Patent ID: 7769903
Filing Date: 2010-08-03
Classification: G06F,G11B,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A system for managing and playing media data, said system comprising: a host computer including a memory that stores a plurality of media items and at least a first playlist, the first playlist being created by a user interacting with said host computer to select certain of the media items to be included within the first playlist; and a portable media player that, when operatively connected to said host computer, receives media data for one or more of the media items from said host computer and stores the received media data, and receives at least the first playlist from said host computer and stores the first playlist, wherein, when said portable media player operatively connects to said host computer, said host computer automatically synchronizes one or more media items between said portable media player and said host computer by identifying the one or more items based on a comparison of media information data stored at said portable media player with media information data stored at said host computer, and by transferring media item data and media information data for the one or more media items from the host computer to said portable media player, wherein, for each of the one or more media items, said host computer transfers (i) a first electronic file including the media item data for the corresponding media item, and (ii) a second electronic file including the media information data for at least the corresponding media item, the second electronic file being distinct from the first electronic file, wherein the media item data and the media information data transferred to said portable media player from said host computer are separately stored thereon, whereby for each of the one or more media items being received, the media item data included in the first electronic file is stored in a media store at said portable media player, and the media information data included in the second electronic file is stored in a media database at said portable media player, wherein the media information data includes at least one equalization setting for each of one or more of the media items being transferred from said host computer to said portable media player, whereby equalization settings at the host computer control corresponding equalization settings on the portable media player, wherein the media information data further includes at least one volume setting for each of one or more of the media items being transferred from said host computer to said portable media player, wherein, when one or more of the media items is to be played by the portable media player, the media player is configured in accordance with the at least one equalization setting and the volume setting that corresponding to the one of the media items to be played, wherein at least one of the at least one equalization setting is user-specified at the host computer, wherein the at least one equalization setting pertains to amplitude settings for a plurality of different frequency bands and impacts dynamic range of the one of the media items to be played by the portable media player, and wherein the at least one equalization setting is selected from a plurality of predetermined equalization settings.