Method for data transmission utlizing a portable multimedia device

• US 20050286481A1
• Filed: 06/29/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M.
• Application Number:
  US10/881,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20050286481A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/13 radio data system/radio broadcast data system [RDS/RBDS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices

Abstract

A communication system for sending data between a multimedia player and a nearby receiver is described. In the described embodiment, the multimedia player includes a multimedia data file processor unit arranged to process a multimedia data file and a data transmission unit coupled to the multimedia data file processor unit arranged to concurrently transmit selected portions of the processed multimedia data file. The system also includes a nearby receiver unit capable of receiving the transmitted selected portions of the processed multimedia data file.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a multimedia player comprising;

a multimedia data file processor unit arranged to process a multimedia data file, and

a data transmission unit coupled to the multimedia data file processor unit arranged to concurrently transmit selected portions of the processed multimedia data file; and

a nearby receiver unit capable of receiving the transmitted selected portions of the processed multimedia data file.

2. A communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processed multimedia data file includes an audio portion and an associated information portion.

3. A communication system as recited in claim 2, wherein the transmission unit is a wireless transmission unit capable of wirelessly transmitting the audio portion and the information portion concurrently to the receiver unit.

4. A communication system as recited in claim 2 wherein the data transmission unit is a wired transmission unit capable of wired transmission of the audio portion and the information portion concurrently to the receiver unit.

5. A communication system as recited in claim 2 wherein the data transmission unit includes a wireless transmission portion and a wired transmission portion each of which is capable of transmitting the selected portions concurrently from the multimedia player to the receiver unit.

6. A communication system as recited in claim 1, wherein the multimedia data file is a digital audio file.

7. A communication system as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

a display screen coupled to the processor unit arranged to display the information portion; and

a user input unit coupled to the processor unit arranged to provide any of a number of user input commands that are, in turn, executed by the processor unit.

8. A communication system as recited in claim 6, wherein the multimedia data file processor includes a digital data file decoder sub-processor unit arranged to decode the digital data file to form a corresponding audio file and an associated information file.

9. A communication system as recited in claim 3, wherein the wireless transmission unit is a FM radio transmitter unit arranged to concurrently transmit a decoded digital audio file and the associated information file.

10. A communication system as recited in claim 9, wherein the receiver unit includes a receiver unit display screen and a receiver unit speaker.

11. A communication system as recited in claim 10, wherein the information is displayed on the receiver unit display screen concurrently with the audio file being broadcast by the speaker.

12. A communication system as recited in claim 11, wherein the receiver unit is an RDS enabled “

smart radio”

.

13. A device for wirelessly transmitting data, comprising:

a multimedia data file processor unit arranged to process a multimedia data file; and

a wireless transmission unit coupled to the multimedia data file processor unit arranged to concurrently transmit selected portions of the processed multimedia data file.

14. The device as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a display screen coupled to the processor unit arranged to display information related to the selected multimedia data file; and

a user input unit coupled to the processor unit arranged to provide any of a number of user input commands that are, in turn, executed by the processor unit.

15. The device as recited in claim 14, wherein the multimedia data file processor includes an MP3 decoder sub-processor unit arranged to decode an MP3 file to form a corresponding audio file and an associated information file.

16. The device as recited in claim 15, wherein the multimedia data file is an MP3 file and an associated information data file.

17. The device as recited in claim 16, wherein the wireless transmission unit is an RDS enabled FM radio transmitter unit arranged to concurrently transmit a decoded MP3 file and the associated information file.

18. The device as recited in claim 17, wherein the device wirelessly transmits the audio file and the associated information concurrently to a nearby RDS enabled receiver unit that includes a receiver unit display screen and a receiver unit speaker.

19. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein the information is displayed on the receiver unit display screen concurrently with the audio file being broadcast by the speaker.

20. The device as recited in claim 19, wherein when a user input command is executed by the processor unit results in a changed display on the display screen, then the changed display concurrently displayed on the receiver unit display screen.

21. The device as recited in claim 20, wherein the device is a cellular telephone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or paging device or an MP3 player.

22. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein the MP3 player is an iPod MP3 player.

23. A method for data transmission between a multimedia player and a nearby receiver, comprising:

processing a multimedia file by the multimedia player into a first portion and an associated information portion;

concurrently transmitting selected portions of the processed multimedia file from the multimedia player to the receiver;

broadcasting the first portion by the receiver; and

concurrently with the broadcasting, displaying the association information portion.

24. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the first portion is an audio file.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein when the multimedia data file is an MP3 file and an associated information data file, then decoding the MP3 file to form a corresponding audio file and the associated information file.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the wireless transmission unit is an RDS enabled FM radio transmitter unit arranged to concurrently transmit a decoded MP3 file and the associated information file.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein the device wirelessly transmits the audio file and the associated information concurrently to a nearby receiver unit that includes a receiver unit display screen and a receiver unit speaker.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, wherein the information is displayed on the receiver unit display screen concurrently with the audio file being broadcast by the speaker.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein when a user input command is executed by the processor unit results in a changed display on the display screen, then the changed display concurrently displayed on the receiver unit display screen.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, wherein the device is a cellular telephone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or paging device or an MP3 player.