Intelligent Interaction Between Media Player and Host Computer

• US 20100287308A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Heller, Jeffrey L. Robbin
• Original Assignee: David Heller, Jeffrey L. Robbin
• Inventors: Robbin, Jeffrey L., Heller, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4108 characterised by an identification number or address, e.g. local network address protecting specific internal or external computer components using identification number G06F21/73; network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

Improved techniques for interaction between a host computer (e.g., personal computer) and a media player are disclosed. According to one aspect, interaction between a host computer and a media player, such as automatic synchronization of media contents stored on a media player with media contents stored on a host computer, can be restricted. According to another aspect, management of media items residing on a media player can be performed at and by a host computer for the media player. According to still another aspect, media content can be played by a media player in accordance with quality settings established for the media content at the host computer.

Claims

1. A method for performing synchronization of media items of a portable media player with a host computer and subsequent playback of one or more of the media items on the media player, the media player storing player media information, and the host computer storing host media information, said method comprising:

determining whether synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed;

synchronizing the media player with the host computer when said determining determines that synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed, wherein said synchronizing transfers one or more media items to the media player from the host computer, whereby for the one or more media items being transferred, media item data is received at the media player via a first electronic file and stored in a media store at the media player, and media information data is received at the media player via a second electronic file and stored in a media database at the media player, the second electronic file being distinct from the first electronic file, the media information data including at least one quality characteristic, and the at least one quality characteristic includes at least one or more user-specified equalization settings;

subsequently receiving a subsequent playback request to play an identified one of the media items; and

configuring the media player to play the identified one of the media items, the media player being configured to play the identified one of the media items in accordance with at least one of the one or more user-specified equalization settings corresponding thereto,

wherein the media player and the host computer are separate devices.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a plurality of the media items are songs or audio files, and wherein the equalization settings can be provided for each of the plurality of the media items that are song or audio files.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of a plurality of the media items has it own corresponding user-specified equalization setting.

4. A method as recited in claim 1,

retrieving a media player identifier from the media player, wherein the media player identifier is an identifier that specifically identifies the media player;

and

comparing the media player identifier with a synchronized device identifier stored at the host computer to produce first comparison information, wherein the synchronized device identifier identifies a device that has been locked for synchronization with the host computer.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said method further comprises:

querying a user of the media player as to whether the media player should be locked for synchronization to the host computer while unlocking any previously locked media player when said determining determines that the media player identifier does not match the synchronization device identifier, receiving a response to said querying of the user, and locking the media player to the host computer for synchronization when the response to said querying indicates that the media player should be locked to the host computer.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the first comparison information indicates whether or not the media player identifier matches the synchronization identifier.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said method further comprises:

receiving a response to said querying of the user; and

locking the media player to the host computer for synchronization purposes when the response to said querying indicates that the media player should be locked to the host computer.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said synchronizing of the media player with the host computer comprises:

reading the player media information from the media player;

comparing the player media information with the host media information from the host computer to produce media comparison information;

determining which media items are to be copied between the media player and the host computer based on the media comparison information; and

copying the determined media items to perform the synchronization.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the player media information and the host media information comprise attributes of the media items.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the attributes include at least song title, album name and artist name.

12. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the media player identifier and the synchronized device identifier serve to associate the media player with the host computer so as to permit subsequent automatic synchronizations between the media player and the host computer.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the media player identifier and the synchronized device identifier remain the same through a plurality of subsequent synchronizations.

5. A method as recited in claim 5,

wherein said determining whether synchronization between the media player and the host computer should be performed comprises determining that synchronization should be automatically performed if said comparing of the media player identifier with the synchronized device identifier indicates that the media player is the media player that has been previously locked for synchronization with the host computer, and

wherein said synchronizing of the media player with the host computer is not automatically performed when said determining determines that the media player identifier does not match the synchronization device identifier.

14. A computer readable storage medium including at least executable computer program code tangibly stored thereon for performing synchronization of media items of a media player with a host computer and subsequent playback of one or more of the media items on the media player, the media player storing player media information, and the host computer storing host media information, said non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising:

computer program code for determining whether synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed;

computer program code for synchronizing the media player with the host computer if said computer program code for determining determines that synchronization of the media player with the host computer should be performed, wherein said computer program code for synchronizing transfers one or more media items to the media player from the host computer, whereby for the one or more media items being transferred, media item data and media information data are received at the media player and stored at the media player, the media information data including at least one quality characteristic, and the at least one quality characteristic includes at least one or more user-specified equalization settings;

computer program code for subsequently receiving a playback request to play an identified one of the media items; and

computer program code for configuring the media player to play the identified one of the media items, the media player being configured to play the identified one of the media items in accordance with at least one of the one or more user-specified equalization settings corresponding thereto,

wherein the media player and the host computer are separate devices.

15. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein said computer program code for synchronizing of the media player with the host computer comprises:

computer program code for reading the player media information from the media player;

computer program code for comparing the player media information with the host media information from the host computer to produce media comparison information;

computer program code for determining which media items are to be copied between the media player and the host computer based on the media comparison information; and

computer program code for copying the determined media items to perform the synchronization.

16. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the player media information and the host media information comprise attributes of the media items, and wherein the attributes include at least song title, album name and artist name.

17. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein at least a plurality of the media items are songs or audio files, and wherein the equalization settings can be provided for each of the plurality of the media items that are song or audio files.

18. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 14,

computer program code for retrieving a media player identifier from the media player, wherein the media player identifier is an identifier that specifically identifies the media player;

and

computer program code for comparing the media player identifier with a synchronized device identifier stored at the host computer to produce first comparison information, wherein the synchronized device identifier identifies a device that has been associated for synchronization with the host computer.

19. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 18,

wherein said computer program code for determining whether synchronization between the media player and the host computer should be performed comprises computer program code for determining that synchronization should be automatically performed if said comparing of the media player identifier with the synchronized device identifier indicates that the media player is the media player that has been previously associated for synchronization with the host computer, and

wherein said computer program code for synchronizing of the media player with the host computer is not automatically performed when said computer program code for determining determines that the media player identifier does not match the synchronization device identifier.

20. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the media player identifier and the synchronized device identifier serve to associate the media player with the host computer so as to permit subsequent automatic synchronizations between the media player and the host computer.

21. A computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 20, wherein the media player identifier remains the same through a plurality of subsequent synchronizations.