Multimedia transfer system

• US 7,245,817 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2000
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nichols, James B., Perlman, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boccio; Vincent F.
• Application Number:
  US09/717,458
• Time in Patent Office: 2,430 Days
• Field of Search: 386125-126, 386108-112, 386/46, 369/30.06, 369/30.07, 369/178.1, 725/87, 725/109, 711/114, 702/109, 702/182
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10 Digital recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/216 Rewritable discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/218 Write-once discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/913 Digital audio tape [DAT] format
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• 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 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/17381 the upstream transmission being initiated by the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2182 : involving memory arrays, e.g. RAID disk arrays RAID arrays per se G06F3/0689; use of parity to protect data in RAID systems G06F11/1008
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums

Abstract

A multimedia transfer apparatus is described comprising: a plurality of media readers; one or more encoder modules, configured to encode data read by the media readers in a specified encoding format; and a data communication interface configured to copy the encoded data to a media storage and playback apparatus.

Also described is a computer-implemented method for transferring multimedia content comprising: reading first multimedia data from a first CD/DVD; encoding the first multimedia data to produce first encoded data in parallel with reading multimedia data from a second CD/DVD; encoding the second multimedia data to produce second encoded data; and transmitting the first and second encoded data to a multimedia storage and playback apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for providing a multimedia transfer service comprising:

transporting a multimedia transfer device to a user'"'"'s home, the multimedia transfer device comprising,

a housing;

a plurality of media readers disposed adjacent one another within the housing;

a central processing unit in electrical communication with the plurality of media readers and disposed within the housing;

an encoder module in electrical communication with the central processing unit and disposed within the housing and configured to encode data read by said media readers in a specified encoding format; and

a data communication interface in electrical communication with the central processing unit and disposed within the housing and configured to copy said encoded data to a media storage and playback apparatus, said user having a collection of multimedia content stored on physical media;

using said multimedia transfer device to transfer said multimedia content from said physical media to a mass storage device at said user'"'"'s home; and

monitoring the efficiency with which said multimedia content is transferred from said physical media to said mass storage device, wherein efficiency is determined by statistical analysis of performance parameters gathered during said transfer, and wherein said performance parameters include disc processing rate, transfer apparatus duty cycle, and a length of time one or more individual drives of said transfer apparatus are empty.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

indexing said multimedia content on said mass storage device on behalf of said user.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein indexing comprises:

identifying said multimedia content with a code transmitted over a network link from said user'"'"'s home to a multimedia content database; and

downloading information related to said multimedia content from said multimedia content database.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein said code is a hashing code identifying said multimedia content using a fingerprint of said multimedia content.

5. The method as in claim 3 wherein said information related to said multimedia content includes a title of said multimedia content and/or track data for said multimedia content.

6. The method as in claim 3 wherein said information related to said multimedia content includes album cover information.

7. The method as in claim 3 wherein information related to said multimedia content includes song lyrics.

8. The method as in claim 3 wherein information related to said multimedia content includes information about artists who created said multimedia content.

9. The method as in claim 3 wherein information related to said multimedia content includes interactive content.

10. The method as in claim 1 wherein said physical media is a compact disk (“

CD”

).

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein said physical media is a digital video disk (“

DVD”

).

12. The method as in claim 3 wherein downloading said information occurs concurrently with transferring said multimedia content.

13. The method as in claim 3 wherein downloading said information occurs after transferring said multimedia content.