Media device with intelligent cache utilization
First Claim
1. A method in a media device including a processor and a cache memory for controlling a loading of the cache memory, the method comprisinggenerating in the processor an interface for receiving a user selection indicating a degree of skip support;
- receiving in the processor a selection of the degree of skip support wherein the selection affects cache memory utilization of the media device associated with processing of skip operations;
based upon the selection of the degree of skip support, determining in the processor a number of media item snippets related to different media items that are to be maintained in the cache memory at one time wherein each of the number of media item snippets includes only a portion of media data for a respective media item such that outputting the media item in its entirety requires additional media data not included in the media item snippet to be loaded into the cache memory;
loading by the processor to a portion of the cache memory a first plurality of media item snippets in accordance with the determined number of media items to be maintained;
as different media items are selected for output or skipped over, managing by the processor different media item snippets within the cache memory to maintain the determined number of media item snippets in the cache memory.
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Abstract
A portable media device and a method for operating a portable media device are disclosed. According to one aspect, a battery-powered portable media device can manage use of a mass storage device to efficiently utilize battery power. By providing a cache memory and loading the cache memory so as to provide skip support, battery power for the portable media device can be conserved (i.e., efficiently consumed). According to another aspect, a portable media device can operate efficiently in a seek mode. The seek mode is an operational mode of the portable media device in which the portable media device automatically scans through media items to assist a user in selecting a desired one of the media items.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method in a media device including a processor and a cache memory for controlling a loading of the cache memory, the method comprising
generating in the processor an interface for receiving a user selection indicating a degree of skip support; -
receiving in the processor a selection of the degree of skip support wherein the selection affects cache memory utilization of the media device associated with processing of skip operations; based upon the selection of the degree of skip support, determining in the processor a number of media item snippets related to different media items that are to be maintained in the cache memory at one time wherein each of the number of media item snippets includes only a portion of media data for a respective media item such that outputting the media item in its entirety requires additional media data not included in the media item snippet to be loaded into the cache memory; loading by the processor to a portion of the cache memory a first plurality of media item snippets in accordance with the determined number of media items to be maintained; as different media items are selected for output or skipped over, managing by the processor different media item snippets within the cache memory to maintain the determined number of media item snippets in the cache memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer code executable by a processor in an electronic media device that includes a cache memory comprising:
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computer program code for generating an interface for receiving a user selection indicating a degree of skip support; computer program code for receiving a selection of the degree of skip support wherein the selection affects cache memory utilization of the media device associated with processing of skip operations; computer program code for, based upon the selection of the degree of skip support, determining a number of media item snippets related to different media items that are to be maintained in the cache memory at one time wherein each of the number of media item snippets includes only a portion of media data for a respective media item such that outputting the media item in its entirety requires additional media data not included in the media item snippet to be loaded into the cache memory; computer program code for loading to a portion of the cache memory a first plurality of media item snippets in accordance with the determined number of media items to be maintained; computer program code for, as different media items are selected for output or skipped over, manage different media item snippets within the cache memory to maintain the determined number of media item snippets in the cache memory. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A portable media device comprising:
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a processor coupled to a cache memory and a battery, the processor configured to; generate an interface for receiving a user selection indicating a degree of skip support; receive a selection of the degree of skip support wherein an amount of power used from the battery is increased or decreased depending upon the selection; based upon the selection of the degree of skip support, determine a number of media item snippets related to different media items that are to be maintained in the cache memory at one time wherein each of the number of media item snippets includes only a portion of media data for a respective media item such that outputting the media item in its entirety requires additional media data not included in the media item snippet to be loaded into the cache memory; load to a portion of the cache memory a first plurality of media item snippets in accordance with the determined number of media items to be maintained; as different media items are selected for output or skipped over, manage different media item snippets within the cache memory to maintain the determined number of media item snippets in the cache memory. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. Non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer code executable by a processor in an autonomous media device that includes a cache memory and a storage device for storage of at least a media data file corresponding to a media item, comprising:
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computer program code for receiving an indication of a degree of skip support; computer code for reserving a portion of the cache memory for storage of a number of media item snippets, wherein the number of media item snippets is directly related to the degree of skip support, and wherein each media item snippet includes only a portion of the media data itself for a respective media item; computer program code for storing the number of media item snippets only in the reserved portion of the cache memory; computer program code for playing the selected media item snippet from the cache memory in accordance with a media item selection by an end-user; computer program code for skipping to another media item snippet when a skip request is received; computer program code for downloading a remaining portion of the media data file corresponding to the played snippet from the storage device when the skip request is not received; and computer program code for playing the remaining portion of the media data file.
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Specification