Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-05
2001-10-16
Dinh, Tan (Department: 2651)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
C700S231000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304523
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for reproducing at least audio signals and, more particularly, for an apparatus that displays the title of the recording being reproduced and obtains the titles by communicating with a remote database.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compact discs (CD) have been available to consumers for over ten years and individual collections of hundreds of CDs are not uncommon. As prices have declined, sales have increased for CD changers capable of storing and selectively playing one hundred or more CDs. However, a significant drawback has held back the success of this type of CD changer; with so many recordings out of sight in a single device, selecting a desired recording is not easily accomplished. Typical CD changers do not provide any convenient method for cataloging the CD collection or tracking internal rearrangement of the current collection.
The problem is not limited to music CDs. The CD format is used for other types of sound recordings, as well as graphics (CD-G), video (CD Video) and computer accessible data and programs (CD-ROM, CD-R, etc.). Other formats, such as MiniDiscs™ and digital video (or versatile) discs (DVDs) have received varied acceptance by consumers and playback devices for these formats would have similar problems.
Some of the tools to solve the problem are available. Some CD players are capable of storing textual information about the discs, but the interface used is so cumbersome that relatively few users enter all of the information that is available from other sources. Specifically, computer databases of CD title and track information have been available for over five years. For example, CDDB is a consumer supported database accessed via the Internet by over 150 programs to display CD title and track information of CDs played using the CD drive of a personal computer. These programs automatically contact CDDB to obtain title and track information about a CD when it is first played and store the information for subsequent times that the CD is played. Different vendors have sold systems, such as TuneBase™ and TuneBasic™ from Escient, for several years that provide a local database for conventional music or audio/video systems by interfacing with CD changers that store one hundred or more CDs. However, all of these solutions require the power (and cost) of a computer, preferably with a connection to the Internet to obtain up-to-date CD title and track information.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,751,672 to Yankowski discloses two embodiments of a system that includes a CD changer and a modem for communication with a remote database of CD title and track information. The first embodiment of the '672 patent utilizes a separate computer, like the systems described in the preceding paragraph. The second embodiment of the '672 patent incorporates at least an internal modem and communication software in a CD changer to obtain CD title and track information for a recording that is being played. A variation of the second embodiment of the '672 patent incorporates “mass storage” in the CD changer to maintain a local database of the CDs in the changer, like the databases stored in computers and other systems that access CDDB. However, even the simplest embodiment disclosed in the '672 patent still requires all the hardware and software to communicate with a remote database by a modem. An ISDN terminal adapter is the only alternative to a modem taught by the '672 patent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a CD changer with enhanced capabilities at a reasonable cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a recording reproduction apparatus capable of displaying textual information about recordings, obtained from a remote database without requiring a modem.
The above objects can be attained by an apparatus for playback of recordings and communication with a remote database to obtain information about the recordings, including a recorded signal output device to reproduce a recorded signal from a recording; a display to display at least textual data; a memory to store a textual recording name of the recording for output to the display in response to output of the recorded signal by the recorded signal output device; a communication device to obtain the textual recording name by communication with the remote database without using a modem or a terminal adapter; and a controller, coupled to the recorded signal output device, the display, the memory and the communication device, to control the apparatus to establish communication with the remote database, query the remote database based on information in the recorded signal reproduced from the recording and supply the textual recording name of the recording from the remote database to the memory.
Preferably, the recorded signal output device, display, memory, communication device and controller are within a single enclosure. Also, the memory preferably stores information about several recordings that previously have been inserted into the apparatus. One of the methods for communication without using a modem is to generate and detect dual-tone multifrequency signals in the communication device to communicate with the remote database. Another method is to use an interface, coupled to the communication device, mounted in the enclosure, and using a standard set by one of the Electronic Industry Association and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, such as RS-232 or IEEE 1394, for external communication with another device capable of communicating with the remote database.
When the remote database is connected to a public computer network, the apparatus may be connected to a local network coupled to the public computer network. In this case, the apparatus may include a network interface, coupled to the communication device and mounted in said enclosure, for external communication with the local network and at least one of the controller and the communication device may provide a TCP/IP stack for communication with the remote database via the network interface and the local and public computer networks.
These together with other objects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
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Jones Scott A.
Keenan Douglas M.
Dinh Tan
Openglobe Inc.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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