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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device and method for enabling a portable media
player (PMP) for wireless transmission of music content to another PMP even when the
receiver does not have the required codecs, without violating digital rights.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
US Patent 6, 757, 517 B2 discloses an apparatus and method for playback of coordinated
and synchronized music in wireless ad-hoc networks. Two or more listeners can listen a
song at the same time using short range wireless transmission. The selected song can
be transmitted to a device for simultaneous playback if the song is not present in the
device.
In the current market scenario digital music is available in a number of audio formats like
MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG, WAV, RA, RAM etc, some of these formats are open, and some
are proprietary of some owner company. Further almost all the music companies are
releasing their music protected under digital right management (DRM) license.

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Thus it is almost impossible for any portable digital player to playback all digital music.
Emphasis is on simultaneous playback of the music file on all the devices and their
synchronization. Streaming is done only if a device does not contain the particular music
file. Devices need to be of equal capability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the above mentioned problems of the prior art. The
main object of the invention is for a user with a play for sure music file on his digital
music player to provide play access of this music to other device irrespective of codec
type and DRM license issue, if any. The only solution needed for playback device is
digital to analog converter (DAC) and rendering RAW PCM digital data to DAC whereas all
other activities of digital music playback remain with take on device of actual owner of
music. No violation of any DRM license issue is envisaged. Also all playable on one
digital media player device can be enjoyed from other wireless device using Bluetooth,
WiFi, WiMAX or other supported technology.

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The file format of the music file is extracted on the owner device. If the file is licensed,
the license is checked and DRM decryption is done. If the device does not have the
license, the license is acquired. If this is successful, the compressed bit stream thus
obtained is decoded. The raw PCM data thus obtained is passed to the Play My Music
Protocol layer. This layer will take care of the required streaming operations.
The Play My Music Protocol layer is responsible for detecting if the other wireless devices
have Play My Music capability. If they have the protocol, then the device can send
information about its contents. After this stage, the streaming of music data can begin
based on request by any of the devices in the network.
The receiving devices have to be wireless enabled and need not have the capability of the
owner device.
Thus the present invention provides a method for enabling a portable media player (PMP)
for wireless transmission of music content to another PMP even when the receiver does
not have the required codecs, comprising the steps of: extracting a music file on an
owner device; acquiring the rights if not already licensed; decoding the music file;
arranging the PCM music stream into appropriate packet format according to play my
music protocol; passing on the music file to data link layer of WiFi for WiFi format
packeting; and transmitting the data to other devices through appropriate wireless link
for playing on said other devices.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
The invention can now be described in detail with the help of the figures of the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 illustrates operation of the receiving device.
Figure 2 illustrates operations of the owner device in which the music file is stored.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Figure 1 shows RF reception of pulse code modulation (PCM) data in the receiving device.
After converting to analog pulse code modulation (PCM) data will be parsed in WiFi
format packet parsing and then passed on to data link layer of WiFi. The parsed data will
then be rendered on a speaker or other sound output device.
The owner device shown in Figure 2 is used for storing the music file. The file may or
may not be licensed for the device. If the file is licensed, and the device does not already
have the rights, rights are acquired and if successful, the file is decoded. After this is
done, the PCM music stream is arranged into proper packet format and passed to the
data link layer of WiFi. The data is transmitted to the other device through wireless link.

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The receiving device need not be of very high capability like the owner device. Thus a
portable media player (PMP) can be enabled to stream music content to another portable
media player even when the receiver does not have the required codecs, without
violating digital rights.
The audio stream and other synchronizing and authentication commands are handled by
play my music protocol. A WiFi stack will put the data in a proper format for transmitting
over the wireless network.
The owner of the music can be the portable media player or the receiver. There can be
multiple receivers. The user can share his music with other portable media player music
within a range even when such users do not have the license and the required codecs.
The system can be further extended to play the music file in other wireless enabled audio
devices. Thus the user gets more freedom to play the files in higher sound output
devices which do not have the required licenses or codecs.

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WE CLAIM
1. A method for enabling a portable media player (PMP) for wireless transmission of
music content to another PMP even when the receiver does not have the required
codecs, comprising the steps of:
- extracting a music file on an owner device;
- acquiring the rights if not already licensed;
- decoding the music file;
- arranging the PCM music stream into appropriate packet format according
to play my music protocol;
- passing on the music file to data link layer of WiFi for WiFi format
packeting; and
- transmitting the data to other devices through appropriate wireless link for
playing on said other devices.

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2. A method for enabling a portable media player (PMP) for wireless transmission of
music content to another PMP even when the receiver does not have the required
codecs, substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 19th day of September 2007.

The present invention overcomes the above mentioned problems of the prior art. The
main object of the invention is for a user with a play for sure music file on his digital
music player to provide play access of this music to other device irrespective of codec
type and DRM license issue, if any. The only solution needed for playback device is
digital to analog converter (DAC) and rendering RAW PCM digital data to DAC whereas all
other activities of digital music playback remain with take on device of actual owner of
music. No violation of any DRM license issue is envisaged. Also all playable on one
digital media player device can be enjoyed from other wireless device using Bluetooth,
WiFi, WiMAX or other supported technology.

The file format of the music file is extracted on the owner device. If the file is licensed,
the license is checked and DRM decryption is done. If the device does not have the
license, the license is acquired. If this is successful, the compressed bit stream thus
obtained is decoded. The raw PCM data thus obtained is passed to the Play My Music
Protocol layer. This layer will take care of the required streaming operations.
The Play My Music Protocol layer is responsible for detecting if the other wireless devices
have Play My Music capability. If they have the protocol, then the device can send
information about its contents. After this stage, the streaming of music data can begin
based on request by any of the devices in the network.
The receiving devices have to be wireless enabled and need not have the capability of the
owner device.
Thus the present invention provides a method for enabling a portable media player (PMP)
for wireless transmission of music content to another PMP even when the receiver does
not have the required codecs, comprising the steps of: extracting a music file on an
owner device; acquiring the rights if not already licensed; decoding the music file;
arranging the PCM music stream into appropriate packet format according to play my
music protocol; passing on the music file to data link layer of WiFi for WiFi format
packeting; and transmitting the data to other devices through appropriate wireless link
for playing on said other devices.