United States Patent Application #20070169115, assigned to Apple Inc., filed on December 20, 2005, has been published today which describes a “portable media player as a low power remote control.”
Abstract:
A portable multimedia player is used to wirelessly access and control a media server that is streaming digital media by way of a wireless interface to a media unit such as a stereo/speakers in the case of streaming digital audio. In one embodiment, the portable multimedia player is wirelessly synchronized to a selected one(s) of a number of digital media files stored on the media server in such a way that digital media file metadata (song title, author, etc.) associated with the selected digital media file(s) only is transferred from the media server to be stored in the portable media player.
Summary of the Invention:
A portable multimedia player (such as the iPod.TM. manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.) is used to wirelessly access and control a media server (such as a personal computer running iTunes software) that is streaming digital media by way of a wireless interface to a media unit (such as a stereo/speakers in the case of streaming digital audio). In one embodiment, a method of using a portable multimedia player arranged to store digital media files to wirelessly access and/or control a media server configured to stream digital media data to a media unit is described. The method is performed by binding the portable multimedia player and the media server, wirelessly transmitting a signal from the multimedia player to the media server, and streaming the digital media data from the media server to a media unit by way of a wireless interface using the received signal.
In another embodiment, a portable digital multimedia player remote controller unit arranged to store multimedia media file metadata used to wirelessly control a remote media server is described. The remote controller unit includes a wireless network interface, a display device arranged to display a user interface having a number of user selectable items, and a processor unit that in response to a user selection of one of the user selectable items generates a signal that is wirelessly sent by the wireless network interface to the remote media server, the signal including multimedia file meta data identifying a multimedia file stored on the media server that, in turn, responds to the signals by accessing the identified multimedia file and once accessed, wirelessly sends the identified multimedia file to a remote media unit.
In yet another embodiment, a method of providing wireless remote control of a remote media unit through use of a portable multimedia player and a personal computer is described. The method is carried out by wirelessly receiving at the personal computer a multimedia file indication from the multimedia player, identifying a multimedia file stored on the personal computer using the received multimedia file indication, accessing the identified multimedia file; and wirelessly sending the identified multimedia file from the personal computer to the remote media unit.
Full patent application here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Roger” for the heads up.]
Apple to revolutionize the remote control – great news.
Streaming your whole music and video collection from your Mac to your roaming iPod/iPhone would be great. The device only needs minimal flash memory. Add this to shared music streaming already in place between computers, and you have everyone’s iPod/iPhone potentially sharing everyone else’s music on their computers.
Sure does beat squirting music from one Zune to another.
hrmmm, interesting….
so how much for an ipod that i can synch some stuff to, stream other stuff to, connect to WiFi and use mail and safari on?
please tell me they will keep the browser and mail when they dump the phone part for the new iPod…. please….
Shen,
I wouldn’t get your hopes up… :/
But this does sounds pretty cool. Can’t wait for… September? November? ….. of 2008? *sigh*
iTunes Mobile, coming to a touch-screen iPod sooner than later folks.
Talk about linking iPod with iTunes, and making iPod the largest must-have device. This will be massively successful.
Apple is paving the way to eliminating duplication of files between:
– Computer (iTunes)
– Apple TV
– iPod
– iPhone
Rather, iTunes knows what content you have purchased, and now you may be able to store your own content – in the itunes cloud – and access it anywhere, anytime. No need to locally store the content, or you can just store what you want at the time.
Enter any WiFi zone, and you have access to your entire iTunes library and iTunes Store. Download what you want to take with you for the time, and go.
This allows an 8 GB and 16 GB flash-based iPod video to become quite functional regardless of internal storage size.
This all begs the question, how much will iTunes Mobile cost? My guess is it will be included with .Mac users, and cost $99 a year for those without it. Those on PC’s get iTunes mobile, they just do not get the .Mac goodies (obviously).
What this does to Apple and ATT?
This is a huge deal, because ATT wants nothing to do with iTunes mobile. ATT wants to push its own services onto iPhone, but Apple won’t go there.
Now ATT will have massive pressure heaped on them by iPhone users and would-be buyers to allow iTunes Mobile to work via their EDGE network.
Apple, of course, won’t give any of the $99 to ATT – they won’t budge. Why? The rationale will be that the more iPhones ATT sells, the more cash cow 2 year deals they get. Let iTunes Mobile come onboard and they will get more money, via more subscriptions, and Apple should get it’s $99 a year for making it all happen.
Apple will force ATT’s hand with demand – and win.
Step by step Apple will free itself of ATT and other carriers.
Sounds more like a Sonos and Roku killer to me…
To revisit one of my earlier posts of Feb 06 – (MDN):
The solution to piracy is simple:
1) Reduce the price of legal downloads (taking advantage of its cheaper distribution costs);
2) Drop DRM – nobody wants hobbled software – except Gates & Co.;
3) Improve the quality of the online product – bit rate, artwork, lyrics….
The solution for the music industry:
1) Increase content (video, studio sessions, live shows – real fans want to own it all );
2) Innovate with new formats (separate tracks for voice and karaoke lyrics in audio and video);
3) Differentiate – different quality and pricing between online legal downloads and hard media.
Well, it looks like we’re getting the lot according to this bizarre patent which I can’t imagine getting granted unless nobody has ever used separate files for the karaoke text and the music – i.e, up to now it’s been single mixed tracks like .kar or whatever:
[url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN1721191420070718?feedType=RSS”ref=”http://www.macnn.com/blogs/?p=312″>Apple Files Patent for Displaying Lyrics & Having Karaoke Fun on Portables</a> – (MacNN). I think the intent is to sell these as separate files.
Elsewhere, Disney is proposing a <a ]new CD format[/url] – (Reuters) incorporating photos and lyrics….
Apple Files Patent for Displaying Lyrics & Having Karaoke Fun on Portables
Lack of a preview post function sux!