Small removable audio player that attaches to a host media player

• US 8,612,655 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Sherman, Itay
• Primary Examiner(s): TSENG, CHENG YUAN
• Application Number:
  US13/612,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 710/74
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/122 where hardware performs an I/O function other than control of data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5021 Priority
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0256 wherein the modules are operable in the detached state, e.g. one module for the user interface and one module for the transceiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A method for synchronizing a host media player and a removable audio player, when the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, including receiving a new media file via an external connector in the host media player, wherein the new media file may be a digital audio file or a digital media file of a media type that the removable audio player is unable to play but the host media player is able to play, storing the new media file in a storage unit within the host media player, and conditionally copying the new media file to a storage unit within the removable audio player when the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, if the new media file is an audio file.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a host media player and a removable audio player, comprising:

receiving a new media file via an external connector in the host media player, wherein the new media file may be a digital audio file or a digital media file of a media type that the removable audio player is unable to play but the host media player is able to play;

storing the new media file in a storage unit within the host media player; and

if the removable audio player is attached to the host media player;

copying the new media file to a storage unit within the removable audio player, if the new media file is an audio file; and

not copying the new media file to the storage unit within the removable audio player, if the new media file is a media file of the media type that the removable player is not able to play;

receiving another new media file via a wireless modem within the removable audio player, wherein the other new media file may be a digital audio file or a digital media file of the media type that the removable audio player is unable to play but the host media player is able to play;

copying the other new media file to the storage unit within the host media player, if the removable audio player is attached to the host media player;

storing the other new media file in the storage unit within the removable audio player, if the other new media file is an audio file; and

erasing the other new media file from the removable audio player, if the other new media file is a file of the media type that the removable audio player is unable to play.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said copying the other new media file comprises selectively copying the other new media file to the storage unit within the host media player, if the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, said selective copying being based on user preferences.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user preferences indicate that most often listened to audio files are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the user preferences indicate that most recently listened to audio files are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the user preferences indicate that audio files with high user ratings are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said copying the new media file comprises selectively copying the new media file to the storage unit within the removable audio player, if the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, said selective copying being based on user preferences.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the user preferences indicate that most often listened to audio files are to be copied from the host media player to the removable audio player.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the user preferences indicate that most recently listened to audio files are to be copied from the host media player to the removable audio player.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the user preferences indicate that audio files with high user ratings are to be copied from the host media player to the removable audio player.

10. A method for synchronizing a host media player and a removable audio player, comprising:

receiving a new media file via a wireless modem within the removable audio player, wherein the new media file is either a digital audio file or a digital media file of a media type that the removable audio player is unable to play but the host media player is able to play;

copying the new media file to a storage unit within the host media player, in response to detecting that the removable audio player is attached to the host media player;

storing the new media file in a storage unit within the removable audio player, if the new media file is an audio file; and

erasing the other new media file from the removable audio player, if the new media file is of the media type that the removable audio player is unable to play.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said copying the new media file comprises selectively copying the new media file to the storage unit within the host media player, in response to detecting that the removable audio player is attached to the host media player, said selective copying based on user preferences.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the user preferences indicate that most often listened to audio files are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the user preferences indicate that most recently listened to audio files are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the user preferences indicate that audio files with high user ratings are to be copied from the removable audio player to the host media player.