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14170results about "Recording on magnetic disks" patented technology

Distributed electronic entertainment method and apparatus

A distributed electronic entertainment method and apparatus are described. In one embodiment, a central management resource is coupled to multiple out-of-home venues through a wide area network (WAN). The central management resource stores content and performs management, monitoring and entertainment content delivery functions. At each venue at least one entertainment unit is coupled to the WAN. Multiple entertainment units in a venue are coupled to each other through a local area network (LAN). In one embodiment, an entertainment unit includes a user interface that comprises at least one graphical user interface (GUI). The entertainment unit further comprises a local memory device that stores entertainment content comprising music, a peripheral interface, and a user input device. A plurality of peripheral devices are coupled to the at least one entertainment unit via the peripheral interface, wherein a user, through the user input device and the user interface, performs at least one activity from a group comprising, playing music, playing electronic games, viewing television content, and browsing the Internet.
Owner:AMI ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK

Optimizing media player memory during rendering

Optimizing operation of a media player during rendering of media files. The invention includes authoring software to create a data structure and to populate the created data structure with obtained metadata. The invention also includes rendering software to retrieve the metadata from the data structure and to identify media files to render. In one embodiment, the invention is operable as part of a compressed media format having a set of small files containing metadata, menus, and playlists in a compiled binary format designed for playback on feature-rich personal computer media players as well as low cost media players.
Owner:PANASONIC CORP +1

Navigating media content via groups within a playlist

Grouping and navigating media files within a playlist on a computer-readable medium. Invention software selects media files according to a grouping criterion to define a group from the media files. The invention software generates a group header associated with the group. The group header includes a value identifying the defined group and a reference to another group to enable navigation. The invention software stores the selected media files, the playlist, the defined groups, and the associated group headers on a computer-readable medium. The invention software also includes playback software for navigating and selecting media files via groups within a playlist. In one embodiment, the invention is operable as part of a compressed media format having a set of small files containing metadata, menus, and playlists in a compiled binary formal designed for playback on feature-rich personal computer media players as well as low cost media players.
Owner:MICROSOFT TECH LICENSING LLC +1

Efficient techniques for modifying audio playback rates

InactiveUS20060221788A1Good choicePlayed back faster or slowerFilamentary/web record carriersSpeech analysisMediaFLOEngineering
Improved techniques for modifying a playback rate of an audio item (e.g., an audio stream) are disclosed. As a result, the audio item can be played back faster or slower than normal. The improved techniques are resource efficient and well suited for audio items containing speech. The resource efficiency of the improved techniques make them well suited for use with portable media devices, such as portable media players.
Owner:APPLE INC

Media player with instant play capability

A media player and a method for operating a media player are disclosed. A media program is able to substantially immediately begin playing after a media play selection has been made. Through intelligent operation, the media program is able to start playing even before the media program has been substantially or completely loaded from disk storage into semiconductor memory (i.e., cache memory). Additionally, the media program can be loaded into semiconductor memory through use of a background process without disturbing the playing of the media program. Further, if desired, the disk storage is able to be aggressively “powered off” when not being accessed, thereby enhancing battery life when being battery-powered.
Owner:APPLE INC

Reproducing device, reproduction method, reproduction program, and recording medium

For a content-prerecorded large capacity disc-shaped recording medium, a user interface having high flexibility is accomplished. Button image data, corresponding sound data as an effect sound, and control commands for the sound data and image data are multiplexed with a stream and recorded on the disc. A scenario reproduced from the disc is stored in a buffer 104. The image data and sound data are stored in a buffer 105. Image data is read from the buffer 105 in accordance with a scenario and expanded to a graphics plane 133. In addition, corresponding sound data is read from the buffer 105 and reproduced by a sound player 106D. When a button image is varied in accordance with a state change of the button, an effect sound is reproduced. As a result, a more effective user interface is accomplished.
Owner:SONY CORP

Method of and apparatus for managing disc defects using temporary defect management information (TDFL) and temporary defect management information (TDDS), and disc having the TDFL and TDDS

A disc having an updatable defect management area used by an apparatus for managing defects on the disc, the disc including a user data area which includes user data, a spare area that is a substitute area for a defect existing in the user data area, and an area in which are recorded an address of data that is last recorded in the user data area and an address of a replacement data recorded in the spare area. Accordingly, the disc defect management method and apparatus are applicable to a recordable disc such as a write-once disc while effectively using a defect management area of the disc.
Owner:SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

Information storing disk, reproduction apparatus, and reproduction method

An information storing disk including at least one system stream stored thereon. The at least one system stream includes a silent cell for defining a silent period and an audio cell for defining audio data to be reproduced after the silent period. The silent period is a period to be silent, which is from when one system stream to be reproduced among at least one system stream is determined until reproduction of an audio cell included in the one system stream is started.
Owner:PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORP OF AMERICA

Differential head integrated touchdown sensors for hard disk drives

A method and system for providing a disk drive is described. The disk drive includes media such as one or more disks, a slider, and a head residing on the slider. The head has an air-bearing surface (ABS), a portion of which contacts the media during touchdown. The head further includes a plurality of touchdown sensors. A first touchdown sensor is proximate to the ABS, while a second touchdown sensor is distal from the ABS. The touchdown sensors are capable of detecting a temperature change of 0.1 degree Celsius or, in some embodiments, smaller.
Owner:WESTERN DIGITAL TECH INC

Portable digital audio recorder with adaptive control configurations

A portable digital audio recorder provides a first set of control or editing options with respect to a first category of voice data files stored in the recorder, and provides a different set of control or editing options with respect to a second category of voice data files stored in the recorder. The recorder may also be conveniently shared among a number of users and adapts various operating parameters to the preferences of the current user.
Owner:NUANCE COMM INC

Media player with instant play capability

A media player and a method for operating a media player are disclosed. A media program is able to substantially immediately begin playing after a media play selection has been made. Through intelligent operation, the media program is able to start playing even before the media program has been substantially or completely loaded from disk storage into semiconductor memory (i.e., cache memory). Additionally, the media program can be loaded into semiconductor memory through use of a background process without disturbing the playing of the media program. Further, if desired, the disk storage is able to be aggressively “powered off” when not being accessed, thereby enhancing battery life when being battery-powered.
Owner:APPLE INC

Head integrated touchdown sensor for hard disk drives

A method and system for providing a disk drive is described. The disk drive includes media such as one or more disks, a slider and a head residing on the slider. The head has an air-bearing surface (ABS) and includes a touchdown sensor proximate to the ABS. The touchdown sensor is capable of detecting a temperature change of 0.1 degree Celsius or, in some embodiments, smaller. The disk drive also includes touchdown sensor control circuitry coupled with the touchdown sensor. The touchdown sensor control circuitry drives a current through the touchdown sensor and converts a signal from the touchdown sensor into an indication of whether touchdown has occurred.
Owner:WESTERN DIGITAL TECH INC

Disk array apparatus and disk-array control method

A failure predicting unit predicts a failure in a hard disk device that forms a disk array. A data transferring unit transfers data from a failure-predicted hard disk device for which the failure is predicted by the failure predicting unit to a spare disk. A data deleting unit deletes the data from the failure-predicted hard disk device after the data transferring unit completes transferring the data.
Owner:FUJITSU LTD

Method for preventing software piracy during installation from a read only storage medium

The method and system for limiting the number of installations of a computer software program located on a read only disk from the read only disk to a computer. The read only disk is linked to a removable read / write memory by data on the removable read / write memory corresponding to data on the read only disk. Prior to installation of the computer software program from the read only disk to the computer, software residing on the removable read / write memory determines whether the installation is authorized. Such determination is made by comparing identification information corresponding to computers on to which the computer software program has previously been installed to installation limitations dictated by a software license agreement.
Owner:MICROSOFT TECH LICENSING LLC

Voice file management in portable digital audio recorder

A portable digital voice recorder is interfaced for data communication with a personal computer. Voice data files are stored in the portable recorder together with header data which indicates the status of the voice data files. In response to a batch upload command, selected ones of the voice data files are uploaded to the personal computer, depending on the status of the voice data files as indicated by the status data. Graphical user interface software running in the PC causes the PC to display icons indicative of voice data files stored in the portable recorder. The header data in the portable recorder may be changed by operation of the PC's graphical user interface. For example, file designations indicated by header data in the portable recorder may be changed by editing corresponding fields displayed by the PC.
Owner:NUANCE COMM INC

Disk drive executing a preemptive multitasking operating system comprising tasks of varying priority

A disk drive is disclosed for executing a preemptive multitasking operating system comprising tasks of varying priority, including a disk task for processing disk commands by initiating seek operations and configuring parameters of a read / write channel, a host task for initiating disk commands in response to host commands received from a host computer, a background task for initiating disk commands to perform background operations including a defect scan of the disk, and an execution task for arbitrating the disk commands generated by the host task and the background task and for transmitting the arbitrated disk commands to the disk task.
Owner:WESTERN DIGITAL TECH INC

System, method and article of manufacture for updating content stored on a portable storage medium

A system, method, and article of manufacture is provided for updating content stored on a portable storage medium. Upon input of a portable storage medium into a machine by a user, the content stored on the portable storage medium is read. After reading the content of the portable storage medium, a separate storage medium is accessed and content is received therefrom. The content from the separate storage medium is an update of the content of the portable storage medium. This content of the separate storage medium is then displayed.
Owner:ROVI TECH CORP

Controlling operation of a media device based upon whether a presentation device is currently being worn by a user

A mechanism is provided for automatically controlling the operation of a media device based at least in part upon whether a portable presentation device coupled to the media device is currently being worn by a user. A portable presentation device may be any device that is meant to be worn by a user and that is capable of presenting media content to the user (e.g. earphones, headphones, goggles or faceplates with video / audio capability, etc.). With this mechanism, a user can affect the operation of the media device by simply putting on or taking off the portable presentation device. The user does not need to manually manipulate the controls of the media device. By automatically controlling the operation of the media device in this manner, use of the media device and the portable presentation device as a unit is made much simpler and more convenient.
Owner:APPLE INC

Magnetic disk with a guard band arrangement

A magnetic disk including a substrate, a recording track section which is made of a magnetic member for recording and reproducing information magnetically and is provided on the substrate, and a guard band member which is provided between the recording track sections adjacent to each other so that they are substantially continued in a track direction and is harder than the magnetic member and is made of a non-magnetic material. Moreover, the magnetic member is not provided or magnetic members with a different thickness from the magnetic member forming the recording track section is provided on a lower area of the guard band member.
Owner:KK TOSHIBA

Recording medium having a data structure for managing sound data and recording and reproducing methods and apparatus

In the data structure of recording medium for managing sound data associated with graphic information, an interactive composition segment is provided. The interactive composition segment includes sound management information. The sound management information is associated with a graphic item and provides an identifier of a sound data in sound file, separate from a main data file, to reproduce in association with the graphic item.
Owner:LG ELECTRONICS INC

Remote control for providing interactive DVD navigation based on user response

A game control unit includes a computer processor for executing game logic stored on a removable memory device. Rich, audiovisual content for the interactive gaming experience is provided on a digital video disk (DVD) in small clips which are selectively played back in a standard DVD player under control of the game control unit. Specifically, the game control unit mimics standard remote control signals to control playback of the audiovisual content by the DVD player.
Owner:BRIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
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