Audio transmission, recording and reproducing system

Abstract

An audio recording and reproducing apparatus includes a controller for controlling the entire behaviors, hard disc for write and read of audio data, audio compression/expansion circuit for expanding compressed audio data, and external I/O port. The audio recording and reproducing apparatus is connected to a network service center to obtain desired music data from storage of the network service center and to store it in the hard disc.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An audio reproducing apparatus, comprising:
 control means for controlling entire behaviors;   storage means for writing and reading data;   audio expanding means for expanding compressed audio data;   external I/O means for transferring incoming and outgoing data, the transferring of incoming and outgoing data operative to charge an account associated with the transfer of such incoming and outgoing data; and   a personal computer standard bus for transmitting data among said control means, said storage means, said audio expanding means and said external I/O means, so that compressed audio data is stored in said storage means, and said compressed audio data is transferred to and expanded by said audio expanding means to be audibly reproduced.   
     
     
       2. The audio reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said storage means is a card-shaped recording medium. 
     
     
       3. The audio reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said storage means is a card-shaped hard disc. 
     
     
       4. The audio reproducing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said personal computer standard bus is one of external buses including an ISA bus used in AT compatible machines and local buses including a PCI bus. 
     
     
       5. An audio recording apparatus, comprising:
 control means for controlling entire behaviors;   storage means for writing and reading data;   audio compressing means for compressing audio data;   external I/O means for transferring incoming and outgoing data; and   a personal computer standard bus for transmitting data among said control means, said storage means, said audio compressing means and said external I/O means, wherein incoming data sent in a predetermined format is transferred through said external I/O means, and compressed audio data is generated from the transferred incoming data and stored in said storage means, the transferring of incoming and outgoing data operative to charge an account associated with the transfer of such incoming and outgoing data.   
     
     
       6. The audio reproducing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said storage means is a card-shaped recording medium. 
     
     
       7. The audio reproducing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said storage means is a card-shaped hard disc. 
     
     
       8. The audio recording apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein said personal computer standard bus is one of external buses including an ISA bus used in AT compatible machines and local buses including a PCI bus. 
     
     
       9. An audio recording and reproducing system, comprising:
 an audio recording and reproducing apparatus incorporating control means for controlling entire behaviors;   storage means for writing and reading data;   audio expanding means for expanding compressed audio data;   external I/O means for transferring incoming and outgoing data, the transferring of incoming and outgoing data operative to charge an account associated with the transfer of such incoming and outgoing data;   first functional means removably attached to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus to add a supplementary function to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus; and   second functional means removably attached to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus to add a new function to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus.   
     
     
       10. The audio recording and reproducing system according to  claim 9 , wherein said first functional means has a structure that can contain the entirety of said audio recording and reproducing apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The audio recording and reproducing system according to  claim 9 , wherein said first functional means has a communication function and/or a power supply function. 
     
     
       12. The audio recording and reproducing system according to  claim 9 , wherein said second functional means is in form of a card that can be held within said audio recording and reproducing apparatus. 
     
     
       13. An audio recording and reproducing system comprising:
 an audio recording and reproducing apparatus incorporating control means for controlling entire behaviors, storage means for writing and reading data, audio expanding means for expanding compressed audio data, and external I/O means for exchanging incoming data;   first functional means removably attached to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus to add a supplementary function to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus; and   second functional means removably attached to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus to add a new function to said audio recording and reproducing apparatus,   
       wherein said second functional means adds the function of at least one of video compression, facsimile transmission, wireless transmission, pager, navigation and wire transmission. 
     
     
       14. The audio recording and reproducing system according to  claim 13 , wherein said first functional means has a structure that can contain the entirety of said audio recording and reproducing apparatus. 
     
     
       15. The audio recording and reproducing system according to  claim 13 , wherein said first functional means has a communication function and/or a power supply function. 
     
     
       16. The audio recording and reproducing system according to  claim 13 , wherein said second functional means is in form of a card that can be held within said audio recording and reproducing apparatus. 
     
     
       17. An audio data transmission method, comprising the steps of:
 receiving desired audio data through a communication line from an audio data base storing a plurality of pieces of audio data;   storing said audio data in a receiver to thereafter reproduce the audio data within the receiver, wherein   said audio data base is configured to send out to said receiver data in a predetermined transmission format for and to charge the service to an account of said receiver, the data in a predetermined transmission format including the audio data.   
     
     
       18. The audio data transmission method according to  claim 17 , wherein said receiver obtains audio data by decomposing the data in said predetermined transmission format. 
     
     
       19. The audio data transmission method according to  claim 17 , wherein said audio data base and said receiver are connected via public telephone line. 
     
     
       20. An information receiving apparatus, comprising:
 means for choosing desired audio data from an audio data base storing a plurality of pieces of audio data;   means for receiving desired audio data through a communication line and for storing the chosen audio data; and   means for reproducing the stored audio data, wherein in response to receipt of the desired audio data an account associated with the receipt of desired audio data is charged.   
     
     
       21. A portable audio reproducing and location providing apparatus comprising:
 a controller configured to receive compressed digital audio data from an external device;   a storage unit configured to store the compressed digital audio data;   an expander configured to expand compressed digital audio data and output digital audio data;   a processor configured to control upload of compressed digital content data to an external apparatus; and   a facsimile transmission unit configured to transmit facsimile data to another apparatus.   
     
     
       22. A portable audio reproducing apparatus comprising:
 communication means for connecting by a wire to an external device configured to communicate with a network service center, the communication means sending audio data created by a user to the external device for upload to the network service center by the external device and receiving data from the external device downloaded from the network service center by the external device;   wireless communication means for wirelessly communicating with another device;   audio acquiring means for acquiring another audio data;   compression means for compressing the another audio data that the audio acquiring means acquired;   storage means for storing the downloaded audio data and the another audio data;   expanding means configured to expand the downloaded audio data; and   control means for controlling the communication means to upload the another audio data stored in the storage means to the network service center, and to download audio data from the network service center via the external device in a state where the external device and the communication means are connected by the wire, and for controlling the wireless communication means.   
     
     
       23. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a GPS unit. 
     
     
       24. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the storage means is a hard disc. 
     
     
       25. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising an installation unit in which a card is installed,
 wherein the wireless communication means is activated when a wireless communication card is installed into the installation unit.   
     
     
       26. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the communication means is connected to a keyboard, and the control means executes control processing based on input operation to the keyboard when the keyboard is connected. 
     
     
       27. A portable audio reproducing apparatus comprising:
 a communication unit configured to connect by a wire to an external device configured to communicate with a network service center, the communication unit configured to send audio data created by a user to the external device for upload to the network service center by the external device and to receive data from the external device downloaded from the network service center by the external device;   a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with another device;   an audio acquiring unit configured to acquire another audio data;   a compressor configured to compress the another audio data acquired by the audio acquiring unit;   a storage unit configured to store the downloaded audio data and the another audio data;   an expander configured to expand the downloaded audio data; and   a controller configured to control the communication unit to upload the another audio data stored in the storage unit to the network service center, and to download audio data from the network service center via the external device in a state where the external device and the communication unit are connected by the wire, and to control the wireless communication unit.   
     
     
       28. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a GPS unit. 
     
     
       29. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the storage unit is a hard disc. 
     
     
       30. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising an installation unit in which a card is installed,
 wherein the wireless communication unit is activated when a wireless communication card is installed into the installation unit.   
     
     
       31. The portable audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the communication unit is connected to a keyboard, and the controller executes control processing based on input operation to the keyboard when the keyboard is connected.