base layer and at least one enhancement layer;    storing the base layer on a first data storage track of a storage medium; and    storing the enhancement later on a second data storage track of the storage medium.    
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the storage medium is a DVD.  
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the first data storage track is a default camera angle track.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the second data storage track is a second camera angle track.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the first data storage track is interleaved with the second data storage track.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 20  wherein the base layer is stored on a first physical layer of the storage medium and the enhancement layer is stored on a second physical layer of the storage medium.  
     
     
         26 . One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in  claim 20 .  
     
     
         27 . A computer-readable medium comprising: 
 a first data storage track to store a first layer of a video program, wherein the first layer represents a low-resolution portion of the video program and the first data storage track is a default camera angle track; and    a second data storage track to store a second layer of a video program, wherein the second layer represents a high-resolution portion of the video program corresponding to the low-resolution portion of the video program and the second data storage track is a second camera angle track.    
     
     
         28 . A computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 27  wherein the computer-readable medium is a DVD.  
     
     
         29 . A computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 27  wherein the first data storage track is interleaved with the second data storage track.  
     
     
         30 . A computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 27  wherein the data is formatted such that a low-resolution device will not read the second layer data.  
     
     
         31 . A DVD comprising: 
 a first camera angle track to store a base layer of a video program, wherein the base layer represents a standard definition portion of the video program; and    a second camera angle track to store an enhancement layer of a video program, wherein the enhancement layer represents a high-resolution portion of the video program corresponding to the low-resolution portion of the video program.    
     
     
         32 . A DVD as recited in  claim 31  wherein the data is formatted such that a standard definition device will not read the enhancement layer data.  
     
     
         33 . A DVD as recited in  claim 31  wherein the first camera angle track is interleaved with the second camera angle track.  
     
     
         34 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a base layer generator to generate base layer data representing a standard definition portion of a source image, wherein the base layer data is located on a default camera angle track of a storage medium; and    an enhancement layer generator to generate enhancement layer data representing a high-resolution portion of the source image corresponding to the standard definition portion of the source image, wherein the enhancement layer data is located on a second camera angle track of the storage medium.    
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 34  further including a first compressor coupled to the base layer generator to compress the base layer data.  
     
     
         36 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 34  further including a second compressor coupled to the enhancement layer generator to compress the enhancement layer data before the enhancement layer data.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus comprising: 
 means for encoding a source image into a base layer and at least one enhancement layer; and    means for storing the base layer on a first data storage track of a storage medium and the enhancement later on a second data storage track of the storage medium.    
     
     
         38 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 37  wherein the apparatus is a device capable of reading a DVD.  
     
     
         39 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 37  wherein the apparatus is a computer.  
     
     
         40 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 37  wherein the storage medium is a DVD.  
     
     
         41 . One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to: 
 generate a first layer representing a low-resolution portion of a source image, wherein the first layer is stored on a first data track of a storage medium;    generate a second layer representing a high-resolution portion of the source image that can be used together with the first layer to reproduce the source image, wherein the second layer is stored on a second data track of the storage medium.    
     
     
         42 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 41  wherein the storage medium is a DVD.  
     
     
         43 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 41  wherein the first data track is interleaved with the second data track.  
     
     
         44 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 41  wherein the second layer is formatted such that a low-resolution device will ignore the second layer.  
     
     
         45 . One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to: 
 decode a base layer from a first camera angle track of a storage medium, wherein the base layer represents a standard definition portion of an encoded image; and    decode an enhancement layer from a second camera angle track of the storage medium, wherein the enhancement layer represents a high-resolution portion of the encoded image that can be used to enhance the base layer.    
     
     
         46 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 45  wherein the base layer and the enhancement layer are decoded simultaneously.  
     
     
         47 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 45  wherein the storage medium is a DVD.  
     
     
         48 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 45  wherein the first camera angle track is a default camera angle track.  
     
     
         49 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 45  wherein the one or more processors further communicate the base layer to a standard definition display device.  
     
     
         50 . One or more computer-readable media as recited in  claim 45  wherein the one or more processors further combine the base layer and the enhancement layer to generate a high-resolution image.