Remote user interface for media player

• US 7,653,928 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shinkai, Hiroyuki, Venkatesan, Prem Aanand, Almstrand, Cristian Lars, Imazeki, Hirokazu, Seki, Masahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US10/289,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20040064518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,638 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725 87- 89, 725109-112, 725/39, 725/44, 725/47, 725/53, 725135-153, 709/219
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/89 which are wired networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/93 Wired transmission systems

Abstract

A portable media player communicates with a host computer for enabling a user of the player to manage media distribution using the control software of the host computer. The host computer can send a GUI that is displayed on the otherwise “dumb” player, and the user can view the GUI and press a single button to command the control software to download a media title to the player. The host computer can periodically poll the player to determine its status.

Claims

1. A system for managing media distribution, comprising:

at least one host computer;

at least one media player including a display and at least one input device, the media player communicating with the host computer; and

at least one software-implemented control module in the host computer and rendering a user interface (UI) on the player, wherein

a user can manipulate the input device in cooperation with the UI to manage distribution and/or playback of media between the host computer and player, wherein the host computer periodically polls the player to determine player status, wherein the host computer polls the player more frequently when the player is in an active mode than when the player is in an energy-saving mode.

2. A method for providing at least one media stream to a media player, comprising:

engaging a data storage disk with a medium device to establish an engagement, the storage disk containing the media stream;

detecting the engagement using a host computer separate from the medium device and communicating therewith, the host computer causing an indication of the engagement to be displayed on the media player; and

manipulating a single button a single time on the media player to cause the media stream to be sent to the media player under control of the host computer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication is established by energizing at least one LED.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising causing the media player to display a GUI generated by the host computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the GUI indicates the title of the stream in human readable form.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the media player cannot initiate communication with the host computer.

7. The method of claim 2, comprising periodically polling the player using the host computer to determine player status.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising polling the player more frequently when the player is in an active mode than when the player is in an energy-saving mode.