Intelligent interaction between media player and host computer

• US 20030079038A1
• Filed: 10/21/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Improved techniques for interaction between a host computer (e.g., personal computer) and a media player are disclosed. According to one aspect, interaction between a host computer and a media player, such as automatic synchronization of media contents stored on a media player with media contents stored on a host computer, can be restricted. According to another aspect, management of media items residing on a media player can be performed at and by a host computer for the media player. According to still another aspect, media content can be played by a media player in accordance with quality settings established for the media content at the host computer.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing media items of a media player with a host computer, the media player storing player media information, and the host computer storing host media information, said method comprising:

retrieving a media player identifier from the media player;

comparing the media player identifier with a synchronized device identifier stored at the host computer to produce first comparison information;

determining whether synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed based on the first comparison information; and

automatically synchronizing the media player with the host computer when said determining determines that synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first comparison information indicates whether or not the media player identifier matches the synchronization identifier.

3. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein said determining determines that synchronization of the media player should be performed when the first comparison information indicates that the media player identifier matches the synchronization identifier, and

wherein said determining determines that synchronization of the media player should not be performed when the first comparison information indicates that the media player identifier does not match the synchronization identifier.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said synchronizing of the media player with the host computer is automatically performed when said determining determines that the media player identifier matches the synchronization identifier.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said synchronizing of the media player with the host computer is not performed when said determining determines that the media player identifier does not match the synchronization identifier.

6. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said method further comprises:

querying a user of the media player as to whether the media player should be assigned to the host computer while unassigning any previously assigned media players when said determining determines that the media player identifier does not match the synchronization identifier.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said method further comprises:

assigning the media player to the host computer when said querying determines that the media player should be assigned to the host computer.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said assigning stores a newly assigned media player identifier in the media player.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said assigning comprises:

obtaining, at the host computer, an assigned identifier for the media player; and

storing the assigned identifier in the media player as the media player identifier.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said assigning comprises:

obtaining, at the media player, an assigned identifier for the host computer; and

storing the assigned identifier at the host computer as the synchronization identifier.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said synchronizing of the media player with the host computer comprises:

reading the player media information from the media player;

comparing the player media information with the host media information from the host computer to produce media comparison information;

determining which media items are to be copied between the media player and the host computer based on the media comparison information; and

copying the determined media items to perform the synchronization.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the player media information and the host media information pertain to attributes or quality characteristics of the media items.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the attributes include at least song title, album name and artist name.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the quality characteristics include at least one of:

bit rate, sample rate, equalization setting, volume adjustment, start/stop and total time.

15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said method further comprises:

identifying media items that are to be removed from the media player based on the media comparison information; and

removing the identified media items from the media player.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the identified media items are those media items on the media player but not on the host computer.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the player media information and the host media information pertain to attributes and quality characteristics of the media items.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein the attributes include at least song title, album name and artist name, and wherein the quality characteristics include at least one of bit rate, sample rate, equalization setting, volume adjustment, start/stop and total time.

19. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the media player has a first media database storing player media information, and the host computer has a second media database storing host media information, and

wherein said copying comprises:

reading the player media information from the first media database provided on the media player;

comparing the player media information with the host media information from the second media database provided on the host computer, said comparing producing comparison information;

determining which media items are to be copied between the media player and the host computer based on the comparison information; and

copying the determined media items to perform the synchronization.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein said method further comprises:

updating one or both of the first and second media databases.

22. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 1, wherein said computer program code for automatically synchronizing of the media player with the host computer comprises:

computer program code for reading the player media information from the media player;

computer program code for comparing the player media information with the host media information from the host computer to produce media comparison information;

computer program code for determining which media items are to be copied between the media player and the host computer based on the media comparison information; and

computer program code for copying the determined media items to perform the synchronization.

21. A computer readable medium including at least computer program code for synchronizing media items of a media player with a host computer, the media player storing player media information, and the host computer storing host media information, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for retrieving a media player identifier from the media player;

computer program code for comparing the media player identifier with a synchronized device identifier stored at the host computer to produce first comparison information;

computer program code for determining whether synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed based on the first comparison information; and

computer program code for automatically synchronizing the media player with the host computer when said computer program code for determining determines that synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed.

23. A system for managing and playing media data, said system comprising:

a host computer that stores a plurality of media items and at least a first playlist, the first playlist being created by a user interacting with said host computer to select certain of the media items to be included within the first playlist; and

a portable media player that, when operatively connected to said host computer, receives media data for one or more of the media items from said host computer and stores the received media data, and receives at least the first playlist from said host computer and stores the first playlist.

24. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said media player includes a hard drive that stores the media items and the first playlist being received from said host computer.

25. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein said host computer is used to manage the media items on both said host computer and said portable media player.

26. A system as recited in claim 25, wherein the media items stored on said portable media player are synchronized with the media items stored on said host computer when said portable media player operatively connects with said host computer.

27. A system as recited in claim 23,

wherein said host computer includes at least a management module and a play module, and

wherein said portable media player includes at least a play module but not a management module.

28. A system as recited in claim 27, wherein said management module allows a user to add and remove media items from said host computer.

29. A system as recited in claim 28, wherein media items are automatically added or removed from said portable media player once said portable media player connects with said host computer.

30. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein said management module operates to synchronize media items between said portable media player and said host computer once said portable media player connects with said host computer.

31. A system as recited in claim 30, wherein said portable media player includes a media database storing player media information, and wherein said host computer includes a media database storing host media information.

32. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein the synchronization of the media items between said portable media player and said host computer is based on a comparison of the player media information with the host media information.

33. A system as recited in claim 27, wherein said management module allows a user to add and remove media items or playlists from said host computer.

34. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein media items or playlists are added or removed from said portable media player once said portable media player connects with said host computer.

35. A system as recited in claim 34, wherein said management module operates to synchronize media items or playlists between said portable media player and said host computer once said portable media player connects with said host computer.

36. A system for managing and playing media data, said system comprising:

a host computer including at least a management module for managing a plurality of media items, a host play module for playing the media items for a user of said host computer, and a host media store for storing a plurality of media items; and

a portable media player including at least a player media store for storing a plurality of media items, and a player play module for playing the media items stored in said media store for a user of said portable media player, and

wherein said portable media player lacks a management module.

37. A system as recited in claim 36, wherein, when said portable media player is operatively connected to said host computer, said portable media player receives media data for one or more of the media items from said host computer and stores the received media data in said player media store.

38. A system as recited in claim 37, wherein said player media store comprises a hard drive that stores the media items.

39. A system as recited in claim 37, wherein said management module allows a user to add and remove media items from said host computer.

40. A system as recited in claim 39, wherein said management module operates to synchronize media items between said portable media player and said host computer once said portable media player connects with said host computer.

41. A system as recited in claim 40, wherein said portable media player includes a player media database storing player media information, and wherein said host computer includes a host media database storing host media information.

42. A system as recited in claim 41, wherein the synchronization of the media items between said portable media player and said host computer is based on a comparison of the player media information with the host media information.

43. A method for transferring media content from a host computer to a portable media player, the host computer storing media item data and media information data for each of a plurality of media items, said method comprising:

connecting the portable media player to the host computer; and

transferring the media item data and the media information data for one or more media items from the host computer to the portable media player.

44. A method as recited in claim 43, wherein at least a portion of the media information data being transferred is user-specified at the host computer.

45. A method as recited in claim 43, wherein the media information data includes at least quality characteristics for playing of the media items.

46. A method as recited in claim 45, wherein the quality characteristics include at least one of equalization settings and volume settings.

47. A method as recited in claim 43, wherein the media information data includes at least one equalization setting for each of one or more of the media items being transferred from the host computer to the portable media player.

48. A method as recited in claim 47, wherein, before being transferred to the portable media player, the at least one equalization setting for each of the one or more media items are user-specified at the host computer.

49. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein the equalization settings are user-specified by selection of one of a plurality of predetermined equalization settings.

50. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein the equalization settings are user-specified by specifying particular amplitude levels for a plurality of different frequency ranges.

51. A method as recited in claim 48, wherein said method further comprises:

thereafter playing a particular one of the one or more media items on the portable media player using the at least one equalization setting corresponding to the particular one of the one or more of the media items that have been transferred from the host computer to the portable media player.

52. A method as recited in claim 43, wherein the media player includes a media store and a player media database, and wherein the media item data is stored in the media store and the media attribute data is stored to the player media database.

53. A method for playing a media item on a media player, said method comprising:

retrieving at least a portion of media information for the media item to be played, the media information and media item data for the media item previously being transmitted to and stored in the media player, the media information including at least quality characteristics associated with the media item;

configuring the media player in accordance with the quality characteristics associated with the media item; and

thereafter playing the media item on the media player as configured.