Abstract:
A method for selecting songs is provided, which is applied in an audio playback device. The method comprises obtaining a song file linked with the song title according to the song title selected by a user; reading a section from the song file according to the section of the song file designated by the user; providing a corresponding section number to the section; establishing a link between the song title and the section number for the section; joining up each section; and adding the song file linked with the section to a playlist according to the selected section and an instruction for adding it to the playlist.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a method for selecting songs and an audio playback device thereof, and more particularly, to a method for selecting songs and an audio playback device thereof with a function of trial listen to select songs to add into a playlist.  
         [0003]     2. Related Art  
         [0004]     Nowadays, the audio playback device of digital audio format, such as MP3 player, is becoming popular, since it is capable of storing a large amount of music data and is light, convenient for carrying. However, as the digital audio playback device can store a large amount of music data, when the user is listening to music with the digital audio playback device, he/she cannot associate the displayed song title with the corresponding music style due to human&#39;s limited memory, and he/she usually needs to listen to a part of the music to determine whether to listen to it or not. Therefore, it cannot be determined whether a piece of music has been selected correctly or not until the music is added into the playlist and formally played. If wrong, the playlist must be re-modified. When a large number of songs are stored in the playback device, the situation becomes even worse. If many undesired songs are selected, such a fussy step must be repeated constantly, and it is a waste of time and spirit for the user. Furthermore, when the user searches for one or more desired songs by playing songs one by one, recording by paper and pen, and settings songs, for example, deleting songs, or adding songs, according to the record, this brings troubles to the user and also wastes the user&#39;s time.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In view of above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a device and method useful for various audio playback devices, such as the Multi Media Viewer (MMV), MP3 player, PVR, and other acoustic devices, enabling the user to pre-select a fast-played song, set a start point for playing each song, and select a duration for play for each song, so as to quickly pre-listen the selected song. In view of above problems, another object of the present invention is to provide a device and method useful for various audio playback devices, such as the MMV, MP3 player, PVR, and other acoustic devices, enabling the user to pre-listen a section of each song to determine whether to add it to the playlist or not depending on preference for the song, or to replay the section or even play the whole song.  
         [0006]     In view of the above problems, another object of the present invention is to provide a device and method useful for various audio playback devices, such as the MMV, MP3 player, PVR, and other acoustic devices, enabling the user, when pre-listening the section of each song, to pause the playing before the section has been played for a set duration, or automatically asking the user whether to add the song into the playlist or not, after completing the playing of the set section.  
         [0007]     To achieve above objects, the present invention provides a method for selecting songs, applied in an audio playback device. The method comprises obtaining a song file linked with the song title according to a song title selected by a user; reading the section from the song file according to a section of the song file designated by the user; assigning a corresponding section number to the section; establishing a link between the song title and the section number for the section, and displaying it in a correlation table; connecting each section; and adding the song file linked with the section to the playlist according to the selected section and the instruction for adding it to the playlist.  
         [0008]     The method further comprises playing the song file linked with the section according to the selected section and instruction, or replaying the section according to the selected section and instruction.  
         [0009]     To achieve above objects, the present invention provides an audio playback device, which comprises:  
         [0010]     an acoustic data memory module, for recording each song file selected for processing, to be provided to the acoustic signal editing and processing module subsequently, for processing the basic signal data of each selected song;  
         [0011]     a trial-play setting memory module, for memorizing the selected song titles and song sections, establishing and memorizing a correlation table in which the song titles are linked with the song section numbers for each song section, to be provided to the acoustic signal editing and processing module subsequently, as basic control data for processing the selected song section; and  
         [0012]     an acoustic signal editing and processing module, for decomposing, copying, cutting, integrating, and editing the acoustic data, such that any section of any song can be read from the acoustic data memory module and stored in the trial-play setting memory module, and the individual sections are integrated as a successive audio file for the user to pre-listen, and the song file linked with the section is added into the playlist to be played, according to the selected section and instruction; or playing the song file linked with the section, according to the selected section and instruction; or replaying the section, according the selected section and instruction.  
         [0013]     Or, replaying the song file linked with the sections, according to the selected section and instruction.  
         [0014]     Furthermore, the audio playback device further comprises a storage module, for storing song files of various formats, for the users to select and play subsequently; a display, for displaying the song title, time parameter, and other records of the song file; and a file access control module, for detecting, extracting, transmitting, coding, and managing the communication of the song files.  
         [0015]     The audio playback device is, for example, a MMV, MP3 player, or PVR.  
         [0016]     The detailed features and advantages of the present invention will be described in detail in the detailed description of the invention, and the content thereof enables any skilled in the art to understand the technique of the present invention and to implement accordingly, and any advantages and objects related to the present invention can be understood from the disclosures, claims, and drawings of the specification.  
         [0017]     The above summary of the present invention and the following detailed description of the invention are used for exampling and explaining the principle of the present invention, and provide a further explanation for the claims of the present invention.  
         [0018]     The features and practices of the present invention are illustrated in a most preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings as follows. To further understand the objects, constructions, features, and functions of the present invention, the present invention is illustrated in detail with reference to embodiments as follows.  
         [0019]     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below for illustration only, and which thus is not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0021]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are respectively a front view and a side view of a device which can use the present invention according to a preferred embodiment;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  to  2 B are flow charts of a display screen of a device using a method of the present invention according to a preferred embodiment;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of processing the waveform of the trial song by the method of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a main flow chart of the method of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of selecting the trial song file and setting the play mode in the method of the present invention (Flow A);  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart of processing the selected trial song by the system in the method of the present invention (Flow B);  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart of trial-playing the song file by the system in a set mode in the method of the present invention (Flow C);  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is a flow chart of adding the song file set by the system according to the user&#39;s instruction to a formal play mode into the playlist to be played (flow D);  
         [0030]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  are schematic views of obtaining and recording a correlation of the song title and the section number by the trial-play setting and playlist memory module respectively; and  
         [0031]      FIG. 10C  shows a preferred embodiment of a display for displaying the song and the songs in the playlist. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0032]     It should be declared at first that the below drawings are only a brief illustration, and are not drawn according to actual size, that is, they do not reflect the actual functions and characteristics of the present invention.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , they are respectively a front view and a side view of an audio playback device which can use the present invention according to a preferred embodiment.  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , an audio playback device  1  using the present invention, such as a MMV, MP3 player, PVR, or other audio playback devices, may comprise a display  3 , a loudspeaker and a loudspeaker hole  5  comprised thereof, a control key  7 , an audio signal output jack  9 , and a file transport socket  11 .  
         [0035]     With the display  3 , the above audio playback device  1  may display messages, such as the song title, song remaining time, and song serial number. And the users may operate the functions of the audio playback device  1  with the control key  7 , for example, controlling the computer system to transfer the music file from the file transport socket  11  to the audio playback device  1 , or select songs, and listen to music by the loudspeaker hole  5  or by inserting an earphone into the audio signal output jack  9 .  
         [0036]     Also, the audio playback device  1  may comprise a memory medium socket  13 , for a medium for storing the audio files or a medium for storing other files of various formats to insert.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIGS. 2A  to  2 B, they are flow charts of a display screen of a device using a method of the present invention according to a preferred embodiment.  
         [0038]     As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the user may pre-select the fast-played songs, set the start point of each song and select the duration for playing each song, and also the total number and time of the songs to be trial-played is displayed after the user has selected the songs for fast playing (trial playing).  
         [0039]     Also, the device applying the present invention may allow the user to select whether to add it to the playlist after each song section has been played, or to pause the playing before the pre-listened section has been played completely, or to select to replay the pre-listened section, or even play the whole song.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , it is a block diagram of a device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0041]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the device of the present invention comprises a storage module  15 , an acoustic data memory module  17 , a trial-play setting and playlist memory module  19 , a set of control keys  21 , a display  23 , and a microprocessor  25 .  
         [0042]     The microprocessor  25  further comprises a file access control module  27 , an acoustic signal editing and processing module  29 , a control key module  31 , a timing module  33 , a display interface module  35 , and a digital/analogy decoder module  37 .  
         [0043]     The storage module  15  is used to store files of various formats, for example music files of MP3 format, for a user to select and play subsequently.  
         [0044]     The trial-play setting and playlist memory module  19  is used to memorize parameter data recodes such as the selected trial song and time duration, playlist, and the correlation record of song title and section number, for being provided to the acoustic signal editing and processing module  29  subsequently, as basic control data for processing the song section and the playlist.  
         [0045]     The acoustic data memory module  17  is used to record each song file selected for processing, comprising the data record, such as sample rate, resolution, file size, file format, duration, sample number, and waveform, for being provided to the acoustic signal editing and processing module  29  subsequently to process the basic signal data of a song section.  
         [0046]     The control key  21  is used as an interface for the user to input the control data.  
         [0047]     The display  23  may display the records such as song title and time parameter.  
         [0048]     The operation core of the present invention is the microprocessor  25 , with functions of editing and processing the waveform of the song, managing the file of the playlist, processing the digital/analogy audio signals, and the like.  
         [0049]     The key control module  31  generates a control data signal based on the input signal of the control key  21 , to control other modules, such as selecting songs.  
         [0050]     The file access control module  27  is used to detect, extract, transmit, code, and manage the communication of the files.  
         [0051]     The acoustic signal editing and processing module  29  is used to decompose, copy, cut, integrate, and edit the acoustic signal, such that any section of any song can be selected, and the individual sections can be integrated as a successive audio file for the user to pre-listen.  
         [0052]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , according to the start point of each song set by the user and the duration for playing each song selected by the user, the acoustic signal editing and processing module  29  will select a corresponding section, having a start point and an end point, from the play waveform of each song. After the selection is completed, all sections would be joined up as a successive audio file for quick pre-listening.  
         [0053]     The timing module  33  is used to provide a source of a time driving signal when the acoustic signal editing and processing module  29  is processing the song sections.  
         [0054]     The display interface module  35  is used to convert the time parameters and other data signals of various songs to be output on the display  23 .  
         [0055]     The digital/analogy decoder module  37  is used to convert the digital sound signal to an analog sound signal, to be output by the analog audio signal output device  39 , such that the user may listen to music with a loudspeaker or an earphone.  
         [0056]     Then, the method flow of the present invention will be illustrated in detail by each module in the device.  
         [0057]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , it is a main flow chart of a method of the present invention method.  
         [0058]     At the beginning, select the trial song files and set the play mode (Flow A); then the system processes the selected trial song (Flow B); the system trial-plays the song file in a set mode (Flow C); the system adds the song file set to a formal play mode according to the user&#39;s instruction into the playlist to be played (Flow D).  
         [0059]     The secondary flows in the main flow of the method of the present invention will be illustrated in detail below.  
         [0060]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , it is a flow chart of selecting trial song files and setting play modes (Flow A) in the method of the present invention.  
         [0061]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , in the flow of selecting trial song files and setting play modes (Flow A), the file access control module  27  searches for all songs from the storage module  15  (Step  601 ); the selection of songs and time setting parameters, such as whether to add it to the pre-playlist or not and start point of the trial section, are displayed through the display interface module  35  and the display  23  (Step  602 ); the user selects trial songs and sets the time parameters, such as the start point and end point of the trial song, through the control key  21  and the key control module  31  (Step  603 ); and then the trial-play setting and playlist memory module  19  records all settings (Step  604 ).  
         [0062]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , it is a flow chart of processing the selected trial song by the system in the method of the present invention (Flow B).  
         [0063]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , in the flow of processing the selected pre-play song by the system (Flow B), the trial-play setting and playlist memory module  19  sends a trial song signal to the file access control module  27  (Step  701 ); the file access control module  27  picks the corresponding trial song from the storage module  15  according to the trial song signal (Step  702 ); the acoustic signal editing and processing module  29  copies the data of selected section according to the setting value of the trial song (Step  703 ); and the data of selected section of the song is sent to the acoustic data memory module  17  to be stored (Step  704 ).  
         [0064]     Furthermore, referring to  FIGS. 10A and 10B , they are schematic views of a correlation of the song titles and section numbers obtained and recorded by the trial-play setting and playlist memory module.  
         [0065]     As shown in  FIGS. 10A and 10B , the file access control module  27  may provide a number to the song section (Step  705 ), and then the trial-play setting and playlist memory module  19  may record the correlation of the song title and the section number (Step  706 ).  
         [0066]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , it is a flow chart of trial-playing the song file in a set mode by the system (Flow C) in the method of the present invention.  
         [0067]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , in the flow of trial-playing the song file in a set mode by the system (Flow C), according to the setting of the trial song, the acoustic signal editing and processing module  29  trial-plays the pre-selected song file for Y seconds from time XX:XX (Step  801 ); then confirms whether a Y-second play has been completed or not (Step  802 ); if yes, it confirms whether an instruction for replaying the Y-second section has been received or not (Step  803 ); if no, it confirms whether an instruction for playing the whole song has been received or not (Step  804 ); if no, it adds this song file into the playlist to be played when it is confirmed that an instruction of adding this song file into the playlist has been received (Step  805 ); then, it confirms whether all pre-selected songs have been trial-played or not (Step  806 ); if no, it confirms whether to trial-play a next pre-selected song (Step  807 ); if yes, it returns to the beginning of this Flow C; if no, it ends the Flow C.  
         [0068]     In the step of confirming whether the Y-second play has been completed or not (Step  802 ), if no, it continues to confirm whether an instruction for performing a next step without playing for Y seconds has been received (Step  808 ); if yes, it adds this song file to the playlist to be played when it is confirmed that an instruction of adding this song file to the playlist has been received (Step  805 ); if no, it continues to Step  801 .  
         [0069]     Furthermore, in the step of confirming whether an instruction of playing the whole instruction has been received or not (Step  804 ); if yes, it resets the start of the song as 00:00 to play the whole song from the beginning (Step  809 ).  
         [0070]     Referring to  FIG. 10C  together with  FIG. 9 , wherein  FIG. 9  is a flow chart of adding the song file set by the system according to the user&#39;s instruction to formal play mode into the playlist to be played (Flow D), and  FIG. 10C  shows a preferred embodiment of a display for displaying the song and the songs in the playlist.  
         [0071]     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 C, in the flow of adding the song file set by the system according to the user&#39;s instruction to a formal play mode into the playlist to be played (Flow D), the file access control module  27  detects the correlation of the song title and the section number from the trial-play setting and playlist memory module  19  (Step  901 ); displays the song and the songs in playlist through the display interface module  35  and the display  23  (Step  902 ); selects and adds the songs to be played to the playlist (shown in  FIG. 10C ) through the control key  21  and the key control module  31  (Step  903 ); and then the trial-play setting and playlist memory module  19  records all settings (Step  904 ).  
         [0072]     To sum up, the device and method provided by the present invention enable the users to pre-select fast-played songs, set a start point and duration for playing each song to quickly pre-listen the selected songs. Therefore, the probability of selecting an undesired song when unfamiliar with song titles is reduced, thereby reducing the time wasted by repeatedly selecting songs. The system provides a trial-listening function capable of selecting multiple songs, and therefore, the inconvenience of single selecting and single trial-listening is reduced. Furthermore, the system provides a function of selecting songs to add into the playlist depending on a determination made after listening, and therefore, the inconvenience caused by the conventional technique, for example the complicated process wherein the songs to be added to the playlist are recorded by paper and pen, or the songs are recorded by paper and pen after being trial-listened again and again, is reduced.  
         [0073]     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.