System and method for processing compressed audio data

• US 6,378,010 B1
• Filed: 08/10/1999
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Burks, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US09/371,329
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 710/65-68, 710/102, 704/500-504, 700/94, 369/59, 380/28-30
• US Class Current: 710/68
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00166 involving measures which result in a restriction to authorised contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier, e.g. music or software
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A processing system retrieves selected compressed audio data from a compact disc and produces sound based on the retrieved data. In this regard, the processing system utilizes a disc storage mechanism, a processing element, a system manager, and an audio output device. A compact disc is inserted into the disc storage mechanism. The system manager receives inputs from a user and, in response to the user inputs, reads organizational structure information stored on the compact disc. Based on the inputs and the organizational structure information, the system manager identifies a set of compressed data stored on the compact disc. The system manager retrieves instructions of a decompression application from the compact disc and transmits these instructions to the processing element. The processing element executes the received instructions, thereby decompressing the set of compressed data into uncompressed data. The uncompressed data is transmitted to the audio output device, which produces sound based on the uncompressed data.

Claims

1. A system for processing compressed audio data stored on removable storage media, comprising:

a system manger configured to receive inputs from a user of said system and, in response to said inputs, to read organizational structure information stored on a removable storage medium, said system manager further configured to identify a set of compressed data stored on said removable storage medium based on said inputs and said organizational structure information, said system manager further configured to retrieve instructions from a decompression application stored on said removable storage medium and to transmit said instructions;

a processing element configured to receive said instructions transmitted by said system manager and to execute said instructions, wherein execution of said instructions by said processing element decompresses said set of compressed data into uncompressed data; and

an audio output device configured to receive said uncompressed data and to produce sound based on said uncompressed data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said removable storage medium is a compact disc.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said organizational structure information includes data defining a location of said decompression application.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said set of compressed data defines a song.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said decompression application employs a security feature to prevent unauthorized access of said set of compressed data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said set of compressed data defines a plurality of songs.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said organizational structure information includes at least one play list indicating a correspondence between said plurality of songs.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a compiler configured to receive said instructions and to translate said instructions into a form compatible with said processing element.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second processing element configured to receive instructions from said compiler and dedicated to executing said instructions received from said compiler.

10. A system for processing compressed audio data stored on removable media, comprising:

means for receiving a removable storage medium;

means for receiving inputs from a user interface device;

means for reading organizational structure information stored on said medium;

means for retrieving a set of compressed data from said medium based on said inputs and said organizational structure information;

means for retrieving a decompression application from said medium;

means for decompressing said set of compressed data via said decompression application to produce uncompressed data; and

means for producing sound based on said uncompressed data.

11. A method for processing compressed audio data stored on compact discs, comprising the steps of:

receiving a removable storage medium;

receiving inputs from a user interface device;

reading organizational structure information stored on said medium;

retrieving a set of compressed data from said medium based on said inputs and said organizational structure information;

retrieving a decompression application from said medium;

decompressing said set of compressed data via said decompression application to produce uncompressed data; and

producing sound based on said uncompressed data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said removable storage medium is a compact disc.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining a location of said decompression application based on said organizational structure information; and

performing said retrieving said decompression application step based on said determining step.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said decompressing step further includes the step of employing a security feature to prevent unauthorized access of said set of compressed data.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing said organizational structure information; and

identifying said set of compressed data based on said analyzing step.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said set of compressed data defines a song.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said set of compressed data defines a plurality of songs.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said analyzing step further includes the step of:

analyzing at least one play list included within said organizational structure information, said at least one play list indicating a correspondence between said plurality of songs.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

compiling said decompression application subsequent to said retrieving step and prior to said decompressing step.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

performing said compiling step via a processing element dedicated to compiling decompression applications stored on removable storage media.