Playback apparatus and power-saving method

• US 7,023,778 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Takashima, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wellington, A. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIMPSON, LIXI CHOW
• Application Number:
  US10/378,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20030179672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 369/53.18
• US Class Current: 369/53.18
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/00 Driving, starting, stopping record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor; Control thereof; Control of operating function ; Driving both disc and head

Abstract

In a playback apparatus which plays back music in a plurality of audio formats, a control unit detects a voltage level of a power supply unit and restricts a playback of music in one of the audio formats, which requires power consumption whose amount exceeds a given value, when the detected voltage level is lower than a threshold value. Alternatively, the control unit restricts a playback of one of a plurality of pieces of music, which requires power whose amount exceeds a given value, when the detected voltage level is lower than a threshold value.

Claims

1. A playback apparatus which plays back music in a plurality of audio formats, the apparatus comprising:

a voltage level detecting unit configured to detect a voltage level of a battery;

a control unit configured to restrict a playback of music in one of the plurality of audio formats, which requires power consumption whose amount exceeds a given value, when the voltage level detected by the voltage level detecting unit is lower than a threshold value;

a first storage unit configured to store first information indicating a correspondence between the plurality of audio formats and power consumption; and

a second storage unit configured to store second information indicating a correspondence between a threshold value of the voltage level and a threshold value of the power consumption,

wherein the control unit determines an audio format which is to restrict a playback of music using the first information and the second information.

2. The playback apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the second information indicates a plurality of correspondences having different threshold values.

3. The playback apparatus which plays back music in a plurality of audio formats, the apparatus comprising:

a voltage level detecting unit configured to detect a voltage level of a battery;

a control unit configured to restrict a playback of music in one of the plurality of audio formats, which requires power consumption whose amount exceeds a given value, when the voltage level detected by the voltage level detecting unit is lower than a threshold value;

means for storing first information indicating a correspondence between the plurality of audio formats and power consumption; and

means for storing second information indicating a correspondence between a threshold value of the voltage level and a threshold value of the power consumption,

wherein the control unit includes means for determining an audio format which is to restrict a playback of music using the first information and the second information.

4. The playback apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the second information indicates a plurality of correspondences having different threshold values.

5. A playback apparatus which plays back a plurality of pieces of music, the apparatus comprising:

a voltage level detecting unit configured to detect a voltage level of a battery;

a control unit configured to restrict a playback of one of the plurality of pieces of music, which requires power whose amount exceeds a given value when the voltage level detected by the voltage level detecting unit is lower than a threshold value;

a first storage unit configured to store first information indicating a correspondence between the plurality of pieces of music and an amount of power; and

a second storage unit configured to store second information indicating a correspondence between a threshold value of the voltage level and a threshold value of the amount of power,

wherein the control unit determines a piece of music whose playback is to be restricted using the first information and the second information.

6. The playback apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the control unit calculates an amount of power of each of the plurality of pieces of music from playing time of each of the plurality of pieces of music.

7. The playback apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the second information indicates a plurality of correspondences having different threshold values.

8. A playback apparatus which plays back a plurality of pieces of music, the apparatus comprising:

a voltage level detecting unit configured to detect a voltage level of a battery;

a control unit configured to restrict a playback of one of the plurality of pieces of music, which requires power whose amount exceeds a given value, when the voltage level detected by the voltage level detecting unit is lower than a threshold value;

means for storing first information indicating a correspondence between the plurality of pieces of music and an amount of power; and

means for storing second information indicating a correspondence between a threshold value of the voltage level and a threshold value of the amount of power,

wherein the control unit includes means for determining a piece of music whose playback is to be restricted using the first information and the second information.

9. The playback apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the control unit includes means for calculating an amount of power of each of the plurality of pieces of music from playing time of each of the plurality of pieces of music.

10. The playback apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the second information indicates a plurality of correspondences having different threshold values.