Patent ID: 8544045
Filing Date: 2013-09-24
Classification: H04H,H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A home entertainment system, comprising: at least one server having access to audio files; at least one client device communicating with the server over a home entertainment network and bearing plural speakers on a housing of the client device; wherein client device may be an audio-only client device; and at least one remote commander detachably engageable with a bay of the client device and displaying a menu of audio streams, the music menu being received from the server through the client device for user selection of an audio stream resident on the server and to be audibly played on the speakers mounted on the housing of the client device; wherein in response to the user selection, the server sends the music data to the client device over the home entertainment network; the music menu being updated automatically while the remote commander is engaged with the bay of the client device responsive to a first determination that music menu data is modified at the server and responsive to a second determination that music menu data is modified at the server; wherein the remote commander includes a display for displaying the music menu, the remote commander also including its own internal audio decoder and associated storage device, to render the remote commander a portable audio player; wherein the remote commander wirelessly transmits the user selection to the client device, which in turn requests the selection from the server; and wherein the remote commander is implemented by a wireless telephone.