Audio converter device and method for using the same

• US 20050060054A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Distributed Media Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Janik, Craig M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/015 PDA [personal digital assistant] or palmtop computing devices used for musical purposes, e.g. portable music players, tablet computers, e-readers or smart phones in which mobile telephony functions need not be used touch-screen interfaces G10H2220/096
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/061 MP3, i.e. MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, lossy audio compression
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast

Abstract

An audio converter device and a method for using the same are provided. In one embodiment, the audio converter device receives the digital audio data from a first device via a local area network. The audio converter device decompresses the digital audio data and converts the digital audio data into analog electrical data. The audio converter device transfers the analog electrical data to an audio playback device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a media playback device; and

a converter device communicably coupled to the media playback device, the converter device comprising;

a local area network port to receive portions of a digital media file stored on a local server;

a volatile memory buffer to store the portions of the digital media file;

a microprocessor to convert a portion of the digital media file stored in the volatile memory buffer into a format usable by the media playback system; and

firmware to control the transfer of the portions of the digital media file into the volatile memory buffer to avoid interruption of media playback.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote controller to send instructions to cause the converter device to stream the processed data to the media playback device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the converter device decompresses the digital media file and converts the decompressed file into analog electrical data.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a portable electronic device to send instructions to cause the converter device to transfer the converted portion of the digital media file to the media playback device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the portable electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the converted portion of the digital media file is streamed from the converter device via a wireless transfer protocol.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless transfer protocol is IEEE 802.11b.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a portable electronic device including a local area network adapter.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the portable electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

10. A converter device for receiving and converting a digital media stream from a server, the converter device comprising:

a port to communicate with the server via a local area network;

a user interface control device;

one or more non-volatile flash memories to store converter control firmware operable to cause the port to start receiving the digital media stream from the server in response to activation of the user interface control device.

11. The converter device of claim 10, wherein the user interface control device includes a button integral to a housing of the converter device.

12. The converter device of claim 10, further comprising a buffer memory to store the digital media stream received.

13. A method for playing back a digital media file stored on a server at a media playback system, the method comprising:

receiving portions of the digital media file in a successive transfers from the server via a local area network into a converter device in response to user activation of a user interface control device;

converting the portions of the digital media file into media signals; and

outputting the media signals via a media signal output port to a media playback system to provide a continuous media program.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing the portions of the digital media file received in a buffer memory in the converter device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein converting the portions of the digital media file comprises converting the portions of the digital media file from a computer storable format into a media playback format.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the media signals are in a media playback format.

17. A computing system for receiving and converting a digital media stream from a server, the computing system comprising:

a computer to convert the digital media stream from a computer storable format into a playback device playable format;

a first port to receive the digital media stream in the computer storable format from a digital media server via a local area network; and

a second port to send the digital media stream in the playback device playable format to a media playback system.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the digital media stream in the playback device playable format includes one or more analog signals.

19. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the digital media stream in the playback device playable format includes one or more uncompressed digital signals.

20. A converter device to playback digital media, the converter device comprising:

a local area network port to receive portions of a digital media file stored on a local server;

a volatile memory buffer to store the portions of the digital media file;

a microprocessor to convert a portion of the digital media file stored in the volatile memory buffer into a format usable by a conventional media playback system; and

firmware to control the transfer of the portions of the digital media file into the volatile memory buffer such that there is no interruption of media playback.

21. The converter device of claim 20, further comprising a user interface to allow a user to navigate through a hierarchical presentation of data associated with the digital media file.

22. The converter device of claim 21, further comprising a user interface to allow users to manipulate the transfer of both the digital media file and the converted portion of the digital media file.

23. The converter device of claim 21, further comprising a portable electronic device to allow users to manipulate the transfer of both the digital media file and the converted portion of the digital media file.

24. The converter device of claim 23, wherein the portable electronic device is a personal digital assistant.

25. The converter device of claim 21, further comprising a display to present data associated with the digital media file received from the local server.

26. The converter device of claim 21, further comprising a local area network adapter.