Low power digital audio decoding/playing system for computing devices
First Claim
1. A computer system adapted to play an audio file, said computer system comprising:
- a system CPU;
a memory coupled to said system CPU; and
a drive coupled to said system CPU and having stored thereon an audio file comprising compressed audio data;
wherein a first operating system is adapted to control at least said system CPU and said memory, wherein said first operating system is operable for decompressing said compressed audio data if said computer system is operated by said first operating system; and
wherein a second operating system is stored in BIOS and is used instead of said first operating system for retrieving a play list containing information related to a location of an audio file including a volume serial number of a drive containing said audio file, and for enabling said drive to read said audio file from said play list according to said volume serial number, and for enabling said system CPU to decompress said compressed audio data, wherein decompressed audio data is transferred through a first transfer path to an output amplifier through a circuit situated between said drive and said output amplifier if said computer system is operated by said first operating system, and wherein said decompressed audio data is transferred through a second transfer path through said circuit to said output amplifier if said computer system is operated by said second operating system, wherein on said first transfer path said decompressed audio data is not modified by said circuit but on said second transfer path play of said decompressed audio data is controlled using user-actuated function keys that are coupled to said circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low-power digital audio decoding and playing system and method for computing devices provides a low-cost, low power-consumption, long-battery-life audio playing and decoding system, which may be used to play compressed audio files of various formats. In one aspect, a computer system adapted to play audio files comprises a system CPU, memory, at least one drive comprising compressed audio data, and an audio controller coupled to the system CPU, memory and drive. The audio controller is adapted to cause the drive to read the compressed audio data from the drive, to cause the system CPU to decompress the compressed audio data from the drive into decompressed audio data, to cause the decompressed audio to be stored in the memory, and to cause the decompressed audio data to be retrieved from the memory for playing.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A computer system adapted to play an audio file, said computer system comprising:
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a system CPU; a memory coupled to said system CPU; and a drive coupled to said system CPU and having stored thereon an audio file comprising compressed audio data; wherein a first operating system is adapted to control at least said system CPU and said memory, wherein said first operating system is operable for decompressing said compressed audio data if said computer system is operated by said first operating system; and wherein a second operating system is stored in BIOS and is used instead of said first operating system for retrieving a play list containing information related to a location of an audio file including a volume serial number of a drive containing said audio file, and for enabling said drive to read said audio file from said play list according to said volume serial number, and for enabling said system CPU to decompress said compressed audio data, wherein decompressed audio data is transferred through a first transfer path to an output amplifier through a circuit situated between said drive and said output amplifier if said computer system is operated by said first operating system, and wherein said decompressed audio data is transferred through a second transfer path through said circuit to said output amplifier if said computer system is operated by said second operating system, wherein on said first transfer path said decompressed audio data is not modified by said circuit but on said second transfer path play of said decompressed audio data is controlled using user-actuated function keys that are coupled to said circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 8, 9, 10)
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4. A computer system adapted to play at least one audio file, said computer system comprising:
- audio file, said computer system comprising;
a system CPU; a memory coupled to said system CPU; and a first device coupled to said system CPU and having stored thereon an audio file comprising compressed audio data; wherein a first operating system is adapted to control at least said system CPU and said memory and is executed when said computer system is operating in a first mode, said first operating system adapted to decompress said compressed audio data if said computer system is operated by said first operating system; and a second operating system is executed instead of said first operating system when said computer system is operating in a second mode, said second operating system operable for retrieving a play list, and for enabling said drive to read said audio file from said play list, and for enabling said system CPU to decompress said compressed audio data of said audio file and to provide decompressed audio data, wherein said decompressed audio data is transferred through a first transfer path to an output amplifier through a circuit situated between said first device and said output amplifier if said computer system is operated by said first operating system, and wherein said decompressed audio data is transferred through a second transfer path through said circuit to said output amplifier if said computer system is operated by said second operating system, wherein on said first transfer path said decompressed audio data is not modified by said circuit but on said second transfer path play of said decompressed audio data is controlled using user-actuated function keys that are coupled to said circuit. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13)
- audio file, said computer system comprising;
Specification