Portable electronic device

Abstract

Content data is classified into a data block group of high priority and an other data block group of low priority related to a user's operation. When the content data is read from a storage unit to store it in a buffer memory, a preferential data block group is firstly and selectively read to store it in the buffer memory, and then, a non-preferential data block group is read to store it in the buffer memory. In a state where free areas are present in the buffer memory, the read data blocks are stored in the free areas. When the buffer memory runs out of all free areas therein, the read data blocks are overwritten on non-preferential data blocks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram showing a configuration of a cellular phone that is an embodiment of a portable electronic device regarding the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control unit of the cellular phone shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary flowchart showing a procedure and content of content data reproduction control by the control unit shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart showing a procedure and content of buffering processing in the content data reproduction control shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart showing a procedure and content of data reproduction processing in the content data reproduction control shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing an example of a configuration of data to be buffer-managed;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary view showing a first example of a storage state of data blocks in a buffer memory; and

FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing a second example of the storage state of the data blocks in the buffer memory.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising: a storage unit configured to store content data including a first data block group given a first priority in relation to a user's operation and a second data block group given a second priority set lower than the first priority;a buffer memory configured to temporarily store content data read from the storage unit;a reproduction unit configured to reproduce the content data read from the buffer memory; anda control unit configured to connect to the storage unit, the buffer memory and the reproduction unit, whereinthe control unit comprises:a first controller configured to read the content data in block units from the storage unit to store the read data blocks in the buffer memory in accordance with their priorities; anda second controller configured to selectively read the data blocks stored in the buffer memory to make the reproduction unit reproduce the read data blocks.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first controller comprises:means for determining whether or not any free area is present in the buffer memory;means for storing the data blocks read from the storage unit in a free area of the buffer memory in a state in which no free area is present in the buffer memory; andmeans for storing the data blocks read from the storage unit as a substitute for the second data block group among first and second data block groups already stored in the buffer memory.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first controller comprises:means for reading the first data block group in block units from the storage unit to store it in the buffer memory; andmeans for reading the second data block group in block units from the storage unit to store it in the buffer memory after completion of reading the first data block group.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first controller comprises:a memory table configured to store information showing an arrangement position of the first data block group in the content data by associating it with a type of the content data;means for determining a type of content data to be reproduced when a reproduction request for the content data is input;means for reading information showing the arrangement position of the first data block group corresponding to the determined type; andmeans for selectively reading the first data block group from the storage unit to store it in the buffer memory on the basis of the read information showing the arrangement position.

5. A portable electronic device, comprising: a memory slot configured to load an external storage unit with content data including a first data block group given a first priority and a second data block group given a second priority set lower than the first priority stored therein;a buffer memory configured to temporarily store content data read from the buffer memory; anda reproduction unit configured to reproduce the content data read from the buffer memory; anda control unit configured to connect to the memory slot, the buffer memory and the reproduction unit, whereinthe control unit comprises:a first controller configured to read the content data in block units through the memory slot from the storage unit to store the read data blocks in the buffer memory in accordance with their priorities; anda second controller configured to selectively read the data blocks stored in the buffer memory to make the reproduction unit reproduce the read data blocks.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the first controller comprises:means for determining whether or not any free area is present in the buffer memory;means for storing the data blocks read from the storage unit in free areas of the buffer memory in a state in which any free area is present in the buffer memory; andmeans for storing the data blocks read from the storage unit as a substitute for a second data block group among first and second data block groups already stored in the buffer memory.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the first controller comprises:means for reading the first data block group in block units from the storage unit to store it in the buffer memory; andmeans for reading the second data block group in block units from the storage unit to store it in the buffer memory after completion of reading the first data block group.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the first controller comprises:a memory table to store information showing an arrangement position of the first data block group in the content data by associating it with a type of the content data;means for determining a type of content data to be reproduced when a reproduction request for the content data is input;means for reading information showing the arrangement position of the first data block corresponding to the determined type; andmeans for selectively reading the first data block from the storage unit to store it in the buffer memory on the basis of the read information showing the arrangement position.