Patent Publication Number: US-6664459-B2

Title: Music file recording/reproducing module

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
     This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from my two applications MODULE AND METHOD FOR RECORDING AND REPRODUCING MUSIC FILE IN MODULAR TELEVISION APPARATUS filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 19, 2000 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 54996/2000, and MUSIC FILE RECORDING/REPRODUCING MODULE FOR AV SYSTEM filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on May 11, 2001 and there duly assigned Ser. No. 25871/2001. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an audio/video (AV) system and, more particularly, to a music audio file recording/reproducing module mounted in an AV system that reproduces various AV source data. 
     2. Related Art 
     Digital ground wave broadcasting which complies with the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standards began in November 1998. Consumer electronics product manufacturers are disclosing various digital media products, including digital televisions capable of receiving digital broadcasts, and digital versatile disc (DVD) players and digital camcorders capable of recording and reproducing digital broadcasts. 
     As various digital media apparatuses particularly related to the digital TV market are disclosed, potential consumers are being confused. New specifications are being developed at such a fast rate that digital TVs are becoming more complicated and new products are quickly becoming obsolete. 
     New digital media products, such as digital broadcast receiving apparatuses, satellite broadcast receiving apparatuses, DVD players, hard disc drives, and Internet access apparatuses, are being designed in such a way as to increase the number of manipulation methods a user has to learn and the number of remote controllers which must be used. In addition, a user has to pay a lot of money to buy such digital media products. Also, the digital media products take up a large amount of space in a house, and each digital media product needs a power line for operation. It is very burdensome to connect lines between a DVD player and a digital TV monitor. 
     Meanwhile, the appearance of digital media products has made it possible to have a home network connecting multiple home appliances in a house. If the home network is implemented, a user can control multiple appliances in the house with only one controller. In addition, the user can control the appliances in the house through the Internet, even when the user is in a remote place. 
     Also, the developments in digital technology have enabled music, which was once provided in analog format, to be provided in digital format. In particular, in line with developments in compression technologies and error correction technologies, a music audio file, which is usually bigger than a text file, can be freely transmitted and received through the Internet. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a music file recording/reproducing module mounted in an AV system, which implements a plurality of digital media apparatuses in one system, the music file recording/reproducing module storing a music file received from the outside and reproducing the received music file. 
     To accomplish the object of the present invention, there is provided a music file recording/reproducing module, which is mounted in a module rack formed in an audio/video (AV) system capable of reproducing audio data, the music file recording/reproducing module comprising: a communications interface unit for receiving audio data, which is encoded by a predetermined encoding method, from the AV system; a decoder for decoding the audio data, which is encoded by the encoding method; and a control unit for sending the audio data, which is decoded by the decoder, to the AV system. 
     It is preferable that the music file recording/reproducing module further comprise: an audio storage unit in which audio data is recorded; and an audio writing unit for writing the encoded audio data in the audio storage unit; wherein the control unit receives a record command input from a user, and sends the command to the audio recording unit. 
     It is preferable that the music file recording/reproducing module further comprise an audio reading unit for reading the encoded audio data written in the audio storage unit, wherein the decoder decodes the encoded audio data read by the audio reading unit and the control unit receives a read command input from the user, sends the command to the audio reading unit, and sends the audio data, which is decoded by the decoder, to the AV system. 
     It is preferable that the audio storage unit comprise an external memory card in which audio data encoded by the encoding method is stored, and an external memory card mounting unit in which the external memory card is detachably mounted. 
     It is preferable that the encoding method be an MP3 method, and that the decoder be an MP3 decoder. It is preferable that the AV system have an IEEE1394 interface module, and that the communications interface unit be an IEEE1394 interface module which communicates with the IEEE1394 interface module contained in the AV system. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A more complete appreciation of the invention, and many of the attendant advantages thereof, will be readily apparent as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate the same or similar components, and wherein: 
     FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  1 C are views illustrating the external appearance of a modular television as a preferred embodiment of an audio/video (AV) system; 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating structures for connecting a base module and function-extending modules through a module rack; 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a music file recording/reproducing module; 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the music file recording/reproducing module of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a communications protocol structure adopted for communications between a base module and a music file recording/reproducing module; 
     FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a process for reproducing a music file with a music file recording/reproducing module; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of a main page; 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram of an example of an index page of a music file recording/reproducing module; 
     FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a process for recording a music file with a music file recording/reproducing module; and 
     FIG. 11 is a diagram of an example of an index page for controlling a digital broadcast receiving module. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1A and 1C are views illustrating the external appearance of a modular TV system, while FIG. 1B is a plan view of the function-extending modules of FIG.  1 . Referring to FIG. 1A, the modular TV system has a display device  18  supported by a TV stand  10 . The display device  18  may be a cathode-ray tube (CRT), a ferroelectric LCD (FLCD), a field emission display (FED), or a plasma display panel (PDP). A module rack  16  is installed at the center of the TV stand  10  under the display device  18 , and speakers (not shown) are installed to the right and left of the module rack  16 . 
     A plurality of module-inserting holes are formed in the front of the module rack  16  so that function-extending modules  17  can be detachably inserted into the holes. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, module-inserting holes may be formed in a horizontal line so that a plurality of function-extending modules  17  can be inserted in a row. Referring to FIG. 1C, module-inserting holes may be formed in a vertical line so that modules  17  are arranged vertically in the module rack  16 . 
     The function-extending modules  17  are for extending the functions of the modular TV system. For example, if a user buys a DVD module and installs the DVD module in the module rack  16 , the modular TV system will have a DVD player function. 
     A base module (not shown) is installed at the back of the module rack  16 . The base module communicates control commands with the function-extending modules  17  in a client-server fashion. That is, the base module receives necessary control information from the function-extending modules  17  inserted into the module rack  16 , and outputs and displays the received control information on the display device  18 . If a user input corresponding to the displayed control information is received, the base module sends the user input to the corresponding function-extending modules  17 . The function-extending modules  17  send AV data corresponding to the received user input to the base module. The base module processes the received AV data, and then outputs the AV data to the display device  18  and/or the speakers (not shown). 
     The function-extending modules  17  store control information for controlling themselves. If the function-extending modules  17  are inserted into the module rack  16 , the control information is sent to the base module. Based on the received control information, the base module (not shown) sends control commands to the corresponding function-extending modules  17 . For example, each of the function-extending modules  17  may store one or more index pages as control information. Also, a browser for browsing function-extending modules  17  is installed in the base module. The browser displays for the user a main page in which selection information for at least one function-extending module is contained. The browser requests an index page from a function-extending module selected by the user through the main page, and displays the index page to the user. If the user inputs a control command through the displayed index page, the browser sends the control command again to the function-extending module. 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams for explaining structures for connecting a base module and function-extending modules through a module rack. Referring to FIG. 2, the base module  100  has a plurality of connectors  110  for module connection. Each connector  110  contains two communications ports  112  and  114  and one power connection port  116 . The two communications ports  112  and  114  and the power connection port  116  are designed so that each function-extending module can be easily inserted into a module-inserting hole (not shown) of the module rack  16 , thereby connecting the ports  112 ,  114  and  116  to ports (to be explained later) of the function-extending extending modules. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a music file recording/reproducing module  200 , which is one of the function-extending modules  17  in FIGS. 1A and 1B, has two communications ports  292  and  294  and one power connection port  296 . The function-extending module  200  is in the form of a casing, and the communications ports  292  and  294  and power connection port  296  are formed so as to protrude from the casing. Therefore, if the function-extending module  200  is inserted into a module-inserting hole formed in the module rack  16 , the corresponding ports  112 ,  114 ,  116  and  292 ,  294 ,  296  contact each other, and the base module  100  and the function-extending module  200  are electrically connected. Also, if a plurality of function-extending modules  200  are inserted into the module rack  16 , the plurality of function-extending modules  200  are connected to the base module  100  in a daisy-chain fashion. The method for connecting the base module  100  to the plurality of function-extending modules  200  may be determined in various ways as needed. In this case, communications ports  112  and  114  of the base module  100  and communications ports  292  and  294  of the function-extending module are electrically connected to their own communications interface units  101  and  201 , respectively. 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a music file recording/reproducing module. Referring to FIG. 4, a base module  100  has a communications interface unit  101 , a signal processing unit  110 , a video processing unit  104 , an audio processing unit  105 , a user input unit  106 , a memory unit  107 , and a control unit  108 . 
     The memory unit  107  includes a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and a flash memory depending on the embodiment of the present invention. The RAM is used as a buffer for processing image data which forms a main page to be explained later, the ROM stores a browser for browsing a function-extending module  200 , and the flash memory stores the Internet protocol (IP) address of the function-extending module  200 . 
     The control unit  108  receives an IP address from the function-extending module  200  mounted in the module rack  16 , and operates the browser stored in the memory unit  107  so that the base module  100  communicates with the function-extending module  200  through the communications interface unit  101  in a client-server fashion. 
     The user input unit  106  receives user inputs, which are input through a command key (not shown) provided in the user input unit  106  or through a remote controller  15 , and sends the user inputs to the control unit  108 . The communications interface unit  101  carries on data communication with outside sources. In the signal processing unit  110 , the AV data, which is received through the communications interface unit  101 , is divided into video data and audio data, and is processed. Then, the video data and audio data are output to the video processing unit  104  and the audio processing unit  105 , respectively. The video processing unit  104  processes the video data output from the signal processing unit  110 , and sends the video data to the display device  18 , and the audio processing unit processes the audio data output from the signal processing unit  110 , and sends the audio data to the speakers  12 . In particular, as will be explained, if the music file recording/reproducing module  200  is set to a recording mode and a digital broadcast signal is input as an MPEG transport stream, the signal processing unit  110  extracts MP3 audio data from the MPEG transport stream, and sends the extracted MP3 audio data to the music file recording/reproducing module  200 . Also, if the music file recording/reproducing module  200 , which is a function-extending module according to the present invention, is set to a reproducing mode and decoded audio data is sent by the music file recording/reproducing module  200 , the signal processing unit  110  processes the received audio data and sends the data to the audio processing unit  105 . 
     The music file recording/reproducing module  200  has a communications interface unit  201 , a decoder  202 , and a control unit  205 . The decoder  202  decodes audio data, which is encoded by a predetermined encoding method. The control unit  205  sends the audio data decoded by the decoder  202  to the base module  100  through the communications interface unit  201 . 
     The communications interface units  101  and  201  are implemented as communications interface modules complying with an IEEE1394 protocol. 
     Also, the communications interface units  101  and  201  may be connected using a universal serial bus (USB), a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, or a fast-Ethernet. Other communications protocols that support an appropriate transmission speed with respect to audio data sent from the music file recording/reproducing module  200  may be adopted. 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the music file recording/reproducing module of FIG.  4 . Referring to FIG. 5, the music file recording/reproducing module  240  has an audio storage unit  241 , an audio writing/reading unit  242 , an MP3 decoder  243 , a control unit  245 , and an IEEE1394 interface  246 . Also, the music file recording/reproducing module  240  has communications ports  292 - 1  and  294 - 1  and a power connection port  296 - 1 , which protrude from the casing of the music file recording/reproducing module  240 . 
     The control unit  245  has a central processing unit (CPU), a ROM, a flash memory and control circuitry. In particular, a control program for performing communications with the base module  100  in a client-server fashion is stored in the ROM. Control information contained in an index page is for controlling the music file recording/reproducing module  240 . The flash memory stores the IP address and other information of the music file recording/reproducing module  240 . 
     The audio storage unit  241  has an external memory card mounting unit  252  and an internal memory  253 . The internal memory  253  has a flash memory and a RAM. In particular, the RAM may be used as a buffer for processing audio data, that is, an MP3 file. The external memory card mounting unit  252  enables mounting of an external memory card  251  which may be implemented as a smart memory card. The audio writing/reading unit  242  writes an MP3 file, which is received from the IEEE1394 interface  246 , in the audio storage unit  241 , or reads an MP3 file stored in the audio storage unit  241 , that is, in the internal memory  253  or in the external memory card  251 . The MP3 decoder  243  decodes a received MP3 file. 
     MP3 is an algorithm for encoding audio data. The size of an ordinary music file in a compact disc (CD) is about 30˜50 MB but, if a music file is encoded (compressed) using the MP3 algorithm, the size of data can be reduced to {fraction (1/12)} the original size while maintaining similar sound quality. 
     The MP3 decoder  243  decodes a music file (audio data) encoded by the MP3 algorithm. The communications interface unit  246  is an IEEE1394 interface module having an IEEE1394 link part, an IEEE1394 physical part, and a processor. The processor controls the IEEE1394 link part and the IEEE1394 physical part, and sends an MP3 file decoded by the MP3 decoder  243  to the base module  100 . That is, the IEEE1394 link part divides audio data, which is sent from the MP3 decoder  243 , into units of a frame based on the IEEE1394 protocol, and sends the frames to the IEEE1394 physical part. The IEEE1394 physical part sends the received frames in units of a bit stream complying with the IEEE1394 protocol. By doing so, bit streams are sent to the base module  100  through the communications ports  292 - 1  and  294 - 1 . 
     FIG. 6 is a reference diagram of a communications protocol structure, which is adopted for communications between the base module  100  and the music file recording/reproducing module  240  in a client-server fashion according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The communications protocol structure is compared with the OSI reference model and TCP/IP layer structure in FIG.  6 . Referring to FIG. 6, a graphical user interface (GUI) is adopted for user-control in the application layer, and the base module  100  and the music file recording/reproducing module  240  communicate with each other in a client-server fashion based on a hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP). In the transport layer, packet communications are performed based on the TCP/IP protocol (address resolution protocol (ARP)), and the IEEE1394 protocol is adopted in the physical layer and the data link layer (OSI reference model). However, a protocol adopted in each layer may change in various ways according to necessity. 
     FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a process for reproducing a music file with the music file recording/reproducing module  240  of FIG.  5 . Referring to FIG. 7, if the modular TV system is turned on in step  701 , the base module  100 , which is a client, confirms whether or not the music file recording/reproducing module  240 , which is a server, is mounted in the module rack  16  in step  702 . 
     The mounted music file recording/reproducing module  240  sends an index page to the base module  100 , and the base module  100  receives and installs the provided index page in step  703 . The music file recording/reproducing module  240  also sends an IP address, and the base module  100  stores the received IP address. The step for sending and receiving the IP address may be performed independently of step  703 . 
     If a user operates the browser installed in the base module  100  in step  704 , a main page, such as the page shown in FIG. 8, is displayed in step  705 . In the main page, icons indicating various function-extending modules (M 1  through M 8 ) are displayed as seen in FIG.  8 . In that regard, M 1  indicates a digital broadcast receiving module, M 2  indicates a digital satellite broadcast receiving module, M 3  indicates a cable broadcast receiving module, M 4  indicates an Internet access module, M 5  indicates a digital versatile disc (DVD) module, M 6  indicates a hard disc drive (HDD) module, M 7  indicates an MP3 module as the music file recording/reproducing module  240  according to the present invention, and M 8  indicates a D-VCR module. Icons may be sent by respective function-extending modules and displayed, or may be stored in the base module  100  and displayed. If a main page is formed so that an icon is sent by each corresponding function-extending module after it has been requested, the manufacturer of the function-extending modules may load various icons on the function-extending modules so that icons displayed in the main page can change in various ways. 
     If the user selects the MP3 module displayed on the main page in step  706 , the browser installed in the base module  100  calls up and displays the index page of the music file recording/reproducing module  240  in step  707 . In response to the user&#39;s selection, while omitting step  703 , the index page may be called directly from the corresponding music file recording/reproducing module  240  in step  707 . 
     As shown in FIG. 9, a GUI-type user interface is prepared in the displayed index page. As function buttons, the index page has a power on/off button (PW), a record button (REC), a play button (PLAY), and a file search button (FS). If the user selects a predetermined function button in step  708  of FIG. 7, the selected control command (the user input) is sent to the corresponding music file recording/reproducing module  240  in step  709 , and the music file recording/reproducing module  240  performs an operation according to the received control command in step  710 . For example, if the user selects the file search button (FS), the music file recording/reproducing module  240  sends list information of music files stored in the audio storage unit  241  to the base module  100 , and then the list of music files is displayed as shown in FIG.  9 . If the user selects a predetermined music file in the list, the selection information is again sent to the music file recording/reproducing module  240 , and the audio writing/reading unit  242  reads the corresponding music file from the audio storage unit  241 , and sends the music file to the MP3 decoder  243 . Then, the MP3 decoder  243  decodes the music file, and sends the decoded file to the IEEE1394 interface  246  under control of the control unit  245  so that the decoded file is sent to the base module  100 . The base module  100  processes the audio data received from the music file recording/reproducing module  240 , and outputs the data to the speaker  12  so that the music file is reproduced. 
     FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a process for recording a music file with a music file recording/reproducing module. Referring to FIG. 10, after performing the same steps as steps  701  through  707  of FIG. 7, the index page of the music file recording/reproducing module  240 , as shown in FIG. 9, is displayed in step  1001 . 
     The user sets the music file recording/reproducing module  240  to a record mode by selecting the record button (REC) in step  1002 . Then, the main page is called up and displayed in step  1003 , and selection of a function-extending module for receiving a music file is determined in step  1004 . The function-extending module for receiving a music file may be the digital broadcast receiving module, the Internet access module, or the hard disc drive module. Next, the base module  100  displays the index page of the selected function-extending module in step  1005 . For example, if the digital broadcast receiving module is selected, the index page shown in FIG. 11 is displayed. 
     If the user selects the music file receiving button, as determined in step  1006 , a music file from the outside is received, and the base module  100  sends the received music file to the music file recording/reproducing module  240  in step  1007 . The audio write/read unit  242  of the music file recording/reproducing module  240  writes the received music file to the audio storage unit  241  in step  1008 . In particular, when a digital broadcast is received through the digital broadcast receiving module, the digital broadcast is received in the form of an MPEG transport stream, and therefore the signal processing unit  110  of the base module extracts MP3 audio data from the MPEG transport stream sent by the digital broadcast receiving module, and sends the extracted audio data to the music file recording/reproducing module  240 . In this case, an MP3 extraction part for extracting MP3 audio data from the digital broadcast may be included in the digital broadcast receiving module or in the music file recording/reproducing module  240  instead of in the base module  100 . If the MP3 extraction part is in the digital broadcast receiving module, an MP3 music file is sent to the base module  100  by the digital broadcast receiving module, and the base module  100  sends the received MP3 music file to the music file recording/reproducing module  240 . If the MP3 extraction part is in the music file recording/reproducing module  240 , the base module  100  sends an MPEG transport stream directly to the music file recording/reproducing module  240 , and the music file recording/reproducing module  240  extracts an MP3 music file from the received MPEG transport stream, and writes the MP3 music file to the audio storage unit  241 . 
     As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a music file recording/reproducing module which receives a music file from the outside, stores the music file, and decodes the received music file so that the music file can be reproduced. With the music file recording/reproducing module, various music files such as an MP3 file transmitted through the Internet can be received, stored, and reproduced. 
     This invention has been described above with reference to the aforementioned embodiments. It is evident, however, that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those having skill in the art in the light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.