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  Controller for portable electronic devicesUSPTO Application #: 20060080475Title: Controller for portable electronic devices Abstract: A controller for use with laptop and notebook digital computers for reproducing compressed digital audio and video files. The controller includes a drive interface for traversing and accessing data stored on a drive of a computer system. Function keys or a remote controller permit users to access drives containing desired data. The selected data is read from the drive. A decoder circuit parses the data into audio data and video data and decodes each set of data to generate a decoded audio data stream or video data stream. The audio data stream can be converted to an analog signal by the controller, or sent to an external ADC of the computer system. Advantageously, the controller operates when the computer system is in an inactive state, for example in power saving mode or OFF, and operates in passthrough or bypass mode when the computer system is ON or active. (end of abstract)
Agent: Wagner, Murabito & Hao, LLP - San Jose, CA, US Inventors: James Lam, Bruce Denning, Sterling Du USPTO Applicaton #: 20060080475 - Class: 710014000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electrical Computers And Digital Data Processing Systems: Input/output, Input/output Data Processing, Peripheral Configuration, Mode Selection The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060080475. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. nonprovisional application Ser. No. 09/650,515 filed on Aug. 29, 2000, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, which itself claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/182,448 filed Feb. 15, 2000, 60/183,181 filed Feb. 17, 2000, and 60/216,853 filed Jul. 7, 2000, all the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to portable devices for reproducing audio and video recordings, and more particularly, to a device for reproducing compressed digital audio and video data. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0003] Presently there exist various portable devices for replaying digital audio recordings that have been compressed in accordance with a compressed audio digital recording format called MP3. These devices can be divided into two classes, those which store the MP3 compressed digital audio recordings in an electronic solid state memory, and those which record the compressed digital audio for subsequent reproduction using an electromechanical device such as a compact disk ("CD") player or on a hard disk drive of a digital computer. [0004] Portable devices for replaying MP3 compressed digital audio recordings that use electronic solid state memory, i.e. flash-memory, are capable of storing about ten (10) music selections. With an add-in memory card, such devices can carry a total of about twenty (20) music selections. These MP3 players that store the MP3 compressed digital audio recordings in an electronic solid state memory consume comparatively little electrical power. Thus, such MP3 players provide an extended playing interval without battery replacement or recharging for the limited number of selections which they can store. [0005] In addition to having a capacity for only a limited number of music selections, another characteristic of portable MP3 players that store compressed digital audio recordings in an electronic solid state memory is the inconvenience associated with loading the music selections into that memory. In general, such MP3 players require first downloading or obtaining copies of MP3 compressed digital audio recordings on a hard disk drive of a personal computer, and then transferring the MP3 compressed digital audio recordings from the personal computer to the portable MP3 player. The preceding operations are to be contrasted with the simplicity of merely inserting a compact disk ("CD") into a CD player, or playing MP3 compressed digital audio recordings directly from a hard disk drive or CD drive of a digital computer. [0006] MP3 players which preserve compressed digital audio recordings for reproduction using an electromechanical device are capable of storing many more music selections than portable MP3 players that store compressed digital audio recordings in an electronic solid state memory, e.g. hundreds or even more than one-thousand. However, usually MP3 players that use electro-mechanical devices require significant amounts of electrical power. Thus, portable players that reproduce music selections using an electro-mechanical device exhibit comparatively short playing interval, e.g. less than one (1.0) hour before batteries must be replaced or recharged. [0007] Batteries used in laptop and notebook computers usually permit their operation for several hours before becoming discharged. As is readily apparent, a laptop or notebook computer can be to play MP3 compressed digital audio recordings using either the computer's CD-ROM or hard disk drive. Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/136,207, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,237, entitled "Low Power CD-ROM Player for Portable Computers" that was filed on Aug. 19, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes how a conventional laptop or notebook computer, when simply playing a conventional music CD, consumes an unnecessarily large amount of electrical energy. Such an excessive electrical energy consumption drains a laptop or notebook computer's battery of power that is more prudently applied in performing microprocessor intensive tasks such as word processing and spreadsheet analysis. The solution presented in the '207 application is a state machine that operates when main power to the portable device is OFF. The '207 invention couples a CD-ROM to the audio subsystem (when main power is OFF) so that CDs can be played, without excessive battery drain, or without having to boot up the portable computer. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] A computer system adapted to access data when the computer system is in an inactive state consistent with the invention includes a computer subsystem and a controller. The computer subsystem includes a system CPU and a drive for storing data. The controller includes a drive interface configured to selectively access data from the drive and a decoder circuit configured to decode the data and provide decoded data, wherein the controller is configured to access the drive to retrieve the data and decode the data when the computer subsystem is in the inactive state. The data may be audio data or video data. [0009] In another embodiment, a method for playing files in a computer system when the computer system is in an inactive state includes the steps of: selecting data; generating a data stream from the selected data; and decoding the selected data and generating a decoded data stream. Again, the data may be audio data or video data. [0010] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to preferred embodiments and methods of use, the present invention is not intended to be limited to these preferred embodiments and methods of use. Rather, the present invention is of broad scope and is intended to be limited as only set forth in the accompanying claims. [0011] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following Detailed Description proceeds, and upon reference to the Drawings, wherein like numerals depict like parts, and wherein: BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a portable system in an ON state adapted to receive and play MP3 digital audio files, according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0013] FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a portable system in an OFF or inactive state adapted to receive and play MP3 digital audio files, according to one embodiment of the present invention; [0014] FIG. 3 is a more detailed system block diagram of the invention of FIGS. 1 and 2; [0015] FIG. 4 is a detailed block diagram of the MP3 audio controller of the invention of FIGS. 1 and 2; [0016] FIG. 5A is an exemplary block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, depicting a portable system in an ON state, adapted to receive and play MP3 digital audio files, and utilizing an external MP3 decoding device; [0017] FIG. 5B is an exemplary block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, depicting a portable system in an OFF or inactive state adapted to receive and play MP3 digital audio files, and utilizing an external MP3 decoding device; [0018] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary computer system in an ON state where an audio/video controller consistent with the invention is transparent to the computer system; [0019] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the exemplary computer system of FIG. 6 where the computer system is in an inactive state and the audio/video controller consistent with the invention enables a user to access data in the drives; and Continue reading... Full patent description for Controller for portable electronic devices Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Controller for portable electronic devices patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Controller for portable electronic devices or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Information processor Next Patent Application: Multiple-apparatus connection system and the method thereof Industry Class: Electrical computers and digital data processing systems: input/output ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Controller for portable electronic devices patent info. 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