Wireless synchronization between media player and host device

• US 8,150,937 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ng, Stanley, Fadell, Anthony M., Robbin, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAJURIA, SHRIPAL K
• Application Number:
  US10/987,649
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,699 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Improved techniques for interaction between a host computer (e.g., personal computer) and a media player are disclosed. According to one embodiment, interaction between a host device (e.g., host computer) and a media player can be performed over a wireless channel. The interaction over the wireless channel can be used to automatically synchronize media contents stored on the media player with media contents stored on the host device. According to another embodiment, interaction between a host device and a media player, such as automatic synchronization of media contents stored on a media player with media contents stored on a host device, can be restricted. In still another embodiment, synchronization can be automatically performed when the media player is placed in a docking station that supports wireless communications.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing media contents between a portable media player and a media host, said method comprising:

determining whether a wireless connection between the media player and the media host is available;

establishing the wireless connection between the media player and the media host when said determining determines that the wireless connection is available;

determining whether the media player is associated with the media host, the media player having a unique identifier assigned thereto, and said determining determines that the media player is deemed associated with the media host if the media host has previously stored the unique identifier of the media player in a storage device at the media host;

synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, the media content to be synchronized including a plurality of media items, and said synchronizing including at least determining one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the media player;

determining whether the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection;

synchronizing the media content between the media player and the media host via the wired connection when said determining determines that the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host; and

compressing the determined one or more of the media items to be copied prior to being transmitted from the host device to the media player via the wireless connection, said compressing forming determined one or more compressed media items to be copied, wherein said synchronizing operates to synchronize media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection when said determining determines that the media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, wherein said synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection comprises copying the determined one or more compressed media items to be copied from the media host to the media player, and wherein said synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wired connection comprises copying the determined one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the media player.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining determines whether the media player is associated with the media host for at least media synchronization purposes.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said synchronizing of the media content between the media player and the media host is not performed when said determining determines that the media player is not associated with the media host.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media host is a personal computer having a media management application.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless connection is a local area wireless network.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a direct channel between the media host and the media player.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein, for each of the determined one or more of the media items to be copied, said compressing reduces quality and amount of data of the corresponding media item to be copied.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said compressing reduces quality by reducing resolution or bit rate.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said synchronizing operates to automatically perform said synchronizing when both said determining determines that a wireless connection between the media player and the media host is available and said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media host is a media player.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media player is provided in a bag, case, vehicle or other container.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless connection is based on radio-frequency communications.

9. A method for synchronizing media contents between a portable media player and a media host, said method comprising:

determining whether a wireless connection between the media player and the media host is available;

determining whether the media player is associated with the media host, the media player having a unique identifier assigned thereto, and said determining determines that the media player is deemed associated with the media host if the media host has previously stored the unique identifier of the media player in a storage device at the media host; and

synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, the media content to be synchronized including a plurality of media items, and said synchronizing including at least determining one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the media player;

determining whether the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection, wherein said synchronizing comprises copying the determined one or more of the media items to be copied between the media player and the media host via the wired connection when said determining determines that the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host;

compressing the determined one or more of the media items to be copied when said determining determines that the media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection but is connected to the media host by a wireless connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, said compressing forming determined one or more compressed media items to be copied; and

copying, following said compressing, the determined one or more compressed media items to be copied from the host device to the media player via the wireless connection when said determining determines that the media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection but is connected to the media host by a wireless connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said compressing reduces quality of the corresponding media item.

11. A method for synchronizing media contents between a portable media player and a media host, said method comprising:

determining whether a wireless connection between the media player and the media host is available;

determining whether the media player is associated with the media host, the media player having a unique identifier assigned thereto, and said determining determines that the media player is deemed associated with the media host if the media host has previously stored the unique identifier of the media player in a storage device at the media host; and

synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, the media content to be synchronized including a plurality of media items, and said synchronizing including at least determining one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the media player, wherein the media content includes one or more media items, and wherein said synchronizing comprises;

selecting one of the determined one or more media items to be copied;

compressing the selected media item when said determining determines that the media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection but is connected to the media host by a wireless connection;

copying the compressed media item from the media host to the media player via the wireless connection when said determining determines that the media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection but is connected to the media host by a wireless connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host; and

copying the selected media item from the media host to the media player via the wired connection when said determining determines that the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said synchronizing further comprises:

repeating said determining whether a wireless connection between the media player and the media host is available, said determining whether the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection, and said selecting, compressing and copying for each of the remaining ones of the one or more media items.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including at least computer program code stored thereon and executable by a computer for synchronizing media contents between a portable media player and a media host, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for determining whether a wireless connection between the media player and the media host is available;

computer program code for establishing the wireless connection between the media player and the media host when said computer program code for determining determines that the wireless connection is available;

computer program code for determining whether the media player is associated with the media host, the media player having a unique identifier assigned thereto, and said computer program code for determining determines that the media player is deemed associated with the media host if the media host has previously stored the unique identifier of the media player in a storage device at the media host;

computer program code for synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection when said computer program code for determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, the media content to be synchronized including a plurality of media items, and said computer program code for synchronizing including at least computer program code for determining one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the media player;

computer program code for determining whether the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection;

computer program code for synchronizing the media content between the media player and the media host via the wired connection when said determining determines that the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host; and

computer program code for compressing the determined one or more of the media items to be copied prior to being transmitted from the host device to the media player via the wireless connection, said computer program code for compressing forming determined one or more compressed media items to be copied, wherein said computer program code for synchronizing operates to synchronize media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection when said computer program code for determining determines that the media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said computer program code for determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, wherein said computer program code for synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection comprises computer program code for copying the determined one or more compressed media items to be copied from the media host to the media player, and wherein said computer program code for synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wired connection comprises computer program code for copying the determined one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the media player.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said computer code for synchronizing copies, to the media player, media content and media information for at least one of the media items stored on the media host.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 18, wherein the media information pertains to attributes or quality characteristics for the at least one media item.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the attributes include at least song title, album name and artist name.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the quality characteristics include at least one of:

bit rate, sample rate, equalization setting, volume adjustment, start/stop and total time.

22. A system for managing and playing media data, said system comprising:

a host computer including at least a management module for managing a plurality of media items, a host play module for playing the media items for a user of said host computer, and a host media store for storing a plurality of media items;

a portable media player including at least a player media store for storing a plurality of media items, and a player play module for playing the media items stored in said media store for a user of said portable media player, and another portable device that is larger than said portable media player and can house said portable media player, wherein said another portable device or said portable media player includes wireless communication circuitry so that said portable media player can receive media items or media information from said host computer over a wireless channel via the wireless communication circuitry, wherein a unique identifier is pseudo-random identifier assigned thereto, wherein said host computer further comprises a synchronization module that operates to permit synchronization of media items between said host computer and said portable media player if said host computer determines based on the unique identifier that said portable media player has been previously associated with said host computer, and wherein synchronization of the media items between said host computer and said portable media player via the wireless channel comprises (i) compressing at least a portion of each of the media items prior to being copied from said host computer to said portable media player, and (ii) copying the compressed media items from said host computer to said portable media player via the wireless channel.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said another portable device is a motorized vehicle.

24. A system as recited in claim 23, wherein the motorized vehicle is an automobile.

25. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said another portable device is a bag or case.

26. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said another portable device includes the wireless communication circuitry.

27. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said portable media player includes the wireless communication circuitry.

28. A method for synchronizing media contents between a portable media player and a media host, the media content including a plurality of media items, said method comprising:

determining whether the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection;

determining whether a wireless connection between the media player and the media host is available;

establishing the wireless connection between the media player and the media host when said determining determines that the wireless connection is available;

determining whether the media player is associated with the media host;

determining one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the media player;

compressing the determined one or more of the media items to be copied prior to their being copied, said compressing forming determined one or more compressed media items to be copied;

synchronizing the determined one or more compressed media items to be copied between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection when said determining determines that the media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host;

synchronizing the determined one or more of the media items to be copied between the media player and the media host via the wire connection when said determining determines that the media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection and when said determining determines that the media player is associated with the media host, wherein said synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection comprises copying the determined one or more compressed media items to be copied from the media host to the media player, and wherein said synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wired connection comprises copying the determined one or more compressed media items to be copied from the media host to the media player.

29. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein when the wired connection is present, the media content previously copied to the media player in the compressed manner is upgraded to or replaced with media content in an uncompressed manner.

30. A method as recited in claim 29, wherein the compressed media item pertains to a reduced quality version.

31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein the media item an the uncompressed manner pertains to a full quality version.

32. A media synchronization system, comprising:

a portable media player; and

a media host, wherein said media synchronization system is configured to synchronization media items between the portable media player and the media host, and wherein said media synchronization system is configured to;

determine whether the portable media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection;

determine whether a wireless connection is available between the media host and the portable media player;

determine, from the media content, one or more of media items that are to be copied from the media host to the media player;

synchronize the determined one or more of the media items between the portable media player and the media host via the wireless connection when it is determined that the portable media player is not connected to the media host by a wired connection;

compress the determined one or more of the media items prior to being transmitted from the media host to the portable media player via the wireless connection, thereby forming determined one or more compressed media items; and

synchronize the determined one or more compressed media items between the portable media player and the media host via the wired connection when it is determined that the portable media player is connected to the media host by a wired connection, wherein synchronization of the media content between the media player and the media host via the wireless connection comprises copying the determined one or more compressed media items to be copied from the media host to the portable media player, and wherein synchronization of the synchronizing media content between the media player and the media host via the wired connection comprises copying the determined one or more of the media items to be copied from the media host to the portable media player.