Method and apparatus for improving the quality of a recorded broadcast audio program
First Claim
1. A method of improving the quality of a recorded broadcast audio program, the method comprising:
- (a) identifying multiple recordings of a broadcast audio program;
(b) aligning the multiple recordings at a selected time index of the program;
(c) obtaining samples of each of the recordings for a given time period of the program;
(d) comparing the samples;
(e) from the multiple samples, attempting to select a sample believed to be a relatively high quality sample of the program;
(f) writing the selected sample to a new recording of the program; and
(g) repeating (c)-(f) one or more times.
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Abstract
Recordings of broadcast audio content often contain errors (e.g., noise, signal loss, interference, talkover). A method and apparatus are provided for improving the quality of such a recording. Multiple recordings of a broadcast audio program are identified, and are aligned according to some time index of the program, such as the beginning, midpoint or end of one of the recordings. Samples of each recording are taken and compared. If a majority (or plurality) of the samples agree (e.g., they match within an allowable threshold of variance), one of them is used to generate or populate a new recording. If there is no majority (or plurality), one of the samples may be chosen at random, on the basis of which recording has most often been in the majority (or plurality), or on some other basis. Or, the method may be repeated or extended to obtain samples of other recordings.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of improving the quality of a recorded broadcast audio program, the method comprising:
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(a) identifying multiple recordings of a broadcast audio program; (b) aligning the multiple recordings at a selected time index of the program; (c) obtaining samples of each of the recordings for a given time period of the program; (d) comparing the samples; (e) from the multiple samples, attempting to select a sample believed to be a relatively high quality sample of the program; (f) writing the selected sample to a new recording of the program; and (g) repeating (c)-(f) one or more times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 23)
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13. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of improving the quality of a recorded broadcast audio program, the method comprising:
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(a) identifying multiple recordings of a broadcast audio program; (b) aligning the multiple recordings at a selected time index of the program; (c) obtaining samples of each of the recordings for a given time period of the program; (d) comparing the samples; (e) from the multiple samples, attempting to select a sample believed to be a relatively high quality sample of the program; (f) writing the selected sample to a new recording of the program; and (g) repeating (c)-(f) one or more times.
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14. An apparatus for improving the quality of a recorded broadcast audio program, comprising:
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a recording device configured to record a broadcast audio program; a sampler configured to sample broadcast audio programs; a comparator configured to; compare samples of multiple versions of a first audio program; and select from the multiple samples a sample of a higher quality than the other samples; and a recorder configured to combine multiple higher quality samples into an improved version of the first audio program. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification