초록 ▼

An audio system and method are disclosed. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an electronic device having a display, a memory, an audio file player, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the memory and the audio file pl

An audio system and method are disclosed. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an electronic device having a display, a memory, an audio file player, and a housing component at least partially defining a cavity in which the memory and the audio file player are secured. In one embodiment, the electronic device may be a portable MP3 player. The system may also include a processor or playlist engine that can maintain a first playlist and a second playlist. In practice, the first playlist may include a selection of audio content having a corresponding audio file saved in the memory of the electronic device. In one embodiment, the system may also include an automobile having an automobile sound system that has a speaker and an in dash sound system component, which may be removably coupled to the electronic device via a cable. The in dash sound system component may have a selector, which may be, for example, a button, that allows a user to select the first playlist for outputting via the speaker. The cable interconnecting the electronic device and the in dash sound system component may be capable of providing power to the electronic device in addition to communicatively coupling the electronic device to the automobile sound system.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An audio system, comprising: a portable electronic device having a display, a memory, and an audio file player; a first portion of software saved at the portable electronic device and configured to initiate a displaying of a graphical interface item on the display, the graphi

What is claimed is: 1. An audio system, comprising: a portable electronic device having a display, a memory, and an audio file player; a first portion of software saved at the portable electronic device and configured to initiate a displaying of a graphical interface item on the display, the graphical interface item comprising a name associated with an audio file saved in the memory; a mounting location on the portable electronic device that includes a physical interface configured to communicatively couple the portable electronic device to a different electronic device having an associated display; and an other portion of software saved at the portable electronic device and configured to communicate a representation of the graphical interface item to the different electronic device via the physical interface to facilitate a displaying of the representation on the associated display, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to communicate interface information to the different electronic device in order to allow a user to view at least a partial representation of a graphical user interface that includes the graphical interface item on the associated display, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a plurality of preprogramed soft buttons that are linked to respective audio information sources. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the other portion of software is further configured to communicate a collection of information to the different electronic device via the physical interface such that a user can utilize the different electronic device to navigate through a plurality of audio files. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the different electronic device is an automobile sound system component. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular telephone. 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an automobile having a sound system, wherein the different electronic device is a component of the automobile sound system. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication device configured to engage the physical interface and to communicatively couple the portable electronic device to the different electronic device via a wireless signal. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless signal is communicated as a locally transmitted signal at a frequency between 88 and 108 MHz. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the name is a playlist name. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the name is a song title. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the name is an artist name. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the name is a user customized name identifying a playlist that comprises the audio file. 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the physical interface is further configured to couple the portable electronic device to the different electronic device such that a power supply of the different electronic device provides power to the portable electronic device. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface item is updateable by the user. 14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a software application configured to execute on a personal computer, wherein the software application is configured to allow the user to update the graphical interface item of the portable electronic device. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the associated display is a touch screen display and the touch screen display allows the user to select a given soft button by touching the touch screen display. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the other portion of software is further configured to communicate a collection of information to the different electronic device via the physical interface such that the user can utilize the different electronic device to select an audio information source that is an audio file saved in the memory. 17. An audio system, comprising: a portable electronic device that has a display, a memory, and a processor; software saved at the portable electronic device and configured to direct the portable electronic device to save an audio file in the memory, to associate the audio file with a name, to include the name in a graphical menu of available content, to present the name on the display of the portable electronic device, and to communicate a collection of information comprising the name to a different electronic device that has an associated display such that a user can interact with the different electronic device: (1) to navigate through a plurality of audio files; (2) to view at least a portion of the graphical menu on the associated display, wherein the portion comprises the name; and (3) to select an available audio file for processing; and wherein the portable electronic device is configured to communicate interface information to the different electronic device in order to allow the user to view the graphical menu on the associated display in a graphical user interface that includes a plurality of preprogramed soft buttons that are linked to respective audio information sources. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the portable electronic device is a cellular telephone. 19. The system of claim 17, further comprising the different electronic device, wherein the different electronic device is a home stereo component. 20. The system of claim 17, further comprising the different electronic device, wherein the different electronic device is an automobile stereo component. 21. The system of claim 17, wherein the portable electronic device is configured to communicate interface information to the different electronic device in order to allow the user to view the graphical menu in its entirety on the associated display. 22. The system of claim 17, wherein the associated display is a touch screen display and the touch screen display is operable as a user interface mechanism. 23. The system of claim 17, further comprising a mounting location on the portable electronic device that includes a physical interface configured to communicatively couple the portable electronic device to the different electronic device. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the physical interface is configured to couple a power supply associated with the different electronic device to a local power supply of the portable electronic device. 25. The system of claim 17, wherein the software is embedded in the portable electronic device as firmware. 26. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory is flash memory. 27. The system of claim 17, further comprising: a mounting location on the portable electronic device that includes a physical interface configured to communicatively couple the portable electronic device to the different electronic device; and a mount configured to communicatively couple to the different electronic device and to engage the physical interface. 28. An audio system, comprising: an automobile having a sound system that includes an electronic device with an associated display and a user interface mechanism; a mount communicatively coupled to the electronic device and configured to engage a physical interface of a portable electronic device that has a display, a memory, a processor, and software saved at the portable electronic device and configured to direct the portable electronic device to save an audio file in the memory, to associate the audio file with a name, to include the name in a menu of available content, to present the name on the display of the portable electronic device, and to communicate a collection of information comprising the name to the electronic device such that a user can interact with the electronic device: (1) to navigate through a plurality of audio files; (2) to view at least a partial representation of the menu on the associated display; and (3) to select an available audio file for processing; and wherein the electronic device is configured to receive the collection of information and to present the partial representation of the menu on the associated display, further wherein the partial representation of the menu is presented on the associated display in a graphical user interface that includes a plurality of preprogrammed soft buttons that are linked to respective audio information sources. 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the electronic device is configured to receive the collection of information and to present the name on the associated display by software embedded in the electronic device as firmware. 30. The system of claim 28, wherein the plurality of preprogrammed soft buttons are all viewable on the associated display at the same time and the respective audio information sources are separate files saved in the memory. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the associated display is a touch screen display and the touch screen display is the user interface mechanism. 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the user interface mechanism allows the user to navigate through a plurality of audio files saved in the memory and to select the audio file for processing. 33. The system of claim 28, wherein the user interface mechanism allows the user to navigate through the plurality of audio files and to select the available audio file for processing. 34. The system of claim 28, wherein the associated display and the user interface mechanism are integrated into a console of the automobile. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein a portion of the mount that is configured to engage the physical interface of the portable electronic device is not integrated into the console, further comprising a cable at least partially couples the portion of the mount that is configured to engage the physical interface of the portable electronic device and an other portion of the mount that is communicatively coupled to the electronic device.