Wireless Media Player Device and System, and Method for Operating the Same

• US 20080201658A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IVI Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: IVI Smart Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Saito, Tamio, Kienhoefer, Juergen F.
• Application Number:
  US11/758,575
• Publication Number:
  US 20080201658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/207 with an audio or audio/video bus for signal distribution H04B1/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3861 carried in a hand or on fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57

Abstract

A wireless media player device includes (a) a flash memory, (b) a main processor adapted to process digital signals and to control wireless communications, the main processor including first and second interfaces adapted to wirelessly communicate with an external host computer and an external headset, respectively, (c) a signal antenna coupled to the main processor, (d) a power circuit coupled to the main processor, adapted to provide power to components of the media player device, (e) a wireless charger adapted to receive power from an external power source and charge the power circuit, and (f) a display provided on a surface of the media player device. The media player device is wearable and may further includes a casing and an attacher (such as a wrist band) adapted to fasten the media player device onto a user such that the display is visible from the user.

Claims

1. A wireless media player device, comprising:

a flash memory;

a main processor adapted to process digital signals and to control wireless communications, the main processor including a first interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an external host computer, and a second interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an external headset;

a signal antenna coupled to the main processor;

a power circuit coupled to the main processor, adapted to provide power to components of the media player device and adapted to store energy;

a wireless charger coupled to the power circuit, adapted to receive power from an external power source, and to charge the power circuit; and

a display provided on a surface of the media player device.

2. The wireless media player device of claim 1, further comprising a touch screen integrated with the display, adapted to receive a user'"'"'s control commands.

3. The wireless media player device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one control button adapted to input a user'"'"'s control command.

4. The wireless media player device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the control buttons is coupled to the main processor.

5. The wireless media player device of claim 1, further comprising:

a co-processor coupled with the main processor, adapted to control the flash memory.

6. The wireless media player device of claim 5, further comprising:

a display controller coupled to the co-processor, adapted to control the display.

7. The wireless media player device of claim 5, further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) circuit coupled with the co-processor, the co-processor also controlling the GPS circuit.

8. The wireless media player device of claim 1, wherein the media player device is a wearable device, further comprising:

a casing for protecting the wireless media player device, the casing exposing the display on a top surface thereof; and

an attacher adapted to fasten the media player device onto a user such that the display is visible from the user.

9. The wireless media player device of claim 8, wherein the attacher is in a form of a wrist band.

10. The wireless media player device of claim 8, wherein the second interface is further adapted to receive a user'"'"'s commands wirelessly transmitted from the external headset.

11. A wireless media player apparatus, comprising:

a flash memory for storing digital data;

means for processing digital signals and controlling wireless communications;

means for wirelessly receiving power, storing the power, and providing the power to components of the apparatus;

means for wirelessly communicating with an external host computer and downloading digital data from the host computer;

means for storing the downloaded digital data in the flash memory;

means for reading the stored digital data from the flash memory;

means for encoding the read digital data into a selected data format; and

means for wirelessly transmitting the encoded digital data to an external headset.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

means for displaying at least one of an indication of a status of data which is being transmitted or downloaded, an indication of the data stored in the flash memory; and

control button icons.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for displaying further comprises displaying at least one of a current date, a current time, a position of the apparatus based on a global positioning system (GPS) signal, a strength of a signal being received, and/or a battery status.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for receiving a user'"'"'s command.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for protecting the apparatus; and

means for attaching the media player apparatus onto a user such that the means far displaying is visible from the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for attaching is in a form of a wrist band.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for receiving the user'"'"'s commands.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for receiving the user'"'"'s commands receives the commands wirelessly.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the means for receiving the user'"'"'s commands receives the commands via at least one input button provided on the apparatus.

20. A wireless media player system, comprising:

a headset adapted to receive digital audio signals; and

a media player device, including;

a flash memory;

a main processor adapted to process digital signals and to control wireless communications, the main processor including a first interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with an external host computer, and a second interface adapted to wirelessly communicate with the headset;

a signal antenna coupled to the main processor;

a power circuit coupled to the main processor, adapted to provide power to components of the media player device and adapted to store energy;

a wireless charger coupled to the power circuit, adapted to receive power from an external power source, and to charge the power circuit; and

a display provided on a surface of the media player device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the headset includes:

a command input device adapted to receive a user'"'"'s control commands and a wireless interface to transmit the received control commands to the wireless media player device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second interface is further adapted to receive commands wirelessly transmitted from the headset.

23. The wireless media player device of claim 20, wherein the media player device is a wearable device, further comprising:

a casing for protecting the media player device, the casing exposing the display on a top surface thereof; and

an attacher adapted to fasten the media player onto a user such that the display is visible from the user.

24. The wireless media player device of claim 23, wherein the attacher is in a form of a wrist band.

25. A method for operating a media player device including a flash memory for storing digital data, at least one processor for processing digital signals and controlling wireless communications, a power circuit including a rechargeable battery, a display, and an antenna for transmitting and receiving digital signals, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving power and charging the battery;

providing power to components of the media player device;

wirelessly communicating with an external host computer via the antenna and downloading digital data from the host computer;

storing the downloaded digital data in the flash memory;

reading the stored digital data from the flash memory;

encoding the read digital data into a selected data format; and

wirelessly transmitting, via the antenna, the encoded digital data to an external headset.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

displaying, on the display, at least one of an indication of a status of data which is being transmitted or downloaded, an indication of the data stored in the flash memory, and control button icons.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising displaying, on the display, at least one of a current date, a current time;

a position of the apparatus based on a global positioning system (GPS) signal, a strength of a signal being received, and a battery status.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the display includes a touch screen, the method further comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s commands via the touch screen.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising wirelessly receiving, via the antenna, a user'"'"'s commands from the external headset.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving a user'"'"'s commands via at least one input buttons provided on the media player device.

31. The method of claim 25;

wherein the media player device further includes

a casing adapted to protect the media player device; and

an attacher adapted to fastening the media player device onto a user such that the display is visible from the user.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the attacher is in a form of a wrist band.