Scripting solution for interactive audio generation

• US 7,162,314 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2002
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schmidt, Brian L., Fay, Todor J., Trepte, Forrest P., Yackley, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Flanders; Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US10/092,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20020161462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 715/704, 717/704, 846/04, 846/02, 846/00, 710/107
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/10 Control of the course of the game, e.g. start, progess, end
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/45 Controlling the progress of the video game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/54 involving acoustic signals, e.g. for simulating revolutions per minute [RPM] dependent engine sounds in a driving game or reverberation against a virtual wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6018 where the game content is authored by the player, e.g. level editor or by game device at runtime, e.g. level is created from music data on CD
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/6063 for sound processing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/30 Anatomical models G09B23/281 - G09B23/288 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/34 with removable parts
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/021 Background music, e.g. for video sequences, elevator music musical accompaniment G10H2210/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/056 MIDI or other note-oriented file format

Abstract

A script file includes a text section that has a text label to designate a point during execution of the script sequence when an audio rendition of a video event is to be initiated. The script file also includes a container that maintains audio content within the script file. The audio content is identified in the container with a content label that corresponds to a text label in the text section. The audio content is initiated to be generated as the audio rendition at the designated point during execution of the script sequence when the script file is executed and when a script processor determines that the content label corresponds to the text label.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable media encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed as a script file, direct a computing based audio generation system to:

initiate an audio rendition of a video event when, during execution of a text section of the script file, a text label designates when to initiate the audio rendition from audio content maintained within the script file, the audio content being identified in the script file with a content label corresponding to the text label, where the audio content is auto-referable and generated as the audio rendition without a reference in the text section to identify a location of the audio content, and without an instruction in the text section to render the audio content; and

instantiate one or more audio processing components of the computing based audio generation system that are configured to generate the audio rendition corresponding to the video event, an individual audio processing component having interface methods that are callable by the script file, the one or more audio processing components of the computing based audio generation system being instantiated as a synthesizer component to process audio instructions to generate streams of audio wave data, audio buffers to process the audio wave data, and logical buses that each correspond to one of the audio buffers, where each of the multiple streams of audio wave data are assigned to one or more of the logical buses such that a logical bus receives one or more of the streams of audio wave data from the synthesizer component and routes the streams of audio wave data to the corresponding audio buffer.

2. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the audio content is generated as the audio rendition when a script processor executes the script file and determines that the content label corresponds to the text label.

3. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 1, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to initiate a second audio rendition when, during execution of the text section of the script file, a second text label designates when to initiate the second audio rendition from additional audio content maintained within the script file, the additional audio content being identified in the script file by a reference that is identified with a reference label corresponding to the second text label, where the additional audio content is auto-referable and generated as the second audio rendition during execution of the text section of the script file.

4. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 3, wherein the additional audio content is generated as the second audio rendition when a script processor executes the script file and determines that the reference label corresponds to the second text label.

5. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 1, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to initiate a second audio rendition when, during execution of the text section of the script file, at least a second text label designates when to initiate the second audio rendition from additional audio content maintained within the script file, the additional audio content being identified in the script file with a second content label corresponding to the at least second text label;

wherein

the audio content is generated as the audio rendition when a script processor executes the script file and determines that the content label corresponds to the text label; and

the additional audio content is generated as the second audio rendition when the script processor executes the script file and determines that the second content label corresponds to the at least second text label.

6. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the interface methods of the individual audio processing component are callable by the script file via an iDispatch interface between the script file and the individual audio processing component.

7. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 1, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to:

instantiate a performance manager that includes at least one audio segment having one or more audio content components, each audio content component configured to generate the audio instructions from the audio content; and

instantiate an audio rendition manager that includes the one or more audio rendering components configured to process the audio instructions to render the audio rendition corresponding to the audio content.

8. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to instantiate the performance manager when an application program initiates execution of the script file, the performance manager being instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the application program.

9. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to instantiate the performance manager as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via a translation interface between the script file and the performance manager.

10. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the translation interface is an iDispatch application.

11. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to instantiate the audio rendition manager when an application program initiates execution of the script file, the audio rendition manager being instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the application program.

12. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to instantiate the audio rendition manager as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via a translation interface between the script file and the audio rendition manager.

13. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 12, wherein the translation interface is an iDispatch application.

14. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to monitor one or more parameters of the audio segment to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment to render the audio content.

15. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to instantiate the performance manager when an application program initiates execution of the script file, and monitor one or more parameters of the application program to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment to render the audio content.

16. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to instantiate a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track configured to monitor one or more parameters of the audio segment to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment to render the audio content.

17. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 7, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based audio generation system to instantiate the performance manager when an application program initiates execution of the script file, and instantiate a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track configured to monitor one or more parameters of the application program to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment to render the audio content.

18. A method for managing audio generation with a script file, comprising:

instantiating a performance manager that includes at least one audio segment having one or more audio content components, each audio content component generating audio instructions from received audio content; and

instantiating an audio rendition manager that includes one or more audio rendering components for processing the audio instructions to generate an audio rendition corresponding to the audio content, the one or more audio rendering components of the audio rendition manager including a synthesizer component to process the audio instructions to generate streams of audio wave data, audio buffers to process the audio wave data, and logical buses that each correspond to one of the audio buffers, where each of the multiple streams of audio wave data are assigned to one or more of the logical buses such that a logical bus receives one or more of the streams of audio wave data from the synthesizer component and routes the streams of audio wave data to the corresponding audio buffer.

19. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, wherein instantiating the performance manager is in response to an application program initiating execution of the script file.

20. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 19, wherein the performance manager is instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the application program.

21. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, wherein the performance manager is instantiated as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via a translation interface between the script file and the performance manager.

22. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 21, wherein the translation interface is an iDispatch application.

23. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, wherein instantiating the audio rendition manager is in response to an application program initiating execution of the script file.

24. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 23, wherein the audio rendition manager is instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the application program.

25. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, wherein the audio rendition manager is instantiated as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via a translation interface between the script file and the audio rendition manager.

26. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 25, wherein the translation interface is an iDispatch application.

27. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, wherein instantiating the performance manager is in response to an application program initiating execution of the script file, and the method further comprising monitoring one or more parameters of the application program to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment.

28. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, further comprising monitoring one or more parameters of the audio segment to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment.

29. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, further comprising instantiating a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track monitoring one or more parameters of the audio segment to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment.

30. A method for managing audio generation as recited in claim 18, wherein instantiating the performance manager is in response to an application program initiating execution of the script file, and the method further comprising instantiating a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track monitoring one or more parameters of the application program to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment.

31. One or more computer-readable media encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to perform the method of claim 18.

32. One or more computer-readable media encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to perform the method of claim 21.

33. One or more computer-readable media encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to perform the method of claim 25.

34. One or more computer-readable media encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to perform the method of claim 29.

35. One or more computer-readable media encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing system to perform a method comprising:

executing a multimedia application;

rendering a video event of the multimedia application;

receiving a request from the multimedia application to create an audio generation system to generate an audio rendition corresponding to the video event;

in response to receiving the request, executing a script file to create the audio generation system, the script file comprising computer executable instructions that further direct the computing system to perform;

instantiating a performance manager that includes at least one audio segment having one or more audio content components, each audio content component generating audio instructions from received audio content; and

instantiating an audio rendition manager that includes one or more audio rendering components for processing the audio instructions to generate the audio rendition, the one or more audio rendering components of the audio rendition manager including a synthesizer component to process the audio instructions to generate streams of audio wave data, audio buffers to process the audio wave data, and logical buses that each correspond to one of the audio buffers, where each of the multiple streams of audio wave data are assigned to one or more of the logical buses such that a logical bus receives one or more of the streams of audio wave data from the synthesizer component and routes the streams of audio wave data to the corresponding audio buffer.

36. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the performance manager is instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the script file.

37. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the performance manager is instantiated as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via a translation interface between the script file and the performance manager.

38. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the audio rendition manager is instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the script file.

39. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the audio rendition manager is instantiated as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via a translation interface between the script file and the audio rendition manager.

40. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the script file further comprises computer executable instructions that further direct the computing system to perform instantiating a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track monitoring one or more parameters of the audio segment to determine when to input the received audio content to the audio segment.

41. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the script file further comprises computer executable instructions that further direct the computing system to perform instantiating a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track monitoring one or more parameters of the multimedia application to determine when to input the received audio content to the audio segment.

42. One or more computer readable media encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed as a script file, direct an audio generation system to:

instantiate a performance manager that includes at least one audio segment having one or more audio content components, each audio content component configured to generate audio instructions from received audio content; and

instantiate an audio rendition manager that includes one or more audio rendering components configured to process the audio instructions to generate an audio rendition corresponding to the audio content, the one or more audio rendering components of the audio rendition manager including a synthesizer component to process the audio instructions to generate streams of audio wave data, audio buffers to process the audio wave data, and logical buses that each correspond to one of the audio buffers, where each of the multiple streams of audio wave data are assigned to one or more of the logical buses such that a logical bus receives one or more of the streams of audio wave data from the synthesizer component and routes the streams of audio wave data to the corresponding audio buffer.

43. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 42, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the audio generation system to instantiate the performance manager and the audio rendition manager when an application program initiates execution of the script file, the performance manager being instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the application program, and the audio rendition manager being instantiated as a component object having an interface that is callable by the application program.

44. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 42, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the audio generation system to instantiate the performance manager as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via a translation interface between the script file and the performance manager, and to instantiate the audio rendition manager as a component object having interface methods that are callable by the script file via the translation interface between the script file and the audio rendition manager.

45. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 42, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the audio generation system to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment to generate the audio rendition.

46. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 42, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the audio generation system to instantiate a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track configured to monitor one or more parameters of the audio segment to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment to generate the audio rendition.

47. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 42, further encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the audio generation system to instantiate the performance manager and the audio rendition manager when an application program initiates execution of the script file, and to instantiate a script track as a component of the audio segment, the script track configured to monitor one or more parameters of the application program to determine when to input the audio content to the audio segment to generate the audio rendition.