Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Remote data accessing – Accessing a remote server
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-10
2003-04-15
Dam, Tuan Q. (Department: 2124)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Remote data accessing
Accessing a remote server
C709S227000, C370S313000, C370S486000, C375S240000, C725S070000, C369S029020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06549942
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to delivery of compressed digital audio data, potentially at rates much faster than the real time rate, for conversion to speech for portable audible reception in recreational or educational activities.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Available information that is relevant to operation of a business or of a household increases at an exponential growth rate. A user of such information must become concerned with how to find the time, in an already crowded workday, to absorb the most relevant of such information. A menu of such information can be provided on a subscription basis, for individual selection by each user, as discussed in U.S. Ser. No. 08/643,963. One useful medium for delivery and reception of such information is sound, which requires use of the ears and of a portion of the user's brain but does not require simultaneous use of other senses. Previous systems have usually provided this information as a combination of video and audio in which the audio information was often treated as an afterthought.
The approaches disclosed by previous workers in this field usually combine video and audio data so that the video requirements control the choice of transmission system, or the selection of audio information is limited to features closely associated with use of a telephone. These approaches do not provide transmission and storage of a wide variety of audio-only information in a format that takes advantage of unique features of audio format information.
Also, these approaches do not take advantage of the possibility of using an available transmission medium, such as an internet that already provides for inter-communication between millions of homes, offices and other facilities. Use of a particular internet may reduce the number of signal formats that must be recognized and dealt with, and it may be possible to optimize the audio signal processing for the limited number of (or one) formats in which the audio signals are received.
What is needed is a procedure for packaging, delivery, reception, storage and playback of audio files in a format that (1) allows for potential transmission of the audio files at transfer rates many times higher than the normal audio playback rates, (2) allows receipt and storage of the audio files in compressed formats that can store several hours of normal audio programming in a playback medium of modest size, (3) allows transmission of audio files to the user at times and manners that are convenient for both the sender and the recipient, and (4) allows the user to conveniently transport the stored audio files, for playback at a time chosen by the user.
Preferably, the procedure should be adjustable to receive and process the audio (or text data) files using a signal processing procedure that is optimizable or optimized for the format, or limited number of formats, in which the audio (or text data) files are delivered to audio playback apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention meets these needs by providing a portable digital audio playback module for digital audio file receipt and storage, D/A conversion and playback. The audio programming material (“audio data files” herein) are digitized and optionally compressed before transfer over a hardwired or wireless communication internetwork channel to the storage/playback module, using any suitable compression algorithm. The module is capable of receiving and recording compressed, digitized audio programming at a transfer rate that may be faster than the normal audible playback rate so that, for example, ten hours of playback material may be transferred in a time interval of between less than ten minutes and a few hours, optionally using transfer procedures and times that do not interfere with the user's normal workday. The rate of data transfer depends upon the communications link used and will depend upon the Internet delivery rate vis-a-vis the playback rate. These communications links include POTS (plain old telephone service) lines, ISDN lines, cable television links, satellite broadcast links and other similar links that are suitable for internet communication. The audio data files are received by a user having a personal computer (notebook, laptop, desktop, etc.), modem, and docking station, and the audio data files are preferably processed and downloaded to a portable (e.g., handheld) storage and playback unit (“SPU”) at the docking station. Once an audio data file is received by the user, this file can be decompressed and converted to analog format (optional) for playback at a normal rate by the user. The audio data files are received by the user and stored digitally on a non-volatile medium in an SPU, or in a personal computer (“PC”) used to make an internet connection. The PC may also be used to play back or display the programming.
Alternatively, the PC or the SPU receives a text data file from the internetwork channel and either passes this file through a text-to-speech conversion process to convert this file to an audio data file, before the audio data file is received or stored or played back, or stores the file as a text file and converts this file to speech on the fly. Alternatively, the received data file can be processed and played back at the PC, rather than being downloaded to, and played back at, the SPU; most PCs have an audio sound system.
In contrast to a conventional digital audio storage system, such as Digital Audio Tape (DAT), the invention uses a different storage medium, provides random access search capability, rather than linear search capability, and optionally receives and stores information in a compressed format that uses a chosen data compression algorithm. In contrast to a writeable audio storage device, such as the Sony recordable mini-CD, the invention uses an SPU for download and playback and optionally may have intentionally limited audio bandwidth; stereo full fidelity is not needed for this programming.
The invention combines the remote data access capability resident in a personal computer, the portability of an SPU, and a set of tailored, streamlined control functions to simplify and automate a seamless process for selecting, receiving, storing and/or playing back audio data files, at times and places chosen by the user, with easily implemented control functions; and with a user interface that allows downloading of the compressed and digitized audio data files in a variety of formats. Storage for subsequent playback occurs first in the PC used to make an internet connection, but the files may be transferred automatically under software control, using a docking station, to the SPU.
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Janky James M.
Jasmin Grant
Schulhof Nathan
audiohighway.com
Dam Tuan Q.
Dowden Donald S.
Pelton William E.
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