Smart equalizer

• US 20080002839A1
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Eng, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US11/478,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20080002839A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/103
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3027 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/322 used signal is digitally coded
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information

Abstract

An equalizer setting is stored for an audio file or an audio portion of an audio/video file and is then processed when the audio file is selected for playback. When a user operating a media device adjusts an equalizer setting of an audio file, the setting is associated with the audio file as part of the metadata of the audio file. Upon selection of the audio file, the metadata is examined to determine if an equalizer setting has been established for the audio file. The audio file is then played with the established equalizer setting. If an equalizer setting is not defined for the selected file, it may be played based upon a genre setting, which may be associated as part of the audio file'"'"'s metadata, or based upon a distinguishing metadata attribute setting. A synchronization operation serves to provide consistent versions of the audio file on multiple devices.

Claims

1. A method of implementing an equalizer setting of an audio file, the method comprising:

determining if an equalizer setting for the audio file is established;

upon determination that the equalizer setting is established, playing the audio file based upon the equalizer setting; and

upon determination that the equalizer setting is not established, one of (i) playing the audio file based upon a genre of the audio file, (ii) playing the audio file based upon an associated metadata attribute setting, and (iii) playing the audio file without equalization.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if an equalizer setting functionality is operating.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein playing the audio file based upon a genre of the audio file comprises upon determination that an equalizer setting functionality is operating and that the equalizer setting is not established, playing the audio file based upon a genre of the audio file.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein playing the audio file based upon an associated metadata attribute setting comprises upon determination that an equalizer setting functionality is operating and that the equalizer setting is not established, playing the audio file based upon an associated metadata attribute setting.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein playing the audio file without equalization comprises upon determination that an equalizer setting functionality is not operating and that the equalizer setting is not established, playing the audio file without equalization.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the audio file based upon a genre of the audio file comprises:

determining the genre of the audio file based upon a predetermined genre setting associated with the audio file;

obtaining the equalizer setting of the genre of the audio file; and

playing the audio file with the obtained equalizer setting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein playing the audio file based upon an associated metadata attribute setting comprises:

obtaining the associated metadata attribute setting of the audio file; and

playing the audio file with the obtained associated attribute setting.

8. A method of applying an equalizer setting to an audio file, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that the equalizer setting of the audio file is established; and

storing the equalizer setting of the audio file as metadata with the audio file or as part of a data store.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

upon receipt of an indication to play the audio file, obtaining the stored equalizer setting of the audio file; and

playing the audio file with the stored equalizer setting.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that a device playing the audio files is one of (i) a desktop computer or (ii) an equalizer-enabled device;

upon determination that the device playing the audio file is a desktop computer or an equalizer-enabled device, providing an opportunity to synchronize the desktop computer or the equalizer-enabled device with another device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an indication to synchronize the desktop computer or the equalizer-enabled device with the other device; and

synchronizing the desktop computer or the equalizer-enabled device with the other device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving an indication that the equalizer setting of the audio file is established comprises receiving an indication that the equalizer setting is changed from a previous equalizer setting.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

processing the audio file;

wherein storing the equalizer setting of the audio file as metadata with the audio file or as part of a data store comprises storing the equalizer setting upon completion of the processing of the audio file.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

processing the audio file;

wherein storing the equalizer setting of the audio file as metadata with the audio file or as part of a data store comprises storing the equalizer setting at periodic time intervals during the processing of the audio file.

15. An equalization component for applying an equalizer setting to an audio file being processed on a device being accessed by a user, comprising:

an equalizer property component for storing a preferred equalizer setting of the audio file with the audio file;

a genre component for storing a genre equalizer setting of an audio file with the audio file based upon the genre of the audio file; and

a metadata component for storing a distinguishing metadata attribute setting of the audio file;

wherein the preferred equalizer setting overrides the genre equalizer setting.

16. The equalization component of claim 15, wherein the equalizer property component further operates to determine if a selected audio file is associated with a preferred equalizer setting.

17. The equalization component of claim 15, further comprising:

a synchronization component for synchronizing two devices with the preferred equalizer setting of the audio file.

18. The equalization component of claim 17, wherein the synchronization component performs a periodic synchronization during a processing of the audio file.

19. The equalization component of claim 15, wherein the equalizer property component communicates an indication to at least one of the genre component and the metadata component if a preferred equalizer setting of an audio file is not stored with the audio file.

20. The equalization component of claim 15, wherein the preferred equalizer setting, the genre equalizer setting, and the distinguishing metadata attribute setting are stored as part of metadata of the audio file or are stored by a data storage method.