Power Saving File transmission in portable multimedia device
A device for sending digital multimedia files from a digital player to an external player, for example in the vehicle. The digital files in the digital player are sent over the interface, while the playing circuitry, such as the audio circuitry, is turned off. This saves power. Additional power saving mechanisms may cache certain information from the hard drive to solid-state memory, and sending information in bursts. The sending of information can be wireless. Another aspect involves selecting an amount of bandwidth that is used for the transmission
1 . A personal multimedia player, comprising:
a digital storage part, which stores digital files indicative of multimedia to be played;
an analog portion, which plays said digital files from said digital storage part;
a user interface, which allows selection of at least one of said digital files and includes a controller which controls operation of sending said at least one digital files to a receiver outside the player, and controls removing of power from said analog portion during said sending.
2 . A player as in claim 1 , wherein said digital files are indicative of digital compressed audio, and said analog portion includes an audio amplifier.
3 . A player as in claim 1 , wherein said analog portion also includes a digital to analog converter.
4 . A player as in claim 1 , further comprising a wireless sending device, which allows wirelessly sending information indicative of said digital files to the receiver.
5 . A player as in claim 4 , wherein said wireless sending device operates according to the Bluetooth format.
6 . A player as in claim 4 , wherein said information indicative of said digital files is information that is in digital form.
7 . A player as in claim 1 , wherein said sending operates to send bursts of information, with times that information is not being sent in between the times when information is sent.
8 . A player as in claim 4 , wherein said wireless sending device sends two independent streams of information to the receiver.
9 . A player as in claim 1 , further comprising a battery, powering said digital storage, said analog portion, and said user interface, and wherein said controlling removing of power prevents power from said battery from being consumed by said analog portion.
10 . A personal multimedia player, comprising:
a battery;
a media storage part, powered by said battery and storing files indicative of media to be played;
a wireless transmitting part, powered by said battery, and which enables wirelessly transmitting information indicative of said files to a receiver remote from the personal multimedia player;
a media playing part, powered by said battery, and receiving information from said media storage part upon command, and operating to play said media files upon command; and
a controller, powered by said battery, which controls said wirelessly transmitting, by entering a wireless transmitting mode in which information from said media storage part is transmitted by said wireless transmitting part, and in which said media playing part is prevented from consuming substantial power from said battery.
11 . A player as in claim 10 , wherein said controller controls said wireless transmitting mode to transmit in bursts of information, with times that information is not being sent in between the times when information is sent.
12 . A player as in claim 10 , wherein said wireless transmitting part is a Bluetooth transmitter.
13 . A method, comprising:
in a first mode, enabling playing multimedia files on a personal multimedia player; and
in a second mode, enabling said multimedia files to be sent to an external player, said second mode preventing at least one circuit that is associated with playing said multimedia files in said first mode from consuming substantial power.
14 . A method as in claim 13 , further comprising, in said second mode, caching said multimedia files from a hard drive to a solid-state memory in bursts, and leaving times of non-operation of the hard drive in between the bursts.
15 . A method as in claim 13 , wherein said second mode enables said multimedia files to be sent wirelessly to the external player.
16 . A method as in claim 13 , further comprising selecting a bandwidth used to wirelessly send said multimedia files.
17 . A method as in claim 15 , wherein said sending comprises sending said files to a receiver in an automobile.
18 . A method comprising:
Storing digital files representing compressed audio, in a portable multimedia player;
Playing said digital audio files in a first mode, by converting the digital audio files to an analog audio form, and producing an output indicative of the analog audio form; and
Playing said digital files in a second mode by transferring information indicative of said digital files to a receiver in an automobile, and playing information indicative of said information in said automobile.
19 . A method as in claim 18 , wherein said transferring comprises wirelessly transferring.
20 . A method as in claim 18 , further comprising, during said second mode, preventing at least one circuit that is associated with playing said audio files in said first mode from consuming substantial power