Multi-channel audio enhancement for television

• US 20030179283A1
• Filed: 03/20/2002
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TVWorks LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Seidel, Craig Howard, Sisson, Coleman Dale Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals

Abstract

A comprehensive mechanism is provided for broadcasting and accessing multiple audio sources in connection with the viewing of a television program. In the preferred embodiment, the first step in providing audio is collecting the audio through the use of standard audio capture techniques. Next, the audio is distributed by either of in-band via broadcast or out-of-band techniques. In-band audio is preferably provided via an MPEG stream associated with the current television program. Out-of-band (OOB) audio can be broadcast as well, although it is preferable to select which channel is distributed upstream first, rather than broadcast all channels downstream and consume bandwidth for unselected audio. Thus, it is preferred that only the desired audio channel(s) are sent over the OOB channel. The audio is preferably tagged with metadata, such that information describing the audio accompanies each audio channel. This allows, for example, a description of the audio to be provided to the viewer as part of a selection mechanism (see below), and/or provides control information that is used by the system, for example to configure the system for a particular type of audio processing, e.g. DTS; display accompanying graphic information; such as an ad; or engage a viewer authentication/billing mechanism, for example to provide upstream information concerning the viewer'"'"'s selections. With either system, the viewer operates a set top box to select the appropriate audio channel(s) and route the television audio to a television or to a separate amplifier and speakers for reproduction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for broadcasting and accessing multiple audio sources in connection with the viewing of a television or other program, comprising:

a module for capturing a plurality of audio sources;

a module for distributing said audio sources as a plurality of user selectable audio channels, said distributing module comprising either of an in-band broadcast mechanism or out-of-band transport mechanism; and

a module for tagging said audio sources with metadata;

wherein said metadata comprises information describing each said audio source; and

wherein said metadata is associated with a corresponding one of each of said audio channels.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a selection mechanism for allowing a user to select at least one of said audio channels.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in-band audio is provided via an MPEG stream associated with a current program.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein only selected audio channels are sent over said out-of-band transport mechanism.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said selection mechanism comprises:

a set top box.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said selection mechanism comprises either of:

a manual selection mechanism; and

an assisted selection mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said manual selection mechanism presents a user with various options and determines which audio channel to use.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said selection mechanism comprises:

a graphics overlay that is presented on a television screen and which displays available audio channels to said user.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said assisted selection mechanism gathers information on said user'"'"'s preferences, either directly from said user or via a separate mechanism;

wherein said information is used to prioritize or to cull a list of what is offered; and

s

wherein said user is only presented with choices that are of interest to said user.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tagging module tags audio with ratings information;

said apparatus further comprising;

means for limiting listening to approved selections.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said metadata comprises:

closed caption information for display on said television, either with said audio or in lieu of it.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said metadata comprises:

text information, wherein a user may listen to one audio channel while monitoring a text version of another audio channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a billing system which includes ordering, provisioning, and billing facilities.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

any of a rights management and conditional access system for controlling who may play back audio.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

means for collecting and maintaining timing information from the collection of audio through the delivery of the audio.

16. An apparatus for multi-channel audio enhancement for television, comprising:

a plurality of audio capture mechanisms for capturing a plurality of audio sources;

an audio capture module for processing and buffering said plurality of audio sources and producing a plurality of audio channels therefrom; and

a multiplexor which receives said plurality of audio channels, video and audio program material, and optional metadata, wherein said multiplexor produces a composite information stream that comprises plurality of audio channels, said video and audio program material, and said optional metadata.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said composite information stream comprises an MPEG stream that comprises said plurality of audio channels, said video and audio program material, and said optional metadata.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a set top box for extracting said plurality of audio channels, said video and audio program material, and said optional metadata from said composite information stream.

20. The process of claim 18, wherein a plurality of audio channels are identified to said user via said metadata;

wherein said plurality of audio channels are not all transmitted to said set top box at a same time; and

wherein user selection of one or more specific audio channels results in an interactive, upstream transmission which identifies for transmission a particular audio channel.

19. A process for multi-channel audio enhancement for television, comprising the steps of:

receiving multiple channels of audio;

generating metadata to accompany said multiple channels of audio;

tagging and multiplexing said metadata and said multiple channels of audio as a composite information stream;

transmitting said composite information stream for receipt at a user'"'"'s set top box;

at said set top box, extracting said metadata from said composite information stream and displaying said extracted metadata to said user for use in determining which audio channel to select; and

selecting and processing a selected audio channel.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

means to using timing information from the audio to synchronize the audio to the video upon playback.