Apparatus for digital/analog audio storage and playback

Abstract

An audio data storage and playback apparatus is provided, including at least a USB hub or USB SIE, at least a storage media interface, and an audio codec. An upstream port of the USB hub or the USB SIE is connected to an electronic device with a USB interface. The storage media interface is connected to a downstream port of the USB hub or an endpoint of a USB SIE. The storage media interface can be connected to a portable storage media, such as flash memory, CD-R/W, DVD-R/W, and hard disk drive, to enable bi-directional data transmission and storage between the electronic device with a USB interface and the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface. The audio codec player forms a bi-directional data transmission connection with the storage media interface. The audio codec player is connected to at least an audio player and an audio input device. The audio data from the electronic device with a USB interface, the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface or the audio input device can be sent to the audio codec for encoding/decoding, and then stored or played back by the audio player or the electronic device with a USB interface to achieve the object of the present invention of multi-directional transmission, encoding/decoding, storage and playing back of audio data.

1 . An audio data storage and playback apparatus, comprising:
 a USB hub, having an upstream port and a plurality of downstream ports, the upstream port being adapted to connect to a USB interface port of an electronic device;   at least a storage media interface, connected to the downstream ports of the USB hub, the storage media interface being portable media storage interface for connecting to at least a portable storage media, to form a bi-directional data transmission with said electronic device with a USB interface; and   an audio codec, connected to the storage media interface and to at least an audio player and an audio input device for providing audio data encoding/decoding and playback functions for audio data transmitted between the electronic device connected to the USB hub and the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface in order to decode and play back audio data from the electronic device connected to the USB hub, the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface and the audio input device on the audio player, and encode and store audio data from the electronic device connected to the USB hub, the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface and the audio input device.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the downstream port of the USB hub;   a flash memory access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable flash memory storage media;   a flash memory, connected to the controlled by the flash memory access controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the storage media interface is a portable card reader storage media interface. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the downstream port of the USB hub;   a card reader access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable card reader storage media;   a memory connector, connected to a memory card and the card reader controller for enabling the memory card to be controlled by the card reader access controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the storage media interface is a portable ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media interface. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the downstream port of the USB hub;   an ATA/ATAPI interface controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media;   a plurality of interface connectors, connected to the ATA/ATAPI interface controller and a plurality of ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media for enabling the ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media to be controlled by the ATA/ATAPI interface controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media is a CD-R/W, a DVD-R/W or a hard disk drive. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the downstream port of the USB hub;   a flash memory access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable flash memory storage media;   a flash memory, connected to and controlled by the flash memory access controller;   a card reader access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable card reader storage media;   a memory connector, connected to a memory card and the card reader controller for enabling the memory card to be controlled by the card reader access controller;   an ATA/ATAPI interface controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media;   a plurality of interface connectors, connected to the ATA/ATAPI interface controller and a plurality of ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media for enabling the ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media to be controlled by the ATA/ATAPI interface controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller, the card reader controller and the ATA/ATAPI controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the downstream port of the USB hub is connected to a digital/analog interface converter, and the digital/analog interface converter further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the downstream port of the USB hub;   a digital/analog signal processor, connected to the USB controller for providing data conversion of digital TV/analog TV/digital audio broadcast/analog audio broadcast (DTV/ATV/DAB/AAB) signals; and   a digital/analog signal input interface, connected to the digital/analog signal processor and a digital/analog signal source, the digital/analog signal source providing DTV/ATV/DAB/AAB signals transmitted to the digital/analog signal processor.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the digital/analog signal source is a DTV/ATV. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the digital/analog signal source is a DAB/AAB. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the audio codec player further comprises a parallel/serial transmission interface. 
   
   
       13 . An audio data storage and playback apparatus, comprising:
 a USB serial interface engine (SIE), having an upstream port and a plurality of endpoints, the upstream port being connected to a USB interface port of an electronic device;   at least a storage media interface, connected to the endpoint of the USB SIE, the storage media interface being portable media storage interface for connecting to at least a portable storage media, to form a bi-directional data transmission with the electronic device with a USB interface; and   an audio codec, connected to the storage media interface and to at least an audio player and an audio input device for providing audio data encoding/decoding and playback functions for audio data transmitted between the electronic device connected to the USB SIE and the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface in order to decode and play back audio data from the electronic device connected to the USB SIE, the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface and the audio input device on the audio player, and encode and store audio data from the electronic device connected to the USB SIE, the portable storage media connected to the storage media interface and the audio input device.   
   
   
       14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the endpoint of the USB SIE;   a flash memory access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable flash memory storage media;   a flash memory, connected to and controlled by the flash memory access controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the storage media interface is a portable card reader storage media interface. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the endpoint of the USB SIE;   a card reader access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable card reader storage media;   a memory connector, connected to a memory card and the card reader controller for enabling the memory card to be controlled by the card reader access controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the storage media interface is a portable ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media interface. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the endpoint of the USB SIE;   an ATA/ATAPI interface controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media;   a plurality of interface connectors, connected to the ATA/ATAPI interface controller and a plurality of ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media for enabling the ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media to be controlled by the ATA/ATAPI interface controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media is a CD-R/W, a DVD-R/W or a hard disk drive. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the storage media interface further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the endpoint of the USB SIE;   a flash memory access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable flash memory storage media;   a flash memory, connected to and controlled by the flash memory access controller;   a card reader access controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable card reader storage media;   a memory connector, connected to a memory card and the card reader controller for enabling the memory card to be controlled by the card reader access controller;   an ATA/ATAPI interface controller, connected to the USB controller for providing data access to portable ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media;   a plurality of interface connectors, connected to the ATA/ATAPI interface controller and a plurality of ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media for enabling the ATA/ATAPI-interfaced storage media to be controlled by the ATA/ATAPI interface controller; and   a parallel/serial transmission interface, connected to the flash memory access controller, the card reader controller and the ATA/ATAPI controller for providing bi-directional data transmission of audio data.   
   
   
       21 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the endpoint of the USB SIE is connected to a digital/analog interface converter, and the digital/analog interface converter further comprises:
 a USB controller, connected to the endpoint of said USB SIE;   a digital/analog signal processor, connected to the USB controller for providing data conversion of digital TV/analog TV/digital audio broadcast/analog audio broadcast (DTV/ATV/DAB/AAB) signals; and   a digital/analog signal input interface, connected to the digital/analog signal processor and a digital/analog signal source, the digital/analog signal source providing DTV/ATV/DAB/AAB signals transmitted to the digital/analog signal processor.   
   
   
       22 . The apparatus claimed as in  claim 21 , wherein the digital/analog signal source is a DTV/ATV. 
   
   
       23 . The apparatus claimed as in  claim 21 , wherein the digital/analog signal source is a DAB/AAB. 
   
   
       24 . The apparatus claimed as in  claim 13 , wherein the audio codec player further comprises a parallel/serial transmission interface.