PROCESSING OF HETEROGENEOUS MEDIA IN A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20090228125A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Stewart, William
• Application Number:
  US12/133,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228125A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a media server for a mobile computing device that can efficiently arbitrate media content, such as audio or video, among a plurality of client applications. In some embodiments, audio from the client applications is handled based on buffers in an audio queue. The media server is capable of arbitrating both compressed and uncompressed audio in these buffers with the availability of various resources, such as a decompressor. In addition, the media server is capable of scheduling various commands that support the audio in the buffers. For example, in some embodiments, the media server may be able to schedule various commands in advance of a format change in the audio. Other commands may also be scheduled, such as, transitions between compressed and uncompressed audio, digital rights management operations, and the like.

Claims

1. A method of processing audio, said method comprising:

receiving compressed and uncompressed audio from a plurality of applications; and

arbitrating access to hardware resources for the compressed and uncompressed audio.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein arbitrating access to the hardware resources comprises reducing delay during playback of the compressed and uncompressed audio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein arbitrating access to the hardware resources comprises reducing delay during recording of the compressed and uncompressed audio.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein scheduling the at least one command comprises scheduling a command for switching playback of one format of audio to another format.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein scheduling the at least one command comprises scheduling a command for an audio buffer to be played during playback of a current audio buffer.

4. A method of processing audio, said method comprising:

arranging different sets of audio into respective buffers; and

scheduling at least one command in advance of playback of audio in one of the respective buffers.

7. A computing device for providing high quality playback of media content, the computing device comprising:

a computer memory that stores one or more blocks of a media file; and

a processor programmed to read the one or more blocks before a playback time of the one or more blocks and execute processing instructions for the one or more blocks in advance of the playback time such that the processing time of the one or more blocks during playback is reduced.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the processing instructions comprises instructions that decode a digital data stream.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the processing instructions comprises instructions that decrypt digital rights management technology.

10. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the media file comprises audio content.

11. The computing device of claim 7, wherein the media file comprises video content.

12. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause a computer to:

place a buffer that holds media content for processing on the computer in a buffer queue; and

tag the buffer with one or more commands in a command queue that are executed in advance of the media content to expedite the processing of the media content.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more commands are executed before the media content is scheduled for playback.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more commands transitions to a different media type.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more commands decodes media content with digital rights management technology.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more commands decompresses the media content.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more commands decrypts the media content.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the processing comprises playing the media content.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the processing comprises recording the media content.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the processing comprises storing the media content.