Mobile device and method for concurrently processing content according to multiple playlists

• US 9,703,784 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2007
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Israel Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Kedem, Noam
• Primary Examiner(s): HARPER, ELIYAH STONE
• Application Number:
  US11/963,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,487 Days
• Field of Search: 707796
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs

Abstract

A mobile device, such as a media player, a telephone, or a gaming console, concurrently produces multiple content streams based on differing playlists. The mobile device includes a memory, a controller, and at least two output interfaces. The controller processes concurrently the content stored in the memory to produce a first content stream according to a first playlist and a second content stream according to a second playlist. More content streams may be produced based on additional playlist, all of which playlist differ from each other. The content streams may include audio content, video content, or a combination thereof. For each content stream, an output interface is available to convey the content stream. Also disclosed is a method of processing content to produce and send content streams to output interfaces.

Claims

1. A mobile device comprising:

a memory located within the mobile device for storing content;

a controller located within the mobile device adapted to process concurrently the content stored in the memory to produce a first content stream according to a first playlist and to produce a second content stream according to a second playlist, the second playlist differing from the first playlist and the first and second content streams including at least audio content, wherein the first content stream is distinct from the second content stream and wherein the controller includes;

a microprocessor that alternatingly and respectively outputs the first and second content streams to first and second direct memory access (DMA) channels;

first and second stream buffers for respectively receiving the content streams from the first and second DMA channels; and

first and second digital to analog (D/A) converters for respectively outputting the first and second content streams;

a first output interface of the mobile device adapted to receive the first content stream from the first D/A converter and to convey the first content stream; and

a second output interface of the mobile device distinct from the first output interface and adapted to receive the second content stream from the second D/A converter and to convey the second content stream simultaneously with the conveyance of the first content stream, wherein the first and second output interfaces each comprise a speaker or headphone interface for respectively and simultaneously playing the first and second content streams to one or more users via speakers or headphones connected to the speaker or headphone interfaces.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further adapted to process concurrently the content stored in the memory to produce a third content stream according to a third playlist, which differs from the first and second playlists, and the third content stream including at least audio content, the mobile device further comprising:

a third output interface adapted to convey the third content stream.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first, the second, or both content streams further include video content or a combination of audio and video content.

4. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a microprocessor configured for multi-threaded processing with more than one thread processing a content stream.

5. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the controller includes multiple microprocessors each of which being configured for handling a single thread processing a content stream.

6. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the memory is a flash memory.

7. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first and second output interfaces are wireless interfaces.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the first and second output interfaces are wired interfaces.

9. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a media player.

10. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a telephone.

11. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile gaming console.

12. A method of processing content, the method comprising:

processing, using a controller of a mobile device, content stored in a memory of the mobile device to produce a first content stream according to a first playlist, the first content stream including at least audio content;

concurrently processing, using the controller of the mobile device, the content to produce a second content stream according to a second playlist, the second playlist differing from the first playlist and the second content stream including at least audio content, wherein the first content stream is distinct from the second content stream;

using a microprocessor of the controller of the mobile device, alternatingly and respectively outputting the first and second content streams to first and second direct memory access (DMA) channels and from the first and second DMA channels to first and second stream buffers;

respectively outputting the first and second content streams from the first and second stream buffers to first and second digital to analog (D/A) converters;

sending, from the first D/A converter, the first content stream to a first output interface of the mobile device; and

sending, from the second D/A converter, the second content stream to a second output interface of the mobile device, wherein the second output interface is distinct from the first output interface and is adapted to convey the second content stream simultaneously with the conveyance of the first content stream by the first output interface, wherein the first and second output interfaces each comprise a speaker or headphone interface for respectively and simultaneously playing the first and second content streams to one or more users via speakers or headphones connected to the speaker or headphone interfaces.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

concurrently processing the content to produce a third content stream according to a third playlist, which differs from the first and second playlists; and

sending the third content stream to a third output interface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first, the second, or both content streams further include video content or a combination of audio and video content.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the processing to produce the first content stream and the processing to produce the second content stream are performed by a microprocessor that is configured for multi-threaded processing with more than one thread processing a content stream.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the processing to produce the first content stream and the processing to produce the second content stream are performed by multiple microprocessors each of which being configured for handling a single thread processing a content stream.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the memory is a flash memory.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

converting the first and second content streams into wireless signals.