Audio reproducing apparatus and audio reproduction control method for use in the same

• US 20030231871A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Ushimaru, Chikara
• Granted Patent: US 7,228,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/207
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4392 involving audio buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58

Abstract

An audio reproducing apparatus reproduces audio data to be reproduced in sync with video data. The audio reproducing apparatus includes a communication device configured to execute communication with another apparatus that reproduces the video data, a unit configured to detect an amount of an error between a reproduction point of the video data in the other apparatus and a reproduction point of the audio data in the audio reproducing apparatus by making use of the communication executed by the communication device with the other apparatus, a unit configured to detect, from a stream of the audio data, an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than a specified value, and a unit configured to alter a reproduction speed of the audio data belonging to the detected audio data time period, on the basis of the detected amount of the error in reproduction point.

Claims

1. An audio reproducing apparatus that reproduces audio data to be reproduced in sync with video data, comprising:

a communication device configured to execute communication with another apparatus that reproduces the video data;

a unit configured to detect an amount of an error between a reproduction point of the video data in said another apparatus and a reproduction point of the audio data in the audio reproducing apparatus by making use of the communication executed by the communication device with said another apparatus;

a unit configured to detect, from a stream of the audio data, an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than a specified value; and

a unit configured to alter a reproduction speed of the audio data belonging to the detected audio data time period, on the basis of the detected amount of the error in reproduction point.

2. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit that alters the reproduction speed includes a unit that decimates audio data belonging to the detected audio data time period.

3. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit that alters the reproduction speed includes a unit that inserts silent data in the detected audio data time period.

4. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit that alters the reproduction speed includes a unit that alters an amount of audio data to be reproduced per unit time, the audio data belonging to the detected audio data time period.

5. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit that detects an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than a specified value is configured to detect, from the stream of the audio data, a first audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level falling within a range between a first sound volume level and a second sound volume level lower than the first sound volume level, and a second audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than the second sound volume level, and

the unit that alters the reproduction speed includes a unit that determines an alteration amount of reproduction speed of audio data belonging to each of the first and second audio data time periods, on the basis of a maximum tolerable alteration amount relating to the reproduction speed of audio data, which is specified for each of the first and second audio data time periods, and the detected amount of the error in reproduction point.

6. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to execute communication with said another apparatus using radio signals.

7. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to execute communication with said another apparatus, thereby receiving the audio data from said another apparatus,

the audio reproducing apparatus further comprises a memory device that temporarily stores the received audio data, and

the unit that detects an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than a specified value is configured to detect, from the stream of the audio data stored in the memory device, an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than the specified value.

8. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication device is configured to execute communication with said another apparatus using radio signals.

9. The audio reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the unit that detects the amount of an error includes:

means for acquiring a current reproduction point of video data from said another apparatus by using the communication device; and

means for comparing the acquired reproduction point of video data and the reproduction point of the audio data in the audio reproducing apparatus.

10. An audio reproduction control method for controlling a reproduction operation of an audio reproducing apparatus that reproduces audio data to be reproduced in sync with video data, comprising:

executing communication with another apparatus that reproduces the video data, thereby detecting an amount of an error between a reproduction point of the video data in said another apparatus and a reproduction point of the audio data in the audio reproducing apparatus;

detecting, from a stream of the audio data, an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than a specified value; and

altering a reproduction speed of the audio data belonging to the detected audio data time period, on the basis of the detected amount of the error in reproduction point.

11. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 10, wherein the altering of the reproduction speed includes decimating audio data belonging to the detected audio data time period.

12. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 10, wherein the altering of the reproduction speed includes inserting silent data in the detected audio data time period.

13. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 10, wherein the altering of the reproduction speed includes altering an amount of audio data to be reproduced per unit time, the audio data belonging to the detected audio data time period.

14. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 10, wherein the detecting of an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than a specified value includes detecting, from the stream of the audio data, a first audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level falling within a range between a first sound volume level and a second sound volume level lower than the first sound volume level, and a second audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than the second sound volume level, and

the altering of the reproduction speed includes determining an alteration amount of reproduction speed of audio data belonging to each of the first and second audio data time periods, on the basis of a maximum tolerable alteration amount relating to the reproduction speed of audio data, which is specified for each of the first and second audio data time periods, and the detected amount of the error in reproduction point.

15. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 10, wherein the communication with said another apparatus is executed by wireless communication.

16. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the audio data from said another apparatus via a communication device provided in said another apparatus, and

temporarily storing the received audio data in a memory device provided in the audio reproducing apparatus, and

wherein the detecting of an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than a specified value includes detecting, from the stream of the audio data stored in the memory device, an audio data time period of audio data with a sound volume level lower than the specified value.

17. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 16, wherein the audio data is sent from said another apparatus by radio signals.

18. The audio reproduction control method according to claim 10, wherein the detecting of the amount of an error includes:

acquiring a current reproduction point of video data from said another apparatus by communication with said another apparatus at predetermined time intervals; and

comparing the acquired reproduction point of video data and the reproduction point of the audio data in the audio reproducing apparatus.