Compact disc changer utilizing disc database

Abstract

A method and apparatus for updating a memory in a Compact Disc changer. Information identifying discs stored in a CD changer is stored in a memory. The memory is updated when a CD is loaded which does not have identifying features which are recognized by the CD changer. Updating is carried out via a modem connection to a remote database. The database can be stored locally in a local database residing in a personal computer where the database can be queried to locate desired tracks and can be used to facilitate control of the compact disc changer by providing a simplified interface for building a play list and the like.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for playback of music compact discs, comprising in combination: 
 a disc changer for receiving a compact disc and reading data from said disc to convert to signals representing music;    means for reading an identifying portion of said disc which can be used to uniquely identify said disc;    a memory;    means for comparing said identifying portion of said disc with said memory to determine if data relating to said compact disc is stored in said memory;    a modem;    searching means for accessing a remote database via said modem, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying information in said memory, said searching means accesses said remote database via said modem to locate identifying information relating to said disc, said disc being identified in said database by said identifying portion; and    downloading means for downloading information from said remote database to said memory.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein said disc includes a TOC area and wherein said identifying portion includes a portion of the TOC data of said compact disc.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein said disc includes program material, and wherein said identifying portion includes a sample of said program material.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein said memory includes an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , wherein said searching means additionally includes means for accessing a local database, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying portion in said memory, said searching means accesses said local database to locate identifying portion relating to said disc, said disc being identified in said database by said identifying portion, and wherein said downloading means includes means for downloading information from said local database to said memory.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , further comprising means for manually updating said memory in the event a said identifying portion is not found in said remote database.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of    claim 5   , further comprising means for manually updating said memory in the event a said identifying portion is not found in said local database.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of    claim 1   , further comprising database management software for selectively searching said remote database.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of    claim 5   , further comprising database management software for selectively searching said local database.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of    claim 5   , further comprising means for storing playback attributes for entries in said local database.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of    claim 10   , further comprising means for controlling playback of said disc in accordance with said playback attributes stored in said local database.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of    claim 10   , wherein said disc may include a plurality of tracks and wherein playback attributes are stored on a track-by-track basis for each track of said disc.  
     
     
         13 . A system for playback of music compact discs, comprising in combination: 
 a disc changer for receiving a compact disc and reading data from said disc to convert to signals representing music;    means for reading an identifying portion of said disc which can be used to uniquely identify said disc;    a memory,    means for comparing said identifying portion of said disc with said memory to determine if data relating to said compact disc is stored in said memory;    first searching means for accessing a local database, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying portion in said memory, said first searching means accesses said local database to locate said identifying portion relating to said disc, said disc being identified in said local database by said identifying portion;    a modem;    second searching means for accessing a remote database via said modem, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying information in said memory and said first searching means does not locate said identifying portion in said local database, said second searching means accesses said remote database via said modem to locate identifying information relating to said disc, said disc being identified in said database by said identifying portion; and    downloading means for downloading information from either of said local database or said remote database to said memory.    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of    claim 13   , wherein said disc includes a TOC area and wherein said identifying portion includes a portion of the TOC data of said compact disc.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of    claim 13   , wherein said disc includes program material, and wherein said identifying portion includes a sample of said program material.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of    claim 13    wherein said memory includes an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of    claim 13    further comprising means for manually updating said memory in the event a said identifying portion is not found in one of said local database and said remote database.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of    claim 13   , further comprising database management software for selectively searching said remote database.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of    claim 13    further comprising database management software for selectively searching said local database.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of    claim 13   , further comprising means for storing playback attributes for entries in said local database.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of    claim 20   , further comprising means for controlling playback of said disc in accordance with said playback attributes stored in sad local database.  
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of    claim 20   , wherein said disc may include a plurality of track and wherein playback attributes are stored on a track-by-track basis for each track of said disc.  
     
     
         23 . A system for playback of music compact discs, comprising in combination: 
 a multiple disc changer for receiving a compact disc and reading data from said disc to convert to signals representing music;    means for reading an identifying portion of said disc which can be used to uniquely identify said disc, said disc including a table of contents (TOC) area and a program area, and wherein said identifying portion includes data taken from said TOC area;    an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM);    means for comparing said identifying portion of said disc with said EEPROM to determine if data relating to said compact disc is stored in said memory;    a modem;    a database manager comprising: 
 first searching means for accessing a local database, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying portion in said EEPROM, said first searching means accesses said local database to locate said identifying portion relating to said disc, said disc being identified in said local database by said identifying portion;  
 second searching means including a programmed computer for accessing a remote database via said modem, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying information in said EEPROM and said first searching means does not locate said identifying portion in said local database, said second searching means accesses said remote database via said modem to locate identifying information relating to said disc, said disc being identified in said database by said identifying portion;  
   downloading means for downloading information from either of said local database or said remote database to said EEPROM;    manual update means for manually updating said memory in the event a said identifying portion is not found in one of said local database and said remote database;    means for storing playback attributes for entries in said local database, wherein said disc may include a plurality of tracks and wherein playback attributes are stored on a track-by-track basis for each track of said disc; and    means for controlling playback of said disc in accordance with said playback attributes stored in said local database.    
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of    claim 20   , wherein said identifying portion further includes a sample of said program material.  
     
     
         25 . A multiple disc compact disc player, comprising in combination: 
 a multiple disc CD changer mechanism for playing and storing a plurality of compact discs;    a memory for storing information associated with said plurality of compact discs;    a controller for controlling operations of said multiple disc compact disc player;    a modem coupled to said controller for accessing a remote database via a telephone line connection; and    said controller including: 
 means for issuing a first query to said memory to determine if said memory includes information associated with a selected disc in said CD changer mechanism;  
 means for issuing a second query to a remote database via said modem in order to find information associated with said selected, if said first query fails to locate a information in said memory associated with said selected compact disc.  
   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of    claim 25   , wherein said controller further comprises means for downloading said information said information from said remote database in order to update said memory.  
     
     
         27 . A system for playback of recorded media, comprising in combination: 
 a media changer for receiving a recorded medium and reading data from said medium;    means for reading an identifying portion of said medium which can be used to uniquely identify said medium;    a memory;    means for comparing said identifying portion of said medium with said memory to determine if data relating to said medium is stored in said memory,    a modem;    searching means for accessing a remote database via said modem, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying information in said memory, said searching means accesses said remote database via said modem to locate identifying information relating to said medium, said medium being identified in said database by said identifying portion; and    downloading means for downloading information from said remote database to said memory.    
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of    claim 27   , wherein said medium includes a TOC area and wherein said identifying portion includes a portion of the TOC data of said medium.  
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of    claim 27   , wherein said medium includes program material, and wherein said identifying portion includes a sample of said program material.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of    claim 27   , wherein said memory includes an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.  
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of    claim 27   , wherein said searching means additionally includes means for accessing a local database, wherein in the event said comparing means does not detect said identifying portion in said memory, said searching means accesses said local database to locate identifying portion relating to said medium, said medium being identified in said database by said identifying portion, and wherein said downloading means includes means for downloading information from said local database to said memory.  
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of    claim 27   , further comprising means for manually updating said memory in the event a said identifying portion is not found in said remote database.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of    claim 32   , further comprising means for manually updating said memory in the event a said identifying portion is not found in said local database.  
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of    claim 27   , further comprising database management software for selectively searching said remote database.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of    claim 31   , further comprising database management software for selectively searching said local database.  
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of    claim 31   , further comprising means for storing playback attributes for entries in said local database.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of    claim 36   , fixer comprising means for controlling playback of said disc in accordance with said playback attributes stored in said local database.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of    claim 36   , wherein said disc may include a plurality of tracks and wherein playback attributes are stored on a track-by-track basis for each track of said disc.  
     
     
         39 . A method of updating a memory in an audio compact disc changer, comprising the steps of: 
 reading an identifying portion of a compact disc which uniquely identifies said compact disc;    comparing said identifying portion with identifying portions stored in a memory;    querying a database residing outside said compact disc changer for said identifying portion of said disc if said identifying portion is not found in said memory; and    downloading data from said database to said memory corresponding to said identifying portion.    
     
     
         40 . The method of    claim 39   , wherein said database resides in a computer coupled to said compact disc changer.  
     
     
         41 . The method of    claim 39   , wherein said database resides in a remote location and wherein said querying step includes the step accessing said database via a modem connection.  
     
     
         42 . A method of updating a memory in an audio compact disc changer, comprising the steps of: 
 reading an identifying portion of a compact disc which uniquely identifies said compact disc, said identifying portion including a portion of said compact disc's TOC data;    comparing said identifying portion with identifying portions stored in an EEPROM;    querying a first database residing in a computer situated outside and connected to said compact disc changer for said identifying portion of said disc if said identifying portion is not found in said EEPROM;    querying a second database residing in remote location via a modem connected to said computer for said identifying portion of said disc if said identifying portion is not found in said first database; and    downloading data from said first or second database to said EEPROM corresponding to said identifying portion.    
     
     
         43 . The method of    claim 40   , further comprising the step of manually updating said EEPROM in the event said identifying portion is found in neither said first nor said second database.  
     
     
         44 . A method of updating a memory in recorded media player, comprising the steps of: 
 reading an identifying portion of a recorded medium which uniquely identifies said medium;    comparing said identifying portion with identifying portions stored in a memory;    querying a database residing outside said recorded media player for said identifying portion of said medium if said identifying portion is not found in said memory; and    downloading data from said database to said memory corresponding to said identifying portion.    
     
     
         45 . The method of    claim 44   , wherein said database resides in a computer coupled to said compact disc changer.  
     
     
         46 . The method of    claim 44   , wherein said database resides in a remote location and wherein said querying step includes the step accessing said database via a modem connection.  
     
     
         47 . The method of    claim 44   , further comprising the step of storing playback attributes for entries in said local database.  
     
     
         48 . The method of    claim 47   , further comprising the step of controlling playback of said disc in accordance with said playback attributes stored in said local database.  
     
     
         49 . The method of    claim 47   , wherein said disc may include a plurality of tracks and wherein playback attributes are stored on a track-by-track basis for each track of said disc.  
     
     
         50 . A method for controlling the operation of a compact disc player, comprising the steps of: 
 storing data relating to a compact disc in a database, said database including information relating to each track of said compact disc;    storing a playback attribute in said database on a track-by -track basis; and    instructing said compact disc changer to play a selected track using said playback attribute.    
     
     
         51 . The method of    claim 51   , wherein said playback attribute includes a level attribute.  
     
     
         52 . The method of    claim 52   , wherein said playback attribute includes a signal processing parameter.  
     
     
         53 . The method of    claim 50   , wherein said database is located in a computer external to said compact disc player and wherein said instructing step includes sending an instruction from said computer to said compact disc player.  
     
     
         54 . The method of    claim 53   , wherein said instructing step includes instructing said compact disc changer to play a track from a play list.  
     
     
         55 . A method for controlling the operation of a multiple disc compact disc player, comprising the steps of: 
 storing data relating to a plurality of compact discs in a database, said database including information relating to each track of each said compact disc, and wherein said database is located in a computer external to said compact disc player;    storing a plurality of playback attributes including at least a level attribute and a signal processing attribute in said database on a track-by-track basis; and    instructing said compact disc changer to play a selected track from a play list using said playback attributes by sending an instruction from said computer to said compact disc player.    
     
     
         56 . A method of building a play list for a multiple disc compact disc changer, comprising the steps of: 
 in a computer, storing information in a database about a plurality of compact discs residing in said multiple disc compact disc changer;    said database including playback attributes for tracks of said compact discs;    displaying a table of tracks of said plurality of compact discs;    selecting a sequential set of tracks from said plurality of compact discs to define a play list; and    sending a sequence of commands from said computer to said multiple compact disc changer to sequentially play said selected tracks from said play list.