WO2001063433A1

WO2001063433A1 - Computer network audio system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2001063433A1
Application number: PCT/US2001/005972
Authority: WO
Inventors: John H. Mallard, Iii; Michael Maia; Sanjeev Kumar
Original assignee: Portalplayer, Inc.
Priority date: 2000-02-22
Filing date: 2001-02-21
Publication date: 2001-08-30
Also published as: WO2001063433A9; AU3986701A

Abstract

The invention is directed to a LAN IP device, such as a speaker (30) or headphone (30), that may be connected to a typical computer network (22). The device may automatically establish an IP address in order to communicate with the server (26) and may play music downloaded over the computer network. The device may select between one or more different music channels. As an example, the device may be used to play a particular music station within a particular office of a company. The downloaded data may or may not be encrypted. If the data is encrypted, then the device must decrypt the data prior to playing it.

Description

COMPUTER NETWORK AUDIO SYSTEM AND METHOD

Background of the Invention

This invention relates generally to a system and method for permitting audio data, such as music, to be played over a computer network and in particular to a system and method for permitting audio devices connected directly to the computer network to play the audio data.

In a typical office, each employee may choose to listen to audio data while working and may do so using several methods. First, the user may bring a radio or CD player into the office. This option requires the employee to buy the radio/CD player and then be willing to bring it into the office. Second, the user may use his computer to download music from a web site and then listen to the music using the speakers in the computer or listen to the music over the computer network. The problem with this option is that the playing of the music typically slows down the speed of the computer and/or the computer network to unacceptable levels so that the employee is unable to use the computer to perform his work. It is desirable to provide a system and method for permitting audio data to be communicated over a computer network and for permitting the audio data to be played over an audio device that may be connected directly to the computer network and it is to this end that the present invention is directed.

Summary of the Invention

The invention is directed to a computer network audio system and method that permits audio data, such as music, to be downloaded over a computer network, such as a wireless or landline local area network, to one or more audio devices, such as speakers or headphones, connected to the computer network. In more detail, the audio devices may be plugged into the computer network without being connected to a computer and each audio device may select a channel of audio data, continuously download the channel of audio data, decompress the channel of audio data and play that audio data. In a preferred embodiment, the computer network may be a 10 Mbps local area network(LAN), the audio data may be music and each channel of music may be compressed to permit up to 100 different channels of music over the LAN.

In more detail, each audio device connected to the computer network may automatically establish an IP address for itself in order to communicate with the server and may play the audio data downloaded over the computer network. The device may select between one or more different channels of audio data. For example, one channel may contain rock music, another channel may contain jazz music and another channel may contain talk radio. The audio device in accordance with the invention may be used, for example, to play a particular channel of audio data within a particular office of a company. The downloaded audio data may or may not be encrypted depending on security. If the audio data is encrypted, then the device must decrypt the data prior to playing it. The audio data may or may not be compressed although compressed audio data permits more channels to be available over the computer network.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, an audio device is provided. The device generates an address request when a connection to a network is established, receives an address from an audio computer connected to the network, and selects content stored on the audio computer to be played by the audio device. The audio device then downloads the selected content over the network from the audio computer and generates signals corresponding to the selected content downloaded from the audio computer. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system for playing content over a computer network is provided wherein the system includes a content computer connected to the computer network to establish a content sub-net and a device connected to the computer network and the content sub-net so that the device plays the content communicated over the computer network from the content computer. The content computer stores one or more different channels of content, controls the downloading of the channels of content and controls the initialization of the devices being connected to the computer network. The device receives an address from the initialization controller in response to an address request, selects one of the channels of content, downloads the selected channel over the computer network, and generates signals corresponding to the selected channel.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method for playing content over a computer network is provided wherein each device connected to the computer network is initialized wherein the initialization is initiated by each device. Each device then selects a channel of content, downloads the selected content over the network from the computer, and generates signals corresponding to the selected content downloaded from the server.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of a computer network audio system in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of an audio computer network device in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of an audio server in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a preferred method for audio device initialization in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a preferred method for downloading and playing music over a computer network in accordance with the invention.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

The invention is particularly applicable to a landline LAN-based audio system and it is in this context that the invention will be described. It will be appreciated, however, that the system and method in accordance with the invention has greater utility since it may be used with a variety of different computer networks, such as wireless networks and with a variety of different audio devices.

Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of a computer network audio system 20 in accordance with the invention. In the preferred embodiment shown, the system may be implemented over a typical computer network 22, such as a typical local area network (LAN) 22 in an office, for example. The computer network may include a typical server farm 24. The computer network may also be a wide area network (WAN), the Internet or any other computer network. In accordance with the invention, a media/audio computer 26, that may be a server computer in the preferred embodiment, may be connected to the computer network 22. The media server 26, as described in more detail with reference to Figure 3, establishes an audio sub-net 28 on the computer network that permits one or more audio devices 30, that may be speakers or headphones, to connect directly to the computer network, to download audio data from the media server and to play the audio data without the audio device being plugged into or using the computational power of a personal computer. In accordance with the invention, the media server 26 may store a plurality of different channels of audio data so that the users of the audio devices may select which channel of audio data to listen to and the user may switch channels at any time. As shown in Figure 1, the one or more audio devices do not have to be all listening to the same channel. The audio data being downloaded to each audio device may be in any format and communicated using any protocol. In addition, the audio data may be compressed and/or encrypted. Audio data that has been purchased by the user may be encrypted, for example. Usually, it is desirable to compress the audio data since more channels of audio data are possible when the audio data has been compressed. For example, with a 10 Mbps LAN, there may be 10 channels of uncompressed audio data while there may be 100 channels of compressed audio data. Now, the details of each audio device will be described in more detail.

Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of an audio computer network device 30 in accordance with the invention. As described above, each device 30 is self-contained in that the device does not need to be connected to a computer. Thus, each device may perform various operations necessary to be able to download and play the channels of audio data, such as decompressing the audio data, for example. The device 30 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 40, an interface (IF) unit 42, a memory device 44, a decompressor 46 and an audio output device 48, that may be a speaker for example. The CPU may control the operation of the audio device and its components and the IF unit may receive and send data over the computer network. The memory device 44 may be a semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM or flash memory or it may be a permanent storage device, such as a hard disk drive. The decompressor 46 may be a piece of hardware that performs the decompression and or decryption of the audio data or it may be a software application executed by the CPU and stored in the memory that performs the decompression. The memory 44 may store compressed data 50 downloaded over the computer network from the media server prior to it being decompressed and played by the audio output device. The audio output device 48, based on decompressed electrical signals received from the memory or the decompressor, generates sound waves corresponding to the channel of music currently tuned to by the audio device.

In operation, when the device is plugged into the computer network, it may send an address request signal over the audio sub-net shown in Figure 1 to the media server as described below with reference to Figure 4. Once the device has received its address, it may select a particular channel of audio data and download that channel of audio data. In one embodiment, the channel of audio data may be streamed to the audio device in that the audio device may continuously receive audio data that the device then decompresses on the fly.

In accordance with the invention, the device may automatically initializes itself when it is connected to the computer network and may automatically determine the appropriate IP address for the particular channel of music with the help of the media server. The device is also capable, based on user input, of changing channels. In summary, the device is an intelligent audio device, such as a speaker or headphones, that may play audio data downloaded over a computer network without being attached to a computer, that may automatically initialize itself when connected to the computer network and that may automatically decompress any compressed audio data being downloaded to the device. Now, the media server will be described in more detail.

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the media server 26 in accordance with the invention. The media server 26 may include a central processing unit (CPU) 60, an interface (IF) unit 62, an initializer 64, a channel controller 66 and a memory 68. The CPU may control the operation of the media server and its components while the IF unit 62 may receive and send data over the computer network. The initalizer 64 may be a piece of hardware, a semiconductor chip programmed with a function or a piece of software stored in the memory and executed by the CPU to manage the initialization of audio devices as the audio devices are connected to the computer network. The channel controller 66 may be a piece of hardware, a semiconductor chip programmed with a function or a piece of software stored in the memory and executed by the CPU to manage the channels of audio data. As above, the memory 68 may be temporary memory, such as RAM, ROM, flash memory or the like or it may be a permanent storage device, such as a hard disk drive. The memory 68 may store one or more (Channel 1 to Channel N in Figure 3) channels 70 of audio data. The channels may be stored in the memory in a compressed format so that more channels may be downloaded over the computer network. Thus, when an audio device requests a particular channel, the channel controller may retrieve the channel from memory and forward it over the computer network to the particular audio device. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, each channel of audio data may have a particular IP address associated with the channel so that each audio device that is playing that channel may use the same IP address. Now, an initialization method for each audio device will be described.

Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a preferred method 80 for audio device initialization in accordance with the invention. In particular, when an audio device is connected to the computer network, it may send an address request to the media server over the computer network in step 82. In step 84, the media server may assign a particular IP address to a particular channel of audio data selected by the audio device. In step 86, the media server may communicate the IP address to the particular audio device so that the audio device may start downloading the particular channel of audio data from the media server by accessing the IP address. It should be noted that this initialization process is automatically initiated when the audio device is connected to the computer network. Now, a method for downloading and playing music in an audio device will be described.

Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a preferred method 100 for downloading and playing music over a computer network in accordance with the invention. In step 102, the audio device may select a channel of audio data from the channels available from the media server. In step 104, the audio device may receive the audio data over the computer network. In step 106, the audio device may, on the fly, decompress the audio data if it is compressed and then play the audio data in step 108.

While the foregoing has been with reference to a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes in this embodiment may be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims: 1. An audio device comprising: means for generating an address request when a connection to a network is established; means for receiving an address from a audio computer connected to the network; means for selecting content stored on the audio computer to be played by the audio device; means for downloading the selected content over the network from the audio computer; and means for generating signals corresponding to the selected content downloaded from the audio computer.

2. The device of Claim 1, wherein the content comprises audio data.

3. The device of Claim 2, wherein the audio data comprises music.

4. The device of Claim 3, wherein the music further comprises compressed music data and wherein the device further comprises means for automatically decompressing the compressed music data.

5. The device of Claim 4, wherein the audio device comprises a speaker.

6. The device of Claim 4, wherein the audio device comprises a set of headphones.

7. The device of Claim 1, wherein the device further comprises means for selecting from one or more different channels of content.

8. The device of Claim 5, wherein the computer comprises a server.

9. A system for playing content over a computer network, comprising: a content computer connected to the computer network to establish a content sub-net; a device connected to the computer network and the content sub-net so that the device plays the content communicated over the computer network from the content computer; the content computer further comprising means for storing one or more different channels of content, means for controlling the downloading of the channels of content and means for controlling the initialization of the devices being connected to the computer network; and the device further comprising means for receiving an address from the initialization controller means in response to an address request, means for selecting one of the channels of content, means for downloading the selected channel over the computer network, and means for generating signals corresponding to the selected channel.

10. The system of Claim 9, wherein the content comprises audio data.

11. The system of Claim 10, wherein the audio data comprises music.

12. The system of Claim 11 , wherein the music further comprises compressed music data and wherein the device further comprises means for automatically decompressing the compressed music data.

13. The system of Claim 12, wherein the device comprises a speaker.

14. The device of Claim 12, wherein the device comprises a set of headphones.

15. The device of Claim 13, wherein the computer comprises a server.

16. A method for playing content over a computer network, comprising: initializing each device connected to the computer network, the initialization being initiated by each device and generating an address for the device; each device selecting a channel of content stored on a computer to be played by the device; each device downloading the selected content over the network from the computer; and each device generating signals corresponding to the selected content downloaded from the server.

17. The method of Claim 16, wherein the content comprises audio data.

18. The method of Claim 17, wherein the audio data comprises music.

19. The method of Claim 18, wherein the music further comprises compressed music data and wherein the device further comprises automatically decompressing the compressed music data.

20. The method of Claim 19, wherein the device comprises a speaker.

21. The method of Claim 19, wherein the device comprises a set of headphones.

22. The method of Claim 19, wherein the computer comprises a server.