Rendering CD redbook audio using alternative storage locations and formats

• US 5,668,996 A
• Filed: 04/29/1996
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Radinsky, Wayne L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Application Number:
  US08/641,053
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 395/680, 395/681
• US Class Current: 719/322
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2003/0697 device management, e.g. handlers, drivers, I/O schedulers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0601 Interfaces specially adapted for storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A CD-based application program must often be run in conjunction with its associated CD. Described herein, however, is a method that allows such an application program, without any modifications, to render its CD "Redbook" audio content from a storage device other than the associated CD. The method includes converting the Redbook audio content of the CD to an alternative single-file format such as a "WAVE" file format that is suitable for rendering on a local sound board. The file is stored on a local or network logical drive. In place of the simple device driver that is normally used by the application program to render CD audio from a local CD drive, a proxy device driver is installed. In response to instructions from the application program to render audio using the local CD drive, the proxy device driver instead reads the file from the local or network drive, and renders the file on a local sound card.

Claims

1. In a multimedia presentation system for running an application program, wherein the application program normally renders continuous media content from a default source medium using a simple device driver that is not part of the application program, and wherein the application program identifies the default source medium in terms of a local media drive that both reads and renders the continuous media content, a method of running the application program to render the continuous media content from a mass storage device rather than from the default source medium, the method comprising:

installing a proxy device driver that functions in place of the simple device driver normally used by the application program;

the proxy device driver, in response to instructions from the application program to render the continuous media content, reading the continuous media content from the mass storage device and rendering the continuous media content from the mass storage device without any modifications to the application program.

2. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the rendering step comprises writing the continuous media content to a local rendering device after reading the continuous media content from the mass storage device.

3. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mass storage device is remotely located.

4. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the mass storage device is a network drive.

5. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy device driver performs the following steps:

using a compound device driver to read and render the continuous media content;

identifying the continuous media content to the compound device driver in terms of a filename relative to the mass storage device.

6. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the simple device driver has an existing exposed interface, the method further comprising a step of exposing a proxy interface to the application program from the proxy device driver, wherein the proxy interface is substantially the same as the existing exposed interface of the simple device driver.

7. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the following additional steps:

converting the continuous media content to an alternative data format;

storing the continuous media content on the mass storage device in the alternative data format prior to reading the continuous media content from the mass storage device.

8. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 1, wherein the proxy device driver is configurable to perform a step of using the simple device driver to render the continuous media content from the default source medium with the local media drive.

9. In a multimedia presentation system for running an application program, wherein the application program normally renders continuous media content from a removable source medium using a default device driver that is not part of the application program, wherein the continuous media content is organized as one or more performance tracks on the removable source medium, a method of running the application program to render the continuous media content from a mass storage device rather than from the removable source medium, the method comprising:

converting the continuous media content from a performance track format that is native to the removable source medium to an alternative format suitable for rendering on a local rendering device;

storing the continuous media content on the mass storage device in the alternative format;

installing a proxy device driver that functions in place of the default device driver normally used by the application program;

the proxy device driver, in response to instructions from the application program to render the continuous media content from the removable source medium, instead performing the following steps;

reading the continuous media content from the mass storage device;

writing the continuous media content to the local rendering device.

10. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the mass storage device is remotely located.

11. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the mass storage device is a network drive.

12. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the proxy device driver reads and writes the continuous media content using a compound device driver, wherein the proxy device driver identifies the continuous media content to the compound device driver in terms of a filename relative to the mass storage device.

13. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the default device driver has an existing exposed interface, the method further comprising a step of exposing a proxy interface to the application program from the proxy device driver, wherein the proxy interface is substantially the same as the existing exposed interface of the default device driver.

14. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 9, wherein the proxy device driver is configurable to perform a step of using the default device driver to render the continuous media content from the removable source medium.

15. In a multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 9, further comprising steps of identifying the application program and selecting the continuous media content depending on which application program is identified.

16. In a computer for running an application program, wherein the application program normally renders continuous media content from a removable compact disk that is associated with the application program, the application program normally using a simple device driver that is not part of the application program to render the continuous media content, wherein the application program identifies the continuous media content to the simple device driver in terms of performance track information relative to the removable compact disk, the simple device driver being associated with a compact disk drive that both reads and renders the identified continuous media content from the removable compact disk;

a method of running the application program to render the continuous media content from a mass storage device rather than from the removable compact disk, the method comprising;

installing a proxy device driver in the computer that functions in place of the simple device driver normally used by the application program;

exposing a proxy interface to the application program from the proxy device driver, wherein the proxy interface is substantially the same as an existing interface exposed by the simple device driver;

the proxy device driver, in response to instructions from the application program to render the continuous media content, identifying the continuous media content to a compound device driver in terms information other than performance track information, and instructing the compound device driver to render the continuous media content.

17. In a computer as recited in claim 16, wherein the mass storage device is remotely located.

18. In a computer as recited in claim 16, wherein the mass storage device is a network drive.

19. In a computer as recited in claim 16, further comprising the following additional steps:

converting the continuous media content to an alternative data format that is not organized as performance tracks;

storing the continuous media content on the mass storage device in the alternative data format.

20. In a computer as recited in claim 16, further comprising the following additional steps:

converting the continuous media content to an alternative data format that is not organized as performance tracks;

determining performance track information of the continuous media content relative to the compact disk;

storing the continuous media content on the mass storage device in the alternative data format;

storing the performance track information.

21. In a computer as recited in claim 16, further comprising the following additional steps:

converting the continuous media content to an alternative data format that is not organized as performance tracks;

determining performance track information of the continuous media content relative to the compact disk;

storing the continuous media content on the mass storage device in the alternative data format;

storing the performance track information;

the proxy device driver using the stored performance track information to convert track-related timing parameters specified by the application program relative to the compact disk to timing parameters that are acceptable by the compound device driver.

22. In a computer as recited in claim 16, wherein the proxy device driver is configurable to perform a step of using the simple device driver to render the continuous media content from the compact disk with a local compact disk drive.

23. A method of directing an application program executing on a client computing device to render continuous media content from a remote network server, wherein the application program is of a type that normally renders continuous media content from a removable compact disk associated with the application program, the application program normally using a compact disk device driver that is not part of the application program to render the continuous media content from a local compact disk drive, wherein the local compact disk drive, if it were present, would both read and render the continuous media content from the removable compact disk;

the method comprising;

converting the continuous media content from a format that is native to the compact disk to an alternative format suitable for rendering without the compact disk drive;

storing the continuous media content on the remote network server in the alternative format;

installing a proxy device driver that executes on the client computing device in place of the simple device driver normally used by the application program;

the proxy device driver, in response to instructions from the application program to render the continuous media content using the local compact disk drive, instead performing the following steps;

reading the continuous media content from the remote network server;

locally rendering the continuous media content.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the rendering step is performed by writing the continuous media content to a local rendering device.

25. A method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the following additional steps:

determining performance track information of the continuous media content relative to the compact disk;

storing performance track information.

26. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the proxy device driver is configurable to perform a step of using the simple device driver to render the continuous media content from the compact disk with a local compact disk drive.

27. A multimedia presentation system for running an application program, wherein the application program normally renders continuous media content from a default source medium using a simple device driver that is not part of the application program, and wherein the application program identifies the default source medium in terms of a local media drive that both reads and renders the continuous media content from the default source medium, the multimedia presentation system comprising:

a data processor;

a mass storage device other than the default source medium, the mass storage device storing the continuous media content;

a local rendering device;

a proxy device driver installed to execute on the data processor in place of the simple device driver normally used by the application program;

wherein the proxy device driver, in response to instructions from the application program to render the continuous media content, reads the continuous media content from the mass storage device and writes the continuous media content to the local rendering device without any modifications to the application program.

28. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 27, wherein the mass storage device is remotely located.

29. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 27, wherein the mass storage device is a network drive.

30. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 27, further comprising:

a compound device driver that executes on the data processor to read and render the continuous media content;

wherein the proxy device driver identifies the continuous media content to the compound device driver in terms of a filename relative to the mass storage device.

31. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 27, wherein the simple device driver has an existing exposed interface, wherein the proxy exposes a proxy interface to the application program, wherein the proxy interface is substantially the same as the existing exposed interface of the simple device driver.

32. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 27, wherein the continuous media content is stored on the mass storage device in an alternative format.

33. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 27, further comprising the simple device driver and the local media drive, the simple device driver being installed to execute on the data processor in response to the proxy device driver, wherein the proxy device driver is configurable to use the simple device driver to render the continuous media content from the default source medium with the local media drive.

34. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 27, further comprising means for identifying the application program and for selecting the continuous media content depending on which application program is specified.

35. A multimedia presentation system for running an application program, wherein the application program normally renders continuous media content from a removable compact disk that is associated with the application program, the application program normally using a default device driver that is not part of the application program to render the continuous media content, wherein the application program identifies the continuous media content to the simple device driver in terms of performance track information relative to the removable compact disk, the default device driver being associated with a compact disk drive that both reads and renders the identified continuous media content from the removable compact disk;

the multimedia presentation system comprising;

a data processor;

a mass storage device other than the removable compact disk, the mass storage device storing the continuous media content in a format that is not organized as performance tracks;

a local rendering device;

a proxy device driver installed to execute on the data processor in place of the default device driver normally used by the application program;

a compound device driver that executes on the data processor to read and render the continuous media content;

wherein the proxy device driver, in response to instructions from the application program to render the continuous media content, identifies the continuous media content to the compound device driver in terms of a filename relative to the mass storage device, and instructs the compound device driver to render the continuous media content.

36. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 35, wherein the mass storage device is remotely located.

37. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 35, wherein the mass storage device is a network drive.

38. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 35, wherein the default device driver has an existing exposed interface, wherein the proxy exposes a proxy interface to the application program, wherein the proxy interface is substantially the same as the existing exposed interface of the default device driver.

39. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 35, wherein the proxy device driver uses performance track information of the continuous media content relative to the compact disk to convert timing parameters specified by the application program to timing parameters that are acceptable by the compound device driver.

40. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 35, further comprising the default device driver and the compact disk drive, the default device driver being installed to execute on the data processor in response to the proxy device driver, wherein the proxy device driver is configurable to use the default device driver to render the continuous media content from the default source medium with the compact disk drive.

41. A multimedia presentation system as recited in claim 35, further comprising means for identifying the application program and for selecting the continuous media content depending on which application program is specified.