MULTIMEDIA PLAYING METHOD AND APPARATUS USING THE SAME

• US 20100138011A1
• Filed: 03/10/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ite Tech (ITE Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ite Tech (ITE Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hwang, Chyou-Hsiung, Huang, Jen-I
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A multimedia playing method is provided. First, N audio files selected by a user are received, wherein N>0. Then, the memory space required for playing each of the N audio files for a predetermined time is respectively detected. Next, whether total memory space required by the N audio files is not smaller than a predetermined value is determined. If the total memory space required by the N audio files is not smaller than the predetermined value, the predetermined time is reduced and the step of respectively detecting the memory space required for playing each of the N audio files for the predetermined time is executed again. If the total memory space required by the N audio files is smaller than the predetermined value, an initial part of each of the N audio files to be played for the predetermined time is stored into the memory.

Claims

1. A multimedia playing method, suitable for a multimedia playing apparatus, wherein the multimedia playing apparatus has a memory and K audio files, and K>

0, the multimedia playing method comprising;

receiving N audio files selected by a user, wherein 0<

N≦

K;

respectively detecting memory space required for playing each of the N audio files for a predetermined time;

determining whether total memory space required by the N audio files is not smaller than a predetermined value;

if the total memory space required by the N audio files is not smaller than the predetermined value, reducing the predetermined time, and executing the detecting step again; and

if the total memory space required by the N audio files is smaller than the predetermined value, storing an initial part of each of the N audio files to be played for the predetermined time into the memory.

2. The multimedia playing method according to claim 1, wherein after the reducing step, the multimedia playing method further comprises:

determining whether the predetermined time is smaller than a specific time;

if the predetermined time is not smaller than the specific time, executing the detecting step again; and

if the predetermined time is smaller than the specific time, increasing the predetermined value.

3. The multimedia playing method according to claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a format and encoding information of the N audio files.

4. The multimedia playing method according to claim 3, wherein the format of the audio files is a MP3 format, an APE format, a FLAC format or a WAV format.

5. The multimedia playing method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined value varies with N.

6. The multimedia playing method according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the memory for storing the initial parts of the N audio files to be played for the predetermined time is defined as a first section of the memory, and the other portion of the memory is defined as a second section of the memory.

7. The multimedia playing method according to claim 6 further comprising:

reading the first section of the memory to play the initial part of one of the N audio files;

storing a subsequent part following the initial part of the currently played audio file into the second section of the memory; and

reading the second section of the memory to play the subsequent part.

8. The multimedia playing method according to claim 7 further comprising:

erasing a played portion of the subsequent part from the second section; and

subsequently loading a unplayed portion of the subsequent part and saving into the second section.

9. A multimedia playing method, suitable for a multimedia playing apparatus, wherein the multimedia playing apparatus has a memory and K audio files, and K>

0, the multimedia playing method comprising;

receiving N audio files selected by a user, wherein 0<

N≦

K;

determining whether N is smaller than a predetermined number;

if N is smaller than the predetermined number, retrieving each N audio file for a predetermined size, and planning a first section of the memory for storing the predetermined size of the N audio files; and

if N is not smaller than the predetermined number, planning a first section of the memory to store each initial part of the N audio files according to N, wherein the first section of the memory is evenly distributed to each audio file.

10. The multimedia playing method according to claim 9, wherein a portion of the memory for storing the initial parts of the N audio files is defined as a first section of the memory, and the other portion of the memory is defined as a second section of the memory.

11. The multimedia playing method according to claim 10 further comprising:

reading the first section of the memory to play the initial part of one of the N audio files;

storing a subsequent part following the initial part of the currently played audio file into the second section of the memory; and

reading the second section of the memory to play the subsequent part.

12. The multimedia playing method according to claim 11 further comprising:

erasing a played portion of the subsequent part from the second section; and

subsequently loading a unplayed portion of the subsequent part and saving into the second section.

13. The multimedia playing method according to claim 9 further comprising:

detecting a format and encoding information of the N audio files.

14. The multimedia playing method according to claim 13, wherein the format of the audio files is a MP3 format, an APE format, a FLAC format or a WAV format.

15. A multimedia playing apparatus, comprising:

a storage unit, for providing K audio files, wherein K>

0;

a multimedia input interface, coupled to the storage unit, for receiving the K audio files;

a user interface, for receiving N audio files selected by a user, wherein 0<

N≦

K;

a memory, coupled to the multimedia input interface, having a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is used for storing initial parts of the N audio files, and the second section is used for storing subsequent parts of the N audio files; and

a control unit, coupled to the multimedia input interface, the user interface, and the memory, for adjusting capacities of the first section and the section,

wherein the control unit first detects a format and encoding information of the N audio files and then determines whether total memory space required by the N audio files to be played for a predetermined time is smaller than a predetermined value and adjusts capacities of the first section and the second section accordingly.

16. The multimedia playing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the memory is a volatile memory or a non-volatile memory.

17. The multimedia playing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the storage unit is a CD or a MD.

18. The multimedia playing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the audio files are in a WAV format, an APE format, a FLAC format or a MP3 format.