Mobile communication device and system supporting personal media recorder functionality
View Patent ↗A system and method for presenting information to a user of a mobile communication device. Various aspects of the present invention comprise receiving and presenting a first portion of media information to a user. While presenting the first portion of the media information to the user, a first signal may be received. In response to the first signal, a second portion of the media information may be received and buffered. A second signal may be received, and in response to the second signal, the second portion of the media information may be presented to the user. While the second portion of the media information is presented to the user, a third portion of the media information may be received and buffered. Various aspects of the present invention may also comprise a mobile communication device that receives, presents and/or buffers various portions of media information.
1. In a mobile communication device, a method for presenting media information to a user, the method comprising:
receiving media information in a first communication and presenting the received media information to the user;
while receiving the media information and presenting the received media information to the user, receiving a signal related to initiation of a second communication unrelated to the first communication; and
in response to the received signal related to initiation of the second communication:
continuing receiving media information in the first communication, comprising receiving a next portion of the media information; and
buffering the received next portion of the media information in a local memory device of the mobile communication device and in a memory device external to the mobile communication device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received signal is representative of a user input to the mobile communication device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received signal is received from a communication system external to the mobile communication device.
4. The method of claim 1 , comprising, in response to the received signal, ceasing presenting the received media information to the user.
5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving a second signal related to ending the second communication; and
in response to the received second signal, presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user.
6. The method of claim 5 , comprising, while presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user, receiving and buffering a further portion of the media information.
7. The method of claim 5 , comprising, while presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user, providing fast-forward capability to the user.
8. The method of claim 5 , comprising, while presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user, providing rewind capability to the user.
9. The method of claim 1 , comprising outputting the age of media information that is currently being presented to the user.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein buffering the received next portion of the media information comprises:
initially storing the next portion of the media information in a local memory device of the mobile communication device; and
when the local memory device reaches a particular level of fullness, storing the next portion of the media information in a removable memory module inserted into the mobile communication device.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein buffering the received next portion of the media information comprises buffering the received next portion of the media information in a temporally rolling manner comprising replacing the oldest buffered media information with the newest buffered media information.
12. In a mobile communication device, a method for presenting media information to a user, the method comprising:
receiving media information in a first communication;
presenting the received media information to a user;
while presenting the received media information to the user, beginning a second communication that is unrelated to the first communication;
while interfacing with the user regarding the second communication:
continuing receiving media information in the first communication, comprising receiving a next portion of the media information; and
buffering the received next portion of the media information in a local memory device of the mobile communication device and in a memory device external to the mobile communication device;
after interfacing with the user regarding the second communication, presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user; and
while presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user, retaining at least some of the buffered next portion in an on-chip memory buffer after presenting the at least some of the buffered next portion to the user.
13. The method of claim 12 , comprising, while presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user, receiving and buffering a further portion of the media information.
14. The method of claim 12 , comprising, while presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user, providing fast-forward capability to the user.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein buffering the received next portion of the media information comprises buffering the received next portion of the media information in a temporally rolling manner comprising replacing the oldest buffered media information with the newest buffered media information.
16. The method of claim 12 , comprising retaining a set amount of the buffered media information after presentation of said set amount to the user.
17. The method of claim 12 , comprising, prior to receiving and buffering the next portion of the media information, receiving an indication from the user to perform the second communication.
18. A mobile communication device, comprising:
at least one module operable to, at least:
receive media information in a first communication and present the received media information to a user;
while receiving the media information and presenting the received media information to the user, receive a signal related to initiation of a second communication unrelated to the first communication; and
in response to the received signal related to initiation of the second communication:
continue to receive media information in the first communication by, at least in part, operating to receive a next portion of the media information; and
buffer the received next portion of the media information in a local memory device of the mobile communication device and in a memory device external to the mobile communication device.
19. The mobile communication device of claim 18 , where the received signal is representative of a user input to the mobile communication device.
20. The mobile communication device of claim 18 , where the received signal is received from a communication system external to the mobile communication device.
21. The mobile communication device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one module is operable to cease presenting the received media information to the user in response to the received signal.
22. The mobile communication device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one module is operable to:
receive a second signal related to ending the second communication; and
in response to the received second signal, present the buffered next portion of the media information to the user.
23. The mobile communication device of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, while the buffered next portion of the media information is presented to the user, receive and buffer a further portion of the media information.
24. The mobile communication device of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, while the buffered next portion of the media information is presented to the user, provide fast-forward capability to the user.
25. The mobile communication device of claim 22 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, while the buffered next portion of the media information is presented to the user, provide rewind capability to the user.
26. The mobile communication device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one module is operable to output the age of media information that is currently being presented to the user.
27. The mobile communication device of claim 18 , where the at least one module is operable to buffer the received next portion of the media information by, at least in part, operating to:
initially store the next portion of the media information in the local memory device; and
when the local memory device reaches a particular level of fullness, store the next portion of the media information in a removable memory module inserted into the mobile communication device.
28. The mobile communication device of claim 18 , where the at least one module is operable to buffer the received next portion of the media information by, at least in part, operating to buffer the received next portion of the media information in a temporally rolling manner comprising replacing the oldest buffered media information with the newest buffered media information.
29. A mobile communication device, comprising:
at least one module operable to, at least:
receive media information in a first communication;
present the received media information to a user;
while the received media information is presented to the user, begin a second communication that is unrelated to the first communication;
interface with the user regarding the second communication;
while the user is interfaced with regarding the second communication:
continue to receive media information in the first communication by, at least in part, operating to receive a next portion of the media information; and
buffer the next portion of the media information in a local memory device of the mobile communication device and in a memory device external to the mobile communication device;
after the user is interfaced with regarding the second communication, present the buffered next portion of the media information to the user; and
while presenting the buffered next portion of the media information to the user, retain at least some of the buffered next portion in an on-chip memory buffer after presenting the at least some of the buffered next portion to the user.
30. The mobile communication device of claim 29 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, while the buffered next portion of the media information is presented to the user, receive and buffer a further portion of the media information.
31. The mobile communication device of claim 29 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, while the buffered next portion of the media information is presented to the user, provide fast-forward capability to the user.
32. The mobile communication device of claim 29 , wherein the at least one module is operable to buffer the received next portion of the media information by, at least in part, operating to buffer the received next portion of the media information in a temporally rolling manner comprising replacing the oldest buffered media information with the newest buffered media information.
33. The mobile communication device of claim 29 , wherein the at least one module is operable to retain a set amount of the buffered media information after presentation of said set amount to the user.
34. The mobile communication device of claim 29 , wherein the at least one module is operable to, prior to the second portion of the media information being received and buffered, receive an indication from the user to perform the second communication.