System and method of providing for the control of a music player to a device driver

Abstract

A system and method of providing for the control of a music player to a device driver. One embodiment of the system comprises an electronic music player that is connected to a plurality of music renderers via device drivers via a music renderer controller. The music renderer controller comprises a device integration application program interface for providing a standard interface for communicating with each of the device drivers. Each of the device drivers manage a selected music renderer. The device drivers can display a graphical interface for displaying notifications, customized controls, links to websites, or any other type of information desired by the manufacturer of the device driver. The device drivers can also customize the interfaces of the music render to rename textual elements that are displayed by the device driver. Furthermore, the device drivers can command the music player to suspend and resume playback of music items during selected periods.

1 . A method of providing a customized graphical interface, the method comprising:
 executing a music player that displays a graphical interface comprising information about music items; and   displaying a customized graphical interface for managing the music items, wherein the content of the customized graphical interface is defined by a device driver for a music renderer, and wherein the displaying of the customized graphical interface is in response to an event occurring during the execution of the music player.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customized graphical interface is a window having at least one control object. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the control object is a button. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein managing the plurality of music items comprises an act that is selected from the group comprising: playing a music item, copying a music item from a first location to a second location, and recording a music item. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the event comprises receiving a request to transfer a music item from a storage device associated with the music player to a music renderer. 
   
   
       6 . A system for providing a customized graphical interface, the system comprising:
 a music player for displaying one or more graphical interfaces that comprise information about music items;   a music renderer; and   a device driver for sending music items to the music renderer, wherein the device driver displays a customized graphical interface for managing the music items, and wherein the content of the customized graphical interface is defined by the device driver.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the customized graphical interface is a window having at least one control object. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the control object is a button. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein managing the plurality of music items comprises an act that is selected from the group comprising: playing a music item, copying a music item from a first location to a second location, and recording a music item. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the event comprises receiving a request to transfer a music item from a storage device associated with the music player to a music renderer. 
   
   
       11 . A system for providing a customized graphical interface, the system comprising:
 means for executing a music player that displays a graphical interface comprising information about music items; and   means for displaying a customized graphical interface for managing the music items, wherein the content of the customized graphical interface is defined by a device driver for a music renderer, and wherein the displaying of the customized graphical interface is in response to an event occurring during the execution of the music player.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the customized graphical interface is a window having at least one control object. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the control object is a button. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein managing the plurality of music items comprises an act selected from the group comprising: playing a music item, copying a music item from a first location to a second location, and recording a music item. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the event comprises receiving a request to transfer a music item from a storage device associated with the music player to a music renderer. 
   
   
       16 . A method of providing a customized graphical interface, the method comprising:
 executing a music player that displays a graphical interface comprising information about a plurality of music items, wherein the graphical interface comprises one or more textual elements describing an aspect of the music player; and   receiving a request from a device driver to change the textual element.   
   
   
       17 . A system for providing a customized graphical interface, the system comprising:
 a music player displaying a graphical interface comprising information about a plurality of music items, wherein the graphical interface comprises one or more textual elements describing an aspect of the music player, the music player adapted to receive requests from a device driver to rename the textual elements.   
   
   
       18 . A method of controlling a music player, the method comprising:
 executing a music player that plays music items upon a request from a user;   receiving a request from a device driver to disallow playback of the music items; and   suspending playback of the music items on the music player.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , additionally comprising:
 receiving a request from the music driver to allow playback of the music items; and   resuming playback of the music items on the music player.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , additionally comprising burning a compact diskette with one or more of the music items, wherein the burning occurs subsequent to subsequent playback of the music items, and wherein resuming playback of the music items occurs subsequent to burning the compact diskette.