Portable Media Player as a Remote Control

• US 20100049835A1
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stephen O. Lemay, Steve Ko
• Original Assignee: Stephen O. Lemay, Steve Ko
• Inventors: Lemay, Stephen O., Ko, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637

Abstract

A portable multimedia player is used to wirelessly access and control a media server that is streaming digital media by way of a wireless interface to a media unit such as a stereo/speakers in the case of streaming digital audio. In one embodiment, the portable multimedia player is wirelessly synchronized to a selected one(s) of a number of digital media files stored on the media server in such a way that digital media file metadata (song title, author, etc.) associated with the selected digital media file(s) only is transferred from the media server to be stored in the portable media player.

Claims

1. A media server configured to wirelessly interact with a portable media player, the portable media player having a display screen, the media server comprising:

a wireless network interface configured to facilitate communication between the media server and at least the portable media player; and

a storage medium configured to store media files and computer program code, the computer program code including at least;

computer program code for binding the portable media player and the media server;

computer program code for wirelessly receiving a media item indication from the portable media player;

computer program code for identifying a media item stored in the storage medium using the received media item indication;

computer program code for accessing the identified media item; and

computer program code for initiating playback of the identified media item.

2. A media server as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program code including at least:

computer program code for wirelessly sending a list of one or more of the media items to the portable media player.

3. A media server as recited in claim 1, wherein the media item indication corresponds to a selected at least one of the media items from the list.

4. A media server as recited in claim 3, wherein the list comprises a catalog of media files available at the media server.

5. A media server as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program code including at least:

computer program code for wirelessly sending metadata pertaining to one or more of the media items to the portable media player for display thereon.

6. A media server as recited in claim 5, wherein the metadata for each of the one or more of the media items including at least descriptive information for the corresponding media files.

7. A media server as recited in claim 1, wherein the storage media stores a library having a plurality of media files, and

wherein the media item corresponds to one of the plurality of media files stored in the library.

8. A media server as recited in claim 7,

wherein the identified media file includes multimedia content, and

wherein the computer program code including at least:

computer program code for wirelessly sending the multimedia content from the media server to a remote media unit.

9. A media server as recited in claim 8, wherein the sending of the multimedia content comprises streaming the multimedia content to the remote media unit.

10. A media server as recited in claim 8, wherein the sending of the multimedia content comprises electronically transferring the identified media file to the remote media unit.

11. A media server as recited in claim 8, wherein the computer program code including at least:

determining if a control command is to be sent to the remote media unit to control a function of the remote media unit.

12. A media server as recited in claim 11, wherein the computer program code including at least:

wirelessly sending the control command to the remote media unit if it is determined that the control command is to be sent to the remote media unit, whereby the remote media unit is able to playback the appropriate media file in accordance with the at least one control command.

13. A media server as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer program code including at least:

computer program code for wirelessly receiving a user command from the portable media player;

14. A media server as recited in claim 13, wherein the user command controls playback of the identified media item.

15. A media server as recited in claim 13, wherein the user command controls at least one action at the media server.

16. A media server as recited in claim 13, wherein the user command requests that a playback attribute of playback of the identified media item be changed.

17. A media server as recited in claim 16, wherein the playback attribute comprises a volume change.

18. A media server as recited in claim 1, wherein the identified media file pertains to a song or a playlist.

19. A media system, comprising

a media server;

and

a portable digital media player,

wherein the portable digital media player includes at least;

a wireless network interface;

a display device arranged to display a user interface having a number of user selectable items;

a processor unit configured to operate the portable digital media player in a first mode or a second mode; and

a storage medium configured to store computer program code, the computer program code including at least;

computer program code for displaying a list of digital media files on a display device of the portable digital media player, the digital media files stored on the portable digital media player;

computer program code for receiving a selection signal to play a digital media file;

computer program code for playing the selected digital media file on the portable digital media player when the portable digital media player is operated in a first mode; and

computer program code for wirelessly sending the selected digital media file to the media server via the wireless network interface when the portable digital media player is operated in a second mode;

wherein the media server includes at least;

a wireless network interface configured to facilitate communication between the media server and at least the portable digital media player; and

a storage medium configured to store media files and computer program code, the computer program code including at least;

computer program code for wirelessly receiving a media item indication from the portable digital media player;

computer program code for identifying a media item stored in the storage medium using the received media item indication;

computer program code for accessing the identified media item; and

computer program code for initiating playback of the identified media item.

20. A media system as recited in claim 19, wherein the computer program code stored in the storage medium of the portable digital media player further includes:

computer program code for binding the portable digital media player and the media server.