Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-18
2004-04-27
Hudspeth, David (Department: 2651)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084S649000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06727421
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-013237, filed Jan. 21, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing digital audio/video data, and more particularly to a reproducing apparatus having a playlist processing function matching with reproduction orders on playlists of plural kinds of formats.
Recently, many types of players capable of recording digital audio data have been marketed. In one type, audio data alone is recorded. In another, data called a playlist in which an order of play is described is recorded and reproduction is performed according to a reproduction order on the playlist.
For reproduction of audio data, the player, in general, has a return function for returning a current position of play. Where the same data range is to be played twice or more, a return operation needs to be performed each time. In this case, the final position of return varies from user to user, since the user refers to a value of a counter, etc. A desired data range is not always played each time. In order to solve this problem, an “AB repeat” function is proposed. According to this function, a data range to be played is designated and reproduced repeatedly.
In the prior art, removable media storing audio data produced for one player cannot, in some cases, be reproduced by another player. The reason is that an expected playlist is not present in the removable media or a playlist format is different. In such cases, the user has to prepare a new playlist. Even if the removable media are reproduced, the order of reproduction may differ from that expected.
As regards the AB repeat function provided in the conventional player, a data range to be played needs to be designated. Since the designation is performed after the user has thought of “once more play”, the number of operational procedures increases. Thus, the operation becomes very time-consuming and complex.
Besides, in general, a small portable player uses a battery alone as an operational power supply. Thus, the power of the battery is shortly consumed. That is, the lifetime of the battery is short.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus which permits a removable medium storing audio data or video data to be reproduced by some other player in an expected play order, without preparing a new playlist.
Another object of the invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus capable of automatically memorizing a final return position and starting reproduction from the memorized position by one-touch control.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a reproducing apparatus capable of reducing consumption of power of the battery and increasing the lifetime of a battery, where a reproducing operation is performed in the state in which the apparatus is connected to a host device, by utilizing power from the host device.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
playlist detection means for reading out digital data on plural kinds of formats compressed and stored in a memory medium and detecting a plurality of playlists of the read-out digital data; and
reproduction means for reproducing the digital data of the playlists detected by the playlist detection means.
Since this apparatus includes the means for detecting the playlists of the plural kinds of formats, even if the memory medium contains playlists of different formats, the data can be reproduced according to the playlists.
According to a second aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the reproduction means reproduces the digital data of each of the plurality of playlists detected by the playlist detection means successively from a first one of the playlists.
With this structure, even if the memory medium contains playlists of plural kinds of formats, the playlists can be discriminated and successively reproduced.
According to a third aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the playlist detection means includes means for detecting data, which is unassociated with playlists, and detects the data unassociated with playlists as one playlist.
When data not associated with playlists is detected, a list of the data is processed as one playlist. Thus, data formed for reproducing apparatuses with no playlists can be reproduced.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the playlist detection means detects playlists stored in a plurality of memory media and displays the detected playlists.
With this structure, even where plural memory media are mounted on the reproducing apparatus, the playlists stored in each record medium are successively detected and displayed. Thus, the user can select and reproduce a desired one of the successively displayed playlists, without paying attention to the plural memory media or memory devices.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect, the playlist detection means sets an order of priority on the formats of the detected playlists, and the reproduction means reproduces the digital data of the playlists in the order of the set priority on the formats of the playlists.
With this structure, the order of priority on the formats of playlists for reproduction can be set, and the playlists can be efficiently selected according to the user's preference.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, the reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect further comprises select means for selecting a desired one of the playlists detected by the playlist detection means, wherein the reproduction means reproduces the digital data of the playlist selected by the select means.
Since this apparatus includes the playlist select means for selecting a desired one of the playlists detected by the playlist detection means, even if the memory medium contains playlists of different formats, a desired playlist can be selected for the reproduction operation.
According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproduction means for reading out and reproducing data stored in a memory medium;
return means for returning a position of start of reproduction;
final return position storing means for storing a position to which the position of start of reproduction is finally returned by the return means;
return instruct means for instructing a repeat reproduction operation; and
repeat reproduction means for reading out the final return position from the final return position storing means when a return instruction is issued from the return instruct means, and starting the repeat reproduction operation from the final return position.
The final return position is stored in the final return position storing means. Thus, when repeat reproduction of the same audio data is desired, if the return operation is once performed, reproduction can be exactly performed from the desired point in the following operations only by instructing the return operation.
According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided a reproducing apparatus comprising:
reproduction means for reading out and reproducing data stored in a memory medium;
fast-forwarded means for fast-advancing a position of start of reproduction;
final forwarded position storing means for storing a position to which the position of start of reproduction is finally forwarded by the fast-forwarded means;
return instruct means for instructing a repeat reproduction operation; and
repeat reproduction means for reading out the final forwarded position from the final forwarded position storing means when a return instruction i
Izawa Hidehito
Morimoto Shigeo
Watanuki Masanori
Davidson Dan I
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Hudspeth David
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
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