Portable player for personal video recorders

• US 7,239,800 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crystal Mountain Communications, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: David H Sitrick
• Inventors: Bilbrey, Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/847,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20020164156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,253 Days
• Field of Search: 386/112, 386/124, 386/125, 386/126, 386/45, 386/46, 386/104, 386/105, 386/106
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/80 Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback

Abstract

A low-cost portable digital video player receives proprietary compressed data from a source such as a personal video recorder (PVR), and displays the data on an integral display. A rewritable non-volatile memory of the player stores the data and a media decoder of the player transforms and decompresses the data. According to one embodiment the decoder transforms the data to a non-proprietary format, prior to storing the data. According to a second embodiment, the memory stores the data in the proprietary format, and decoder transforms and decompresses the data in response to an instruction from a user input device, and transfers the decoded data to a display. A cradle for the player provides communications to the PVR, a power supply and optionally further storage capacity.

Claims

1. A portable digital video player system, the system comprising:

a storage subsystem for storing compressed video information in a proprietary format;

a media decoder for transforming the compressed video information in a proprietary format into non-proprietary format compressed video information, and wherein the media decoder decompresses the non-proprietary compressed video information into decompressed audio and video portions;

a user input device for instructing the media decoder to retrieve from the storage medium and decompress a selected item of compressed video information into the respective decompressed audio and video portions;

a video display for displaying the decompressed video portion received from the media decoder; and

at least one of a speaker and a headphone jack for reproducing the decompressed audio portion received from the media decoder;

wherein the media decoder transforms the compressed video information from a proprietary format to a non-proprietary compressed format and stores the non-proprietary compressed format on the storage subsystem.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the user input device and display are provided by a touch-screen display.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein the media decoder receives and stores the compressed video information in the proprietary format on the storage subsystem, and

wherein the media decoder transforms and decompresses the compressed video information from the proprietary format to provide the decompressed audio and video portions.

6. The system as in claim 1, wherein the storage subsystem has the capacity to store at least 20 Gigabytes of the compressed video information.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein the compressed video information is in at least one non-proprietary format selected from the group consisting of MPEG-1, MEG-2, MPEG-4, MPEG-7 and AVI.

8. The system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a unitary case for containing the storage subsystem, the media decoder, the user input device and the display.

9. The system as in claim 1, further comprising:

a case having a first panel and a second panel;

wherein the first panel contains the video display,

wherein the second panel contains the media decoder and the storage subsystem, and

wherein the first panel is coupled to the second panel.

19. The system as in claim 1, wherein the media decoder decompresses the compressed video information on-the-fly.

20. The system as in claim 1, wherein the compressed video information in the proprietary format is provided from at least one of a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), a personal computer, over a local-area-network, over a wide-area-network, and a wireless source.

21. The system as in claim 1, wherein the compressed video information in the proprietary format is encrypted utilizing algorithms according to the proprietary format, and

wherein the media decoder transforms the compressed video information from the proprietary format to the non-proprietary compressed format, utilizing decoding algorithms matched to the proprietary format.

22. The system as in claim 21, wherein the compressed video information in the proprietary format is received from a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), and

wherein conversion from the proprietary format to the non-proprietary format is performed responsive to the receiving the compressed video information in the proprietary format from the PVR for storage in the storage subsystem.

23. The system as in claim 5, wherein the media decoder decodes the compressed video information from the proprietary format to compressed video information in a non-proprietary format, and decompresses the compressed video information in the non-proprietary format to provide decompressed audio and video portions.

24. The system as in claim 5, wherein the media decoder transforms the compressed video information from the proprietary format into the non-proprietary format, and decompresses the compressed video information in the non-proprietary format, on-the-fly.

25. The system as in claim 8, further comprising:

a cradle providing for coupling to the portable digital video player system, the cradle further comprising;

a video data input port for coupling of an input of the compressed video information;

a digital video data output port coupled to the digital video data input port;

an analog audio-visual input port for receiving an analog audio-visual signal,

an encoder having an input coupled to the analog audio-visual input port for producing a digital video data signal representative of compressed video information in a proprietary format, responsive to receiving the analog audio-visual signal;

an output of the encoder coupled to the digital video data output port; and

an audio-visual output port coupled to the analog audio-visual input port.

26. The system as in claim 25, the cradle further comprising:

a storage medium within the cradle for storing compressed video information in the proprietary format, coupled to at least one of the digital video data output port and the digital video data input port.

27. The system as in claim 25, the cradle further comprising:

a decoder having an output port coupled to the digital video data input port, wherein the decoder decodes at least one compressed video information signal into an analog audio-visual signal.

3. A portable digital video player system, the system comprising:

a storage medium for storing compressed video information in a proprietary format;

a media decoder for transforming the compressed video information in a proprietary format into non-proprietary format compressed video information, and decompressing the non-proprietary compressed video information into decompressed audio and video portions;

a user input device for instructing the media decoder to retrieve from the storage medium and decompress a selected item of compressed video information into the respective decompressed audio and video portions;

a video display for displaying the decompressed video portion received from the media decoder; and

at least one of a speaker and a headphone jack for reproducing the decompressed audio portion received from the media decoder;

wherein the media decoder transforms the compressed video information from a proprietary format comprising a header portion and a video content portion, to a non-proprietary compressed video format,

wherein the video content portion is copied to a separate memory location, and

wherein the header portion is not copied to the separate memory location.

4. A portable digital video player system, the system comprising:

a storage subsystem for storing compressed video information in a proprietary format;

a media decoder for transforming the compressed video information in a proprietary format into non-proprietary format compressed video information, and wherein the media decoder decompresses the non-proprietary compressed video information into decompressed audio and video portions;

a user input device for instructing the media decoder to retrieve from the storage medium and decompress a selected item of compressed video information into the respective decompressed audio and video portions;

a video display for displaying the decompressed video portion received from the media decoder; and

at least one of a speaker and a headphone jack for reproducing the decompressed audio portion received from the media decoder;

wherein the media decoder transforms the compressed video information from the proprietary format to a non-proprietary compressed format by decrypting the compressed video information, and stores said non-proprietary compressed video information.

10. A self-contained portable media player system, the system comprising:

a port for receiving compressed digital audio-visual data files, each of said files comprising a proprietary header and video content;

a media processor coupled to the port for receiving the compressed digital audio-visual data files,

wherein the media processor selectively removes the respective proprietary header from each file and provides for copying the respective video content of the file to an alternate memory location, but does not copy the proprietary header to the alternate memory location,

wherein the media processor produces at least one standard format compressed digital audio-visual file;

a read/write non-volatile memory unit, coupled to the media processor, for storing said at least one standard format compressed digital audio-visual files;

a video display for providing a visual presentation coupled to the media processor;

at least one audio output device coupled to the media processor; and

a user interface coupled to the media processor,

wherein the media processor selectively retrieves and decompresses said at least one selected compressed digital audio-visual file responsive to the user interface to create decompressed audio and video data streams, and

wherein the decompressed audio and video data streams are respectively coupled to the audio output device and the video display.

11. The system as in claim 10, further comprising:

a case for containing the media processor, the non-volatile memory unit, the video display and the user interface.

12. The system as in claim 10, further comprising:

a case having first panel and a second panel;

wherein the first panel of the case contains the video display,

wherein the second panel contains the media processor and the non-volatile memory unit, and

wherein the first panel is coupled to the second panel.

28. The system as in claim 10, where in the compressed digital audio-visual data files are received from a personal video recorder.

29. The system as in claim 10, wherein the compressed digital audio-visual data files are transferred via wireless means.

30. The system as in claim 10, wherein the read/write non-volatile memory unit is at least one of a hard disk, an optical disk drive, semiconductor memory and a magnetic disk drive.

31. The system as in claim 10, wherein the port for receiving is comprised of at least one of a connector, a wireless receiver subsystem, a semi-conductor memory interface, a magnetic storage drive interface, and an optical drive subsystem for receiving an optical storage disk.

32. The system as in claim 11, further comprising:

a cradle providing for coupling to the portable digital video player system, the cradle further comprising;

a video data input port for receiving compressed video data for at least a part of the compressed audio-visual data;

a digital video data output port coupled to the digital video data input port;

an analog audio-visual input port,

an encoder having an input coupled to the analog audio-visual input port for producing a digital video data signal responsive to receiving an analog audio-visual signal;

an output of the encoder coupled to the digital video data output port; and

an audio-visual output port coupled to the analog audio-visual input port.

33. The system as in claim 32, the cradle further comprising:

a storage medium within the cradle for storing the compressed video data and coupled to the digital video data output port and the digital video data input port.

34. The system as in claim 32, the cradle further comprising:

a decoder having an output port coupled to the digital video data input port, wherein the decoder decodes the compressed video data into an analog audio-visual signal.

13. A system for playback of a video data file, the system comprising:

a personal video recorder for encrypting and compressing a selected video data file for the protected video content to provide a protected data file, and storing the protected data file;

wherein a port on the personal video recorder provides for transmitting at least the protected data file in a proprietary compressed format;

a self-contained portable player for playing back the protected data file, the player further comprising;

a port for receiving said protected data file in the proprietary compressed format;

a media processor coupled to the port, providing means for selectively transforming the received protected data file from the proprietary compressed format to provide a non-proprietary compressed format output data file;

a read/write non-volatile memory subsystem coupled to the media processor for storing the non-proprietary format compressed output data file;

a video display coupled to the media processor;

at least one audio output device coupled to the media processor; and

a user interface coupled to the media processor,

wherein the media processor retrieves a respective one of the output data files stored in the memory subsystem, responsive to the user interface and responsive thereto provides for decompressing the non-proprietary format compressed output data file, to provide decompressed video and audio data, respectively coupled to the video display and the audio output device.

35. The system as in claim 13, wherein the protected data file is transmitted via wireless means.

14. A method for providing to a protected file comprised of a proprietary format compressed digital audio-visual data file having a proprietary header and an associated compressed audio-visual data file, the method comprising:

decoding the proprietary header to enable decompression and use of the audio-visual data file;

selecting only portions of the protected file other than the proprietary header to provide a non-proprietary compressed audio-visual data file;

storing the non-proprietary compressed audio-visual data file in a read/write non-volatile memory unit;

receiving a user instruction via a user input device;

decompressing the compressed audio-visual data file to obtain decompressed video and audio data streams responsive to the user instruction;

displaying the video data stream on a video display responsive to the received user instruction; and

outputting at least one audio data stream to an audio output.

36. The method as in claim 14, wherein the decompressing the non-proprietary compressed audio-visual data file is performed on-the-fly.

44. The method as in claim 14, wherein the selecting only portions is further comprised of decompressing and decoding data from the protected file from the proprietary format to create a proprietary header and associated compressed audio-visual file.

15. A method for secure distribution of compressed audio-visual information recorded in a proprietary format, the method comprising:

receiving the compressed audio-visual information;

decoding the compressed audio-visual information from the proprietary format into non-proprietary compressed audio-visual information;

storing the non-proprietary compressed audio-visual information as a media file on a portable rewritable non-volatile memory;

retrieving and decompressing the media file responsive to a command from a user input device, into decompressed audio and video information;

displaying the decompressed video information on a video display; and

outputting the decompressed audio information to at least one of a speaker and an audio jack.

37. The method as in claim 15, wherein the compressed audio-visual information is received via wireless means.

38. The method as in claim 15, wherein the receiving the compressed audio-visual information is coupled from a personal video recorder in a proprietary format.

16. A method for utilizing protected audio-visual information using a portable digital video player, the method comprising:

receiving compressed data in an encrypted and compressed proprietary format;

storing the received compressed data as a media file on a rewritable non-volatile memory;

retrieving, decrypting and decompressing the media file into a decompressed video stream and a decompressed audio stream responsive to a command from a user input device;

displaying the decompressed video stream on a video display of the player; and

outputting the decompressed audio stream to at least one of a speaker and an audio jack of the player.

39. The method as in claim 16, wherein the compressed data in the proprietary format is received via wireless means.

40. The method as in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving the compressed data in the proprietary format from at least one of a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), broadcast programming and a data connection.

17. A self-contained, portable apparatus for utilizing audio-visual information recorded in a proprietary compressed format, the system comprising:

means for receiving the proprietary compressed video information;

means for transforming the proprietary compressed video information into non-proprietary compressed video information;

means for storing the non-proprietary compressed video information in a non-volatile memory;

means for retrieving the non-proprietary, compressed video information and for decompressing the non-proprietary, compressed video information into decompressed video and audio streams;

means for displaying the decompressed video stream on a video display; and

means for outputting at least one decompressed audio stream to at least one of a speaker and an audio output port.

41. The system as in claim 17, wherein the proprietary compressed video information is received via wireless means.

18. A self-contained, portable apparatus for selective presentation of audio-visual information recorded in a proprietary compressed format, the system comprising:

means for receiving compressed video information in the proprietary compressed format;

means for storing the compressed video information in the proprietary compressed format in a rewritable non-volatile memory;

a user input device;

means for retrieving the stored, compressed video information as retrieved compressed video information, from the rewriteable non-volatile memory, responsive to a command from the user input device;

means for decoding the retrieved compressed video information from the proprietary format into non-proprietary, compressed video information;

means for decompressing the non-proprietary, compressed video information into a decompressed video stream and a decompressed audio streams;

means for displaying a visual video presentation on a video display responsive to the decompressed video stream; and

means for outputting the decompressed audio stream to at least one of a speaker and an audio output port.

42. The system as in claim 18, wherein the compressed video information in the proprietary compressed format is received via wireless means.

43. The system as in claim 18, wherein the protected audio-visual information is received from at least one of a Personal Video Recorder (PVR), broadcast programming and a data connection.