System and method for playing compressed audio data

A multimedia player, comprising:

• a first memory unit;
• a non-volatile memory buffer;
• fast-start logic for copying a predefined portion of multimedia data from said first memory unit into said non-volatile memory buffer upon the occurrence of a first predefined condition, and for playing the multimedia data stored in said non-volatile memory buffer upon the occurrence of a second predefined condition;
• wherein the first memory unit has a longer data access time than a data access time associated with the non-volatile memory buffer;
• whereby the fast-start logic enables the multimedia player to resume playing multimedia data within a time period corresponding to the data access time associated with the non-volatile memory buffer upon the occurrence of the second predefined condition.

A method of reducing data-retrieval latency in an audio player, comprising:

• detecting a first predefined condition;
• copying a predefined portion of audio data from a first memory unit into a non-volatile memory buffer upon detection of the first predefined condition;
• the first memory unit having a longer data access time than a data access time associated with the non-volatile memory buffer;
• detecting a second predefined condition;
• and
• playing the audio data stored in said non-volatile memory buffer upon detection of the second predefined condition;
• whereby the audio player begins playing audio data within a time period corresponding to the data access time associated with the non-volatile memory buffer upon the occurrence of the second predefined condition.

A data storage and transmission unit, comprising:

• a non-volatile memory unit;
• a volatile memory unit;
• a non-volatile memory buffer;
• the non-volatile memory unit having a longer data access time than a data access time associated with the non-volatile memory buffer;
• an output port for transmitting data from the volatile memory unit to an output device;
• control logic for copying data from the non-volatile memory unit into the volatile memory unit, wherein the time required to transmit the copied data is greater than the time required to copy the data from the non-volatile memory unit into the volatile memory unit;
• and
• fast-start logic for copying a predefined amount of data from the volatile memory unit into the non-volatile memory buffer under predefined conditions before the data storage and transmission unit is commanded to turn off, and for transmitting the predefined amount of data when the data storage and transmission unit is commanded to resume transmitting data.

A method of transmitting an audio signal with a compressed audio data player, comprising:

• playing compressed audio data stored in a memory unit, including transmitting compressed audio data from a memory unit to a data converter, converting the compressed audio data into a decompressed audio signal, and transmitting the decompressed audio signal to an output port;
• detecting a first predefined condition;
• copying a predefined portion of compressed audio data from the memory unit into a non-volatile memory buffer upon detection of the first predefined condition;
• detecting a second predefined condition;
• and
• playing the compressed audio data stored in said non-volatile memory buffer upon detection of the second predefined condition, and then without interruption, playing compressed audio data stored in the memory unit.

A method of operating an audio player, comprising:

• playing audio data stored in a first memory unit;
• copying a predefined amount of audio data from the first memory unit into a non-volatile memory buffer under predefined conditions before the audio player is powered down;
• and
• after the audio player has powered down and upon receiving a resume play command, playing the audio data stored in the non-volatile memory buffer, and then without interruption, playing audio data stored in the first memory unit.

An audio player, comprising:

• a first memory unit;
• a non-volatile memory buffer;
• fast-start logic for copying a predefined amount of audio data from the first memory unit into the non-volatile memory buffer under predefined conditions before the audio player is powered down, and for playing the audio data stored in the non-volatile memory buffer when the audio player is commanded to resume playing after being powered down;
• and
• play control logic for playing, without interruption, audio data stored in the first memory unit when the fast start logic finishes playing the audio data stored in the non-volatile memory buffer.