REMOTE CONFERENCING CENTER

• US 20110161074A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: King, Nicholas Vincent, Pance, Aleksandar
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,309 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/201
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/028 using properties of sound source
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for recording audio and video. In particular, in one embodiment, a method of recording audio signals is provided. The method includes recording audio signals with a plurality of distributed audio transducers to create multiple recordings of the audio signals and providing each of the multiple recordings of the audio signals to a computing device. The computing device combines each of the multiple recordings into a master recording and determines a source for each audio signal in the master recording. Additionally, the computing device stores each audio signal in separate audio files according to the determined source of each audio signal.

Claims

1. A method of recording audio signals comprising:

recording audio signals with a plurality of distributed audio transducers to create multiple recordings of the audio signals;

providing each of the multiple recordings of the audio signals to a computing device, the computing device;

combining each of the multiple recordings into a master recording;

determining a source for each audio signal in the master recording; and

storing each audio signal in a separate audio file according to the determined source of each audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation of combining of each of the multiple recordings into a master recording comprises:

aligning spectral distributions of the multiple recordings so that each recording coincides time-wise with the other recordings; and

selecting a highest amplitude signal for each of a plurality of time-steps for use in the master recording.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining an audio sample from each of a plurality of sources of audio signals; and

comparing each of the multiple recordings with the recorded audio samples to determine the source of the multiple recordings.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the source for each audio signal comprises:

determining an origin of the audio signal relative to the plurality of distributed transducers by comparing at least one of an amplitude and a phase difference between the audio signals received at more than one audio transducer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the recorded audio signals from each of the distinct electronic devices to the computing device for creation of the master recording; and

transmitting the master recording to the distinct electronic devices;

wherein

the plurality of distributed audio transducers are each part of distinct electronic devices.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein transmitting the recorded audio signals comprises transmitting the audio signals via a network connection.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein transmitting the recorded audio signals comprises transmitting the audio signals directly to the computing device via a short range RF transmission.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transcribing the master recording; and

inserting source information to identify sources in the transcription.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the multiple audio recordings are transmitted at the end of a recording session.

10. A method of managing audio signals from multiple sources comprising:

electronically receiving a plurality of audio signals from a plurality of electronic devices;

based on at least one characteristic of the plurality of audio signals, electronically determining an identity for each of the plurality of audio signals;

sorting the plurality of audio signals according to the determined identities; and

storing each of the plurality of audio signals in separate audio files according to the sorting.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the operation of determining an identity for a plurality of audio signals comprises:

comparing each of the plurality of audio signals with at least one sample audio signal to find coincident speech patterns.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining an identity for a plurality of audio signals comprises:

storing an unidentified recorded audio signal;

labeling the stored unidentified recorded audio signal;

subsequently comparing each of the plurality of audio signals with at least one characteristic of the unidentified recorded audio signal; and

labeling at least one of the plurality of audio signals with the same label as the unidentified recorded signal if a factor of the at least one of the plurality of audio signals patterns matches the characteristic of the unidentified audio signal;

wherein

the characteristic relates to speech.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising discretely retrieving the recorded audio signals according to the determined identities.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

retrieving each of the separately stored audio files; and

organizing the separately stored audio files for playback according to a time stamp on the audio files.

15. An audio recording system comprising:

a plurality of distributed sound transducers;

one or more processors coupled to the plurality of sound transducers; and

a storage device coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors is configured to;

determine a source for received audio signals;

aggregate received audio signals according to the determined source; and

store the aggregated audio signals as separate audio files in the storage device according to the determined source.

16. The audio recording device of claim 15 further comprising one or more cameras configured to capture images of the sources for the received audio signals.

17. The audio recording device of claim 16 configured to determine the location of the sources of audio signals relative to the plurality of distributed sound transducers, and wherein the one or more cameras are configured to move to be directed at the source of audio signals.

18. The audio recording device of claim 15 further comprising at least one antenna, the antenna being configured to receive audio signals transmitted from the plurality of distributed sound transducers.

19. The audio recording device of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to execute voice recognition software to determine the sources of the audio signals.

20. The audio recording device of claim 15 further comprising a speaker for playback of the audio signals, wherein the stored audio signals are retrieved and combined for playback according to a time stamp associated with the stored audio signals.