Vehicle audio system having random access player with play list control

• US 6,185,163 B1
• Filed: 08/16/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ValueStreet Consulting Group
• Original Assignee: Delco Electronics Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Bickford, Brian Lee, Brown, Amahl Kenneth, Carman, Dan Darryl, Catlett, Edward Dickson, Goodwin, Gary Edward, Kleiss, James Alan, Szabo, Ronald Julius
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/374,305
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 369/32, 369/30, 369/33, 369/34, 369/35, 369/36, 369/38, 369/2, 369/4, 369/6
• US Class Current: 369/7
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/22 from random access magazine of disc records
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2529 Mini-discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A method is provided for altering a play list of a Random Access Player without interrupting the generation of output by the Player. The method includes initiating a reproduction mode that activates the Random Access Player, commencing the generating of output by the Random Access Player and receiving play list requests while the Random Access Player is generating the output, and processing the received play list requests while the Random Access Player is generating the output such that the play list is altered without interrupting the generation of output by the player.

Claims

1. A vehicle audio system, comprising:

a radio for receiving radio waves and generating output based upon the received radio waves;

a random access player for generating output based upon digital information contained on a recording media; and

a play list modification system that provides alteration of a play list without interrupting the generation of an output by the random access player, the play list modification system having;

a memory having a data structure that stores data which identifies a sequence as defined by the play list;

a processor that accesses the memory, the processor providing a control signal for the generation of output by the player based upon the access to the data stored in the data structure of the memory; and

an interface control panel that receives a user request and transmits the request to the processor, the processor accessing the memory and altering the data stored in the data structure of the memory in response to the user request without interrupting the generation of output by the Random Access Player.

2. The vehicle audio system of claim 1, wherein the random access player is a compact disc player.

3. The vehicle audio system of claim 1, wherein the random access player has a multiple recording media storage device that holds a plurality of recording media for access and generation of output by the random access player.

4. The vehicle audio system of claim 1, wherein said interface control panel alters the data stored in the data structure of the memory while the random access player is generating output.

5. A vehicle audio system, comprising:

a radio for receiving radio waves and generating output based upon the received radio waves;

a random access player for generating output based upon digital information contained on a recording media; and

a play list modification system that provides alteration of a play list without interrupting the generation of an output by the random access player, the play list modification system having;

a memory having a data structure that stores data which identifies a sequence as defined by the play list;

a processor that accesses the memory, the processor providing a control signal for the generation of output by the player based upon the access to the data stored in the data structure of the memory;

an interface control panel that receives a user request and transmits the request to the processor, the processor accessing the memory and altering the data stored in the data structure of the memory without interrupting the generation of output by the Random Access Player; and

a first user control button arranged on the interface control panel, wherein the processor measures a period of time that the first user control button is activated;

deletes from the play list a plurality of selections that define a sequence if the measured period of time that the first user control button is activated is within a first defined interval;

controls the use of the play list based upon the measured period of time that the first user control button is activated being within a second defined interval; and

alters one of said plurality of selections that define a sequence if the measured period of time that the first user control button is activated is within a third defined interval.

6. The vehicle audio system of claim 5, wherein said random access player is a compact disc player.

7. The vehicle audio system of claim 5, wherein the random access player has a multiple recording media storage device that holds a plurality of recording media for access and generation of output by the random access player.

8. The vehicle audio system of claim 5, wherein the interface control panel has a second button.

9. The vehicle audio system of claim 5, wherein the interface control panel has a second button and a third button.