In a portable multimedia device, data is passed between a sender and receiver unit by way of voice channel only. Multimedia data is vocalized and then forwarded to a receiver unit by way of the voice channel without the use of a backend server. Once received at the receiver unit, the vocalized data can be converted to an audio signal that can then output by way of an audio output device (such as a speaker, earphone, etc.).

Here's Apple's summary of the invention: "The invention described herein pertains to method of transferring multimedia data between personal communication devices by vocalizing the multimedia data by a first personal communication device, passing the vocalized multimedia data to a second personal communication device using only a voice channel, and receiving the vocalized multimedia data by the second personal communication device.

"In another embodiment, a consumer product suitable transferring multimedia data between personal communication devices without a backend server is described that includes a memory device arranged to store the multimedia data, a display coupled to the memory device suitable for displaying the multimedia data, a wireless interface arranged to establish a voice channel between the consumer product and any of the personal communication devices and an audio output device for outputting an audible signal. A processor fetches the multimedia data from the memory, vocalizes the multimedia data and passes the vocalized multimedia data to the wireless interface that subsequently passes the vocalized multimedia data by way of the voice channel to at least one of the personal communication devices.

"Computer program product executable by a processor for transferring multimedia data between personal communication devices without a backend server, is also described. The computer program product includes computer code for vocalizing the multimedia data by a first personal communication device, computer code for passing the vocalized multimedia data to a second personal communication device using only a voice channel, computer code for receiving the vocalized multimedia data by the second personal communication device and computer readable medium for storing the computer code."

The inventor is Anthony M. Fadell. The graphic below shows shows a portable multimedia device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.