System and method for simultaneously playing games and audio-visual content

Abstract

A handheld specific purpose combined player executes game software simultaneously with playing non-game audio, such as music. The combined player has a game processor that executes game software, outputs visual image data to a screen, and outputs audio. The combined player also has an audio processor that decodes audio data, the audio data separate from the game software. Connected to both the game processor and the audio processor is an audio mixer such that audio generated from the audio data and audio output by the game processor is combined to allow simultaneous playing of the game software and listening to audio generated from the audio data, the mixing controlled by inputs from a user.

1 . A handheld specific purpose combined game and non-game audio player comprising: 
 a game processor that executes game software, outputs visual image data to a screen, and outputs audio;    an audio processor that decodes audio data, the audio data separate from the game software; and    an audio mixer connected to the game processor and the audio processor such that audio generated from the audio data and audio output by the game processor is combined to allow simultaneous playing of the game software and listening to audio generated from the audio data, the mixing controlled by inputs from a user.    
   
   
       2 . The combined player of  claim 1  wherein the audio mixer is comprised in the game processor.  
   
   
       3 . The combined player of  claim 1  wherein the audio mixer is comprised in the audio processor.  
   
   
       4 . The combined player of  claim 1  further comprising a combination processor that comprises the game processor and the audio processor.  
   
   
       5 . The combined player of  claim 4  wherein the audio mixer is comprised in the combination processor.