Enhanced delivery of audio data for portable playback
First Claim
1. A handheld audio playback device comprising:
- a data interface;
a control interface configured to interface with an external device;
an audio output;
a storage medium;
a connector configured to connect to a docking station; and
a microprocessor connected to said data interface, said control interface, said audio output and said storage medium,wherein said microprocessor is configured to receive audio data from the external device through said data interface, store the audio data on said storage medium, and control playback of at least a portion of the audio data through said audio output based on use allocation information associated with the audio data, wherein the use allocation information is stored in said storage medium, andwherein said audio data is transferred to said data interface via said connector, and wherein transfer of the audio data from the external device is activated by the external device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for selection by a user and delivery to the user over an internetwork transmission channel of selected audio data files at a delivery rate of at least twice the delivery rate for normal, audibly perceptible playback of an audio data file. The user registers the user'"'"'s selection of audio material with a central library of audio and/or text data files, and a digitized and optionally compressed omnibus file containing the user'"'"'s selections is prepared and transmitted to the user at a high data transfer rate. The user receives downloads the selected data files to a personal computer or to a portable storage and playback unit (SPU) that may store and play back digitized text or audio data, using a docking station. The user carries this SPU until the user has an opportunity to audio process and play back the text or audio data files in audibly perceptible form.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A handheld audio playback device comprising:
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a data interface; a control interface configured to interface with an external device; an audio output; a storage medium; a connector configured to connect to a docking station; and a microprocessor connected to said data interface, said control interface, said audio output and said storage medium, wherein said microprocessor is configured to receive audio data from the external device through said data interface, store the audio data on said storage medium, and control playback of at least a portion of the audio data through said audio output based on use allocation information associated with the audio data, wherein the use allocation information is stored in said storage medium, and wherein said audio data is transferred to said data interface via said connector, and wherein transfer of the audio data from the external device is activated by the external device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A portable handheld apparatus comprising:
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a storage unit configured to store digital audio data; and a playback unit for playing back the audio data; wherein the portable handheld apparatus is configured to communicate, via a docking station, with a personal computer connectable to a communications link for downloading the audio data from a remote location and uploading the audio data to the portable handheld apparatus for storage in the storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A digital audio storage and playback system, comprising:
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a portable handheld apparatus including a storage unit to store digital audio data and a playback unit configured to play back the audio data; a docking station capable of communicating with the portable handheld apparatus; and a personal computer connected to the docking station and connectable to a communications link for downloading the audio data from a remote location and uploading the audio data to the portable handheld apparatus via the docking station. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A portable handheld apparatus to playback audio data, comprising:
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a connector configured to connect to a docking station which is connected to a host personal computer configured to download audio data via the Internet; a storage unit configured to store the audio data transferred through the docking station from the host personal computer; and a playback unit configured to play back the audio data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An audio information storage and playback system, comprising:
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a personal computer and associated data interface, programmed to receive and extract an audio data file from an incoming signal over an internetwork channel at a transfer rate that is greater than a playback rate for audibly perceptible playback of information contained in the audio data file; and a docking station, connected to the personal computer and adapted for receiving a handheld playback module that receives and stores the audio data file from the personal computer and that provides audibly perceptible playback of the audio data file.
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21. A digital audio storage and playback system, comprising:
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a portable handheld apparatus including a playback unit configured to play digital audio data and a storage unit to store digital audio data; and a docking station configured to receive and couple to the portable apparatus and to transfer the digital audio data into the portable handheld apparatus, the docking station further configured to connect with a personal computer to enable the portable handheld apparatus to receive digital audio data from the personal computer for storage in the storage unit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification