MEDIA PLAY SYSTEM

• US 20080208378A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digifi Limited
• Original Assignee: Digifi Limited
• Inventors: Gray, Mark, Simmons, Matthew, Davidson, Amanda, Booth, John
• Application Number:
  US12/036,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20080208378A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2205/021 Aspects relating to docking-station type assemblies to obtain an acoustical effect, e.g. the type of connection to external loudspeakers or housings, frequency improvement

Abstract

A method and system for playing media are disclosed. The media play system comprises a media server comprising a plurality of outputs, wherein each of the plurality of outputs is connected to a playback station, wherein the media server is connected to at least one device that is configured to store digital content, and wherein the at least one device comprises either a mobile media player docked in a mobile media docking mechanism or a local network connected to a media track storage. The method comprises media retrieving a plurality of media tracks stored in a plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises either a mobile media player docked in a mobile media docking mechanism or a local network connected to a media track storage and wherein the media tracks stored therein are seen as a single collection of tracks and substantially simultaneously outputting the plurality of media tracks to a plurality of playback stations.

Claims

1. A media play system comprising:

a media server comprising a plurality of outputs, wherein each of the plurality of outputs is connected to a playback station, wherein the media server is connected to at least one device that is configured to store digital content, and wherein the at least one device comprises either a mobile media player docked in a mobile media docking mechanism or a local network connected to a media track storage.

2. The media play system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of tracks from the device are output substantially simultaneously to a plurality of playback stations.

3. The media play system of claim 1, wherein the at least one device comprises a plurality of devices which are connected simultaneously to the server and wherein the media tracks stored therein are seen as a single collection of tracks.

4. The media play system of claim 1, wherein each playback station comprises an audio system.

5. The media play system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a docked mobile media player and wherein the media tracks stored in the device are accessed digitally.

6. The media play system of claim 5, wherein any track on the docked mobile media player is streamed digitally to any playback station.

7. The media play system of claim 1, further comprising control software configured to provide a remote interface which communicates with a) an interface of at least one instruction input system;

b) the plurality of outputs; and

c) at least one device.

8. The media play system of claim 7, wherein the control software is further configured to provide more than half of the processing power required by each instruction input system.

9. The media play system of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a media track storage connected to a local network and the software is further configured to search the local network for music files stored the media track storage.

10. A method of outputting media, the method comprising:

retrieving a plurality of media tracks stored in a plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises either a mobile media player docked in a mobile media docking mechanism or a local network connected to a media track storage and wherein the media tracks stored therein are seen as a single collection of tracks; and

substantially simultaneously outputting the plurality of media tracks to a plurality of playback stations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a different media track is output to each playback station.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of media tracks can be output to any playback station in any order.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the devices comprises a docked mobile media player and wherein the method further comprises digitally accessing the media tracks stored in each of the devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein any track on the docked mobile media player is streamed digitally to any playback station.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein each playback station comprises an audio system.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a remote interface, via control software, which communicates with a) an interface of at least one instruction input system;

b) the plurality of outputs; and

c) at least one device.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising searching the local network for music files stored in the media track storage.

18. A media play system comprising:

means for retrieving a plurality of media tracks stored in a plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices comprises either a mobile media player docked in a mobile media docking mechanism or a local network connected to a media track storage and wherein the media tracks stored therein are seen as a single collection of tracks; and

means for substantially simultaneously outputting the plurality of media tracks to a plurality of playback stations.

19. The media play system of claim 18, wherein a different media track is output to each playback station.

20. The media play system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of media tracks can be output to any playback station in any order.