METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZING DISPARATE CONTENT FILES

• US 20130304243A1
• Filed: 05/09/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vyclone, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vyclone, Inc.
• Inventors: ISELI, Markus
• Application Number:
  US13/891,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• 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 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2743 Video hosting of uploaded data from client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence

Abstract

The system allows the rapid normalization and synchronization of a plurality of content files using an audio synchronization scheme that reduces computational overhead and provides reliable results. In one embodiment, the system accepts a plurality of content files, performs spectral peak extraction and performs correlation in the log-frequency domain using subtraction. This is used to calculate a reliable confidence score for the calculated correlation. The system uses short duration samples from the beginning and end of a content file and limits the frequencies being matched to time-delay estimation in a very processing-efficient manner.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing content files comprising:

In a processing system;

Receiving a plurality of content files having audio and video signals;

Extracting the audio signal from each content file;

Sorting the audio signals into a first order;

Comparing a first ordered audio signal to a next ordered audio signal;

Generating a confidence score representing the level of synchronization of the first ordered audio signal to the next ordered audio signal;

Defining the first ordered audio signal as synchronized to the second ordered audio signal when the confidence score exceeds a certain threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein first order comprises shortest to longest content file.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of comparing comprises extracting a first sample from the beginning of the first ordered audio signal and comparing it to the second ordered audio signal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of comparing comprises extracting a second sample from the end of the first ordered audio signal and comparing it to the second ordered audio signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the extracted beginning sample and the extracted end sample are compared to the entire second ordered audio signal.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the extracted beginning sample and the extracted end sample are compared to selected portions of the second ordered audio signal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the selected portions of the second ordered audio signal are determined by timestamp data associated with the first ordered audio signal and the second ordered audio signal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the selected portions are plus or minus 40 seconds from a timestamp value associated with the first ordered audio signal.

10. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of extracting features from the audio signal by applying a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter, applying a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to the result;

band-pass filtering and clipping the audio signal.

9. The method of 8 wherein no comparison is performed when the timestamp value associated the first ordered audio signal is not within the range of beginning and ending timestamps of the second ordered audio signal.