System and method for transferring digital content on a memory card

• US 7,487,226 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2003
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Browning, James Vernard, Blair, Barbara Alaine, Minne, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue; Larry D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swearingen; Jeffrey R
• Application Number:
  US10/632,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/123 Shopping for digital content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A digital content transfer appliance comprises a memory card reader, a memory, and a controller. The memory card reader is configured to removably receive at least one memory card and to read and write a digital content on the memory card wherein the digital content includes at least one of a digital image file and a digital audio file. The controller is configured for directing transfer of the digital content, independent of a personal computer, via a modem between the memory card and a digital content service provider. The memory is configured for storing the digital image file and the digital audio file.

Claims

1. A digital content transfer system comprising:

a rewritable audio memory card defining a memory device independent of, and separate from, a media player and being configured to store at least one portable audio file; and

a transfer appliance including;

a memory card reader configured to removably receive, via slidable insertion, the rewritable audio memory card, wherein the memory card reader is configured to read the at least one portable audio file from the rewritable audio memory card and configured to write the at least one portable audio file into the rewritable audio memory card;

a controller configured to direct user-initiated transfer of the at least one portable audio file, via a network communication link and independent of a personal computer, between an internet-located digital content service provider and the memory card reader, wherein the user-initiated transfer includes;

(1) selectively sending the at least one portable audio file from the rewritable audio memory card directly to the internet-located digital content service provider and (2) selectively receiving the at least one portable audio file into the rewritable audio memory card directly from the internet-located digital content service provider; and

an interactive graphical display configured to display information regarding the at least one portable audio file and configured to direct_transfer of the at least one portable audio file via activatable functions on the display, the interactive graphical display including;

an audio file selector configured to enable selection of the at least one portable audio file from plurality of portable audio files accessible at the internet-located digital content service provider for transfer from the internet-located digital content service provider directly into the rewritable audio memory card.

2. The digital content transfer system of claim 1 wherein the memory card reader comprises:

a protocol driver configured to cooperate with the controller to facilitate reading and writing of the at least one portable audio_file on the rewritable audio memory card in a plurality of storage formats.

3. The digital content transfer_system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to simultaneously transfer a digital image file and the at least one portable audio file from the internet-located digital content service provider to a rewritable image memory card and the rewritable audio memory card, respectively.

4. The digital content transfer system of claim 1 wherein the memory card reader is configured to receive an image memory card, wherein the controller is configured to transfer a digital image file from the internet-located digital content service provider to the memory card reader, and wherein the user interface comprises:

an image memory card identifier configured to identify at least of a name, a title, and a number of the image memory card;

an image selector configured to select at least one image file of a plurality of image files for processing from the digital content service provider for transfer to the image memory card;

a format selector configured to select a format for processing;

a delivery selector configured to select a method of delivery of the processed digital image files; and

an image gallery configured to enable viewing the digital image files.

5. The digital content transfer system of claim 1 and further comprising:

a network communication link configured to establish communication between the modem of the digital content transfer system and the internet-located digital content service provider; and

a media player connected to the network communication link and configured to generate a graphical user interface of the digital content transfer system with portable audio file selections offered by the internet-located digital content service provider, and configured to play the at least one portable audio file stored in the rewritable audio memory card.

6. The digital content transfer system of claim 5 wherein the internet-located digital content service provider comprises:

a web site configured to download the at least one portable audio file directly, via the modem, to the rewritable audio memory card that is removably, slidably inserted within the memory card reader of the digital content transfer system.

7. The digital content transfer system of claim 1 wherein the at least one portable audio file comprises at least one of a MP3 file and a WMA file.

8. A method of transferring a portable music file independent of a personal computer, the method comprising:

removably, slidably inserting into a single stand-alone appliance, independent of the personal computer, a plurality of rewritable memory cards including at least one of a rewritable music memory card and a rewritable multimedia memory card, wherein each respective rewritable memory card defines a memory device independent of, and separate from, a media player;

providing bidirectional transfer, via the single stand-alone appliance independent of the personal computer and via an internet communication link, of the portable music file directly between an internet-located digital content service provider and at least one of the respective rewritable memory cards; and

selectively operating the single stand-alone appliance in one of;

a first mode including downloading the portable music file from the internet-located digital content service provider into at least one of the respective rewritable memory cards;

or

a second mode including transmitting the portable music file from at least one of the respective rewritable memory cards to the internet-located digital content service provider.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein removably inserting the plurality of memory cards comprises removably inserting into the single stand-alone appliance at least one of a still photo memory card and a video memory card, and further comprising writing a digital image file, via the single stand-alone appliance, into the still photo memory card or video memory card directly from the internet-located digital content service provider, wherein the digital image file includes still photo images and video images.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

storing the portable music file in a memory of the single stand-alone appliance.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein during operation in the first mode, receiving the portable music file, via the internet communication link and via the single stand-alone appliance, comprises:

performing a download function via one-touch activation of the single stand-alone appliance, by using pre-defined download settings without otherwise accessing a user interface of the single stand-alone appliance, to cause transfer of the portable music file from the internet-located digital content service provider to the single stand-alone appliance.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein removably inserting the plurality of memory cards comprises simultaneously retaining in the single stand-alone appliance each of the music memory card, an image memory card, and a multimedia memory card.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the portable music file comprises at least one of a MP3 file and a WMA file.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein writing the portable music file directly from the rewritable memory cards, via the internet communication link and via the single stand-alone appliance, comprises:

performing a transmit function via one-touch activation of the single stand-alone appliance, by using predefined transmit settings without otherwise accessing a user interface of the single stand-alone appliance, to cause transfer of the portable music file from the single stand-alone appliance to the internet-located digital content service provider.