e.Digital vs. Apple Inc. - US Patent: 5,491,774

e.Digital vs. Apple Inc. - US Patent: 5,491,774 - “Handheld Record And Playback Device With Flash Memory,”

Accused Products and Summary of Complaint for US Patent: 5,491,774:

The accused products for purposes of the ’774 patent include but are not limited to certain MacBook Pro series, and the MacBook Air series computers that are capable of use with removable flash memory device. The accused products, alone or in combination with other products, practice each of the limitations of independentclaims 33 and 34, and dependent claims 2, 6,10, 15 through 17, 23 through 26, and 28 through 31 of the ’774 patent.

Claims:

2. A device as defined in claim 1, comprises a flash memory module inserted within the receiving socket and which has the capacity to store digital information without need for ongoing power support.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a hand held, dictation recording device, configured operation with one-hand control means for performing operational functions including play, record, stop, and rewind.

10. A device as defined in claim 1, said device further comprising compression circuitry coupled to the memory circuitry for compressing digital signal for storage in the flash memory module.

15. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a microprocessor having logic instructions for detecting and disabling circuits within the device which can be disabled while not in use, while maintaining other systems in operable status for battery power conservation.

16. A device as defined in claim 15, wherein the microprocessor also includes circuitry shut down means for reducing power requirements of the circuitry on the battery power source down to a minimum circuitry operating level equal to the minimum operational power level of the microprocessor.

17. A device as defined in claim 16, wherein the microprocessor also includes circuitry shut down means for reducing power requirements of the circuitry on the battery power source down to a minimum voltage level sufficient only to trigger the microprocessor to awaken the microprocessor to at least a minimum operating level.

23. (New) A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the multiple transistors are further configured

to optionallv disable supply of electrical power to both the microphone element and the speaker

between occurrences of record and playback functional operations and in response to control

signals provided bv the microprocessor.

24. (New) A device as defined in claim l wherein the multiple transistors include,

at least one transistor configured to enable and to disable supply of electrical power to the

receiving socket; and

at least one transistor configured to enable and to disable supply of electrical power to

one or both of the microphone element and the speaker.

25. (New) A device as defined in claim 1 wherein the multiple transistors are configured to

optionallv disable supplv of electrical power to the speaker in response to control signals

provided bv the microprocessor.

26. (New) A device as defined in claim 1,

wherein the microphone element is coupled to a portion of the amplification circuitrv;

wherein the speaker is coupled to a different portion of the amplification circuitry; and

wherein enabling and disabling supply of electrical power to the microphone elernent

includes enabling and disabling supply of electrical power to the portion of the amplification

circuitrv coupled to the microphone element; and

wherein enabling and disabling supply of electrical power to the speaker includes

enabling and disabling supply of electrical power to the portion of the amplification circuitrv

coupled to the speaker.

28. (New) A device as defined in claim 19 wherein the multiple transistors are further configured

to optionallv disable supply of electrical power to both the microphone element and the speaker

between occurrences of record and playback functional operations and in response to control

signals provided bv the microprocessor.

29. (New) A device as defined in claim 19 wherein the multiple transistors include,

at least one transistor configured to enable and to disable supply of electrical power to the

at least one transistor configured to enable and to disable supply of electrical power to

one or both of the microphone element and the speaker.

30. (New) A device as defined in claim 19 wherein the multiple transistors are configured to

optionallv disable supplv of electrical power to the speaker in response to control signals

provided bv the microprocessor.

31. (New) A device as defined in claim 19,

wherein the microphone element is coupled to a portion of the amplification circuitrv;

wherein the speaker is coupled to a different portion of the amplification circuitry; and

wherein enabling and disabling supplv of electrical power to the microphone element

includes enabling and disabling supplv of electrical power to the portion of the amplification

circuitrv coupled to the microphone element; and wherein enabling and disabling supply of electrical power to the speaker includes enabling and disabling supply of electrical power to the portion of the amplification circuitry

coupled to the speaker.

Claim 33 (New) A record/playback device for use with a removable, interchangeable. ?ash memory recording medium which enables extended recording comparable with tape cassette dictating equipment. said device comprising;

a housing;

a microphone element coupled to the housing and con?gured to receive and process sound into electrical signals;

control circuitry coupled to the microphone element and including signal input circuitry, ampli?cation circuitry, analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, memory control circuitry, signal output circuitry and control logic circuitry, which includes a microprocessor coupled to switch circuitry, for performing record and playback functional operations with respect to the electrical signals and other regulated components of the record/playback device; switch means coupled to the control circuitry for selecting the desired functional operations to be performed; I a receiving socket electrically coupled to the memory control circuitry and con?gured for electrical coupling with a ?ash memory module which operates as sole memory of the received
processed sound electrical signals and is capable of retaining recorded digital information for storage in nonvolatile form;
a speaker coupled to the control circuitry for playback of recorded digital information and a power source coupled to the control circuitry for supplying electrical power to the device;
wherein the power source is coupled to the switch circuitry and
wherein the switch circuitry includes multiple transistors-con?gured, to enable supply of electrical power to the receiving socket and to enable at least one of the microphone element and the speaker during record and playback functional operations and in response to control signals provided by the microprocessor. and to optionally disable supply of electrical power to the receiving socket and to optionally enable supply of electrical power to at least one of the microphone element and the speaker between occurrences of record and playback functional operations and in response to control signals provided by the microprocessor.

Claim 34 (New) A record/playback device for use with a removable. interchangeable, ?ash memory recording medium which enables extended recording comparable with tape cassette dictating equipment. said device comprising;

a housing;

a microphone element coupled to the housing and con?gured to receive and process sound into electrical signals;

control circuitry coupled to the microphone element and including signal input circuitry, ampli?cation circuitry analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, memory control circuitry, signal output circuitry and control logic circuitry, which includes a microprocessor coupled to switch circuitry, for performing record and playback functional operations with respect to the electrical signals and other regulated components of the record/playback device; -

switch means coupled to the control circuitry for selecting the desired functional
operations to be performed;
a receiving socket electrically coupled to the memory control circuitry and con?gured for electrical coupling with a recording medium which is capable of retaining recorded digital information for storage; a ?ash memory module which operates as sole memory of the received processed sound electrical signals and is capable of retaining recorded digital information for storage in nonvolatile form; a speaker coupled to the control circuitry for playback of recorded digital information; and a power source coupled to the control circuitry for supplying electrical power to the device;

wherein the power source is coupled to the switch circuitry; and
wherein the switch circuitry includes multiple transistors con?gured. to enable supply of electrical power to the ?ash memory module and to enable at least one of the microphone element and the speaker during record and playback functional operations and in response to control signals provided by the microprocessor. and to optionally disable supply of electrical power to the ?ash memory module and to optionally enable supply of electrical power to at least one of the microphone element and the speaker between occurrences of record and playback
functional operations and in response to control signals provided by the microprocessor.