Media player with instant play capability
First Claim
1. A method for retrieving and playing media data by a media player, the media player having a disk-based data store and a semiconductor-based data store, said computer readable medium comprises:
- identifying a media item to be played on the media player, media data for the media item includes a plurality of data portions, the data portions including a first portion and remaining portions, the remaining portions being different than and not including the initial portion;
retrieving the first portion of the media data for the media item from the disk-based data store;
playing the first portion of the media data for the media item retrieved from the disk-based data store without first storing to the semiconductor-based data store, the semiconductor-based data store having a faster access time than does the disk-based data store;
initiating processing to load at least the remaining portions of the media data from the disk-based data store to the semiconductor-based data store; and
playing the remaining portions of the media data retrieved from the semiconductor-based data store.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A media player and a method for operating a media player are disclosed. A media program is able to substantially immediately begin playing after a media play selection has been made. Through intelligent operation, the media program is able to start playing even before the media program has been substantially or completely loaded from disk storage into semiconductor memory (i.e., cache memory). Additionally, the media program can be loaded into semiconductor memory through use of a background process without disturbing the playing of the media program. Further, if desired, the disk storage is able to be aggressively “powered off” when not being accessed, thereby enhancing battery life when being battery-powered.
232 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for retrieving and playing media data by a media player, the media player having a disk-based data store and a semiconductor-based data store, said computer readable medium comprises:
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identifying a media item to be played on the media player, media data for the media item includes a plurality of data portions, the data portions including a first portion and remaining portions, the remaining portions being different than and not including the initial portion;
retrieving the first portion of the media data for the media item from the disk-based data store;
playing the first portion of the media data for the media item retrieved from the disk-based data store without first storing to the semiconductor-based data store, the semiconductor-based data store having a faster access time than does the disk-based data store;
initiating processing to load at least the remaining portions of the media data from the disk-based data store to the semiconductor-based data store; and
playing the remaining portions of the media data retrieved from the semiconductor-based data store. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for retrieving and playing media data by a media player, the media player having a disk-based data store and a semiconductor-based data store, said computer readable medium comprises:
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identifying a media item to be played on the media player, media data for the media item includes a plurality of data portions, the data portions including a first portion and remaining portions, the remaining portions being different than and not including the initial portion;
initiating processing to load at least the remaining portions of the media data from the disk-based data store to the semiconductor-based data store;
retrieving the first portion of the media data for the media item from the disk-based data store;
playing the first portion of the media data for the media item retrieved from the disk-based data store without first storing to the semiconductor-based data store, the semiconductor-based data store having a faster access time than does the disk-based data store; and
playing the remaining portions of the media data retrieved from the semiconductor-based data store. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification