Method and system to mark an audio signal with metadata

• US 20060100882A1
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: amBX UK Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Eves, David A., Thorne, Christopher, Cole, Richard S
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use

Abstract

A method of processing an audio signal comprises receiving an audio signal, extracting features from the audio signal, and translating the extracted features into metadata. The metadata comprises an instruction set of a markup language. A system for processing the audio signal is also disclosed, which comprises an input device for receiving the audio signal and a processor for extracting the features from the audio signal and for translating the extracted features into the metadata.

Claims

1. A method of processing an audio signal comprising receiving (200) an audio signal, extracting (202) features from the audio signal, and translating (204) the extracted features into metadata (302), the metadata (302) comprising an instruction set of a markup language.

2. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising storing (206) the metadata (302).

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the storing (206) comprises the step of storing (206) the metadata (302) with associated time data (304).

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the time data (304) defines the start time and the duration, relative to the received audio signal, of each markup language term (302) in the instruction set.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, and further comprising transmitting (208) the instruction set to a browser (124).

6. A method according to any preceding claim, and further comprising receiving (210) markup language assets (126).

7. A method according to claim 5 and 6, and further comprising rendering (212) the markup language assets (126) in synchronisation with the received audio signal.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the features extracted from the audio signal include one or more of tempo, key and volume.

9. A system for processing an audio signal, comprising an input device (122) for receiving an audio signal and a processor (102) for extracting features from the audio signal and for translating the extracted features into metadata (302), the metadata (302) comprising an instruction set of a markup language.

10. A system according to claim 9, and further comprising a storage device (114) for storing the metadata.

11. A system according to claim 9 or 10, and further comprising an output device (116,118) for outputting the received audio signal.

12. A system according to claim 9, 10 or 11, and further comprising a browser (124) distributed amongst a set of devices, the browser (124) arranged to receive an instruction set of the markup language and to receive markup language assets (126) and to control the set of devices accordingly.