Patent ID: 7818443

Claim:
A computer system adapted to play audio files, comprising: a central processing unit (CPU); a first operating system, said first operating system being run by the computer system in a first operation mode; an interface unit adapted to interface with an external digital media device capable of storing a plurality of compressed audio files; and a second operating system capable of transmitting the plurality of compressed audio files from the external digital media device into the storage unit, the second operating system being run by the computer system operating in an audio playback mode, wherein the CPU loads one of the first operating system and the second operating system responsive to a control signal, wherein the plurality of compressed audio files are transferred from a south bridge of the computer system through a first transfer path to an output amplifier if the first operating system is running in the first operation mode, and wherein the plurality of compressed audio files are transferred from the south bridge through a second transfer path to the output amplifier if the second operating system is running in the audio playback mode when the external digital media device is in communication with the interface unit, and wherein the audio playback mode receives commands from a plurality of function keys through the second transfer path when the second operating system is running in the audio playback mode.