Storage and reproduction apparatus

• US 8,423,714 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: MobileMedia Ideas LLC
• Inventors: Iida, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai, Tuan V.
• Application Number:
  US12/651,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106898A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 711/100, 711/103, 711/115, 711/154, 711/161, 711/162, 711/117, 369/47.1
• US Class Current: 711/115
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/102 External programming circuits, e.g. EPROM programmers; In-circuit programming or reprogramming; EPROM emulators
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 2207/16 Solid state audio deprecated, only for historical reasons, G06F3/16, G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 27/00 Electric analogue stores, e.g. for storing instantaneous values
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 7/16 Storage of analogue signals in digital stores using an arrangement comprising analogue/digital [A/D] converters, digital memories and digital/analogue [D/A] converters

Abstract

The storage and reproducing apparatus includes a signal processing block, a memory, a reproduction block, an operation block, and a control block. The signal processing block converts a sound signal entered, into a digital signal. The memory stores a digital signal outputted form the signal processing block and a management data of the digital data. The reproduction block at least converts a digital signal read out from the memory, into a hearable sound for reproduction output. The operation block is provided on an apparatus main body and includes a rotary operation block provided on the apparatus main body in such a manner that the rotary operation block can be rotated around a rotation center and shifted along plane which almost orthogonally intersects the rotation center. The control block, according to an input from the operation block, writes a digital signal and a management data into the memory and reads out a digital signal and a management data stored in the memory. The control block, according to a rotation direction of the rotary operation block, reads out a management data from the memory. When the rotary operation block is shifted along the plane, the control block reads out a digital signal from the memory according to a management information which is being read out from the memory.

Claims

1. A portable reproducing apparatus, comprising:

a storage medium configured to store input data, the input data being identifiable based on auxiliary data corresponding thereto;

a reproduction unit configured to reproduce said input data read out from said storage medium;

a display configured to display said auxiliary data; and

a controller configured to perform operations of said portable reproducing apparatus according to signals received from an operation unit and being configured (1) to search said auxiliary data, (2) to receive a selection of said auxiliary data displayed on said display, (3) to read said input data corresponding to the selected auxiliary data from said storage medium, (4) to transmit said read input data to said reproduction unit, and (5) to interrupt reproduction by said reproduction unit;

wherein said controller is configured

to search auxiliary data in forward direction upon receiving a signal representing a manual rotational input to an operation unit in a first direction of a circular path around an imaginary rotational axis,

to search auxiliary data in backward direction upon receiving a signal representing a manual rotational input to the operation unit in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, of the circular path around the imaginary rotational axis, and

to select said one from said auxiliary data based upon receiving a signal representing a pressing input to the operation unit so as to reproduce said input data associated with the selected auxiliary data by the reproduction unit.

2. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to perform an operation upon detecting whether a pressing input to the operation unit exceeds a predetermined period of time.

3. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to modify data and time setting of the portable reproducing apparatus.

4. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressing input is an input representing an instruction of a data write to said storage medium.

5. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to write and input data and said management data into said memory and to readout said data and said management data from said memory according to an input from said operation unit.

6. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary data is represented by icon when displayed on the display.

7. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input data is divided into erase units on said storage medium.

8. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said storage medium includes a semiconductor memory.

9. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 8, wherein said semiconductor memory includes a non-volatile semiconductor memory.

10. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus has a size that a user can hold said portable reproducing apparatus on one hand and continue working on the portable reproducing with the other hand.

11. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said input data is audio data.

12. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said display includes a liquid crystal display panel.

13. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

said operation unit provided on said apparatus.

14. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

said operation unit provided on main body of said apparatus.

15. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary data is management data of said input data corresponding to the auxiliary data.

16. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an operation button.

17. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to control the reproduction unit to reproduce said input data associated with the selected auxiliary data intermittently.

18. The portable reproducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said controller is further configured to control the reproduction unit to reproduce said input data associated with the selected auxiliary data successively.