Audio system and its contents reproduction method, audio apparatus for a vehicle and its contents reproduction method, computer program product and computer-readable storage medium

• US 7,158,842 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Hiroshi, Ushio, Masao, Hosoda, Kouji, Hirabayashi, Shigefumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sellers; Daniel R.
• Application Number:
  US09/827,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028717A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,094 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/86, 455/345, 726/26, 726/31, 726/33, 726/35
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface

Abstract

An audio apparatus (audio system) made up of the car-mounted audio apparatus 100 and portable audio apparatuses 200a and 200b transmits/receives contents data such as music via radio communication. As the communication system in this in-car radio communication, a short-distance data communication system is used, which allows respective apparatuses to recognize and authenticate with one another and perform data communication between those apparatuses.

Claims

1. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus includes

a contents information storage medium for retaining contents information, and

a transmission module for transmitting said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

wherein said audio apparatus includes

a reception model for receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus by radio communication,

a storage medium for storing said contents information received by said reception module,

a control unit for reproducing said contents information stored in said storage medium and outputting the reproduced contents information as sound from speakers mounted in said vehicle, and

a detection unit for detecting whether a passenger of said vehicle has gotten off the vehicle or not,

wherein said control unit includes an erasure module for erasing information stored in said storage medium according to the detection of said detection unit that a passenger of said vehicle has gotten off the vehicle.

2. The audio system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit further includes a checking module for checking whether information stored in said storage medium has been erased by said erasure module or not, and

said erasure module, when the erasure is not confirmed by said checking module, erases information stored in said storage medium again.

3. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus includes

a contents information storage medium for retaining contents information, and

a transmission module for transmitting said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

wherein said audio apparatus includes

a reception module for receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus by radio communication,

a storage medium for storing said contents information received by said reception module,

a control unit for reproducing said contents information stored in said storage medium and outputting the reproduced contents information as sound from sneakers mounted in said vehicle, and

a detection unit for detecting ignition OFF of said vehicle,

wherein said control unit includes an erasure module for erasing information stored in said storage medium according to the detection by said detection unit of ignition OFF of said vehicle.

4. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus includes

a contents information storage medium for retaining contents information, and

a transmission module for transmitting said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication.

wherein said audio apparatus includes

a reception module for receiving said contents information from said portable audio apparatus by radio communication,

a storage medium for storing said contents information received by said reception module,

a control unit for reproducing said contents information stored in said storage medium and outputting the reproduced contents information as sound from speakers mounted in said vehicle, and

a detection unit for detecting that said portable audio apparatus has been carried out of said vehicle,

wherein said control unit includes an erasure module for erasing information stored in said storage medium according to the detection by said detection unit that said portable audio apparatus has been carried out of the vehicle, and checking module for checking whether information stored in said storage medium has been erased by said erasure module or not, and

wherein said erasure module, when the erasure is not confirmed by said checking module, erases information stored in said storage medium again.

5. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus includes

a storage medium for retaining contents information and title information associated with said contents information,

title information transmission modules for transmitting the title information associated with said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication, and

contents information transmission modules for transmitting the contents information corresponding to the title information received from said audio apparatus to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

wherein said audio apparatus includes

a title information reception module for receiving said title information from said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

a storage medium for storing said title information received by said title information reception module,

a man-machine interface for notifying titles in said vehicle according to said title information stored in said storage medium and allowing the passenger of said vehicle to select contents information to be received from said portable audio apparatus with reference to the notified titles,

a request transmission module for transmitting the title information corresponding to the titles selected by said man-machine interface to said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication in order to request for the transmission of contents information corresponding to the selected titles.

a control unit for receiving and reproducing said contents information corresponding to said selected titles from said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication and outputting the reproduced contents information as sound from the speakers mounted in said vehicle, and

a detection unit for detecting whether a passenger of said vehicle has gotten off the vehicle or not,

wherein said control unit includes an erasure module for erasing information stored in said storage medium according to the detection by said detection unit that a passenger of said vehicle has gotten off the vehicle.

6. The audio system according to claim 5, wherein said control unit further includes a checking module for checking whether information stored in said storage medium has been erased by said erasure module or not, and

said erasure module, when the erasure is not confirmed by said checking means, erases information stored in said storage medium again.

7. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus includes

a storage medium for retaining contents information and its title information, associated with each other,

title information transmission modules for transmitting the title information associated with said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

contents information transmission modules for transmitting the contents information corresponding to the title information received from said audio apparatus to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication, and

wherein said audio apparatus includes

a title information reception module for receiving said title information from said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

a storage medium for storing said title information received by said title information reception module,

a man-machine interface for notifying titles in said vehicle according to said title information stored in said storage medium and allowing the passenger of said vehicle to select contents information to be received from said portable audio apparatus with reference to the notified titles,

a request transmission module for transmitting the title information corresponding to the titles selected by said man-machine interface to said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication in order to request for the transmission of contents information corresponding to the selected titles,

a control unit for receiving and reproducing said contents information corresponding to said selected titles from said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication and outputting the reproduced contents information as sound from the speakers mounted in said vehicle, and

a detection unit for detecting ignition OFF of said vehicle,

wherein said control unit includes an erasure module for erasing information stored in said storage medium according to the detection of said detection unit of ignition OFF of said vehicle.

8. An audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

a portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle; and

an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle,

wherein said portable audio apparatus includes

a storage medium for retaining contents information and its title information associated with each other,

title information transmission modules for transmitting the title information associated with said contents information to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication, and

contents information transmission modules for transmitting the contents information corresponding to the title information received from said audio apparatus to said audio apparatus to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

wherein said audio apparatus includes

title information reception module for receiving said title information from said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication,

a storage medium for storing said title information received by said title information reception module,

a man-machine interface for notifying titles in said vehicle according to said title information stored in said storage medium and allowing the passenger of said vehicle to select contents information to be received from said portable audio apparatus with reference to the notified titles,

a request transmission module for transmitting the title information corresponding to the title selected bys aid man-machine interface to said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication in order to request for the transmission of contents information corresponding to the selected titles,

a control unit for receiving and reproducing said contents information corresponding to said selected titles from said portable audio apparatus at least by radio communication and outputting the reproduced contents information as sound from the speakers mounted in said vehicle, and

a detection unit for detecting that said portable audio apparatus has been carried out of said vehicle,

wherein said control unit includes

an erasure module for erasing information stored in said storage medium according to the detection by said detection unit that said portable audio apparatus has been carried out of the vehicle, and

a checking module for checking whether information stored in said storage medium has been erased by said erasure module or not, and

wherein said erasure module, when the erasure is not confirmed by said checking module, erases information stored in said storage medium again.

9. A contents reproduction method of an audio system that reproduces contents information as sound in a vehicle, comprising:

constructing a communication system constructed of portable audio apparatus carried by a passenger of said vehicle and an audio apparatus mounted in said vehicle that performs at least radio communication;

transmitting contents information pre-stored in said portable audio apparatus to said audio apparatus at least by radio communication;

storing contents information acquired in said contents information transmitting step in a recording medium of said audio apparatus;

reproducing said contents information stored in said storage medium and outputting the reproduced information as sound from speakers mounted in said vehicle;

erasing said contents information stored in said storage medium; and

checking whether said contents information stored in said storage medium has been erased or not and re-erasing said contents information if the erasure is not confirmed.