CONTENT CUSTOMIZATION

• US 20140258858A1
• Filed: 05/07/2012
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US13/465,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258858A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon

Abstract

A content customization service is disclosed. A user computing device and/or a content customization server may customize a narration associated with an item of content at the request of a listener or a rights-holder. One or more user interfaces may be provided to facilitate these requests. Some examples of customization include specifying settings for the language, accent, mood, or speaker of the narration. Other examples of customization include specifying settings for the bass, treble, pitch, pace, or contrast of the narration. The content customization service may select a computing device to perform the customization. For example, the user computing device may modify the narration by itself, or the user computing device may transmit a request for modified narration to the content customization server, which may then transmit modified narration to the user computing device.

Claims

1. A system for customizing audiobook narration, the system comprising:

a non-transitory electronic data store configured to store an audiobook, the audiobook comprising a narrated audio recording; and

a computing device comprising a processor, the computing device in communication with the electronic data store, the computing device configured to;

display a user interface, the user interface configured to receive requested modifications to one or more narration parameters of the narrated audio recording from a user;

receive user input through the user interface, wherein the user input specifies the requested modifications to the one or more narration parameters;

change the one or more narration parameters in response to the requested modifications; and

modify the narrated audio recording based at least in part on the changed one or more narration parameters to generate a modified narrated audio recording.

2. The system for customizing audiobook narration of claim 1, wherein the change to the one or more narration parameters includes a change to at least one of a treble, bass, pitch, pace, or contrast of the narrated audio recording,

3. The system for customizing audiobook narration of claim 1, wherein the change to the one or more narration parameters includes a change to at least one of an accent of the narrated audio recording, a mood of the narrated audio recording, or a language of the narrated audio recording.

4. The system for customizing audiobook narration of claim 1, wherein the change to the one or more narration parameters includes a change to a voice of the narrated audio recording.

5. The system for customizing audiobook narration of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to store settings for the changed narration parameters to the electronic data store as an audiobook narration settings file.

6. A computer-implemented method for customizing an item of content comprising a narrated audio recording, the computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with specific computer executable instructions,

receiving a request to modify one or more narration parameters of a portion of the narrated audio recording;

setting the one or more narration parameters of the portion of the narrated audio recording;

modifying the portion of the narrated audio recording, according to the set narration parameters to generate a modified portion of the narrated audio recording; and

causing playback of the modified portion of the narrated audio recording.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the narration parameters are set based at least in part on contextual analysis of the portion of the narrated audio recording.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein:

the portion of narrated audio recording narration is assigned a label specifying settings for one or more narration parameters of the portion of the narrated audio recording; and

the one or more narration parameters for the portion of the narrated audio recording are set based at least in part on the label.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the label is assigned to the portion of the narrated audio recording by a human interaction task system.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the label is assigned to the portion of the narrated audio recording by a rights-holder of the item of content.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the settings specified by the label for the one or more narration parameters of the portion of the narrated audio recording are locked.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the narration parameters are set based at least in part on user input.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising:

modifying a second portion of the narrated audio recording according to the set narration parameters to form a modified second portion of the narrated audio recording; and

causing playback of the modified second portion of the narrated audio recording.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising:

modifying a portion of a second narrated audio recording of a second item of content according to the set narration parameters to form a modified portion of the second narrated audio recording; and

causing playback of the modified portion of the second narrated audio recording.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising importing narration settings information comprising settings for one or more narration parameters;

and wherein the one or more narration parameters are set based at least in part on the narration settings information.

16. A system for customizing narration, the system comprising:

a non-transitory electronic data store configured to store a narrated audio recording; and

a server computing device comprising a processor, the server computing device in communication with the electronic data store, the server computing device configured to;

receive, from a user computing device, a request to change one or more narration parameters of a first portion of the narrated audio recording;

change the one or more narration parameters of the first portion of the narrated audio recording;

generate a modified first portion of the narrated audio recording based at least in part on the changed one or more narration parameters; and

transmit the modified first portion of the narrated audio recording to the user computing device.

17. The system for customizing narration of claim 16, wherein the server computing device is further configured to:

receive, from the user computing device, a request to change one or more narration parameters of a second portion of the narrated audio recording;

change the one or more narration parameters of the second portion of the narrated audio recording to form a modified second portion of the narrated audio recording; and

transmit the modified second portion of the narrated audio recording to the user computing device.

18. The system for customizing narration of claim 17, wherein the one or more narration parameters of the second portion of the narrated audio recording are changed by the server computing device while the server computing device transmits the modified first portion of the narrated audio recording to the user computing device.

19. The system for customizing narration of claim 18, wherein the first portion of the narrated audio recording and the second portion of the narrated audio recording are contiguous.

20. The system for customizing narration of claim 16, wherein the server computing device is further configured to obtain, from an electronic data store configured to store narration settings information, narration settings information that specifies changes to the one or more narration parameters of the first portion of the narrated audio recording.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for customizing a narrated audio information, the non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-executable component configured to:

present, on a user computing device, a user interface displaying one or more narration parameters of a portion of the narrated audio information;

receive, through the user interface, instructions to change the one or more narration parameters;

select a computing device from a plurality of computing devices connected over an electronic network, the plurality of computing devices comprising the user computing device; and

direct the selected computing device to change the one or more narration parameters according to the instructions to generate a modified portion of the narrated audio information.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein:

the selected computing device comprises a server computing device; and

the server computing device is further configured to transmit the modified portion of the narrated audio information to a user computing device over an electronic network.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein:

the selected computing device comprises the user computing device; and

the user computing device is further configured to play the modified portion of the narrated audio information.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the computing device is selected based at least in part on the size of the portion of the narrated audio information to be modified.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the computing device is selected based at least in part on the one or more narration parameters to be changed.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the selected computing device has a processor speed that satisfies a threshold value.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the selected computing device has an energy reserve that satisfies a threshold value.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein:

the computer-executable component is further configured to estimate an energy consumption value for forming the modified portion of narrated audio information; and

the threshold value is determined based at least in part on the estimated energy consumption value.