Hard disk based portable device

• US 6,694,200 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1999
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lee Capital LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Digital 5, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Naim, Ari B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mei, Xu
• Application Number:
  US09/441,267
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 704/270, 704/272, 704/278, 711/112, 711/115, 711/100
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• 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 portable device including a player capable of playing and recording digital data and a hard disk connected to the player for storing a relatively large capacity of digital data that can be transferred to and from the player. The hard disk is dedicated to the storage of digital data and program files for use with the player. The portable device can include a player and hard disk that are selectively detachable from one another. Alternatively, the player and hard drive can include an integrated construction wherein the player and the hard disk are incorporated into a single housing, preferably having a single circuit, such as a printed circuit board (PCB). In the integrated portable device, the typical electronics for managing the data on a hard drive are preferably integrated with the recording, playing, or displaying electronics. In addition, certain electronic components may be shared by the hard disk controller and player electronics, thus further reducing the cost and size of the portable device. This creates a more tightly integrated solution that benefits from further power consumption reduction, lower cost and smaller size. Methods of playing, recording, and downloading data are also disclosed. Digital data stored on the hard disk can be transferred to a memory of the player for playback by the player device. Data can be recorded using the player and then transferred and stored on the hard disk. The hard disk can be coupled to an external communications device and digital data can be downloaded to the hard disk for later use on the player.

Claims

1. A portable handheld device comprising:

a player capable of recording and playing digital data; and

a hard disk removably coupled to said player for storing said digital data, said hard disk being configured to transfer data from said hard disk to said player, wherein said hard disk is not associated with a general purpose computer; and

wherein said player is configured to allow the data transferred from the hard disk to be selected and to play the selected transferred data when the hard disk is not coupled to the player.

2. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said hard disk further comprises an interface connection, said interface connection communicating with an external communications device to allow data and file download/upload between said hard disk and said external communications device.

3. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said hard disk further comprises

a hard disk housing;

a disk storage medium disposed in said hard disk housing for storing digital data;

electronic circuitry disposed on a circuit substrate in said hard disk housing, for uploading/downloading digital data between said hard disk and one of said player and/or an external communications device;

an interface in said hard disk housing for detachably connecting said hard disk to said player; and

a power source disposed in said hard disk housing, said power source being coupled to said electronic circuitry for operating said hard disk.

4. The portable handheld device of claim 3, wherein said power source comprises a battery.

5. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said player further comprises:

a player housing;

a solid state electronic memory disposed in said player housing for use in active playback and recording, wherein said data is transferable either from said hard disk to said memory or between said hard disk and said memory before said hard disk is detached form said player;

electronic circuitry disposed on a circuit substrate disposed in said player housing, for playback of said data from said memory;

an interface in said player housing for detachably connecting said player to said hard disk; and

a power source disposed in said player housing, said power source being coupled to said electronic circuitry for operating said player.

6. The portable handheld device of claim 5, wherein said power source comprises a battery.

7. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said hard disk can be coupled to an external device for data and hard disk management.

8. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said player is a music player and said data comprises audio information.

9. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said player is a digital photography camera and said data comprises digital optical image information.

10. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said player is a digital video camera and said data comprises digital video information.

11. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said player is a cellular phone and said data comprises audio information.

12. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein said files have file sizes that are generally large and continuous over sectors of memory thereby requiring less processing power to manage said memory of said hard disk, and wherein said hard disk electronics are simplified and said hard disk electronic controller comprises a smaller chip having less cache memory.

13. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein file descriptions are collectively transferable to said non-volatile memory of said player, and wherein one or more of a selection, an organization, and other manipulations of said files can be accomplished without accessing and running said hard disk.

14. The portable handheld device of claim 13, wherein once said selection, organization, and other manipulations of said files is complete, said hard disk can be accessed and said selected files can be transferred in a relatively short period of time.

15. The portable handheld device of claim 1, wherein voice recordings can be attached to said data to assist in organization and retrieval of said data.

16. The portable handheld device of claim 1, further comprising a card slot formed in said portable device and coupled to said portable device electronics, said card slot constructed to receive a memory card that can be inserted into said card slot for transferring data between said portable device and said memory card.

17. A method of playing digital data on a portable handheld device having a dedicated hard disk and player comprising:

storing digital data on said hard disk of said portable device as one or more data files;

allowing a portion of the digital data on said hard disk to be selected for transfer to said player device;

transferring only said selected data filed to a non-volatile memory of said player device;

detaching the hard disk from the portable device; and

processing said selected data in said non-volatile memory with digital electronics to produce digital signals when the hard disk is detached from the portable device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing programs used to play said digital data on said hard disk.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said programs are used to play one of compressed and uncompressed data.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising uploading file header information for said data to said non-volatile memory for use in reviewing and selecting items from said player memory.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said hard disk is used as a general-purpose storage device.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising retrieving said digital data to be stored on said hard disk from an external communications device coupled to said hard disk.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising disconnecting power to said hard disk when said hard disk is not in use.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising placing said hard disk in a locked state during playtime and unlocking said hard disk when read/write access is required.

25. A method of downloading data to a portable handheld device having a detachable hard drive and player comprising:

coupling said portable handheld device to an external communications device while said hard drive is detached from the player;

selecting one or more data and program files for download;

downloading said selected data and program files from said external communications device to said portable device;

attaching said hard drive to the player; and

storing said downloaded data and program files in a disk storage medium of said hard drive.