Communication between a media player and an accessory with an extended interface mode

• US 8,239,595 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schubert, Emily C., Leung, Wang Chun, Lydon, Gregory T., Krueger, Scott, Holden, Paul, Archibald, John, Bolton, Lawrence G., Novotney, Donald J., Filson, John B., Tupman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, RAYMOND NGAN
• Application Number:
  US12/953,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 710104-105, 710/110, 710 8- 19, 710 62- 64, 710 72- 74, 710313-315, 710300-304, 455414-420, 455571-572, 4555561-5562
• US Class Current: 710/105
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6456 comprising keying elements at different positions along the periphery of the connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2105/00 Three poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/58 Contacts spaced along longitudinal axis of engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/00 Coupling parts adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts for dissimilar contact members H01R13/35; supported only by co-operation with a counterpart H01R31/00; with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/90

Abstract

An interface and protocol allow a media player to communicate with external accessories over a transport link. The protocol includes a core protocol functionality and a number of accessory lingoes. Examples of accessory lingoes include a microphone lingo, a simple remote lingo, a display remote lingo, an RF transmitter lingo, and an extended interface lingo.

Claims

1. A method of operating a media player, the method comprising:

establishing, by the media player, a communication link to an accessory using a media player accessory protocol comprising a general lingo and an extended interface lingo, the extended interface lingo comprising at least one database command and at least one playback command;

communicating, by the media player, with the accessory using one or more of the database commands of the extended interface lingo to allow the accessory to access database information from a media content database of the media player; and

communicating, by the media player, with the accessory using one or more of the playback commands of the extended interface lingo to allow the accessory to control a play state of the media player.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of database commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the first command requesting the number of database records within a category;

a second command sendable by the media player to the accessory in response to the first command, the second command providing the requested number of database records within the category;

a third command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the third command requesting a database record within the category; and

a fourth command sendable by the media player to the accessory in response to the third command, the fourth command providing the requested database record within the category.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the first command operative to cause the media player to play a currently selected one or more tracks; and

a second command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the second command operative to set the play state of the media player to a selected state.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises a command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to set a shuffle mode of the media player.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises a command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to set a repeat mode of the media player.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the first command requesting media information about a currently playing track; and

a second command sendable by the media player to the accessory, the second command providing the requested media information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to enable or disable play status change notifications sent from the media player; and

a second command sendable by the media player to the accessory, the second command providing a current play status change of the media player.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises a command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to select a bitmap image on the media player, wherein the media player displays the selected bitmap image when it is connected to the accessory.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the category is selected from the group consisting of all database records, database records associated with a particular playlist, database records associated with a particular genre, database records associated with a particular artist or composer, database records associated with a particular album, and database records associated with a particular song or audiobook track.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of database commands further comprises:

a fifth command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the fifth command operative to cause the media player to set a current database selection equal to one or more database records in the category.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of database commands further includes:

a sixth command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the sixth command operative to cause the media player to reset the current database selection to an empty state.

12. A media player comprising:

a playback engine capable of queuing a plurality of tracks for playback and playing the queued tracks; and

an interface capable of communicating with an accessory in accordance with a media player accessory protocol, the media player accessory protocol comprising a general lingo and an extended interface lingo, the extended interface lingo comprising at least one database command and at least one playback command,

wherein one or more of the database commands of the extended interface lingo is operative to access database information from a media content database of the media player; and

wherein one or more of the playback commands of the extended interface lingo is operative to control a play state of the media player.

13. The media player of claim 12 wherein the plurality of database commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the first command requesting the number of database records within a category;

a second command sendable by the media player to the accessory in response to the first command, the second command providing the requested number of database records within the category;

a third command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the third command requesting a database record within the category; and

a fourth command sendable by the media player to the accessory in response to the third command, the fourth command providing the requested database record within the category.

14. The media player of claim 12 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the first command operative to cause the media player to play a currently selected one or more tracks; and

a second command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the second command operative to set the play state of the media player to a selected state.

15. The media player of claim 12 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises a command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to set a shuffle mode of the media player.

16. The media player of claim 12 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises a command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to set a repeat mode of the media player.

17. The media player of claim 12 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the first command requesting media information about a currently playing track; and

a second command sendable by the media player to the accessory, the second command providing the requested media information.

18. The media player of claim 12 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises:

a first command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to enable or disable play status change notifications sent from the media player; and

a second command sendable by the media player to the accessory, the second command providing a current play status change of the media player.

19. The media player of claim 12 wherein the plurality of playback commands comprises a command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the command operative to select a bitmap image on the media player, wherein the media player displays the selected bitmap image when it is connected to the accessory.

20. The media player of claim 13 wherein the category is selected from the group consisting of all database records, database records associated with a particular playlist, database records associated with a particular genre, database records associated with a particular artist or composer, database records associated with a particular album, and database records associated with a particular song or audiobook track.

21. The media player of claim 13 wherein the plurality of database commands further comprises:

a fifth command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the fifth command operative to cause the media player to set a current database selection equal to one or more database records in the category.

22. The media player of claim 21 wherein the plurality of database commands further includes:

a sixth command receivable by the media player from the accessory, the sixth command operative to cause the media player to reset the current database selection to an empty state.

23. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium encoded with program instructions that, when executed by a processor in a media player, cause the processor to:

establish, by the media player, a communication link to an accessory using a media player accessory protocol comprising a general lingo and an extended interface lingo, the extended interface lingo comprising at least one database command and at least one playback command;

communicate with the accessory using one or more of the database commands of the extended interface lingo to allow the accessory to access database information from a media content database of the media player; and

communicate with the accessory using one or more of the playback commands of the extended interface lingo to allow the accessory to control a play state of the media player.