Portable content container displaying A/V files in response to a command received from a consumer device

• US 9,247,284 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hesselink, Lambertus
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Heather
• Application Number:
  US14/511,951
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00463 high-bandwidth digital content protection [HDCP]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00731 involving a digital rights management system for enforcing a usage restriction
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43635 HDMI
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

In an embodiment, a media playback device is disclosed comprising a first interface configured to communicate with a media output device, a second interface configured to communicate with a data storage device, and control circuitry. In one embodiment, the control circuitry is configured to receive information identifying media files from a data storage device (DSD) over the second interface; generate a user interface for the media output device, the user interface identifying at least one of the media files; transmit the user interface to the media output device over the first interface; receive a play command from a user to play a selected media file; and transmit the play command over the second interface to the DSD to stream the selected media file on the media output device, wherein the media stream from the DSD bypasses the media playback device.

Claims

1. A media playback device comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with a media output device;

a second interface configured to communicate with a data storage device, the data storage device (DSD) comprising;

a storage medium configured to store one or more media files; and

a decoder operable to decode a media file into an media stream;

control circuitry configured to;

receive information identifying the one or more media files from the DSD over the second interface;

generate a user interface for the media output device, the user interface identifying at least one or more of the media files;

transmit the user interface to the media output device over the first interface;

receive a play command from a user to play a selected one of the at least one or more of the media files; and

transmit the play command over the second interface to the DSD to stream the selected media file on the media output device, wherein the media stream from the DSD bypasses the media playback device.

2. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein the media stream from the DSD bypasses the media playback device by transmitting over a separate connection between the DSD and the media output device.

3. The media playback device of claim 2, wherein the separate connection comprises a DSD output interface.

4. The media playback device of claim 3, wherein the DSD output interface utilizes digital rights management (DRM) to encrypt content transmitted over the DSD output interface.

5. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to cause the media output device to switch from receiving data from the media playback device to receiving data from the DSD.

6. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI).

7. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second interfaces comprises a wireless interface.

8. The media playback device of claim 1, the DSD further configured to encode the media stream into a format un-recordable by the media playback device.

9. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein media output device comprises a display.

10. The media playback device of claim 1, wherein the media stream comprises audio.

11. A method for securely playing media on a media playback device having a first interface configured to communicate with a media output device and a second interface configured to communicate with a data storage device (DSD), the method comprising:

receive information identifying one or more media files from the DSD over the second interface;

generate a user interface for a media output device, the user interface identifying at least one or more of the media files;

transmit the user interface to the media output device over the first interface;

receive a play command from a user to play a selected one of the at least one or more of the media files; and

transmit the play command, over the second interface, to the DSD to stream the selected media file on the media output device, wherein the media stream from the DSD bypasses the media playback device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the media stream from the DSD bypasses the media playback device by transmitting over a separate connection between the DSD and the media output device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the separate connection comprises a DSD output interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the DSD output interface utilizes digital rights management (DRM) to encrypt content transmitted over the DSD output interface.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising causing the media output device to switch from receiving data from the media playback device to receiving data from the DSD.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the user interface comprises a graphical user interface (GUI).

17. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first and second interfaces comprises a wireless interface.

18. The method of claim 11, the DSD further configured to encode the media stream into a format un-recordable by the media playback device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein media output device comprises a display.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the media stream comprises audio.