MIXING MEDIA FILES

• US 20070014422A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LoLo, LLC
• Original Assignee: Podfitness Incorporated
• Inventors: Hays, Jeffrey, Wesemann, Darren
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios

Abstract

Mixing individualized media content. When individualized media content is generated from separate media clips or files, mixing the separate media clips includes controlling the audio. The volume of the audio in each clip is determined and normalized with respect to other media clips as the individualized media content is mixed. This provides a consistent audio experience even when the media content is generated from multiple sources having different properties. When more than one track of audio is present, such as voice audio and background music, the volume of one track is lowered such that the other audio track is audible. The volume of the background music, for example, is reduced such that the subscriber can hear the instructions in the voice audio.

Claims

1. A method of mixing separate audio media comprising:

accessing separate audio media;

adjusting a volume attribute of at least one of the audio media, adjusting a volume attribute including;

determining a volume level of each of the separate audio media;

normalizing volume levels of the separate audio media;

comparing the volume level of the at least one of the separate audio media to an associated desired volume level; and

increasing or decreasing the volume level of the at least one of the separate audio media based on a result of the comparison of the volume level of the at least one audio media with the associated desired volume level; and

combining the separate audio media to produce a combined audio media.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume levels are normalized by multiplying the volume level of each audio media by a suitable constant or scalar so that the volume level of each audio media then has norm one.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated desired volume level compared to the at least one of the separate audio media is associated with the at least one of the separate audio media based on a content of the at least one of the separate audio media.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume level of at least two of the separate audio media is compared to at least two different associated desired volume levels based on content of the at least two of the separate audio media.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first of the separate audio media includes background music content and the first of the separate audio media is compared to a first associated desired volume level, and wherein a second of the separate audio media includes instruction content and the second of the separate audio media is compared to a second associated desired volume level.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the volume level of the second associated desired volume level is greater than the volume level of the first associated desired volume level.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second audio media includes exercise instruction content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second associated desired volume level is selected according to an associated type of exercise of the exercise instruction content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein an associated desired volume level associated with during-exercise content is greater than an associated desired volume level associated with between-exercise audio content, pre-exercise audio content, and/or post-exercise audio content.

10. A method of creating individualized media content for a subscriber, the method comprising:

processing individualized subscriber attribute information in a knowledge base module, wherein the knowledge base module includes pre-defined content from at least one subject matter expert, the pre-defined content including media clips;

comparing the subscriber attribute information with at least metadata describing the pre-defined content to identify one or more media clips that match the individualized subscriber attributes information;

creating a clip list including the one or more media clips based on the matching scriptlet identification information; and

accessing and combining the media clips in the clip list such that a volume of each media clip is normalized with respect to a volume of other media clips in the clip list.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the clip list to the subscriber, wherein the clip list includes a list of separate audio media, wherein the media clips are accessed and combined at a data processing device that is local to the subscriber.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each separate audio media is associated with an associated desired volume level based on a type of content of the separate audio media.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the individualized subscriber attribute information from the subscriber, wherein the individualized subscriber attribute information includes volume preferences; and

storing the individualized subscriber attribute information in a computer readable medium.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the desired volume level depends on:

an age group of the subscriber;

a preference of the subscriber;

a medical attribute of the subscriber;

a sex of the subscriber;

an experience level of the subscriber;

a trainer preference;

a type of exercise;

a nationality attribute of the subscriber; and

a geographical location of the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the desired volume level depends on whether the audio media is associated with a pre-workout, warm-up, exercise, set, warm-down, or a post-workout portion of a individualized fitness program.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein accessing and combining the media clips in the clip list further comprises:

determining a volume level of each media clip in the clip list;

normalizing the volume level of each media clip; and

adjusting a first volume of a first audio portion to be lower whenever a second audio portion is present in each media clip such that the first audio portion does not interfere with the second audio portion.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising combining the video media with the separate audio media into a combined video and audio media.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the separate or combined audio media include a MPEG audio layer 3 (.mp3) file.

19. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 10.

21. A system for creating individualized media content, the system comprising:

a knowledge base module that receives individualized subscriber attribute information and stores the subscriber attribute information in a database, the knowledge base including;

a data-query function configured to compare the individualized subscriber attribute information to a plurality of scriptlets to identify scriptlets associated with the subscriber attribute information; and

a rules function configured to create a list of media clips associated with the scriptlets associated with the subscriber attribute information; and

the system for mixing separate audio media of claim 17, wherein the system for mixing separate audio media receives the list of media clips and creates the combined audio media as defined by the list of media clips.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a trainer module that enables a trainer to define a workout philosophy, the workout philosophy including selected exercises and methods for the selected exercises, the methods including one or more of a frequency, a cadence, a rep, an associated desired volume level, a set, and a rest.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a subscriber module that enables a subscriber to access a view of the subscriber'"'"'s workout, conduct maintenance of the subscriber'"'"'s information, input desired volume levels associated with audio media, and view selected scriptlets included in a particular media clip for a particular workout.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising a knowledge module that enables a subject matter expert to define exercises, workout segments, workout activities, experience levels, age groups, encouragements, verbosities, exercise categories, and/or intensities, the knowledge module further enabling the subject matter expert to associated desired volume levels with at least one of the exercises, workout segments, workout activities, experience levels, age groups, encouragements, verbosities, exercise categories, and/or intensities.

20. A media mixing and production module comprising:

at least one computer readable medium, wherein the at least one computer readable medium includes separate audio media; and

an audio normalizing and mixing module that accesses the separate audio media and combines the separate audio media, the audio mixing module including;

a volume adjusting function configured to determine a volume level of each audio media, normalize the volume levels of the separate audio media, compare the volume level of at least one of the separate audio media to an associated desired volume level, and increase or decrease the volume level of the at least one of the separate audio media based on a result of the comparison; and

an audio mixing function configured to combine the separate audio media linearly to produce a combined audio media.