System and method for data transfer optimization in a portable audio device

• US 7,574,272 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jennifer Schweickert
• Original Assignee: Mark E. Phillips
• Inventors: Gibbs, Eric Paul, Phillips, Mark Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Sellers; Daniel R.
• Application Number:
  US09/975,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20020045961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,862 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/1062 Data buffering arrangements, e.g. recording or playback buffers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10768 by pre-caching the initial portion of songs or other recorded or downloaded data for starting playback instantly
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed wherein a battery-powered portable audio device utilizes a spinning media device for data storage. To conserve batter power, the motor in the media storage device is not powered unless an actual data transfer is required. A processor calculates the amount of data remaining in a data buffer and considers a number of factors, such as the type of spinning media storage device, amount of available buffer space, the type of CODEC used to implement the system, and the type of data to determine when it will be necessary to power up the spinning media storage device and transfer data to assure that a continuous stream of data is provided to the CODEC.

Claims

1. A portable media player comprising:

a processor that executes commands;

a random-access-memory component that stores compressed data in more than two different random-access-memory buffer areas, each random-access-memory buffer lockable and unlockable by the processor;

a codec component, controlled by the processor, that reads compressed data from a locked random-access-memory buffer, the locked random-access-memory buffer selected from among the more than two different random-access-memory buffer areas and locked by the processor to prevent writing of the locked random-access-memory buffer by another component, and that generates a decompressed signal from the read compressed data that is rendered by a data-rendering component;

a non-volatile, mass-storage component that stores compressed data and that writes compressed data, under control of the processor, to unlocked random-access-memory buffers; and

a battery power supply to provide electrical power to the processor, random-access memory component, codec component, data-rendering component, and non-volatile, mass-storage component.

2. The portable media player of claim 1 wherein the processor continuously monitors progress of the codec component in decompressing data in order to:

power up the non-volatile, mass-storage component;

direct the non-volatile, mass-storage component to write additional compressed data to multiple random-access-memory buffers and redirect the codec component to read the additional compressed data from the multiple random-access-memory buffers so that the codec component can continue to generate a decompressed signal without interruption; and

power-down the non-volatile, mass-storage component.

3. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein the processor, following reception of a fast-forward command that redirects rendering, by the data-rendering component, of compressed data starting at a desired location within a compressed-data sequence not currently stored within the more than two different random-access-memory buffer areas, directs the non-volatile, mass-storage component to write compressed data, starting at a location prior to the desired location in the compressed-data stream and ending at a location following the desired location in the compressed-data stream, to multiple random-access-memory buffers.

4. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein the processor, following reception of a rewind command that redirects rendering, by the data-rendering component, of compressed data starting at a desired location within a compressed-data sequence not currently stored within the more than two different random-access-memory buffer areas, directs the non-volatile, mass-storage component to write compressed data, starting at a location prior to the desired location in the compressed-data stream and ending at a location following the desired location in the compressed-data stream, to multiple random-access-memory buffers.

5. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein the processor, following reception of a rewind command that redirects rendering, by the data-rendering component, of compressed data starting at a desired location within a compressed-data sequence not currently stored within the more than two different random-access-memory buffer areas, directs the non-volatile, mass-storage component to write compressed data, starting at a location prior to the desired location in the compressed-data stream and ending at a location at which subsequent compressed-data of the compressed-data sequence is already stored in the more than two different random-access-memory buffer areas, to multiple random-access-memory buffers.

6. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein the processor, following reception of a fast-forward command, predicts portions of a compressed-data sequence that are likely to be accessed by additional fast-forward commands and directs the non-volatile, mass-storage component to write predicted portions of the compressed data to multiple random-access-memory buffers.

7. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein the processor minimizes the number of times that the processor powers up the non-volatile, mass-storage component.

8. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein the processor minimizes the duration of time during which the non-volatile, mass-storage component is powered up.

9. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein the processor locks only a single random-access-memory buffer at any point in time.

10. The portable media player of claim 2 wherein

the compressed data is a compressed audio signal;

and

the decompressed signal is a decompressed audio signal.