Apparatus for playing back audio files and method of navigating through audio files using the apparatus

Abstract

A method of navigating through audio files and an apparatus for playing back audio files using the method are provided. The apparatus for playing back audio files includes an input module which receives from a user a command to switch the apparatus to a navigation mode, a storage module which stores a plurality of audio files, each audio file comprising a highlight section, a control module which extracts the audio files from the storage module in response to the command received by the input module and plays back the highlight sections of the audio files while adjusting a volume level for each of the audio files, and an output module which outputs to the user the highlight sections of the audio files played back by the control module.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a highlight section of an audio file;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an apparatus for playing back audio files according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of a control module illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of another example of the control module illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C are diagrams for explaining a transition between highlight sections according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a margin section needed to play back a highlight section according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams for explaining a transition between highlight sections according to function button input, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of an apparatus for playing back audio files according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a plurality of function buttons according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 9B and 9C are tables presenting functions respectively provided by the function buttons; and

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of navigating through and playing back audio files, each audio file comprising a highlight section, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An apparatus for playing back audio files, the apparatus comprising: a storage module which stores a plurality of audio files, each of the audio files comprising a highlight section;a control module which extracts a first audio file of the audio files from the storage module and plays back a highlight section of the first audio file while adjusting a volume level for the first audio file; andan output module which outputs to the user the highlight section of the first audio file played back by the control module.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module plays back the highlight section of the first audio file, plays back a section of the first audio file following the highlight section of the first audio file while gradually reducing a volume level of the section of the first audio file, plays back a section of a second audio file of the audio files preceding a highlight section of the second audio file while gradually increasing a volume level of the section of the second audio file, and plays back the highlight section of the second audio file.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control module plays back the section of the second audio file while gradually increasing the volume level of the section of the second audio file after playing back the section of the first audio signal while reducing the volume level of the section of the first audio file until the first audio file is not heard any longer.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control module plays back the section of the second audio file while playing back the section of the first audio file.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module allocates a margin section to each of the highlight sections of the audio files to adjust the volume level for each of the audio files.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input module comprises a navigation switching unit which switches the apparatus to the navigation mode.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input module comprises a function button which is operable in both the navigation mode and a playback mode in which an audio file chosen by the user is played back.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, if the user manipulates the function button for an amount of time, the control module increases a speed of highlight navigation by playing back only a portion of each of the highlight sections of the audio files.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein, if the user manipulates the function button, the control module plays back the highlight section of a previous or next audio file.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the output module provides the user with additional information regarding the audio files played back by the control module.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module analyzes a navigation operation performed by the user and determines audio file preferences of the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module comprises: a transition control module which stores the highlight sections of the audio files in a buffer in response to the command received by the input module, and navigates through the highlight sections stored in the buffer;a decoding module which decodes audio data of the highlight sections stored in the buffer; anda volume level adjustment module which adjusts a volume level for the decoded audio data, and outputs the decoded audio data according to results of the adjustment.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module plays back a first section of the first audio file preceding the highlight section while gradually increasing the volume level of the first section, plays back the highlight section of the first audio file, and plays back a second section of the first audio file following the highlight section while gradually reducing the volume level of the second section.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an input module which receives from a user a command to switch the apparatus to a navigation mode, wherein the control module extracts the first audio file from the storage module and plays back the highlight section of the first audio file in response to the command received by the input module.

15. A method of playing back audio files, the method comprising: playing back a highlight section of a first audio file and then playing back a section of the first audio file following the highlight section while gradually reducing a volume level of the first audio file; andplaying back a highlight section of a second audio file after playing back a section of the second audio file preceding the highlight section of the second audio file while gradually increasing a volume level of the section of second audio file.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the playing back highlight section of the second audio file is not performed until the section of the first audio file is not heard any longer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the playing back of the section of first audio file while gradually decreasing the volume level is performed at the same time as the playing back of the section of the second audio file while reducing the volume level.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein only a predefined portion of each of the highlight sections of the first and second audio files is played back if a function button used to play back the audio files is pressed for a certain amount of time.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising switching an apparatus from playing back mode for audio files to a navigation mode prior to the playing back the highlight sections of the first and second audio files.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the playing back the highlight section of the first audio file comprises initially playing back a preceding section of the first audio file which precedes the highlight section of the first audio file while gradually increasing the volume of the preceding section.