Method and apparatus for connecting a portable media player wirelessly to an automobile entertainment system

• US 20030171834A1
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Silvester, Kelan C.
• Application Number:
  US10/094,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171834A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provides a method comprising disabling audio playback through a loudspeaker unit of a first media player; establishing a wireless link with a second media player using said first media player; and transmitting a signal via said wireless link to said second media, said signal including an audio signal associated with a medium currently being played in said first media player. Embodiments of the invention also provides the method comprising establishing a wireless link with a second media player using a first media player; receiving a signal from said second media; said signal including an audio signal associated with a medium currently being played in said second media player; and converting said signal into sound which is played via a loudspeaker associated with the first media player.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

disabling audio playback through a loudspeaker unit of a first media player;

establishing a wireless link with a second media player using said first media player; and

transmitting a signal via said wireless link to said second media player, said signal including an audio signal associated with a medium currently being played in said first media player.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said wireless link complies with a communication standard selected from the group comprising a standard known as Bluetooth™

, and a standard known as IEEE 802.11.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal comprises a video signal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising compressing said signal before transmission.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising encrypting said signal before transmission.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal comprises information identifying components of said signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said second media player is an entertainment system of an automobile.

8. A method comprising:

establishing a wireless link with a second media player using a first media player;

receiving a signal from said second media player, said signal including an audio signal associated with a medium currently being played in said second media player; and

converting said signal into sound which is played via a loudspeaker associated with said first media player.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein establishing a wireless link comprises detecting a presence of one or more second media players and prompting a user to select said or one of said second media players with which to establish said wireless link.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein prompting a user comprises playing a prompt message and receiving said user'"'"'s input in response.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said prompt message is an audio prompt message played through said loudspeaker.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said prompt message is a visual prompt message played through a visual display associated with said first media player.

16. The portable media player of claim 12, further comprising an encryption mechanism to encrypt said signal before transmission.

13. A portable media player comprising:

a disabling mechanism to disable audio playback through a loudspeaker unit of said portable media player; and

a wireless communications interface to transmit a signal to a second media player, said signal including an audio signal associated with a medium in said portable media player.

14. The portable media player of claim 13, wherein said wireless communications interface supports a standard selected from the group comprising a standard known as Bluetooth™

; and

a standard known as IEEE 802.11.

15. The portable media player of claim 13, further comprising a compression mechanism to compress said signal before transmission.

17. Apparatus comprising:

a wireless communications interface to establish a wireless communications link with a portable media player;

a receiving mechanism to receive a signal from said media player, said signal including an audio signal associated with a medium currently being played in said media player; and

a conversion mechanism for converting said signal into sound which is played via a loudspeaker associated with said apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said wireless communications interface comprises a detection mechanism to detect a presence of one or more portable media players.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a prompting mechanism to generate a prompt to prompt a user to select said or one of said portable media players with which to establish said wireless communications link.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said prompting mechanism generates an audio prompt message which is played to said loudspeaker.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said prompting mechanism generates a visual prompt which is displayed through a visual display associated with said apparatus.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an input mechanism to enable a user to input a response to said prompt.