Method and system for enhanced user experience of audio

• US 20020097842A1
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dialogic, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dialogic, Inc. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Guedalia, David, Raanan, Sarah
• Granted Patent: US 8,144,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/82 the transmission system being the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A system and method for providing enhanced quality audio streaming, including an audio streaming server providing an audio stream, a client including a buffer storing at least portions of the audio stream received from the audio streaming server, a buffer status sensor operative to monitor the contents of the buffer and a client audio output enhancer operative in response to an output from the buffer status sensor for providing a modified audio stream output.

Claims

1. A system for providing enhanced quality audio streaming, the system comprising:

an audio streaming server providing an audio stream;

a client including a buffer storing at least portions of said audio stream received from said audio streaming server;

a buffer status sensor operative to monitor the contents of said buffer; and

a client audio output enhancer operative in response to an output from said buffer status sensor for providing a modified audio stream output.

2. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said client audio output enhancer is operative to provide said modified audio stream including inserted audio segments which were not received from said audio streaming server.

3. A system according to claim 2 and wherein said inserted audio segments comprise silence.

4. A system according to claim 2 and wherein said inserted audio segments comprise pre-recorded audio segments.

5. A system according to claim 2 and wherein said inserted audio segments comprise advertisements.

6. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said client comprises a telephone.

7. A system according to claim 2 and wherein said client comprises a telephone.

8. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said client comprises a telephone and an IVR.

9. A system according to claim 2 and wherein said client comprises a telephone and an IVR.

10. A system according to claim 1 and wherein said client provides a real time output.

11. A method for providing enhanced quality audio streaming, the method comprising:

providing an audio stream to a client;

storing in a buffer at least portions of said audio stream;

monitoring contents of said buffer; and

providing a modified audio stream in response to an output from said monitoring.

12. A method according to claim 11 and wherein said modified audio stream includes inserted audio segments which were not received in said audio stream.

13. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said inserted audio segments comprise silence.

14. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said inserted audio segments comprise pre-recorded audio segments.

15. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said inserted audio segments comprise advertisements.

16. A method according to claim 11 and wherein said client comprises a telephone.

17. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said client comprises a telephone.

18. A method according to claim 11 and wherein said client comprises a telephone and an IVR.

19. A method according to claim 12 and wherein said client comprises a telephone and an IVR.

20. A method according to claim 11 and wherein said modified audio stream is a real time output.

21. A system for providing sophisticated seeking in an audio stream, the system comprising:

an audio streaming server providing an audio stream;

an audio sampler, intermittently sampling portions of said audio stream;

an audio sampling store, storing said portions sampled by said audio sampler; and

an audio stream portion navigating seeker operative to sequentially render said portions.

22. A system according to claim 21 and wherein said audio sampler is operative to sample complete phrases.

23. A system according to claim 21 and wherein said audio stream portion navigating seeker is operative to insert at least one audible tone among said portions rendered thereby.

24. A system according to claim 21 and wherein said audio sampler is voice command responsive.

25. A system according to claim 21 and wherein said audio sampler samples portions which are selected generally periodically.

26. A system according to claim 21 and wherein said audio stream portion navigating seeker is operative to render via a telephone.

27. A system according to claim 21 and wherein said audio stream portion navigating seeker is operative to render via an IVR and a telephone.

28. A system according to claim 23 and wherein said audio stream portion navigating seeker is operative to render via a telephone.

29. A system according to claim 23 and wherein said audio stream portion navigating seeker is operative to render via an IVR and a telephone.

30. A system according to claim 21 and also comprising a user operative, seeking responsive audio stream renderer, operative to render the audio stream beginning from a sampled portion selected by a user.

31. A method for providing sophisticated seeking in an audio stream, the method comprising:

providing an audio stream;

intermittently sampling portions of said audio stream;

storing said intermittently sampled portions of said audio stream; and

seeking by sequentially rendering said portions.

32. A method according to claim 31 and wherein said intermittently sampling samples complete phrases.

33. A method according to claim 31 and also comprising inserting at least one audible tone among said portions when rendering said portions.

34. A method according to claim 31 and wherein said intermittently sampling is voice command responsive.

35. A method according to claim 31 and wherein said intermittently sampling samples portions which are selected generally periodically.

36. A method according to claim 31 and wherein said seeking includes rendering via a telephone.

37. A method according to claim 31 and wherein said seeking includes rendering via an IVR and a telephone.

38. A method according to claim 33 and wherein said seeking includes rendering via a telephone.

39. A method according to claim 33 and wherein said seeking includes rendering via an IVR and a telephone.

40. A method according to claim 31 and also comprising rendering the audio stream beginning from a sampled portion selected by a user.