Personal media player apparatus and method

• US 20070298840A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Findaway World
• Original Assignee: Findaway World
• Inventors: Squires, Blake R.
• Application Number:
  US11/646,364
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298840A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00688 said measures preventing that a usable copy of recorded data can be made on another medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/17 Card-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A compact portable, self-contained digital media player is provided whose content is stored on a dedicated, removable SD card. The content is playable in a high fidelity format. The content to is write protected which results in a significant degree of copyright protection. The compactness of the player enables binding of the player with various products. The self-contained aspect of the player enables it to be instant playable.

Claims

1. A personal media player, comprising:

a circuit board;

a SD card comprising user-inaccessible memory having preloaded digital content stored therein, wherein said digital content is inalterable by a user;

a slot mounted to said circuit board, wherein said slot retains or holds said SD card;

a microprocessor coupled to said user-inaccessible memory via said slot;

a user interface coupled to said microprocessor, that receives user input indicative of a desired manipulation of said preloaded digital content; and

a display adapted for displaying graphic information indicative of a pre-selected aspect of the digital content.

2. The personal media player of claim 1, further comprising bookmarking function, responsive to user input, adapted for associating a selected portion of the digital content with a bookmark.

3. The personal media player of claim 2, further comprising a bookmark recalling function, responsive to user input, adapted for actuating playback of the digital content from a position of proximity to the bookmark.

4. The personal media player of claim 3, further comprising playback speed control function, responsive to user input, adapted for actuating playback of the digital content at a speed that differs than normal playback speed.

5. The personal media player of claim 4, wherein the playback speed control function is adapted to actuate playback of the digital content at a speed that is slower than normal playback speed.

6. The personal media player of claim 4, wherein the playback speed control function is adapted to actuate playback of the digital content at a speed that is faster than normal playback speed.

7. The personal media player of claim 1, further comprising an equalizer function, responsive to user input, adapted for playing the digital content in accordance with a preselected equalizer mode.

8. The personal media player of claim 7, further comprising an equalizer mode selection cunction, responsive to user input, adapted for selecting an equalizer mode in accordance with which the equalizer function causes the digital content to be played.

9. The personal media player of claim 1, wherein the display is adapted to display first graphic information, for a predetermined period of time, indicative of a first preselected aspect of the digital content, and second graphic information, for a predetermined period of time, indicative of a second preselected aspect of the digital content.

10. The personal media player of claim 9, wherein the first preselected aspect of the digital content is at least one selected from the group consisting of battery status information, a chapter identification of a portion of digital content being played, an elapsed chapter time indicative of an amount of time that a currently being played chapter has been played, a chapter remaining time indicative of an amount of time that a currently being played chapter remains to play, information indicative of a title of a chapter currently being played, information indicative of an author of the chapter currently being played, information indicative of a current volume level, information indicative of a current equalization mode, information indicative of a playback speed, and information indicative of a bookmark.

11. A personal media player comprising:

a circuit board;

a SD card comprising user-inaccessible memory having preloaded digital content stored therein, wherein said digital content is inalterable by a user;

a slot mounted to said circuit board, wherein said slot retains or holds said SD card;

a microprocessor coupled to said user-inaccessible memory via said slot;

a user interface coupled to said microprocessor, that receives user input indicative of a desired manipulation of said preloaded digital content; and

a display adapted for displaying graphic information indicative of a pre-selected aspect of the digital content.

a bookmarking function, responsive to user input, adapted for associating a selected portion of the digital content with a bookmark; and

a display adapted for displaying graphic information indicative of a preselected aspect of the digital content.

12. The personal media player of claim 11, further comprising a bookmark recalling function, responsive to user input, adapted for actuating playback of the digital content from a position of proximity to the bookmark.

13. The personal media player of claim 12, further comprising playback speed control function, responsive to user input, adapted for actuating playback of the digital content at a speed that differs than normal playback speed.

14. The personal media player of claim 13, wherein the playback speed control function is adapted to actuate playback of the digital content at a speed that is slower than normal playback speed.

15. The personal media player of claim 13, wherein the playback speed control funcion is adapted to actuate playback of the digital content at a speed that is faster than normal playback speed.

16. The personal media player of claim 11, further comprising an equalizer function, responsive to user input, adapted for playing the digital content in accordance with a preselected equalizer mode.

17. The personal media player of claim 16, further comprising an equalizer mode selection functional, responsive to user input, adapted for selecting an equalizer mode in accordance with which the equalizer functional causes the digital content to be played.

18. The personal media player of claim 11, wherein the display is adapted to display first graphic information, for a predetermined period of time, indicative of a first preselected aspect of the digital content, and second graphic information, for a predetermined period of time, indicative of a second preselected aspect of the digital content.

19. The personal media player of claim 18, wherein the first preselected aspect of the digital content is at least one selected from the group consisting of battery status information, a chapter identification of a portion of digital content being played, an elapsed chapter time indicative of an amount of time that a currently being played chapter has been played, a chapter remaining time indicative of an amount of time that a currently being played chapter remains to play, information indicative of a title of a chapter currently being played, information indicative of an author of the chapter currently being played, information indicative of a current volume level, information indicative of a current equalization mode, information indicative of a playback speed, and information indicative of a bookmark.

20. A personal media player comprising:

a circuit board;

a SD card comprising user-inaccessible memory having preloaded digital content stored therein, wherein said digital content is inalterable by a user;

a slot mounted to said board, wherein said slot retains or holds said SD card;

a microprocessor coupled to said user-inaccessible memory via said slot;

a user interface coupled to said microprocessor, that receives user input indicative of a desired manipulation of said preloaded digital content; and

a display adapted for displaying graphic information indicative of a pre-selected aspect of the digital content;

a playback speed control function, responsive to user input, adapted for actuating playback of the digital content at a speed that differs than normal playback speed; and

a display adapted for displaying graphic information indicative of a preselected aspect of the digital content.

21. The personal media player of claim 20, wherein the playback speed control function is adapted to actuate playback of the digital content at a speed that is slower than normal playback speed.

22. The personal media player of claim 20, wherein the playback speed control function is adapted to actuate playback of the digital content at a speed that is faster than normal playback speed.

23. The personal media player of claim 20, wherein the playback speed control function is adapted to actuate playback of the digital content at a speed that is faster than normal playback speed and at a speed that is slower than normal playback speed.

24. The personal media player of claim 20, further comprising bookmarking function, responsive to user input, adapted for associating a selected portion of the digital content with a bookmark.

25. The personal media player of claim 24, further comprising a bookmark recalling function, responsive to user input, adapted for actuating playback of the digital content from a position of proximity to the bookmark.

26. The personal media player of claim 20, further comprising an equalizer function, responsive to user input, adapted for playing the digital content in accordance with a preselected equalizer mode.

27. The personal media player of claim 26, further comprising an equalizer mode selection function, responsive to user input, adapted for selecting an equalizer mode in accordance with which the equalizer function causes the digital content to be played.

28. The personal media player of claim 20, wherein the display is adapted to display first graphic information, for a predetermined period of time, indicative of a first preselected aspect of the digital content, and second graphic information, for a predetermined period of time, indicative of a second preselected aspect of the digital content.

29. The personal media player of claim 28, wherein the first preselected aspect of the digital content is at least one selected from the group consisting of battery status information, a chapter identification of a portion of digital content being played, an elapsed chapter time indicative of an amount of time that a currently being played chapter has been played, a chapter remaining time indicative of an amount of time that a currently being played chapter remains to play, information indicative of a title of a chapter currently being played, information indicative of an author of the chapter currently being played, information indicative of a current volume level, information indicative of a current equalization mode, information indicative of a playback speed, and information indicative of a bookmark.