Patent ID: 7548851
Filing Date: 2009-06-16
Classification: G11B,H04S

Abstract:
1. A method for storing previously recorded sets of audio tracks in a compressed format in at least one memory device and for later retrieving the set of audio tracks in the compressed format, and for converting the set of audio tracks retrieved in the compressed format into a set of signals in an uncompressed format suitable to be played to sound the respective audio-tracks, the method comprising: transferring a plurality of sets of audio tracks in the uncompressed format from a first storage device to a second storage device, without compression, and storing the set of audio tracks in the uncompressed format in the second storage device; compressing the set of audio tracks transferred to and stored in the second storage device in the uncompressed format into the compressed format; storing the set of audio tracks in the compressed format in the second storage device; and upon receiving a request for an audio track to be played, retrieving the set of audio tracks in the compressed format and decompressing the set of audio tracks retrieved into signals in the uncompressed format suitable to be played to sound the audio track, wherein the compressing and the decompressing are performed according to a predetermined priority in which decompressing the set of audio tracks retrieved in the compressed format takes priority over compressing a set of audio tracks transferred in the uncompressed format from the first storage device.