Patent Publication Number: US-2011078053-A1

Title: System and method for distribution of media assets from media delivery unit to handheld media player

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/334,463. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a media delivery system, specifically to system and method for distribution of media assets to a handheld media player. 
     BACKGROUND-DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     Due to the increasing capacity and capability of personal computers, it has become popular to use a personal computer connected to the Internet as a repository for media assets such as for example, songs and multi-media clips. The media assets are typically compressed to a desired format such as MP3 (Motion Picture Expert&#39;s Group Layer  3 ) for songs for digital distribution through the Internet. Handheld media players are used to download media assets from the personal computer. Examples of handheld media players are the iPod from Apple, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., the Zen from Creative Technology Ltd, Singapore and the Zune from Microsoft Inc of Redmond, Wash. The media assets are typically acquired with media management applications, such as iTunes software, which is a product from Apple Inc. The handheld media players have gained popularity due to its capability to store large number of media assets in a device, which can be put into a user&#39;s pocket when he or she is moving around. Downloading media assets from the personal computer to a handheld media player may be carried out via a FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394 type of connection). 
     Although the increased popularity of handheld media player, a user may still access media assets through using a high fidelity audio system, a television, a radio and an automobile media delivery system. It is becoming desirable that media assets delivered using such systems may be captured by the handheld media player in an easy way so the user may consume them in the future by the handheld media player. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of present invention to present a system and method for delivering media assets to a handheld media player based upon a media asset being played by a media delivery unit. 
     In an exemplary case, a media delivery system includes a home high fidelity (HiFi) audio system and a MP3 player. The HiFi system and the MP3 player are connectable through a high-speed connector such as a FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394 type of connection). The HiFi system may further comprise a conventional HiFi audio system with an added data compression unit and a file storage system. The operation of the exemplary media distribution system may be controlled by a remote control device. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, an audio data file associated with a song or a music clip is compressed to a desired format such as MP3 while the asset in the high fidelity format is being delivered (played) by the HiFi system. The compressed data file may be transferred to the MP3 player, which is connected to the HiFi system through the FIREWIRE. The operation of the transferring may be triggered by the remote control device. 
     According to another embodiment, a file including metadata of a media asset being played is created. The file may be transferred to the handheld media player through an ad hoc communication link. The media asset in a desired format associated with the metadata may be delivered to the handheld media player when the device is connected to a server through a computing device or through a communication network. The media asset may be presented to the user for purchasing through an on-line facility. 
     According to yet another embodiment, the handheld media player may include a receiving and recording unit. When a media asset such as an audio file is being played by the media delivery unit through a speaker system, at least a portion of the media asset, in an audio form, may be recorded by the media player. An audio analyzer may be employed to match the recorded audio file with a media asset in a media database. The identified audio asset is then presented to the user through a user interface for purchasing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its various embodiments, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a media delivery system comprising a media delivery unit, a handheld media player and a remote control device; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a home audio delivery system including a HiFi audio system and a handheld media player. They are connectable through a high-speed connector; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic functional block of a HiFi audio system according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic functional block of a MP3 player according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  shows a flow diagram of the operation that an audio asset in the high fidelity format is being played by the HiFi system while the asset is compressed and transferred to the MP3 player; 
         FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram of the operation that compressed media assets stored in the file storage system of the HiFi system are transferred to the MP3 player when they are connected; 
         FIG. 7  shows a flow diagram of the operation that compressed media assets are transferred from the MP3 player to the file storage system of the HiFi system; 
         FIG. 8  shows a flow diagram of the operation that compressed media assets are transferred in between the HiFi system and the MP3 player and two media file databases are synchronized; 
         FIG. 9  shows a schematic diagram of a remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  shows a schematic diagram of the remote control device is used to select a mode of the data transfer between the HiFi system and the MP3 player when they are connected; 
         FIG. 11  shows a flow diagram of the operation that an audio asset is being played by the HiFi system while a file including the metadata of the asset is transferred from the HiFi system to the handheld media player; 
         FIG. 12  shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention that the media delivery system comprises a media delivery unit and a handheld media player, including an audio receiving and recording unit; 
         FIG. 13  shows a flow diagram of the operation that an audio asset is transferred to the handheld media player based upon a recorded audio file while the media player is connected to a server through a computing device; 
         FIG. 14  shows a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the present invention that the media delivery system comprises a media delivery unit and a handheld media, the handheld media player is connected to a server through a communication network; 
         FIG. 15  shows a flow diagram of the operation that an audio asset is transferred to the handheld media player based upon an recorded audio while the media player is connected to the server through communication network. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with references to a few preferred embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram of a media delivery system based on the present invention. The system  100  includes a media delivery unit  102  and a handheld media player  104 . A remote control device  106  may be used to control the operation of the system  100 . The media delivery unit  102  and the handheld media player  104  are connectable through a connector  108 . The remote control device  106  may connected to the media delivery unit through a wireless connection  110 . The data may be transferable between  102  and  104  under the control of  106 . The media delivery unit may be a stand alone apparatus for delivering media assets. 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic diagram of one implementation of the media delivery system  100 . As shown in the figure, a home audio delivery system  200  includes a HiFi audio system  202  and a MP3 player  204 . The HiFi audio system  202  includes a house  206 , an opening or receptacle  208 , a high speed connector  210 , a compact disk loader  212  and speakers  214 . It further includes an exemplary remote control device  216 . The MP3 player  204  includes a display such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)  218  and a user input device  220  such as a rotational user interface used in some models of the iPod from Apple Inc. The remote control device  216  includes a display  222  (e.g., LCD) and a user input device  224  (i.e. keys, buttons or touch-pads etc). The HiFi audio system  202  and the handheld media player  204  can be connected through the connector  210 , which may be a FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394 type of connection) or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) type of connection. In the prior art by Hobson et al in US patent publication 2007/0230723, a method to connect a handheld media player and a media delivery unit such as the HiFi audio system has been disclosed in detail. 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic functional block of the HiFi audio system  202 . The HiFi system  202  includes a processor  302  that pertains to a microprocessor or a controller for controlling the overall operation of the system. In accordance with one implementation of the present invention, the HiFi system  202  includes a file storage system  304  and a cache  306  for storing audio data files. The file storage system  304  is, typically, a flash memory or a plurality of flash memories or a magnetic disk driver or a plurality of magnetic disk drivers. The file storage system  304  typically provides high capacity storage capability for the HiFi system  202 . However, since the access speed to the file storage system  304  is relatively slow, the HiFi system  202  can also include a cache  306 . The cache  306  is, for example, Random-Access Memory (RAM) provided by semiconductor memory. The relative access time to the cache  306  is substantially shorter than for the file system  304 . However, the cache  306  does not have the large storage capacity of the file system  304 . As shown in the figure, the HiFi system  202  includes a compact disk driver  308 , which reads out the media asset such as a song or a music clip from the compact disk and converts the assets into digital signals. 
     The HiFi system  202  further includes a display  310  (e.g., LCD) that can be controlled by the processor  302  to display information to the user. When a user desires to have the HiFi system  202  to deliver (play) a particular media asset such a song from a loaded compact disk, the user can select one of the available audio files by using of the remote control  216 . The processor  302 , upon receiving a selection of a particular media asset, supplies the media data (e.g., audio file) for the particular media item to a coder/decoder (CODEC)  312 . The CODEC  312  then produces analog output signals for a high precision power amplifier  314  and speakers  316 . 
     A data bus  317  can facilitate data transfer between at least the file system  304 , the cache  306 , the processor  302 , and the CODEC  312 . The HiFi system  202  is powered by a power supply  320  through power management circuits  318 . 
     According to one implementation of the present invention, the HiFi system  202  further includes a data compression unit  322  and a high speed interface (connector)  324 . When a high fidelity audio file is being delivered, the file is compressed to a desired format such as MP3. The compressed audio data may be stored in the cache  306  for transferring to the connected MP3 player  204  or be stored in the file storage system  304 . The compressed audio files stored in the file storage system  304  may also be transferred to the connected MP3 player  204  in a late time. The high speed interface  324  may be the FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394 type of connection) or the USB type of connection. 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic functional block of a MP3 player  204 . The MP3 player  204  includes a processor  402  that pertains to a microprocessor or a controller for controlling the overall operation of the media player. The MP3 player  204  stores media data pertaining to audio assets in a file storage system  404  and a cache  406 . The file system  404  is, typically, a flash memory or a plurality of flash memories or a magnetic disk drivers or a plurality of magnetic disk drivers. The file system  404  typically provides high capacity storage capability for the MP3 player  204 . However, since the access speed to the file system  404  is relatively slow, the MP3 player  204  can also include a cache  406 . The cache  406  is, for example, Random-Access Memory (RAM) provided by semiconductor memory. The relative access time to the cache  406  is substantially shorter than for the file system  404 . However, the cache  406  does not have the large storage capacity of the file system  404 . Further, the file system  404 , when active, consumes more power than does the cache  406 . The power consumption is particularly important for the MP3 player  204  that is powered by a battery  420  through power management circuits  418 . The MP3 player  204  may also include a RAM and a Read-Only Memory (ROM), which is not shown in the diagram. The ROM can store programs, utilities or processes to be executed in a non-volatile manner. The RAM provides volatile data storage, such as for the cache  406 . 
     The MP3 player  204  also includes a user input device  408  that allows a user of the MP3 player  204  to interact with the player. For example, the user input device  408  can take a variety of forms, such as a button, keypad, dial, etc. Still further, the MP3 player  204  includes a display  410  (e.g., LCD) that can be controlled by the processor  402  to display information to the user. 
     The MP3 player  204  serves to store many media assets (e.g., songs) in the file storage system  404 . When a user desires to have the MP3 player  204  to play a particular media asset, a list of available media assets is displayed on the display  410 . Then, using the user input device  408 , a user can select one of the available media assets. The processor  402 , upon receiving a selection of a particular media item, supplies the media data (e.g., audio file) for the particular media asset to a coder/decoder (CODEC)  412 . The CODEC  412  then produces analog output signals for speakers  414 . A data bus  415  can facilitate data transfer between at least the file storage system  404 , the cache  406 , the processor  402 , and the CODEC  412 . The MP3 player  204  also includes a bus interface  416  that couples to a data link (not shown). The data link allows the MP3 player  204  to couple to a host computer or to the HiFi system  202 . The MP3 player  204  is powered by a power supply  420  through power management circuits  418 . 
     The MP3 player  204  further includes a high speed interface (connector)  422 . The interface may conform to a FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394 type of connection) or a USB type of connection. When the MP3 player  204  and the HiFi system  202  are connected, the audio files can be transferred through the high speed interfaces  324 / 422 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a flow diagram of a process  500  that a high fidelity audio file is compressed and is transferred to the MP3 player  204  while the audio file in a high fidelity format is being played by the HiFi system  202 . Process  500  begins with a step  502  that an audio file is selected for playback. Step  504  checks if the MP3 player  204  has been connected through the high speed interfaces  324 / 422 . If the result is negative, the MP3 player  204  is connected to the HiFi system  202  in step  506 . The audio file is compressed to a desired format such as MP3 in step  508  and the compressed audio file is transferred to the MP3 player in step  510 . The operation is controlled by the processor  302  of the HiFi system  202 . The MP3 player  204  receives the audio file and stores the file in its file storage system  404 . The remote control device  216  may be used to activate the operation of the compression and/or the operation of the transferring of the audio data under the control of a user. 
       FIG. 6  shows a flow diagram of a process  600  that compressed media assets stored in the file storage system  304  of the HiFi system  202  are transferred to the MP3 player  204  when they are connected. Process  600  begins with step  602  by connecting the MP3 player  204  to the HiFi system  202  if they have not been connected. A compressed audio file in a format of MP3 is then selected in step  604  for transferring. The processor  302  of the HiFi system  202  checks if the file has already been stored in the file storage system  404  of the MP3 player  204  in step  606 . The operation can be carried out by sending a metadata of the associated audio file from the HiFi system  202  to the MP3 player  204  through the high speed interfaces  324 / 422 . The processor  402  in the MP3 player  204  receives the metadata and compares with the existing audio files in its file storage system  404 . The processor  402  in MP3 player  204  sends back a signal to the HiFi system  202  indicating if the file has been stored in the MP3 player  204 . If the file has already been stored in the MP3 player  204 , the processor  302  in the HiFi system  202  skips the file and selects another compressed file in step  608 . The selected audio file which does not exist in MP3 player  204  is transferred in step  610 . The processor  402  checks if any file in the file storage system  305  has not been selected in step  612 . The steps  604  to  612  are repeated till all audio files in the file storage system  304  of the HiFi system  202  are selected and transferred accordingly. 
       FIG. 7  shows a flow diagram of a process  700  that compressed media assets are transferred from the MP3 player  204  to the file storage system  304  of the HiFi system  202 . Process  700  begins with step  702  by connecting the MP3 player  204  to the HiFi system  202 . A compressed audio file in MP3 format is then selected in step  704  for transferring from the MP3 player  204  to the HiFi system  202 . The processor  402  in the MP3 player  204  checks if the file has already been stored in the file system  304  of the HiFi system  202  in step  706 . The method is similar to the one described previously. If the file has already been stored in the HiFi system  202 , the processor  402  of the MP3 player  204  skips the file and selects another compressed audio file in step  708 . The selected audio file which does not exist in the HiFi system  202  is transferred in step  710 . The processor  402  checks if any file in the file storage system  404  has not been selected in step  712 . The steps  704  to  712  are repeated till all audio files in the file storage system  404  of the MP3 player  204  are selected and transferred accordingly. 
     It should be noted that the processes  600  and  700  for files transferring between the HiFi system  202  and the MP3 player  204  are exemplary. Numerous other methods may be implemented based on the similar inventive concept. In another implementation, all metadata of the compressed media files may be transferred from HiFi system  202  to the MP3 player  204 . The processor  402  in MP3 player  204  then compares the received metadata and sends back a file to the HiFi system  202  indicating a list of audio files which are not stored in the MP3 player  204 . The processor  302  of the HiFi system  202  then controls an operation of transferring all listed audio files to the MP3 player  204 . Similarly, the audio files can be transferred from the MP3 player  204  to the HiFi system  202 . 
     In yet another implementation, all audio files are transferred from HiFi system  202  to the MP3 player  204  at first. The files, which have already been stored in the MP3 player  204 , are removed under the control of the processor  402  of the MP3 player  204 . The method can also be applied to the transfer of the audio files from the MP3 player  204  to the HiFi system  202 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a flow diagram of a process  800  that compressed audio files are transferred in between the HiFi system  202  and the MP3 player  204  to synchronize two databases of the file storage systems  304  and  404 . The process is a combination of the process  600  and the process  700 . Although the flow diagram indicates that step  802  for transferring audio files from the HiFi system  202  to the MP3 player  204  is ahead of the step  804  for transferring audio files from MP3 player  204  to the HiFi system  202 , the sequence is swappable. Furthermore, in some implementations, step  802  and step  804  may be carried out in parallel. 
     One of the innovative features of the present invention is that the data transfer between the HiFi system  202  and the MP3 player  204  may be controlled by the remote control device  216 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , an exemplary remote control device  900  includes a processor  902  that pertains to a microprocessor or a controller to control the operation of the device, a file storage system  904  for storing data, a communication unit  906  for communicating with the HiFi system  202 , a display  908  (e.g., LCD), a user input device  910  and a power supply such as a battery  912 . The remote control device  900  further includes a data transfer management module  914 . The data transfer management module  914  is a software module to control the operation that a user selects a mode of the data transfer between the HiFi system  202  and the MP3 player  204 . 
     In an exemplary implementation of the present invention, the data transfer management module  914  may select a transfer mode from four user selectable modes as shown in  FIG. 10. 1002  is a mode representing the process  500  that an audio file is compressed and is transferred from the HiFi system  202  to the MP3 player  204 .  1004  is a mode representing the process  600  that compressed audio files stored in the file storage system  304  are transferred from the HiFi system  202  to the MP3 player  204 .  1006  is a mode representing the process  700  that compressed audio files stored in the file storage system  404  are transferred from the MP3 player  204  to the HiFi system  202 .  1008  is a mode representing the process  800  that audio files are transferred in between the HiFi system  202  and the handheld the MP3 player  204  and two databases for compressed audio file are synchronized. 
       FIG. 11  shows a flow diagram of the operation that an audio asset is being played by the HiFi system while a file including the metadata of the asset is transferred from the HiFi system to the handheld media player. Process  1100  begins with a step  1102  that an audio file is selected for playback. Step  1104  checks if the MP3 player  204  (handheld media player) has been connected to the HiFi system  202 . The connection may be through a hardwired connection such as through the high speed interfaces  324 / 422 . The high speed connection may be a FIREWIRE (IEEE 1394) type of connection or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) type of connection. The connection may also be an ad hoc communication link. The ad hoc communication link may conform to the Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15.1 and its extensions); or the ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4 and its extensions); or the WiFi (IEEE 802.11x and its extensions). If the result is negative, the MP3 player  204  is connected to the HiFi system  202  (media delivery unit) in step  1106 . A data file is constructed to include the metadata of the audio file being played in step  1108 . The file is transferred from the HiFi system  102  to the handheld media player  104  in step  1100 . The media asset associated to the metadata may be delivered to the handheld media player from a server in step  1112 . The asset maybe presented to the user using a user interface in step  1114  and the user may purchase the asset. 
       FIG. 12  shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. According to the embodiment, the media delivery system  1200  comprises a media delivery unit  102  and a handheld media player  104 . The media delivery unit  104  further includes a speaker system  101 . The handheld media player  104  further includes an audio receiving and recording unit  103 . In an exemplary case, the unit  103  receives audio signals using a microphone and stores the signals in a storage unit of the media player as an audio file. The handheld media player  104  may be connected to a computing device  112 . In an exemplary case, the computing device  112  is a personal computer. The computing device  112  includes an audio file analyzer  113 . The audio file analyzer  113  can be employed to analyze the recorded audio file to match to one of stored audio assets in a media database. The analyzer  113  may be located in the computing device  112 . The analyzer  113  may also be located in the media player  104 . The analyzer  113  may even be located in the server  116 . The computing device  112  may be connected to the server  116  through the communication network  114 . 
       FIG. 13  shows a flow diagram of the operation that an audio asset is transferred to the handheld media player  104  based upon a recorded audio file. The audio file represents at least a portion of audio asset played by the media delivery unit  102 . Process  1300  begins with step  1302  that at least a portion of the audio asset being played by the media delivery unit  102  is received by the receiving and recording unit  103  of the handheld media player  104 . It should be noted that multiple audio files may be recorded in the media player  104  at different times or at different locations. The handheld media player  104  is connected to the server  116  through the computing device  112  in step  1304 . The recorded audio files are analyzed by the audio file analyzer  113  in step  1306 . The analyzer  113  may compare a recorded audio file with audio files stored in the database of media files to find a match between the recorded file and the one stored in the database. Therefore, the recorded audio file may be associated with a media asset in step  1308 . The identified audio assets may be presented to the user in step  1310  if they have not been stored in the user&#39;s media database. The user may decide to purchase the presented audio assets for the future use. 
       FIG. 14  shows a schematic diagram of another embodiment. The media delivery system  1400  comprises a media delivery unit  102  and a handheld media player  104 . The media delivery unit  102  further includes a speaker system  101 . The handheld media player  104  further includes an audio receiving and recording unit  103  and an audio file analyzer  113 . The handheld media player  104  is connected to a server  116  through a communication network  114 . The communication network is the Internet in an exemplary case. 
       FIG. 15  shows a flow diagram of the operation of transferring the audio asset according to the embodiment that the media player  104  connected to the server  116  through the communication network  114 . Process  1500  begins with step  1502  that at least a portion of the audio file being played in the media delivery unit  102  is received and recorded in the media player  104 . The media player  104  is connected to the server  116  through the communication network  114  in step  1504 . The communication network  114  may be the Internet in an exemplary case. The recorded audio file is analyzed by the audio file analyzer  113  in step  1506 . The analyzer  113  may compare a recorded audio file with audio files stored in the database of media files to find a match between the recorded file and the one stored in the database. Therefore, the recorded audio file may be associated to a media asset in step  1508 . The identified audio asset may be presented to the user in step  1510  if the asset has not been stored in the user&#39;s media database. The user may decide to purchase the audio file for the future use.