Video processing method and video processing apparatus

1. A video processing method comprising:

receiving plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data, and an instruction signal indicating whether the plural pieces of digital data are to be multiplexed or are to be demultiplexed and outputted;

multiplexing the plural pieces of digital data, and outputting the multiplexed digital data and a flag indicating whether or not the digital data are multiplexed, when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be multiplexed; and

adding information for synchronization to the plural pieces of digital data without multiplexing the digital data, and outputting the digital data having the information for synchronization added thereto, when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be demultiplexed and outputted.

2. The video processing method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data, and scene description data indicating the respective playback times or playback positions of the digital data;

setting a scene description flag indicating whether or not there is a scene description; and

outputting the digital data and the scene description flag.

3. The video processing method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating access information for making an access to the digital data at an arbitrary time or at an arbitrary position; and

outputting the accessed digital data and the access information.

4. The video processing method of claim 2 , further comprising:

generating access information for making an access to the inputted digital data at an arbitrary time or at an arbitrary position; and

outputting the accessed digital data and the access information.

5. A video processing apparatus comprising:

audio coding means for coding digital audio data;

video coding means for coding digital video data; multiplexing means for receiving plural pieces of coded digital data and an instruction signal indicating whether or not the plural pieces of digital data are to be multiplexed or are to be demultiplexed and outputted, multiplexing the plural pieces of digital data when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be multiplexed, and outputting the multiplexed digital data and a flag indicating whether or not the digital data are multiplexed; and

outputting means for adding information for synchronization to the plural pieces of digital data without multiplexing the digital data, and outputting the digital data having the information for synchronization added thereto, when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be demultiplexed and outputted.

6. A video processing method comprising:

receiving plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data, a multiplexing flag indicating whether or not the plural pieces of digital data are multiplexed, and a scene description flag indicating whether or not there is scene description data that indicate the respective playback times or playback positions of the digital data;

outputting the digital data and the scene description data when the scene description flag indicates that there is scene description data; and

demultiplexing the plural pieces of digital data, and outputting the demultiplexed digital data respectively, when the multiplexing flag indicates that the digital data are multiplexed.

7. A video processing apparatus comprising:

audio decoding means for decoding digitized audio data;

video decoding means for decoding digitized video data; and

demultiplexing/control means for

detecting a multiplexing flag indicating whether or not the plural pieces of digital data are multiplexed, and when the multiplexing flag indicates that the digital data are multiplexed, demultiplexing the plural pieces of digital data and controlling said audio decoding means and said video decoding means so as to output the plural pieces of digital data separately, and

detecting a scene description flag indicating whether there is scene description data that indicate the respective playback times or playback positions of the digital data, and when the scene description flag indicates that there is scene description data, controlling said audio decoding means and said video decoding means so as to output the digital data and the scene description data.

8. A video processing apparatus comprising:

audio coding means for coding digital audio data;

video coding means for coding digital video data; and

data recording means for

receiving plural pieces of coded digital data and an instruction signal indicating whether the plural pieces of digital data are to be multiplexed or are to be demultiplexed and outputted,

multiplexing the plural pieces of digital data, and recording the multiplexed digital data and a flag indicating that the digital data are multiplexed onto the same recording medium, when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be multiplexed, and

adding information for synchronization to the plural pieces of digital data without multiplexing the digital data, and recording the digital data having the information for synchronization added thereto onto one recording medium, when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be demultiplexed and outputted.

9. A computer-readable recording medium having a video processing program stored thereon for making a computer execute a process of recording plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data onto the same recording medium, said video processing program comprising:

a first program segment for receiving plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data, and an instruction signal indicating whether the plural pieces of digital data are to be multiplexed or are to be demultiplexed and outputted;

a second program segment for multiplexing the plural pieces of digital data when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be multiplexed;

a third program segment for outputting the multiplexed digital data, and a flag indicating whether or not the digital data are multiplexed or not when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be multiplexed;

a fourth program segment for recording the outputted multiplexed digital data and the flag indicating whether or not the digital data are multiplexed onto the same recording medium when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be multiplexed; and

a fifth program segment for adding information for synchronization to the plural pieces of digital data without multiplexing the digital data, and recording the digital data having the information for synchronization added thereto onto one recording medium, when the instruction signal indicates that the digital data are to be demultiplexed and outputted.

10. A computer-readable recording medium having a video processing program stored thereon for making a computer execute a process of recording plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data onto the same recording medium, said video processing program comprising:

a first program segment for reading plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data, and a multiplexing flag indicating whether or not the plural pieces of digital data are multiplexed;

a second program segment for judging whether or not the plural pieces of digital data are multiplexed based on the multiplexing flag;

a third program segment for demultiplexing the plural pieces of digital data when said second program segment judges that the plural pieces of digital data are multiplexed, and outputting the respective obtained digital data separately;

a fourth program segment for receiving plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data, and a scene description flag indicating whether there is scene description data that indicate the respective playback times or playback positions of the digital data;

a fifth program segment for judging whether there is the scene description data based on the scene description flag; and

a sixth program segment for outputting the digital data and the scene description data when said fifth program segment judges that there is scene description data.

11. A respective computer-readable recording medium operable to be accessed by a computer and having stored thereon plural pieces of digital data including at least one of video and audio data, multiplexing flags corresponding to the respective digital data and indicating whether or not the respective digital data are multiplexed, and a scene description flag indicating whether there is scene description data that indicate the playback times or playback position of the digital data.