Patent ID: 6141702
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: G11B,H04B,H04L,H04N,Y10S

Abstract:
In a home audio visual network including a plurality of devices coupled via an IEEE 1394 bus, a system for accessing a media player mechanism of a multi-item-type media player, comprising:a multi-item-type media player for storing a media item and playing the media item;a media player mechanism within the multi-item-type media player, the media player configured to play the media item;a computer system within the multi-item-type media player, the computer system coupled to the media player mechanism, the computer system having a processor coupled to a memory; anda software based media player model executing within the computer system, the media player model comprised of computer readable code which when executed by the processor cause the computer system to perform a method for accessing the media player mechanism, the method comprising the computer system performing the steps of:interfacing with a plurality of devices coupled to the multi-item media player via an IEEE 1394 communications link of an IEEE 1394 based network;providing a standardized command set for the media player mechanism to provide a set of standardized commands that allow the plurality of devices to access the media player mechanism such that the plurality of devices can access the information of the installed media item; andproviding content discovery functionality for the media item for allowing the plurality of devices to discover the content of the media item prior to accessing the media item.