Automatic Creation of Audio Files

• US 20100042411A1
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dealer Dot Com, Inc. (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dealer Dot Com, Inc. (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Scott, Christopher Nathaniel, Bonfigli, Mark Paul, Addessi, Jamie M., Gibbs, Richard F. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems

Abstract

A method of building an audio description of a particular product of a class of products includes providing a plurality of human voice recordings, wherein each of the human voice recordings includes audio corresponding to an attribute value common to many of the products. The method also includes automatically obtaining attribute values of the particular product, wherein the attribute values reside electronically. The method also includes automatically applying a plurality of rules for selecting a subset of the human voice recordings that correspond to the obtained attribute values and automatically stitching the selected subset of human voice recordings together to provide a voiceover product description of the particular product. A similar method is used to build an audio description of a particular process.

Claims

1. A method of building an audio description of a particular product of a class of products, comprising:

a. providing a plurality of human voice recordings, wherein each said human voice recording includes audio corresponding to an attribute value common to many of the products;

b. automatically obtaining attribute values of the particular product, wherein said attribute values reside electronically;

c. automatically applying a plurality of rules for selecting a subset of said human voice recordings that correspond to said obtained attribute values; and

d. automatically stitching said selected subset of human voice recordings together to provide a voiceover product description of the particular product.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising repeating steps b, c, and d for a plurality of said particular products.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said repeating is executed by a computer with no human involvement.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein said repeating is executed by a plurality of computers.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising configuring a web server to trigger said automatic generation dynamically.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising configuring a web widget to trigger said automatic generation dynamically.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the class of products includes at least one from the group consisting of vehicles, appliances, electronic devices, and real estate.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing an identification code to automatically obtain said attribute values that reside electronically.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said identification code includes at least one from the group consisting of a VIN, a product model number, a product serial number, and a real estate code.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing a common template that includes rules for selecting and ordering said human voice recordings for a voiceover product description.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising providing said common template with a structure in which ordinary human language includes a natural pause, further comprising providing a first fragment directly before said natural pause and a second fragment directly after said natural pause.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said common template includes a sentence template, further comprising preparing said sentence template to include a natural pause, further comprising providing a first fragment directly before said natural pause and a second fragment directly after said natural pause.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein a majority of fragments in said sentence template are adjacent at least one said natural pause.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein all fragments in said sentence template are adjacent at least one said natural pause.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said common template includes a rule to use a particular human voice recording in all voiceover product descriptions.

16. The method as recited in claim 10, further comprising providing rules for inclusion of selected ones of said human voice recordings in said voiceover product description of the particular product.

17. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each said human voice recording includes audio recorded by a human with a prosidy appropriate for its context in said common template.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a pair of said plurality of human voice recordings includes audio corresponding to a single attribute value, wherein a first member of said pair has a first prosidy for placement at a list ending and a second member of said pair has a second prosidy for placement at other than a list ending.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said human voice recordings includes audio corresponding to a plurality of attribute values.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said automatically obtaining said attribute values involves obtaining said attribute values from a database.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein said database includes dealer inventory information.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said automatically obtaining said attribute values involves using an application programmer interface.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said automatically obtaining said attribute values includes obtaining one said attribute value from a web page that includes information about the product.

24. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said voiceover product description includes a plurality of different human voices.

25. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising combining said voiceover product description with music.

26. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said providing a plurality of human voice recordings includes providing said plurality of human voice recordings in a plurality of languages.

27. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising combining said voiceover product description with a video portion.

28. The method as recited in claim 27, further comprising automatically generating said video portion from an automatically obtained visual source.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising generating a plurality of video portions and voiceover product descriptions for a particular product of said class of products.

30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes stitching visual sources together.

31. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes creating an audio/video file containing said result video portion as an video track and said voiceover product description as an audio track.

32. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes storing a time in said voiceover product description that a specific element is mentioned.

33. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes photograph images.

34. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes showing visual elements during specific points in said voiceover corresponding to audio about those visual elements.

35. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes stock footage.

36. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes generating said video dynamically as it is needed.

37. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein said automatically generating said video portion includes:

a. automatically obtaining visual sources;

b. automatically selecting a subset of said visual sources based on rules;

c. determining an order and timing for a subset of said visual sources based on rules;

d. stitching said subset of said visual sources together into a result video portion; and

e. creating an audio/video file containing said result video portion as a video track and said voiceover product description as an audio track.

38. A method of building an audio description of a particular process of a class of processes, comprising:

a. providing a plurality of human voice recordings, wherein each said human voice recording includes audio corresponding to an attribute value common to many of the processes;

b. automatically obtaining attribute values of the particular process, wherein said attribute values reside electronically;

c. automatically applying a plurality of rules for selecting a subset of said human voice recordings that correspond to said obtained attribute values; and

d. automatically stitching said selected subset of human voice recordings together to provide a voiceover process description of the particular process.

39. A method of building an audio description of a plurality of particular products of a class of products, comprising:

a. providing a plurality of human voice recordings, wherein each said human voice recording includes audio corresponding to an attribute value common to many of the products;

b. automatically obtaining attribute values of the plurality of particular products, wherein said attribute values reside electronically;

c. automatically applying a plurality of rules for selecting a subset of said human voice recordings that correspond to said obtained attribute values;

and

d. automatically stitching said selected subset of human voice recordings together to provide a voiceover product description of the plurality of particular products.

40. The method as recited in claim 39, further comprising providing a transition human voice recording that includes audio corresponding to a transition between products and automatically stitching said transition human voice recording into said voiceover product description of the plurality of particular products.

41. A computer-usable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method of building an audio description of a particular process of a group of processes, comprising:

a. accessing files containing a plurality of human voice recordings, wherein each said human voice recording includes audio corresponding to an attribute value common to many of the processes;

b. automatically obtaining attribute values of the particular process, wherein said attribute values reside electronically;

c. automatically applying a plurality of rules for selecting a subset of said human voice recordings that correspond to said obtained attribute values; and

d. automatically stitching said selected subset of human voice recordings together to provide a voiceover process description of the particular process.