Abstract:
A mixed media recorder and player that stores video and/or audio data on a small sized, large capacity, removable, flash memory card, such as an SD card, is disclosed. The mixed media recorder and player is flat and pocket sized. Controls and connector terminals are located around the periphery of the mixed media recorder and player, allowing the display screen to cover substantially the entire face of one side of the mixed media recorder and player. The large capacity, removable, flash memory SD card has the capacity to store a full length feature movie.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    In addition to television sets displaying regularly scheduled programs, in recent years the development of video cassette tape recorders (VCRs) and, more recently, digital video disc (DVD) players and recorders have allowed traditional television sets to be used to display both pre-recorded programs, such as movies and television shows, and programs recorded from television signals for replay at a later time. In addition to traditional playing of pre-recorded DVDs on traditional television sets, portable, dedicated DVD players that include a DVD drive and a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen have been developed for playing pre-recorded DVDs. Miniaturization has also led to the development of hand-sized products having small internal hard drives and display screens that have the capacity to store the large amounts of data required to replay pre-recorded television-displayable programs, i.e., pre-recorded movies and television programs. The latter devices also have the capability to store photographs, i.e., still pictures, audio signals, i.e., songs, and other types of data. There are at least two major disadvantages to previously developed miniaturized devices having the capability to record and play television displayable programs and the like. Their display screens are relatively small, and they are relatively fragile. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0002]    This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
         [0003]    A mixed media recorder and player that stores video and/or audio data on small-sized, large capacity, removable, flash memory cards, such as SD cards suitable for storing full length feature movies, television programs, and the like, is disclosed. The mixed media recorder and player is flat, and, preferably, pocket sized. Controls and connectors are located around the periphery of the mixed media recorder and player, allowing the display screen to cover substantially the entire face of one side of the mixed media recorder and player. 
         [0004]    The mixed media recorder and player is connectable to various types of media sources, including, but not limited, to traditional television sets, VCRs, DVD players, DVD players and recorders, CD players and recorders, FM radios, and computers, for example, to allow various types of video and/or audio data to be stored on a flash memory card installed in the mixed media recorder and player. Preferably, the flash memory cards have a two gigabyte or greater capacity, which is sufficient to store at least one full length feature movie. Because the flash memory cards are removable, the amount of data storage memory is, in essence, infinite, as compared to a hard drive, which has a maximum capacity. Further, a mixed media player and recorder that employs flash memory cards rather than a hard drive is more robust, i.e., less likely to be damaged when dropped, for example, than a mixed media recorder and player that includes a small internal hard drive. In addition, flash memory card storage media increase the life of batteries when compared to devices employing small internal hard drives. 
     
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exemplary environment in which a hand-held mixed media recorder and player formed in accordance with the invention is likely to be used; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a hand-held mixed media player and recorder formed in accordance with the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view from another perspective of the hand-held mixed media recorder and player illustrated in  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is an exemplary block diagram of the functional elements of the exemplary hand-held mixed-media player and recorder illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  includes a conventional television set  11 , a media player  13  and a hand-held mixed media recorder and player  15 , formed in accordance with the invention. For illustrative purposes only, the television set  11  is depicted as a flat panel television, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or plasma television. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art and others, the television set  11  could also take the form of a conventional cathode ray tube (CRT) television set. 
         [0011]    The media player  13  can take on a variety of forms. The media player could be a conventional video cassette tape recorder (VCR), a DVD player, a DVD player and recorder, a combination VCR and DVD player, a combination VCR and DVD player and recorder, or a combination player and recorder that includes a hard drive for storing television programs plus a VCR and/or a DVD player and recorder, or simply a hard drive, for example. As illustrated by a first arrow  17 , the television set  11  is connectable to the media player  13  using any of several well-known connections such as RCA jacks, shielded cable, etc. Not shown in  FIG. 1  is a television signal source, such as a television antenna, a satellite antenna, or a cable input. 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  also illustrates by second and third arrows  19  and  21 , respectively, that the hand-held mixed media recorder and player  15  can be connected to the television set  11  or the media player  13 . Various types of connections well known to those skilled in the art and described to some degree below can be used to connect the hand-held mixed media recorder and player  15  to the television set  19  and/or the media player  13 . 
         [0013]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate in more detail an exemplary embodiment of a hand-held mixed media player and recorder  15 , formed in accordance with the invention, suitable for use in the exemplary environment illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The hand-held mixed media recorder and player illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  comprises a relatively flat right-rectangular parallelepiped housing  23  having curved edges. Located along one or more of the edges of the housing  23  are a plurality of control buttons, including, but not limited to, a power button  25 , a menu/TV button  27 , a volume decrease button  29 , a volume increase button  31 , an escape button  33 , an up button  35 , a play button  37 , and a down button  39 . In the illustrated embodiment with respect to the hereinafter display screen orientation, the power, menu/TV, volume decrease, volume increase, and escape buttons  25 ,  27 ,  29 ,  31 , and  33  are located along the top edge of the housing  23 . The up, play, and down buttons  35 ,  37 , and  39  are located along the right edge. 
         [0014]    As is conventional, the power button  25  turns the hand-held mixed media recorder and player  15  on and off. The menu/TV  27  button controls various operations depending on whether a menu is displayed on the hereinafter described display screen or a TV signal (either stored or external) causes an image to be displayed in the manner hereinafter described. The volume decrease and increase buttons  29  and  31 , as is conventional, control the volume applied to earphones (not shown) or a speaker  41 , also located along the right edge of the housing  23  in the illustrated embodiment. If desired, the hand-held, mixed media recorder and player  15  may include a microphone  43 , shown as located along the top edge of the housing  23  in the illustrated embodiment. 
         [0015]    As is conventional, the escape button  33  provides a return to a previous state. For example, when a menu is being displayed, actuation of this escape button may switch the menu display to the next upper level of the menu. The up and down buttons  35  and  39 , in a conventional manner, control advance and back-up menu actions. More specifically, for example, in the case of an array of icons, the up and down buttons control movement of the icon focus, normally highlighting of the selected icons. Actuation of up button  35  causes highlighting to advance to the next icon (or list item) and actuation of the down button causes highlighting to back-up to the previous icon (or list item). The play button  37  controls the selection of selected (highlighted) icon (or list item). 
         [0016]    While the power, menu, volume increase, volume decrease, and escape buttons and the microphone are depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3  as located along the upper edge of the hand-held mixed media recorder/player  15 , and the up and down and play buttons are located along the right edge, obviously these locations are for illustration purposes only and should not be construed as limiting since any of the buttons can be placed in other locations along the same or different edges of the housing  23 . 
         [0017]    Located along the left edge of the housing  23  in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  is a slot  45  suitable for receiving a removable, flash memory card, such as a large capacity Secure Digital (SD) card  47 . As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, contemporary SD flash memory cards are currently available in sizes larger than two gigabytes (2 GB). A two gigabyte SD flash memory card can store several hours of TV playable audio/video programs, i.e., several hours of movies and television programs or shows. In addition to storing TV playable programs, SD cards can store photographs, songs, etc. As well known to those skilled in the art, SD cards have been conventionally used in digital cameras to store still photographs, a short sequence of still photographs, and, in some digital cameras, audio. 
         [0018]    In addition to the slot  45  for receiving an SD card  47 , the left edge of the housing  23  of the exemplary hand-held mixed media recorder and player  15  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  also includes an audio and video (A/V) input terminal  47 , an audio and video (A/V) output terminal  49 , a power terminal  51 , and a computer terminal  53  suitable for connection to, preferably, the USB port of a personal computer (PC). While the SD card slot  45  and the A/V input, A/V output, power, and computer terminals  47 ,  49 ,  41 , and  53  are illustrated all on the left edge of the housing  23 , this location should be construed as exemplary and not limiting. Obviously, these terminals could be located along different edges of the housing, or intermixed with the previously described buttons. Preferably, the A/V input and A/V output terminals  47  and  49  are three element pin connector terminals, one element for video, one element for left audio channel, and the other element for right audio channel. 
         [0019]    One of the faces of the housing  23  of the hand-held media recorder and player  15  is substantially entirely covered by an LCD screen  55 . Because the LCD screen  55  covers substantially the entire area of one of the faces of the housing  23 , a large display region is provided. More specifically, because the various control buttons and connectors are located along the edges of the housing  23 , substantially the entire area of one of the faces of the housing is available to be used as a video display region. Preferably, the LCD screen is a TFT real color LCD screen. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of the various electronic components included in the exemplary hand-held mixed media recorder and player  15  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and described above. More specifically,  FIG. 4  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  61 , preferably in the form of a digital signal processor (DSP). The compact flash slot  45  that receives the SD card  47  is connected to the CPU  61 , as is the PC terminal  53 . In addition to the CPU,  FIG. 4  includes random access memory preferably in the form of a static random access memory (SRAM)  65  and permanent memory, preferably in the form of flash memory  67 . The flash memory  67  stores the operating system that controls the operation of the CPU, and the SRAM is used to provide temporary storage. A video decoder  69  is also illustrated as connected to the CPU. The video decoder receives video input signals from the A/V input terminal  47 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  also includes an audio coder/decoder (CODEC)  71 . The audio CODEC can receive input from a variety of sources, including the microphone (MIC)  43 , the left (L IN) and right (R IN) channels of the A/V input terminal  47 , or the left and right channels of an FM tuner  73 , also included in the hand-held media recorder and player  15 . The audio CODEC generates an audio output that is applied to the speaker  41  via a suitable output amplifier  72  or to the earphones (not shown) via another suitable output amplifier  74 . The audio CODEC output is also applied to the left (L OUT) and right (R OUT) channels of the A/V output terminal  49 . The audio CODEC is controlled by the CPU  61 . 
         [0022]    An input/output circuit  75  that receives control signals created by the operation of the various buttons of the hand-held media recorder and player  15  illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and described above is also connected to the CPU. The CPU  61  is connected to the LCD screen  55  and to a video amplifier  57  that amplifies the video output signals generated by the hand-held media recorder and player  15  for application to other devices via the A/V output terminal  49 . The output can be in any suitable format, including, but not limited to, NTSC or PAL. If desired, some of the control signals created by the operation of the buttons may be applied to the CPU  61  via a microprocessing unit (MPU)  77 . The MPU may also receive infrared (IR) remote control signals and real time clock signals. More specifically, the control signals produced by the operation of the buttons are applied to the MPU via an I/O circuit  79 . The IR remote control signals are applied to the MPU via an IR remote sensor  81  and the real time clock signals as applied to the MPU via an RJC sensor  83 . Finally, the DSP CPU  61  is programmable via a JTAG programming input  85 . 
         [0023]    As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art and others from the foregoing description, the invention provides a hand-held media recorder and player ideally suited for use in recording and playing television programs and movies. In addition to playing recorded television programs and movies on the hand-held media recorder and player, they can also be displayed on other display equipment, such as a conventional television set. Storing programs and movies on a non-destructive medium, i.e., a medium such as a large capacity, removable SD card, creates a robust, albeit small, media recorder and player having improved battery life. Because the controls and terminals are located along the edge of the housing of the hand-held media recorder and player, substantially the entire face of the housing can be used as a display screen. As a result, the display region is maximized. The use of large capacity, removable SD-cards allows, in essence, an infinite amount of memory to be used to store television programs and movies as well as other forms of audio and/or video data, such as photographs and songs, for example. 
         [0024]    While the invention is ideally suited for implementation in hand-held sized products, such as products having a length of 3.6 to 4.125 inches, a height of 2.75 inches, and a depth of 0.60 inches, to record and play television programs and movies, for example, and will likely find most use therein, certain aspects of the invention, such as the use of large capacity flash memory cards  47  to record television shows and movies as well as other media, and/or all of the control and terminal connections located along edges of the housing  23  can be employed in other sized devices designed to record and play movies and television programs, and other type of media. Hence, it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, certain aspects of the herein discussed invention can be embodied in other sized devices. 
         [0025]    While illustrative embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.