HK1119287A1 - Media connect device,and system using the same - Google Patents
Media connect device,and system using the same Download PDFInfo
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- HK1119287A1 HK1119287A1 HK08111177.4A HK08111177A HK1119287A1 HK 1119287 A1 HK1119287 A1 HK 1119287A1 HK 08111177 A HK08111177 A HK 08111177A HK 1119287 A1 HK1119287 A1 HK 1119287A1
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Abstract
The invention provides a media connecting device and a system utilizing the medium connecting device. The media connecting device provided by the invention is taken as the medium between a media player and an audio unit, is in response to the manipulation of a user to the audio unit to control the media player, executes the USB packet processing to an audio signal reappearing in the media player and provides the audio signal packet for the audio unit so as to make the audio unit output sound. The audio unit with a USB host interface can be connected to the prior media player without changing the appearance by adopting the media connecting device. In addition, even under the condition of DRM content, the user can listen to the song bought before without supporting or buying an independent software again.
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a media connection device that serves as a medium between a media player and an audio device, controls the media player in response to a user's manipulation of the audio device, performs USB packet processing on an audio signal reproduced by the media player, and supplies the audio signal packet to the audio device so that sound can be output from the audio device.
Background
Media players, such as MP3 players or voice recorders, which reproduce and record media files, have been widely used. Fig. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a conventional media player.
The conventional media player 1 has a nonvolatile storage device 5 such as a flash memory mounted therein so that media files received from an external host device 7 such as a PC through a network can be stored in the storage device 5. When a reproducing instruction is input through a User Interface (UI) module, a media file is read from the storage 5 and then transferred to the signal processor 6. Then, the media player 1 performs signal processing according to a predetermined signal processing scheme such as the MPEG-1 audio layer 3.
The host device 7 and the media player 1 have a transmission medium connection function in order to transmit and receive media files. Fig. 1 shows an example using USB (universal serial bus). In the USB technology, when two devices are connected to each other, one device performing a master function is referred to as a USB host, and the other device performing a slave function is referred to as a USB device. In fig. 1, the host device 7 is set as a USB host, and the media player 1 is set as a USB device. Thus, the host device 7 comprises a USB host and the media player 1 comprises a USB device.
As a transmission medium that can be used for such a purpose, IEEE1394 and a wireless LAN are provided in addition to the USB. Further, the connection therebetween may be realized by a cable, a connection port, or a wireless medium. When IEEE1394 or a wireless LAN is used, a concept different from the host-to-device concept can be used. In the case of IEEE1394, a peer-to-peer structure is used in which the host device 7 is set as an SBP2 initiator and the media player 1 is set as an SBP2 target according to SBP2 (serial bus protocol 2) which is an upper layer protocol. Therefore, in a common transmission medium including USB or IEEE1394, modeling can be performed in which the host apparatus 7 is set as a controller and the media player 1 is set as a target.
With the popularity of various media players, consumers increasingly desire to listen to songs stored in the media player through a speaker system of a car audio device or a home audio device. To this end, an FM transmission function is added to a conventional media player so that songs played by the media player are transmitted over a particular FM frequency. Further, the audio device outputs an audio signal by performing frequency modulation in the FM reception mode. In addition, the Aux line in the conventional audio device is separately extended and connected to a headphone jack of the media player.
Similarly, with the popularization of digital media technology, consumers increasingly desire to directly play digital content stored in a USB memory through a speaker system of an automobile audio device or a home audio device. For this reason, there is a patent application entitled "A MEDIAL PROCESSING DEVICE USING ANEXTERNAL STORAGE DEVICE" filed 4.4.2002 by the present applicant (Korean patent application No. 2003-21307) and published 15.10.15.2003 (Korean patent registration No. 403,376). According to this patent, the audio device includes a USB host interface to directly read and reproduce the contents stored in the USB memory.
Since a media player group such as Apple i-POD does not include an FM reception function and can be connected only through a dedicated interface, there is a limit to using the conventional scheme if an interface for car audio is not additionally provided. Consumers still purchase such media players. Furthermore, the utilization rate is not high.
Recently, DRM is considered to be very important. Therefore, there are many cases where DRM content is stored in a media player or a USB memory. Various problems and difficulties may occur when transmitting these DRM contents to another device. Therefore, even with an external audio device, it is desirable to perform reproduction in a media player in which these contents are registered first.
Disclosure of Invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a media connection apparatus that serves as a medium between a media player and an audio apparatus, controls the media player in response to a user's manipulation of the audio apparatus, performs USB packet processing on an audio signal reproduced by the media player, and supplies the audio signal packet to the audio apparatus so that sound can be output from the audio apparatus.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a media connection device for use as a medium between a media player and an audio device, the media connection device comprising: a media player connector comprising an audio connector connected to an audio jack of the media player (the jack is typically a female connector into which a plug (i.e., a male connector) may be inserted) to receive analog audio signals output from the media player and a remote control connector connected to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals with respect to the media player, wherein the media player provides an interface to the media player; an A/D converter that receives an analog audio signal output from the media player through the media player connector and generates digital audio data through an A/D conversion process; an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide an interface to the audio device; a system controller which groups digital audio data supplied from the A/D converter according to a transmission medium, supplies the generated digital audio data packets to the audio device through the audio device connector to cause the audio device to output a sound of an analog audio signal by D/A conversion, analyzes a content of a user manipulation from manipulation control data generated by the user manipulation in the audio device when the manipulation control data is supplied as the data packets according to the transmission medium through the audio device connector, and generates a corresponding device control signal with respect to the media player to supply the device control signal to the media player through the media player connector.
In order to achieve the above object, a media connection device according to the present invention is characterized in that the transmission medium is USB, and further in that the audio device connector includes a USB connector connected to a USB host interface of the audio device through the USB to supply the generated digital audio data packets as USB packet signals to the audio device, and to supply a device control signal for controlling the media player to the system controller when the device control signal is received from the audio device.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a media connection system including a media player, an audio device, and a media connection device, the media connection system including: a media player which reproduces a digital file to output an analog audio signal to an audio jack and performs its own device control according to specific remote control data provided through a remote control jack; a media connection device, the media connection device comprising: a media player connector having an audio connector providing an interface to the media player and corresponding to the audio jack, and a remote control connector corresponding to the remote control jack; an A/D converter that receives an analog audio signal through the audio connector and generates digital audio data through an A/D conversion process; an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide an interface; and a system controller which groups digital audio data according to a transmission medium, supplies the generated digital audio packets to the audio device through the audio device connector, analyzes manipulated content from manipulation control data when the manipulation control data from the audio device is supplied through the audio device connector as data packets according to the transmission medium, and generates a corresponding device control signal with respect to the media player to supply the device control signal to the media player through the remote control connector; and an audio device that extracts digital audio data from the digital audio data packets supplied from the media connection device, performs D/a conversion so that sound of an analog audio signal is output, generates manipulation control data when a device manipulation is input from a user, and supplies the manipulation control data to the media connection device through the audio device connector as data packets according to a transmission medium.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a media connection device for use as a medium between a media player and an audio device, the media connection device comprising: a media player connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player, to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player, and to provide an interface to the media player; an A/D converter that receives an analog audio signal output from the media player through the media player connector and generates digital audio data through an A/D conversion process; a system controller which groups digital audio data generated by the a/D converter according to a transmission medium, receives device control data from the audio device, analyzes content manipulated by a device from the device control data analysis device to generate a corresponding device control signal with respect to the media player, and provides the device control signal to the media player through the media player connector; and an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide the digital audio data packets generated by the system controller to the audio device through the transmission medium, to receive manipulation control data of the audio device as data packets according to the transmission medium to provide the manipulation control data to the system controller, and to provide an interface to the audio device.
In order to achieve the above object, a media connection device according to the present invention is characterized in that the media player connector includes: an audio connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player; and a remote control connector connected to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a media connection system including a media player, an audio device, and a media connection device, the media connection system including: a media player which reproduces a digital file to output an analog audio signal to an audio jack and performs its own device control according to specific remote control data provided through a remote control jack; a media connection device, the media connection device comprising: a media player connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player, to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player, and to provide an interface to the media player; an A/D converter that receives an analog audio signal output from the media player through the media player connector and generates a digital audio signal through an A/D conversion process; a system controller which groups digital audio data generated by the A/D converter according to a transmission medium, receives manipulation control data from the audio device, analyzes manipulated content from a manipulation control data analysis device to generate a corresponding device control signal with respect to the media player, and provides the device control signal to the media player through the media player connector; and an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide the digital audio data packets generated by the system controller to the audio device through the transmission medium, receive manipulation control data of the audio device as data packets according to the transmission medium to provide the manipulation control data to the system controller, and provide an interface to the audio device; and an audio device that extracts digital audio data from the digital audio data packets supplied from the media connection device, performs D/a conversion so that sound of an analog audio signal is output, generates manipulation control data when a device manipulation is input from a user, and supplies the manipulation control data to the media connection device through the audio device connector as data packets according to a transmission medium.
In order to achieve the above object, a media connection system according to the present invention is characterized in that the media player connector of the media connection device includes: an audio connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player; and a remote control connector connected to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player.
Drawings
These and/or other aspects and objects of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
fig. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a conventional media player;
fig. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a media player according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 shows an example in which car audio is used as an audio device to illustrate the connection of a media connection device according to an embodiment of the invention; and
fig. 4 is a reference diagram illustrating a state in which a media connection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used.
Detailed Description
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present general inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. These embodiments are described below in order to explain the present general inventive concept by referring to the figures.
Hereinafter, a media connection device and a system using the same according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of a media connection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 shows an example in which car audio is used as an audio device to explain the connection of the media connection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a reference diagram showing a state in which the media connection apparatus of fig. 3 is used.
As shown in fig. 2, the media connecting apparatus 100 is connected between the media player 10 and the audio apparatus 20 to serve as a medium therebetween. The media connection apparatus 100 includes a media player connector 110, an a/D converter 120, a system controller 130, and an audio device connector 140.
The media player connector 110 is connected to the media player 10 through a predetermined transmission medium to provide an interface between the media player 10 and the media connecting apparatus 100. As such an interface, an analog audio signal is basically included, which is output as a result of reproduction of a media file in the media player 10. And more preferably further includes controlling access to the media player 10.
As shown in fig. 3, the media player connector 110 includes a headphone connector 111 and a remote control connector 112. The headphone connector 111 connects to a headphone jack of the media player 10 to receive analog audio signals. The remote control connector 112 is connected to the remote control jack 11 of the media player 10 to output a device control signal to the media player 10. In this case, the device control signal is supplied from the audio device 20 as described below.
The shape of the media player connector 110 is determined according to the structure of the media player 10. For example, when the media player 10 is set such that the headphone jack and the remote-control jack 11 are separated from each other (as shown in fig. 3), the media player connector 110 is constructed such that the headphone connector 111 and the remote-control connector 112 are separated from each other to correspond to the headphone jack and the remote-control jack 11, respectively. The headphone jack and remote control jack 11 shown in fig. 3 represent the shape of the jack of the Apple i-POD.
The media player connector 110 can be applied not only to Apple i-PODs, but also to other media players. When the media player 10 is configured with a single jack (not shown) that provides both headphone and remote control functionality, a single connector (not shown) is provided that corresponds to the jack. Also, the structure of the media player connector 110 is not limited to those illustrated in fig. 3 and 4, but may be changed according to a connection interface of a media player to be applied.
The a/D converter 120 converts an analog audio signal, which is transmitted from the media player 10 through the media player connector 110, into digital audio data. The a/D converter 120 then supplies the converted digital audio data to the system controller 130. At this time, the conversion performed by the a/D converter 120 for generating digital audio data is a typical analog/digital conversion process in which the processing load is taken into consideration.
The system control module 130 packetizes the digital audio data supplied from the a/D converter 120 into a USB format. Then, the system control module 130 provides the generated USB packet to the audio device 20 through the audio device connector 140.
In a state where the output of the media player 10 is transmitted to the audio device 20 through the media connector 100 to output the sound, if a user performs a specific manipulation through the user interface of the audio device 20, device control corresponding thereto is performed in the media player 10. Hereinafter, this process will be described.
In response to the manipulation by the user, the audio apparatus 20 generates manipulation control data. The steering control data is transmitted as USB packets to the media connection device 100 through the audio device connector 140. The system controller 130 analyzes the manipulation to generate a device control signal with respect to the media player 10. The generated device control signal is transmitted to the media player 10 through the media player connector 110. Through such processing, device control according to user manipulation is performed in the media player 10.
The manipulations represent signals that control typical operations of the media player 10, such as an on/off function, a seek function, a select function, a play function, or a fast forward/rewind function.
When processing the audio signal output from the media player 10, the system controller 130 packetizes the digital audio data into a USB format and supplies the generated USB packet to the audio device 20. To perform this operation, the system controller 130 inputs digital audio data to a specific register and then provides a USB packet to the audio device 20 according to a trigger manipulation.
The audio device connector 140 is connected to the USB host interface 21 of the audio device 20 through a predetermined transmission medium such as a USB connector to provide communication using USB signal packets.
As described above, the media connection apparatus of the present invention uses a known USB transmission medium as an example of the transmission medium. The audio device connector 140 includes a USB connector 141, and the USB connector 141 is connected to the USB host interface 21 of the audio device 20 through a USB transmission medium to provide USB signal packets to the audio device 20 and receive manipulation information of the media player 10.
Fig. 4 is a reference diagram illustrating a state in which a media connection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. In this state, the headphone connector 111 and the remote control connector 112 of the media connecting apparatus 100 are fitted and combined with the headphone jack/remote control jack 11 of the media player 10. Further, the USB connector 141 of the media connector 100 is fitted to the USB host interface 21 of the audio device 20.
Accordingly, by using the USB communication relay of the media connection apparatus 100, the user can control the media player 10 by the button manipulation of the audio apparatus 20. Further, the user can listen to the sound according to the audio signal output from the media player 10 through the speaker SP of the audio device 20.
The audio processor of the audio device 20 acquires a digital audio signal from the digital audio signal data transmitted as a USB packet by the media connection device 100, and converts the digital audio signal into an analog audio signal by D/a conversion, thereby outputting sound. Thus, the number of bits of the a/D conversion and the D/a conversion can be expected to have an important influence on the sound quality.
According to the media connecting apparatus of the present invention, the media connecting apparatus serves as an intermediary between the media player and the audio apparatus, thereby controlling the media player according to the manipulation of the audio apparatus by the user. Further, an audio signal to be reproduced by the media player is transferred through USB packet processing, so that the audio device can output sound.
Furthermore, the reproduction operation itself is performed in the media player. Accordingly, even in the case of DRM content, a user can enjoy previously purchased songs without supporting or repurchasing separate software.
Further, since the existing USB interface of the audio apparatus is utilized as it is, there is no need to change the appearance or to install a dedicated interface.
Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims (7)
1. A media connection device for use as a medium between a media player and an audio device, the media connection device comprising:
a media player connector, the media player connector comprising:
an audio connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player; and
a remote control connector connected to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals with respect to the media player,
wherein the media player provides an interface to the media player;
an analog-to-digital converter that receives an analog audio signal output from the media player through the media player connector and generates digital audio data through an analog-to-digital conversion process;
an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide an interface to the audio device;
a system controller which groups digital audio data supplied from the analog-to-digital converter according to the transmission medium, supplies the generated digital audio data packets to the audio device through the audio device connector to cause the audio device to output sound of the analog audio signal by digital-to-analog conversion, analyzes content of user manipulation from manipulation control data generated by the user manipulation in the audio device when the manipulation control data is supplied as data packets according to the transmission medium through the audio device connector, and generates corresponding device control signals with respect to the media player to supply the device control signals to the media player through the media player connector.
2. The media connection device of claim 1,
wherein the transmission medium is a universal serial bus, and the audio device connector includes a universal serial bus connector connected to a universal serial bus host interface of the audio device through the universal serial bus to supply the generated digital audio data packets as a universal serial bus packet signal to the audio device and to supply a device control signal for controlling the media player to the system controller when the device control signal is received from the audio device.
3. A media connection system including a media player, an audio device, and a media connection device, the media connection system comprising:
a media player reproducing a digital file to output an analog audio signal to an audio jack and performing its own device control according to specific remote control data provided through a remote control jack;
a media connection device, the media connection device comprising:
a media player connector having an audio connector providing an interface to the media player and corresponding to the audio jack, and a remote control connector corresponding to the remote control jack;
an analog-to-digital converter that receives an analog audio signal through the audio connector and generates digital audio data through analog-to-digital conversion processing;
an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide an interface; and
a system controller which groups the digital audio data according to the transmission medium, provides the generated digital audio packets to the audio device through the audio device connector, analyzes manipulated content from manipulation control data from the audio device when the manipulation control data is provided as data packets according to the transmission medium through the audio device connector, and generates corresponding device control signals with respect to the media player to provide the device control signals to the media player through the remote control connector; and
an audio device that extracts digital audio data from digital audio data packets supplied from the media connection device, performs digital-to-analog conversion so that sound of the analog audio signal is output, generates manipulation control data when a device manipulation is input from a user, and supplies the manipulation control data to the media connection device through the audio device connector as data packets according to the transmission medium.
4. A media connection device for use as a medium between a media player and an audio device, the media connection device comprising:
a media player connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player, to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player, and to provide an interface to the media player;
an analog-to-digital converter that receives an analog audio signal output from the media player through the media player connector and generates digital audio data through an analog-to-digital conversion process;
a system controller which groups digital audio data generated by the analog-to-digital converter according to a transmission medium, receives device control data from the audio device, analyzes content manipulated by the device control data analysis device to generate a corresponding device control signal with respect to the media player, and provides the device control signal to the media player through the media player connector; and
an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide the digital audio data packets generated by the system controller to the audio device through the transmission medium, receives manipulation control data of the audio device as data packets according to the transmission medium to provide the manipulation control data to the system controller, and provides an interface to the audio device.
5. The media connection device of claim 4,
wherein the media player connector comprises:
an audio connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player; and
a remote control connector connected to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player.
6. A media connection system including a media player, an audio device, and a media connection device, the media connection system comprising:
a media player which reproduces a digital file to output an analog audio signal to an audio jack and performs its own device control according to specific remote control data provided through a remote control jack;
a media connection device, the media connection device comprising:
a media player connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player, to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player, and to provide an interface to the media player;
an analog-to-digital converter that receives an analog audio signal output from the media player through the media player connector and generates a digital audio signal through an analog-to-digital conversion process;
a system controller which groups digital audio data generated by the analog-to-digital converter according to a transmission medium, receives manipulation control data from the audio device, analyzes manipulated content from the manipulation control data to generate a corresponding device control signal with respect to the media player, and provides the device control signal to the media player through the media player connector; and
an audio device connector connected to the audio device through a specific transmission medium to provide the digital audio data packets generated by the system controller to the audio device through the transmission medium, to receive manipulation control data of the audio device as data packets according to the transmission medium to provide the manipulation control data to the system controller, and to provide an interface to the audio device; and
an audio device that extracts digital audio data from digital audio data packets supplied from the media connection device, performs digital-to-analog conversion so that sound of the analog audio signal is output, generates manipulation control data when a device manipulation is input from a user, and supplies the manipulation control data to the media connection device through the audio device connector as data packets according to the transmission medium.
7. The media connection system of claim 6,
wherein the media player connector of the media connection device comprises:
an audio connector connected to an audio jack of the media player to receive analog audio signals output from the media player; and
a remote control connector connected to a remote control jack of the media player to provide device control signals to the media player.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNB2007100019031A CN100545937C (en) | 2007-01-12 | 2007-01-12 | Media connection device and system using the same |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| HK1119287A1 true HK1119287A1 (en) | 2009-02-27 |
| HK1119287B HK1119287B (en) | 2010-01-29 |
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Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN101221805A (en) | 2008-07-16 |
| CN100545937C (en) | 2009-09-30 |
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