Controlled access to audio signals based on objectionable audio content detected via sound recognition
First Claim
1. A method of restricting access to objectionable audio content, the method comprising:
- (a) performing sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable non-spoken audio content therein; and
(b) controlling access to the audio signal responsive to the identification of objectionable non-spoken audio content in the audio signal, wherein performing sound recognition on the audio signal comprises detecting at least one of a violent sound and a sexually-suggestive sound in the audio signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, program product, and method restrict access to objectionable audio content in an audio or audio/video transmission using sound recognition. Sound recognition may be performed, for example, to detect and control access to objectionable non-spoken audio content, e.g., by detecting violent sounds such as screams, explosions, gun shots, sirens, punches, kicks and/or other non-spoken content such as sexually-suggestive sounds. In addition, occurrences of objectionable audio content detected in an audio transmission may be tracked so that access to the audio transmission may be controlled responsive to the identification of multiple occurrences of objectionable audio content. Furthermore, access control over detected objectionable audio content in an audio transmission may result in inhibition of access to a program associated with the audio transmission.
111 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of restricting access to objectionable audio content, the method comprising:
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(a) performing sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable non-spoken audio content therein; and
(b) controlling access to the audio signal responsive to the identification of objectionable non-spoken audio content in the audio signal, wherein performing sound recognition on the audio signal comprises detecting at least one of a violent sound and a sexually-suggestive sound in the audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a memory; and
(b) a program resident in the memory and configured to perform sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable non-spoken audio content therein, and to control access to the audio signal responsive to the identification of objectionable non-spoken audio content in the audio signal, wherein the objectionable non-spoken audio content includes at least one of a violent sound and a sexually-suggestive sound. - View Dependent Claims (9, 11, 12)
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10. The apparatus of clam 8, wherein the program is configured to perform sound recognition on the audio signal by detecting the sexually-suggestive sound in the audio signal.
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13. A program product, comprising:
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(a) a program configured to perform sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable non-spoken audio content therein, and to control access to the audio signal responsive to the identification of objectionable non-spoken audio content in the audio signal, wherein the objectionable non-spoken audio content includes at least one of a violent sound and a sexually-suggestive sound; and
(b) a computer-readable signal bearing medium bearing the program. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method of restricting access to objectionable audio content, the method comprising:
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(a) performing sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable audio content therein;
(b) tracking occurrences of objectionable audio content in the audio signal, wherein tracking the occurrences of objectionable audio content includes tracking a frequency of occurrences of objectionable audio content, relative to time, and wherein controlling access to the audio signal includes inhibiting access to the audio signal in response to the frequency of occurrences of objectionable audio content exceeding a predetermined threshold; and
(c) controlling access to the audio signal responsive to the identification of multiple occurrences of objectionable audio content in the audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a memory; and
(b) a program resident in the memory and configured to perform sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable audio content therein, track occurrences of objectionable audio content in the audio signal, and control access to the audio signal responsive to the identification of multiple occurrences of objectionable audio content in the audio signal, wherein the program is configured to tack the occurrences of objectionable audio content by tracking a frequency of occurrences of objectionable audio content relative to time, and wherein the program is configured to control access to the audio signal by inhibiting access to the audio signal in response to the frequency of occurrences of objectionable audio content exceeding a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A program product, comprising:
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(a) a program configured to perform sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable audio content therein, track occurrences of objectionable audio content in the audio signal, and control access to the audio signal responsive to the identification of multiple occurrences of objectionable audio content in the audio signal, wherein the program is configured to track the occurrences of objectionable audio content by tracking a frequency of occurrences of objectionable audio content relative to time, and wherein the program is configured to control access to the audio signal by inhibiting access to the audio signal in response to the frequency of occurrences of objectionable audio content exceeding a predetermined threshold; and
(b) a computer-readable signal bearing medium bearing the program.
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27. A method of restricting access to objectionable audio content, the method comprising:
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(a) performing sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable audio content therein, wherein performing sound recognition on the audio signal to identify objectionable audio content therein comprises performing sound recognition on the audio signal to identify objectionable non-spoken audio content therein, the objectionable non-spoken audio content including at least one of violent and sexually-suggestive content; and
(b) inhibiting access to a program associated with the audio signal responsive to the identification of objectionable audio content in the audio signal. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus, comprising:
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(a) a memory; and
(b) a program resident in the memory and configured to perform sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable audio content therein and inhibit access to a program associated with the audio signal responsive to the identification of objectionable audio content in the audio signal, wherein the objectionable audio content includes at least one of a violent sound and a sexually-suggestive sound. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A program product, comprising:
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(a) a program configured to perform sound recognition on an audio signal to identify objectionable audio content therein and inhibit access to a program associated with the audio signal responsive to the identification of objectionable audio content in the audio signal, wherein the objectionable audio content includes at least one of a violent sound and a sexually-suggestive sound; and
(b) a computer-readable signal bearing medium bearing the program configured to perform sound recognition and inhibit access.
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Specification