Mixing media files

• US 7,734,364 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LoLo, LLC
• Original Assignee: LoLo, LLC
• Inventors: Hays, Jeffrey, Wesemann, Darren L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Briney, III; Walter F
• Application Number:
  US11/427,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20070014422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 381/56, 381/57, 381/104, 381/107, 381/119, 482/1, 482/3, 482/9, 482/148
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios

Abstract

Mixing individualized media content. When individualized media content is generated from separate media clips or files, mixing the separate media clips includes controlling the audio. The volume of the audio in each clip is determined and normalized with respect to other media clips as the individualized media content is mixed. This provides a consistent audio experience even when the media content is generated from multiple sources having different properties. When more than one track of audio is present, such as voice audio and background music, the volume of one track is lowered such that the other audio track is audible. The volume of the background music, for example, is reduced such that the subscriber can hear the instructions in the voice audio.

Claims

1. A method of mixing separate audio media for a subscriber comprising:

identifying separate audio media stored in at least one database remote from the subscriber based at least partially on subscriber attribute data previously stored in a database of the at least one database;

adjusting a volume attribute of at least one of the audio media, adjusting a volume attribute including;

determining a volume level of each of the separate audio media;

normalizing volume levels of the separate audio media after determining a volume level of each of the separate audio media;

comparing the volume level of the at least one of the separate audio media to an associated desired volume level determined prior to determining a volume level of each of the separate audio media;

and increasing or decreasing the volume level of the at least one of the separate audio media based on a result of the comparison of the volume level of the at least one audio media with the associated desired volume level; and

combining the separate audio media to produce a combined audio media.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume levels are normalized by multiplying the volume level of each audio media by a suitable constant or scalar so that the volume level of each audio media then has norm one.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the associated desired volume level compared to the at least one of the separate audio media is associated with the at least one of the separate audio media based on a content of the at least one of the separate audio media.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the volume level of at least two of the separate audio media is compared to at least two different associated desired volume levels based on content of the at least two of the separate audio media.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a first of the separate audio media includes background music content and the first of the separate audio media is compared to a first associated desired volume level, and wherein a second of the separate audio media includes instruction content and the second of the separate audio media is compared to a second associated desired volume level.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the volume level of the second associated desired volume level is greater than the volume level of the first associated desired volume level.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second audio media includes exercise instruction content.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second associated desired volume level is selected according to an associated type of exercise of the exercise instruction content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein an associated desired volume level associated with during-exercise content is greater than an associated desired volume level associated with between-exercise audio content, pre-exercise audio content, and/or post-exercise audio content.

10. A media mixing and production module comprising:

a computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor causes the processor to implement an audio normalizing and mixing module that accesses separate audio media and combines the separate audio media, the audio mixing module including;

a volume adjusting function configured to determine a volume level of each audio media, normalize the volume levels of the separate audio media after the volume level of each audio media has been determined, compare the volume level of at least one of the separate audio media to an associated desired volume level defined, and increase or decrease the volume level of the at least one of the separate audio media based on a result of the comparison; and

an audio mixing function configured to combine the separate audio media linearly to produce a combined audio media.

11. The media mixing and production module of claim 10, wherein the volume adjusting function is configured to normalize the volume levels of the separate audio media by multiplying the volume level of each audio media by a suitable constant or scalar so that the volume level of each audio media then has norm one.

12. The media mixing and production module of claim 10, wherein the associated desired volume level is associated with the at least one of the separate audio media based on a content of the at least one of the separate audio media.

13. The media mixing and production module of claim 10, wherein the volume adjusting function is further configured to compare the volume level of at least two of the separate audio media to at least two different associated desired volume levels based on content of the at least two of the separate audio media.

14. The media mixing and production module of claim 10, wherein a first of the separate audio media includes background music content and the volume adjusting function is configured to compare the first of the separate audio media to a first associated desired volume level, and wherein a second of the separate audio media includes instruction content and the volume adjusting function is configured to compare the second of the separate audio media to a second associated desired volume level.

15. The media mixing and production module of claim 14, wherein the volume level of the second associated desired volume level is greater than the volume level of the first associated desired volume level.

16. The media mixing and production module of claim 15, wherein the second audio media includes exercise instruction content.

17. The media mixing and production module of claim 16, wherein the second associated desired volume level is selected according to an associated type of exercise of the exercise instruction content.

18. The media mixing and production module of claim 17, wherein an associated desired volume level associated with during-exercise content is greater than an associated desired volume level associated with between-exercise audio content, pre-exercise audio content, and/or post-exercise audio content.