Abstract:
A portable video display system (PVDS) provides convenience of presenting video data to users in a variety of situations, such as while the users may be traveling. A PVDS can store video data through removable and/or installed memory, including a disc, and present the video through a video display, providing an autonomous video storage and display system that is portable such that users may experience video presentations conveniently under many circumstances. Common applications include use while a user is traveling, commuting, on vacation, and present in other places and situations where portable entertainment is desired. A PVDS may be used with headphones to increase privacy and minimize disturbance to others nearby while PVDS is in use. A PVDS may also have the ability to present other media data such as image data and/or audio data.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A portable video display system for the presentation of a digital versatile disc (DVD) can provide a user with the ability to view DVDs while traveling or otherwise are transporting the portable video display system. DVDs are a popular storage medium for video data. 
     SUMMARY 
     A portable video display system (PVDS) provides convenience of presenting video data to users in a variety of situations, such as while the users may be traveling. A PVDS can store video data through removable and/or installed memory, including a disc, and present the video through a video display, providing an autonomous video storage and display system that is portable such that users may experience video presentations conveniently under many circumstances. Common applications include use while a user is traveling, commuting, on vacation, and present in other places and situations where portable entertainment is desired. A PVDS may be used with headphones to increase privacy and minimize disturbance to others nearby while PVDS is in use. A PVDS may also have the ability to present other media data such as image data and/or audio data. 
     In accordance with one embodiment, the present invention relates to a portable video presentation system including a body having a disc receptacle and a media player receptacle and a cover element hinged to the body, the cover element being configured to enclose the disc receptacle and the media player receptacle. The cover element may include a video display and a control interface on an exterior surface of the cover element, and the control interface may include a control element. The system may further include a media processor adapted to select one of a plurality of states based on user input received from the control element. The plurality of states may include a disc video data presentation state wherein disc video data is received by the media processor from a disc in the disc receptacle and a media player video data presentation state wherein player video data is received by the media processor from a media player in the media player receptacle. 
     In accordance with another embodiment, the present invention relates to a portable video presentation system, including a body containing a video display interconnected to a media processor, a disc player provided within the body, the disc player being interconnected with the media processor, a media player interface provided within the body and adapted to receive a portable media player, the media player interface interconnected with the media processor. The system may include a control interface on a surface of the body and adapted to receive a user instruction to control video presentation on the video display. The media processor may be adapted to request selectively video data from the disc player or the portable media player based on the user instruction, to process the video data received in response to the request into a format suitable for the video display, and to transmit the processed video data to the video display. 
     In accordance with yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method including receiving at a body a portable media player at a media player interface, the portable media player containing player video data. The method further includes receiving at the body a disc containing disc video data, and initiating presentation of the disc video data. The method further includes receiving through a user interface an instruction to initiate presentation of player video data, ceasing presentation of the disc video data in response to the instruction, and requesting the player video data from the portable media player. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a master portable video display system with the cover element closed. 
         FIG. 2  shows another view of the embodiment of a master portable video display system with the cover element opened. 
         FIG. 3  shows a block schematic of a master portable video display system. 
         FIG. 4  shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for operating a master portable video display system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following description of various embodiments is merely exemplary in nature. While various embodiments have been described for purposes of this specification, various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. 
     Video may be stored on discs (e.g., Digital Versatile Disc or “DVD”) or similar data storage elements. A user may carry a variety of DVDs to play on a portable video display system (PVDS), and the user may choose from the DVDs in order to select the video data to be displayed. For example, a DVD may contain video data for a particular movie, and the user may select the movie to be watched through selecting a particular DVD. 
     A personal media player (“PMP”) is an example of a PVDS, providing a system on which a user may view and/or listen to media, often with storage space available for storing media in electronic format. A PMP may store media in electronic format using a storage device such as a hard disk drive or a solid state memory. An example of a PMP is the iPod sold by Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Other examples of PMPs are: the Zune sold by Microsoft, Inc. of Seattle, Wash., and the Sansa View sold by SanDisk of Milpitas, Calif. PMPs are available with the capacity to store many hours of media, including video and/or audio data. 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a master portable video display system (MPVDS)  100  with its cover element closed. The MPVDS  100  includes a video display  102 , system control elements  106 , and a control interface  104 . System control elements  106  include a media source selection element  108 . A media source selection element  108  is shown for selecting a source from which media presentation (e.g., video, audio, image) will be performed. For example, operating the media source selection element  108  may stop presentation of video data stored on a disc and initiate presentation of video data stored on a PMP  110 . A media source selection element  108  may be a push button, control wheel, toggle switch and/or other interface element. 
     In one embodiment, the media source selection element  108  may control the source of media for presentation without user input beyond operation of the element. In another embodiment, operation of the media source selection element  108  may trigger a graphical user interface (GUI)  112 , which may appear on the video display  102  to complete the selection of a media source. For example, the GUI  112  may guide a user through the media source selection process, including decision(s) whether to stop, pause, and/or store a saved position in the media currently being presented. The use of the GUI  112  on the video display and user inputs relating to the use of a GUI  112  is further described below. 
     The control interface  104  provides a user the ability to control video data presented on the video display  102 . For example, the MVPDS  100  may be configured to request information from the PMP  110 , control presentation states of the PMP  110 , navigate menus of the PMP  110  and otherwise command the PMP  110  based on control elements on the MVPDS  100  being operated by the user. The control functions of the control elements of the PMP  110  may not be operational when the PMP  110  is connected via a media player interface to the MVPDS  100 , including a wired or wireless interface as described further herein. 
     The MPVDS  100  may be able to control various aspects of the operation of the PMP  110  through commissioning the PMP  110  when the PMP  110  is connected to the MPVDS  100 . In other words, when the PMP  110  is connected to the MPVDS  100  and the MPVDS  100  has put the PMP  110  into a commissioned mode, the control of the PMP  110  may be handled exclusively by the control elements  104 ,  106  on the MPVDS  100 . A media processor that is part of the MPVDS  100 , as described further herein, may control all aspects of the operation of the PMP  110  while the PMP  110  is in the commissioned mode. When the PMP  110  is in other non-commissioned modes, the PMP  110  may perform the functions of an autonomous PVDS. In the embodiment shown, the control elements on the PMP  110  are not accessible to a user when the PMP  110  is within the MPVDS. As described further below, the PMP  110  may or may not be even visible to the user when the PMP is within the MPVDS. 
     The control interface  104  may have navigational control elements, such as up, down, right, and left elements. Navigational control elements may be used in conjunction with the graphical user interface (GUI)  112  presented on the video display  102 . For example, the GUI  112  may provide command selections  114  through which a user may navigate and select using the navigational control elements. The GUI  112  may comprise command selections  114  that allow a user to select portions of video data to display, and/or presentation options (e.g., subtitles, languages, screen modes). The GUI  112  presentation may also include commands for the selection of the source of video data. For example, the GUI  112  presentation may include a command to select video data on a DVD or video data on a PMP  110  for presentation on the video screen  102 . The selection of separate sources of video data, such as a DVD or a PMP  110 , is discussed further herein. 
     The MPVDS  100  includes system control elements  106 , such as elements relating to power, volume, keylock, and media source selection element  108 . A system control element  106  may perform the same function regardless of whether a GUI  112  is presented. For example, in one embodiment, a media source selection element  108  may be operated to switch between presenting media data from one media source to another media source, and the media source selection element  108  may perform the same function regardless of whether another GUI  112  is being presented. 
     There are many options for presenting the GUI  112  on the video display  102 . When a control GUI  112  is displayed, presentation of video data may be paused, stopped, otherwise interrupted, continued on a smaller portion of the video display, and/or presented in the background while the control screen is overlaid on the video data. The GUI  112  may be overlaid on the video display  102  over video data, for example, as a set of partially transparent GUI elements presented over the video data. Alternatively, the GUI  112  may be presented in a separate portion of the video display. In response to the GUI  112  being presented, the video data may be presented in a modified manner. For example, the video data may be paused, may continue presentation, may fill the full frame of the video display  102 , and/or may be scaled to make space available for the GUI  112 . As another example, the GUI  112  may be presented with a background, such as a menu screen, while the video data is temporarily paused and/or otherwise not displayed. 
     Status indicators  118  are provided for displaying status of the MPVDS  100  to the user. The status indicators  118  may provide information about the source of the media being presented to the user. For example, a status indicator  118  may be provided to indicate that video is being presented from a DVD, that video is being presented from a PMP  110 , or that audio is being presented from a PMP  100 . A status indicator  118  may indicate information about the media or video being presented to the user, such as metadata, title, or other information. Other status indicators  118  may be included to indicate system status, such as power, state of charge on a battery, and/or error conditions. 
     Status indicators  118  may be combined into a single element, such as a display, that is able to indicate multiple states to a user. For example, a display may show a status that video presentation is presently coming from a PMP source, the title of the video, and/or the date the video was purchased. 
     Audio and video ports  120  are shown, provided for allowing a user to plug devices such as headphones or external monitors (e.g., television) into the MPVDS  100 . In another embodiment, wireless interfaces (e.g., electromagnetic communications interface) may be provided as alternate audio and/or video ports  120 . External speaker(s) may also be included on the MPVDS  100  for use instead or in addition to headphones. 
       FIG. 2  shows another view of the embodiment of a master portable video display system (MPVDS)  200  with the cover element opened. The MPVDS  200  includes a cover element  202 , shown in an opened position relative to a main body  204 . The main body  204  has a disc receptacle  206  including a disc spindle  208  for holding a DVD  210 . The disc receptacle  206  has a space for the disc to rotate through rotation of the spindle  208  and a mechanism through which data (e.g., video data) is read from the DVD  210 . The main body  204  also has a PMP receptacle  212  including a space to hold a PMP  214  and a media player interface  216 . Control elements, further described herein, may be provided on an exterior surface of the cover element  202  and/or on the side of the main body  204 . A remote control interface  222  may provide alternate capabilities for providing control to the MPVDS  200 . 
     In the embodiment shown, the media player interface  216  is shown as a mechanically connected interface (e.g., wired interface). In alternate embodiments, the media player interface  216  may be a wireless interface (e.g., electromagnetic interface). For example, many wireless interfaces are available, and some PMPs are capable of utilizing these interfaces to transmit and/or receive control data and/or media data (e.g., video data). Also in the embodiment shown, the media player interface  216  is rotatable with respect to the main body  204  in order to facilitate connecting the media player interface  216  with the PMP  214 . For example, the media player interface  216  may be rotated to a position that is out of plane from the main body  204 , may be connected to the PMP  214 , and may be then rotated back into its in-plane position maintaining the connection between the media player interface  216  and the PMP  214 . 
     In other embodiments, the mechanical media player interface  216  may remain in-plane with the main body  204 , and the PMP  214  may be slid into connection with the mechanical interface. For example, the PMP  214  may be slid in-plane through an opening on the side of the main body  204 , and such sliding may engage the PMP  214  with the mechanical media player interface  216 . 
     The cover element  202  has a hinged connection  218  to the main body  204 . The hinged connection  218  allows the cover element  202  to be closed for the presentation of video data on the video display, and opened for complete access to both the disc receptacle  206  and the PMP receptacle  212  for insertion, removal, and/or replacement of the disc  210  and/or PMP  214 . The cover element  202  includes the video display shown on its exterior surface such that the video display is visible (see  FIG. 1 ) when the cover element  202  is closed. 
     The cover element  202  is used to enclose the PMP  214  and disc  210  while allowing access when the cover element  202  is opened. In an alternative embodiment, there is no cover element, and a user may insert a disc, a PMP  214 , or both through sliding, attaching and/or otherwise connecting the disc and/or the PMP  214  to the MPVDS  200 . For example, a slide tray may be provided that slides out of the MPVDS  200 . As another example, a tray-less sliding entry system may be provided wherein the user inserts a disc and/or PMP  214  into the MPVDS  200  without the assistance of a sliding tray that slides outside the main body  204 . The tray-less system may include an internal mechanism to guide the disc  210  and/or PMP  214  completely into position. 
     In one embodiment, the cover element  202  may enclose only the disc  210  or the PMP  214 . As an alternative embodiment, the cover element  202  encloses the PMP  214 , and a disc  210  may be slid in from the side of the MPVDS  200 . As another embodiment, the cover element  202  encloses the disc  210  and a PMP  214  may be connected externally or slid into the MPVDS  200 . 
     The cover element  202  is shown with a translucent window  220  that allows a screen of the PMP  214  to be viewed through the cover. In one embodiment, the MPVDS  200  uses the PMP  214  screen to present a GUI (e.g., including menu information) while the PMP  214  is selected as a source for media presentation. For example, after a user has selected the PMP  214  for media presentation, the user may navigate through a GUI on the screen of the PMP  214  in order to control media presentation from the PMP  214  in a manner similar to that of the MPVDS shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As another embodiment, a GUI representing the functions of the PMP  214  may be presented on the video display of the MPVDS  200 , as described further herein, thereby allowing a user to navigate through the GUI on the MPVDS video display and translating the instructions from the user into a format suitable for transmitting to the PMP  214 . In this embodiment, the translucent window  220  may not be included, and instructions may be sent to the PMP  214  to turn off the PMP screen in order to save power. In alternative embodiments, control of video data presentation from the PMP  214  may be completely controlled by control elements on the MPVDS  200  and/or GUIs displayed by the MPVDS, as described further herein. 
     The control elements of MPVDS  200  may be similar or identical to those described in  FIG. 1 . The internal structure of the MPVDS  100  of  FIG. 1  may be similar or identical to the MPVDS  200 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a block schematic  300  of a master portable video display system. The block schematic  300  shows a media processor  302  connected to a PMP  304  and a DVD mechanism  306 . The media processor  302  may also be connected to memory  308  within the MPVDS. The memory  308  may be removable and/or installed within the MPVDS or may include a removable portion of memory and an installed portion of memory. The media processor  302  may be connected to the PMP  304 , the DVD mechanism  306  and/or the memory  308  through connections for receiving media data (audio data and/or video data) and for controlling the PMP  304 , the DVD mechanism  306  and/or the memory  308 . For example, the media processor  302  may be connected to motor driver  320  that is connected to a DVD mechanism  306  for the purpose of controlling the physical properties of the DVD mechanism  306  (e.g., spinning a spindle, guiding an optical reading element). As another example, the media processor  302  may be connected to the PMP  304  through a media player interface such that the media processor  302  can place the PMP  304  into a commissioned mode, as described further herein. 
     The media processor  302  is further connected to input elements  310 , which include the system control elements further described herein. Input elements  310  may be connected to the media processor  302  through a wired interface (e.g., wired connections from the exterior of the cover element) and/or through a wireless interface (e.g., infrared hand-held remote control). The media processor  302  is also connected to audio/video pre-amplification circuitry  312  and the video display  314  for presenting the media (e.g., images, video and/or audio). 
     Elements of the systems described herein may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, any combination thereof, or in another appropriate medium. The systems described herein may implement methods described herein. In addition, methods described herein which, when implemented in hardware, software, firmware, any combination thereof, or in another appropriate medium, may form systems described herein. Therefore, the descriptions of the methods and systems herein supplement each other and should be understood by those with skill in the art to form a cumulative disclosure. 
     The methods described herein may be performed by any part of an element of a system described herein. In addition, the methods described herein may be performed iteratively, repeatedly, and/or in parts. In addition, some of the methods or parts of the methods described herein may be performed simultaneously. In addition, elements of the systems described herein may be distributed functionally in any configuration. 
       FIG. 4  shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method  400  for operating a master portable video display system. The method includes receiving  402  a PMP at a media player interface. For example, the PMP may be received at a wired interface, as described further herein. As another example, a wireless interface may be established through a handshaking or other process appropriate for the wireless protocol being used for the wireless interface. Player video data on the PMP may become accessible through this media player interface. In the embodiment shown, a disc containing disc video data is received  404 . For example, the disc may be received at a disc mechanism. Disc video data on the disc may become accessible through the disc mechanism. Presentation of disc video data may initiate  406  based on a user instruction. In another embodiment, presentation of disc video data may initiate  406  as a default response to the a disc being received  404 . 
     In alternate embodiments, the PMP and the disc may contain media data other than video data. For example, the other media data may include image data, audio data, software, and/or interactive data. 
     An instruction may be received  408  through a user interface to initiate presentation of player video data. Instructions may be received through a user interface, such as a control interface and/or a GUI, as described further herein. As described further herein, the user interface may include a GUI combined with the operation of an input element (e.g., a navigational control element). Alternatively, an input element may be operated without the combination of a GUI. 
     An instruction to initiate presentation of video data may be received from a number of types of inputs. For example, a video source selection element, as further described herein, may be an input that provides an instruction to initiate presentation of video data from a source including the PMP, the disc, or a portion of memory. 
     In one embodiment, a media processor may perform the method. The media processor may respond to an instruction to initiate presentation of video data by communicating with the source of video data to transfer video data from the source to the media processor. The media processor may further communicate with the source of video data to command and/or operate the source, including in a commissioned mode, as described further above. 
     In response to the instruction to initiate presentation of player video data  408 , the media processor may cease presentation of video data  410  from a disc or from a portion of memory, and may continue to provide instructions for operating the disc and/or the portion of memory. For example, as described further above, the presentation may be stopped, paused, and/or a position in the media currently being presented may be stored. 
     Alternatively, an instruction may be received to select a source of video data other than the PMP (e.g., a selection of a disc as the source), and presentation may be ceased from the PMP. If the PMP is being operated by a media processor in a commissioned mode, the media processor may or may not release the PMP from a commissioned mode in relation to ceasing presentation of video data from the PMP. The commissioned mode is described further above. In one embodiment, the media processor may place the PMP into a commissioned mode in response to the PMP being received at the media player interface. In another embodiment, the media processor may place the PMP into a commissioned mode in response to an instruction to initiate the presentation player video data  412 . 
     Initiating presentation of player video data  412  may be performed in response to instructions from a user received  408  from a control interface separate from the control interface of the PMP. For example, initiating presentation of player video data  412  may be performed in response to a media source selection element being operated. As another example, initiating presentation of player video data  412  may be performed in response to connection of a PMP to a MPVDS. In one embodiment, presentation of default player video data is initiated  412 , such as the previously stored, paused, and/or stopped player video data. In another embodiment, presentation of player video data is initiated  412  after a user has given some other instruction. For example, initiation of presentation of player video data  412  may occur after a user selects the player video data from a list and/or directory. As another example, initiation of presentation of player video data  412  may occur after a user closes a cover element of the MPVDS. As another example, initiation of presentation of player video data  412  may occur after a user interacts with a GUI on the video display using a control interface of the MPVDS. As another example, initiation of presentation of player video data  412  may occur after the user views an introductory screen providing information about the player video data. 
     The following claims conclude the specification, the disclosure of which is not limited to the particular embodiments described or claimed.