Small removable audio player that attaches to a host media player

• US 20080243279A1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherman, Itay
• Granted Patent: US 8,340,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/122 where hardware performs an I/O function other than control of data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5021 Priority
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A media player, including a host player, including a host media playing module for playing digital media files, a host storage unit for storing digital media files, a host battery for supplying power to the host player, a host controller for storing incoming media files in the host storage unit, a host display unit, and at least one host user interface control for user command input to navigate and play the digital media files stored in the host storage unit, and a removable player which can be attached to the host player and detached from the host player, and which is operative to play digital audio files when it is attached to the host player and when it is detached from the host player, including an audio playing module, a storage unit for storing digital media files, a wireless modem for receiving digital media files from remote sources, a battery for supplying power to the removable player, which is charged by the host battery when the removable player is attached to the host player, and a controller for storing incoming media files in the removable player storage unit and for selectively copying media files from the removable player storage unit to the host storage unit when the removable player is attached to the host player, wherein the host controller selectively copies media files from the host storage unit to the removable player storage unit when the removable player is attached to the host player. A method is also described and claimed.

Claims

1. A media player, comprising:

a host player, comprising;

a host media playing module for playing digital media files;

a host storage unit for storing digital media files;

a host battery for supplying power to said host player;

a host controller for storing incoming media files in said host storage unit;

a host display unit; and

at least one host user interface control for user command input to navigate and play the digital media files stored in said host storage unit; and

a removable player which can be attached to said host player and detached from said host player, and which is operative to play digital audio files when it is attached to said host player and when it is detached from said host player, comprising;

an audio playing module;

a storage unit for storing digital media files;

a wireless modem for receiving digital media files from remote sources;

a battery for supplying power to said removable player, which is charged by said host battery when said removable player is attached to said host player; and

a controller for storing incoming media files in said removable player storage unit and for selectively copying media files from said removable player storage unit to said host storage unit when said removable player is attached to said host player,

wherein said host controller selectively copies media files from said host storage unit to said removable player storage unit when said removable player is attached to said host player.

2. The media player of claim 1 wherein said host storage unit comprises flash memory.

3. The media player of claim 1 wherein said host storage unit comprises a hard disk.

4. The media player of claim 1 wherein said removable player storage unit comprises NAND flash memory.

5. The media player of claim 1 wherein said removable player wireless modem comprises a cellular modem.

6. The media player of claim 1 wherein said removable player wireless modem comprises a WLAN modem.

7. The media player of claim 1 wherein said removable player wireless modem comprises a WiMax modem.

8. The media player of claim 1 wherein said host player is a multimedia player that plays audio and video.

9. The media player of claim 1 wherein said removable player is an audio player.

10. The media player of claim 1 wherein said host player further comprises an external USB connector.

11. The media player of claim 1 wherein said host player further comprises an SD connector.

12. The media player of claim 1 wherein said host player further comprises a host wireless modem.

13. A method for synchronizing a host media player and a removable audio player, when the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, comprising:

receiving a new media file via an external connector in the host media player, wherein the new media file may be a digital audio file or a digital video file;

storing the new media file in a storage unit within the host media player; and

conditionally copying the new media file to a storage unit within the removable audio player when the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, if the new media file is an audio file.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

receiving a new media file via a wireless modem within the removable audio player;

storing the new media file in the storage unit within the removable audio player; and

copying the new media file to the storage unit within the host media player, when the removable audio player is attached to the host media player.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising selectively copying audio files from the storage unit within the host media player to the storage unit within the removable audio player, when the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, said selective copying based on user preferences.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the user preferences indicate that most often listened to audio files are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the user preferences indicate that most recently listened to audio files are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the user preferences indicate that audio files with high user ratings are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising selectively copying audio files from the storage unit within the removable audio player to the storage unit within the host media player, when the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, said selective copying based on user preferences.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the user preferences indicate that most often listened to audio files are to be copied from the host media player to the removable audio player.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the user preferences indicate that most recently listened to audio files are to be copied from the host media player to the removable audio player.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the user preferences indicate that audio files with high user ratings are to be copied from the host media player to the removable audio player.