System for outputting reproduction data by judging whether a second data group is outputted after first data group is outputted by reproduction

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A data reproduction apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing primary data, management data, channel data, and second-data-group reproduction print group data, said primary data being a plurality of element data, said management data including index data that divide said plurality of element data into a first data group and a second data group, said channel data indicating a reproduction order in said first data group, and said second-data-group reproduction point group data being management data for directing reproduction of the element data of said second data group within a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group being reproduced, wherein the index data include an element data identifier identifying individual element data and an address value identifying a place in said storage means where each element data specified by a respective element data identifier are store, and

wherein the channel data include reproduction order data formed of a reproduction order and an element data identifier, and a reproduction order identifier identifying individual reproduction order data;

management data readout and save means for reading out and saving the index data, the channel data from said storage means, and the second-data-group reproduction point group data stored in said storage means;

first-data-group-readout first direction means for outputting a first readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group as per the channel data saved in said management data readout and save means, including

a first address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data; and

a first address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means,

input manipulation means for accepting instruction input for directing a selection of a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group;

first-data-group-readout second direction means for outputting a second readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group from said storage means as per the channel data specified by the instruction input from said input manipulation means, including a second address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit being different from the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit, and a second address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means;

first-data-group readout means for reading out the element data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction;

first-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data readout by said first-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

first-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said first-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group output judgment means for judging whether it is adequate to output the element data of said second data group after the element data of said first data group is reproduced and judging the adequacy when the element data from said first-data-group output means coincide with the second-data-group reproduction point data saved in said management data readout and save means;

second-data-group readout means for reading out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means when said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy of the output of the element data of said second data group;

second-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data read out by said second-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data; and

second-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said second-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group reproduction history record means for recording the element data outputted from said second-data-group output means by means of an identifier identifying individual element data;

second-data-group selection means for firstly selecting the element data of said second data group whose identifier doe snot coincide with the identifiers stored in said second-data-group reproduction history record means, wherein said second-data group readout means reads out the element data selected by said second-data-group selection means from said storage means, wherein said input manipulation means accepts instruction input as to a reproduction channel by means of a location coordinate, and wherein branch judgment data are attached to the element data identifier in the reproduction order data when the reproduction order corresponding to said element data identifier is placed last in the order and a reproduction channel for the element data identified by said element data identifier has a branching point at an end thereof, and wherein said branch judgment data include a reproduction order identifier, and screen area data consisting of location coordinates, each indicating respective locations of a plurality of video data areas, each of said plurality of video data areas corresponding to the respective reproduction order identifiers, and wherein said first-data-group readout means includes:

a branch channel judgment unit for judging within of which said screen area data the location coordinate accepted by said input manipulation means exist;

a reproduction channel determination unit for determining a reproduction channel as per the reproduction order data identified by the reproduction order identifier corresponding to the screen area data judged by said branched channel judgment unit;

a third address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted, respectively, by said first, second, and third address value extraction units being different; and

an element data readout unit for reading out the element data from said storage means using the address value extracted by said third address value extraction unit.

2. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the second-data-group reproduction point group data include a reproduction order identifier and location data representing a reproduction order for each reproduction point forming a reproduction group, and

wherein said second-data-group output judgment means includes:

a reproduction point judgment unit for judging whether the reproduction order identifier and the reproduction order of the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the reproduction order identifier and the corresponding location data of any of the second-data-group reproduction point group data respectively; and

a second-data-group-readout direction unit for outputting a direction to said second-data-group readout means to read out the element data based on judgment of element-data-identifier-coincidence by said reproduction point judgment unit.

3. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 2, wherein

said index data further include a code identifier identifying one of said first data group and said second data group, and

wherein said second-data-group selection means includes:

a not-reproduced-yet element data extraction unit for extracting the element data whose element data identifier does not correspond to the element data identifiers recorded in said second-data-group reproduction history data record means out of element data whose element data identifiers correspond to the code identifier identifying said second data group;

a random selection unit for selecting one element data from a plurality of element data extracted by said not-reproduced-yet element data extraction unit at random;

a fourth address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted respectively by said first, second, third, and fourth address value extraction units being different; and

a third address direction unit for outputting the address value extracted by said fourth address value extraction means to said second-data-group readout means.

4. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 3, wherein

the element data of said first data group are scene files of electronic book data, and the element data of said second data group are advertisement data, the advertisement data being reproduced within a .reproduction channel of the scene files.

5. A data reproduction apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing primary data and management data, said primary data being a plurality of element data, said management data including index data that divide said plurality of element data into a first data group and a second data group, and channel data that indicate a reproduction order in said first data group;

management data readout and save means for reading out and saving the index data and the channel data from said storage means;

first-data-group-readout first direction means for outputting a first readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group as per the channel data saved in said management data readout and save means;

input manipulation means for accepting instruction input for directing a selection of a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group;

first-data-group-readout second direction means for outputting a second readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group from said storage means as per the channel data specified by the instruction input from said input manipulation means;

first-data-group readout means for reading out the element data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction;

first-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data readout by said first-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

first-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said first-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group output judgment means for judging whether it is adequate to output the element data of said second data group after the element data of said direct data group being reproduced;

second-data-group readout means for reading out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means when said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy of the output of the element data of said second data group;

second-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data read out by said second-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

second-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said second-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data,

wherein said storage means further stores second-data-group reproduction point group data and data-group specifying data, said second-data-group reproduction point group data being management data for directing reproduction of the element data of the second data group within a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group being reproduced, said data-group specifying data specifying the element data of said second data group pto be reproduced at a reproduction point as per certain classification, and

wherein said management data readout and save means further reads out that saves the second-data-group reproduction point group data and data-group specifying data stored in said storage means, and

wherein said second-data-group output judgement means judges adequacy when the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the second-data-group reproduction point group data saved in said management data readout and save means, and

wherein said second-data-group readout means reads out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means as per said data-group specifying data upon adequacy judgment by said second-data-group output judgment means,

wherein the index data include an element data identifier identifying individual element data and an address value identifying a place in said storage means where each element data specified by a respective element data identifier are stored, and

wherein the channel data include reproduction order data formed of a reproduction order and an element data identifier, and a reproduction order identifier identifying individual reproduction order data, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout first direction means includes:

a first address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data; and

a first address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout second direction means includes:

a second address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit being different from the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit; and

a second address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, wherein said input manipulation means accepts instruction input as to a reproduction channel by means of a location coordinate, and

wherein branch judgment data are attached to the element data identifier in the reproduction order data when the reproduction order corresponding to said element data identifier is placed last in the order and a reproduction channel for the element data identified by said element data identifier has a branching point at an end thereof, and

wherein said branch judgment data include a reproduction order identifier, and a screen area data consisting of location coordinates each indicating respective locations of a plurality of video data areas, each of said plurality of video data areas corresponding to the respective reproduction order identifiers, and

wherein said first-data-group readout means includes;

a branched channel judgment unit for judging within of which said screen area data the location coordinate accepted by said input manipulation means exist;

a reproduction channel determination unit for determining a reproduction channel as per the reproduction order data identified by the reproduction order identifier corresponding to the screen area data judged by said branched channel judgment unit;

a third address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address values extracted, respectively, by said first, second, and third address value extraction units being different; and

an element data readout unit for reading out the element data from said storage means using the address value extracted by said third address value extraction unit.

6. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 5, wherein

said storage means further stores a second-data-group identifier that divides the element data of the second data group by certain classification, and

wherein the second-data-group reproduction point group data include a reproduction point identifier, a reproduction order identifier, and location data representing a reproduction order for each reproduction point, and

wherein the data-group specifying data include a reproduction point identifier and a corresponding second data group identifier, and

wherein said second-data-group output judgment means includes:

a reproduction point judgment unit for judging whether the reproduction order identifier and the reproduction order of the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the reproduction order identifier and the location data of any of the second-data-group reproduction point group data respectively, and

wherein said second-data-group readout means includes:

a second-data-group reproduction-point-identifier extraction unit for extracting a reproduction point identifier coinciding with the second-data-group reproduction point group data when said reproduction point judgment means judges coincidence;

a second-data-group element data identifier selection unit for taking out the second data group identifier corresponding to the reproduction point identifier extracted by said second-data-group reproduction-point-identifier extraction unit to select an element data identifier having the second data group identifier in the index data;

a second-data-group random selection unit for selecting one element data identifier from the element data identifiers selected by said second-data-group element data identifier selection unit;

a fourth address value extraction unit for extracting the address value corresponding to the element data identifier selected by said second-data-group random selection unit from the index data; and

a second-data-group readout unit for reading out the element data stored in said storage means by accessing to an address identified by the address value extracted by said fourth address value extraction unit.

7. The data reproduction apparatus of claim 6, wherein

the element data of said first data group are scene files of electronic book data, and the element data of said second data group are advertisement data, the advertisement data being reproduced within a reproduction channel of the scene files.

8. A data reproduction apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing primary data and management data, said primary data being a plurality of element data, said management data including index data that divide said plurality of element data into a first data group and a second data group, and channel data that indicate a reproduction order in said first data group;

management data readout and save means for reading out and saving the index data and the channel data from said storage means;

first-data-group-readout first direction means for outputting a first readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group as per the channel data saved in said management data readout and save means;

input manipulation means for accepting instruction input for directing a selection of a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group;

first-data-group-readout second direction means for outputting a second readout direction to readout the element data of said first data group from said storage means as per the channel data specified by the instruction input from said input manipulation means;

first-data-group readout means for reading out the element data stored in said storage means as per one of the first and second readout direction;

first-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data readout by said first-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

first-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said first-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data;

second-data-group output judgment means for judging whether it is adequate to output the element data of said second data group after the element data of said direct data group being reproduced;

second-data-group readout means for reading out the element data of said second data group stored in said storage means when said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy of the output of the element data of said second data group;

second-data-group reproduction means for converting the element data read out by said second-data-group readout means into reproduction data and outputting resulting reproduction data;

second-data-group output means for converting the reproduction data inputted from said second-data-group reproduction means into output data and outputting resulting output data, wherein

said management data further include second-data-group reproduction point group data and selection condition data, said second-data-group reproduction point group data indicating reproduction of element data of said second data group within a reproduction channel of the element data of said first data group; and

said management data readout and save means further reads out and saves the second-data group reproduction point group data and the selection condition data stored in said storage means, whereby said second-data-group output judgment means judges adequacy when the element data outputted from said first-data-group output means coincide with the element data saved n said management data readout and save means;

second-data-group selection means for selecting the element data as per the selection condition data, said selection condition data being the number of the element data to be read out, and

wherein said second-data-group readout means reads out the element data selected by said second-data-group selection means from said storage means, the index data include an element data identifier identifying individual element data and an address value identifying place in said storage means where each element data specified by a respective element data identifier are stored, and

wherein the channel data include reproduction order data formed of a reproduction order and an element data identifier and a reproduction order identified identifying individual reproduction order data, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout first direction means includes:

a first address value extraction unit for extracting the address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data; and

a first address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, and

wherein said first-data-group-readout second direction means includes:

a second address value from the index data by referring to the reproduction order in the reproduction order data in the channel data and finding the element data identifier in the index data that coincides with the element data identifier in the reproduction order data, the address value extracted by said first address value extraction unit being different from the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit; and

a second address indication unit for outputting the address value extracted by said second address value extraction unit to said first-data-group readout means, wherein said input manipulation means accepts instruction input as to a reproduction channel by means of a location coordinate, and

wherein branch judgment data are attached to the element data identifier in the reproduction order data when the reproduction order corresponding to said element data identifier is placed last in the order and a reproduction channel for the element data identified by said element data identifier has a branching point at an end thereof, and

wherein said branch judgment data include a reproduction order identifier, and a screen area data consisting of location coordinates each indicating respective locations of a plurality of video data areas, each of said plurality of video data areas corresponding to the respective reproduction order identifiers, and

wherein said first-data-group readout means includes;

a branched channel judgment unit for judging within of which said screen area data the location coordinate accepted b