Low-power audio CD player for portable computers
First Claim
1. A computer system adapted to play an audio CD, said computer system comprising:
- a computer subsystem comprising a system CPU, a digital-audio generating circuit, a digital computer bus coupling said CPU and said digital-audio generator circuit, and a digital computer bus controller; and
a CD audio subsystem comprising an audio device capable of playing an audio CD and coupled to said digital computer bus controller, an audio amplifier circuit coupled to said audio device, and an audio interface coupled to said digital computer bus in parallel to said digital computer bus controller;
said audio interface being adapted to generate signals to operate said audio device and play said audio CD when power is not being supplied to said computer subsystem, wherein said audio interface is isolated from said digital computer bus when power is being supplied to said computer subsystem.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low-power audio CD player for portable computers permits operation of the CD-ROM subsystem when power is not being supplied to the computer subsystem. In one embodiment of the invention, the computer subsystem comprises a system CPU, a digital-audio generating circuit, a digital computer bus coupling the CPU and the digital-audio generator circuit, and a digital computer bus controller. The CD audio subsystem comprises an audio device capable of playing an audio CD and coupled to the digital computer bus controller, an audio amplifier circuit coupled to the audio device, and an audio interface coupled to the digital computer bus in parallel to the digital computer bus controller and the audio device. The audio interface is adapted to generate signals to operate the audio device and play the audio CD when power is not being supplied to the computer subsystem or to the CPU. In method form, a method for playing an audio CD in a computer system comprises deenergizing a computer CPU; and controlling, using an audio interface coupled to a digital computer bus in parallel to a digital computer bus controller and an audio device capable of playing an audio CD, the audio device and a computer audio amplifier to play an audio CD without supplying energy to the CPU.
126 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A computer system adapted to play an audio CD, said computer system comprising:
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a computer subsystem comprising a system CPU, a digital-audio generating circuit, a digital computer bus coupling said CPU and said digital-audio generator circuit, and a digital computer bus controller; and
a CD audio subsystem comprising an audio device capable of playing an audio CD and coupled to said digital computer bus controller, an audio amplifier circuit coupled to said audio device, and an audio interface coupled to said digital computer bus in parallel to said digital computer bus controller;
said audio interface being adapted to generate signals to operate said audio device and play said audio CD when power is not being supplied to said computer subsystem, wherein said audio interface is isolated from said digital computer bus when power is being supplied to said computer subsystem. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer system adapted to play an audio CD, said computer system comprising:
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a computer subsystem comprising a system CPU, a digital-audio generating circuit, a digital computer bus coupling said CPU and said digital-audio generator circuit, and a digital computer bus controller; and
a CD audio subsystem comprising an audio device capable of playing an audio CD and coupled to said digital computer bus controller, an audio amplifier circuit coupled to said audio device, and an audio interface coupled to said digital computer bus in parallel to said digital computer bus controller;
said audio interface being adapted to generate signals to operate said audio device and play said audio CD when power is not being supplied to said CPU, wherein said audio interface is isolated from said digital computer bus when power is being supplied to said CPU.
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17. A method for playing an audio CD in a computer system, said method comprising:
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deenergizing a computer CPU;
controlling, using an audio interface circuit coupled to a digital computer bus in parallel to a digital computer bus controller, an audio device and a computer audio amplifier to play an audio CD without supplying energy to said CPU; and
isolating said audio interface from said digital computer bus when power is being supplied to said CPU. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An integrated bus controller, comprising:
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a digital bus controller for exchanging commands and data between two or more data buses in a computer system; and
an audio interface IC comprising output control logic selectively coupling said IC to at least one of said data buses;
wherein said audio interface IC, when coupled to said at least one of said data buses, is coupled to said at least one of said data buses in parallel with said digital bus controller and is operable to control an audio device capable of playing an audio CD, wherein said output control logic selectively couples said audio interface IC to said at least one of said data buses based on whether or not a CPU coupled to said at least one of said data buses is energized, and wherein said audio interface IC is isolated from said at least one of said data buses when power is being supplied to said CPU. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification