Detecting noise or object interruption in audio video viewing and altering presentation based thereon

• US 10,073,671 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2014
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: VanBlon, Russell Speight, Waltermann, Rod David, Mese, John Carl, Weksler, Arnold S., Peterson, Nathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Kenny
• Application Number:
  US14/158,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions

Abstract

In one aspect, when it is detected that a viewer of an audio video program is interrupted by something, the program may be increased in volume, paused, etc.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor;

storage accessible to the at least one processor and bearing instructions executable by the at least one processor to;

while an audio video presentation is being presented, identify one of;

a first threshold associated with a first type of scene that is currently being presented as part of the audio video presentation, and a second threshold associated with a second type of scene that is currently being presented as part of the audio video presentation;

the first type of scene being different from the second type of scene, the first threshold being different from the second threshold, the audio video presentation comprising at least one segment of each of the first type of scene and the second type of scene;

based on the identification, determine that an audible sound that is not part of the audio video presentation satisfies the identified threshold; and

responsive to the determination that the audible sound satisfies the identified threshold, alter a presentation of the audio video presentation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to alter the presentation of the audio video presentation responsive to the determination that the audible sound satisfies the identified threshold at least in part by pausing play of the audio video presentation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to alter the presentation of the audio video presentation responsive to the determination that the audible sound satisfies the identified first threshold at least in part by replaying a portion of the audio video presentation by no more than a predetermined maximum replay amount.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second thresholds are threshold amplitudes.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

based on a determination that an audible sound that is not part of the audio video presentation is present but does not satisfy the identified threshold, identify a first portion of the audio video presentation presented before the audible sound that does not satisfy the identified threshold;

subsequent to presentation of the first portion of the audio video presentation, present a second portion of the audio video presentation different from the first portion;

determine, during presentation of the second portion, that an audible sound that is not part of the audio video presentation is present and satisfies the identified threshold; and

in response to the determination that an audible sound that is not part of the audio video presentation is present and satisfies the identified threshold, present the first portion of the audio video presentation and increase volume of audio in the audio video presentation commensurate with the amount by which the audible sound exceeds the identified threshold.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first type of scene is an action scene.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second type of scene is a dialog scene.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to alter the presentation of the audio video presentation at least in part by increasing volume of audio in the audio video presentation.

9. A method, comprising:

while audio video content is being presented, identifying one of;

a first threshold associated with a first type of scene that is currently being presented as part of the audio video content, and a second threshold associated with a second type of scene that is currently being presented as part of the audio video content;

the first type of scene being different from the second type of scene, the first threshold being different from the second threshold, the audio video content comprising at least one segment of each of the first type of scene and the second type of scene;

detecting a viewer has been interrupted from watching the audio video content at least in part by determining that an audible sound that is not part of the audio video content satisfies the identified threshold; and

responsive to determining that the audible sound that is not part of the audio video content satisfies the identified threshold, altering presentation of the audio video content.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising detecting a viewer has been interrupted from watching the audio video content at least in part by determining that an object moves between the viewer and a display presenting the audio video content.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising altering presentation of the audio video content at least in part by pausing play of the audio video content.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising altering presentation of the audio video content at least in part by increasing a gain of audio for the audio video content in a frequency range corresponding to human speech and not increasing gain of audio for the audio video content outside the frequency range.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising altering presentation of the audio video content at least in part by replaying part of the audio video content.

14. The method of claim 9, comprising:

based on determining that plural potential alterations of presentation of the audio video content exist, presenting a prompt at which a user may select at least one of plural potential rewind points within the audio video content.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second types of scene are selected from the group comprising:

an action scene, a dialog scene.

16. The method of claim 9, comprising:

altering presentation of the audio video content at least in part by increasing volume of audio for the audio video content.

17. A computer readable storage medium (CRSM) that is not a transitory signal, the CRSM comprising instructions executable by at least one processor to:

while audio video content is being presented, identify one of;

a first threshold associated with a first type of scene that is currently being presented as part of the audio video content, and a second threshold associated with a second type of scene that is currently being presented as part of the audio video content;

the first type of scene being different from the second type of scene, the first threshold being different from the second threshold, the audio video content comprising at least one segment of each of the first type of scene and the second type of scene;

determine that a user has been interrupted in watching the audio video content at least by determining that an audible sound that is not part of the audio video content satisfies the identified threshold; and

responsive to determining that the audible sound that is not part of the audio video content satisfies the identified threshold, alter presentation of the audio video content.

18. The CRSM of claim 17, wherein presentation of the audio video content is altered at least in part by at least one of:

pausing play of the audio video content, replaying part of the audio video content, increasing volume of audio for the audio video content presentation.

19. The CRSM of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable to:

determine whether the user has been interrupted in watching the audio video content at least by an object being interposed between the user and a display; and

responsive to determining that the user has been interrupted at least by an object being interposed between the user and the display, alter presentation of the audio video content.

20. The CRSM of claim 17, wherein the instructions are executable by the at least one processor to:

determine that a user has been interrupted in watching the audio video content at least by determining that the audible sound that is not part of the audio video content satisfies the identified threshold and determining that the audible sound is from a person that is not a viewer of the audio video content.