Method and apparatus for associating commentary audio with a position in an experiential data stream

• US 7,814,517 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nickell, Eric S., Thornton, James D., Bobrow, Daniel G., Ducheneaut, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLYNN, RANDY A
• Application Number:
  US10/997,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,149 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 725/80, 725/110, 725/135, 348 1401- 1409
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and a computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform an operation for determining where to position received transitory audio within an experiential data stream of a shared social space so as to provide minimal disruption to the experiential data stream.

Claims

1. A computer controlled method for providing a commentary audio clip associated with an experiential data stream in a shared social space to at least one local audience member, said method comprising:

presenting, on a local device, an experiential data stream at a first playback position in a time dimension of the experiential data stream, wherein a later portion of the experiential data stream beyond the first playback position is available to the local device;

receiving a transitory audio while said experiential data stream is being presented;

characterizing the transitory audio;

analyzing the later portion to locate two or more candidate portions suitable for placing the transitory audio;

determining a minimum cost associated with placing the transitory audio at a respective candidate portion, which involves determining a charge for compressing the duration of the transitory audio such that the transitory audio can be presented within the duration of the candidate portion; and

storing the transitory audio as a commentary audio clip having an audio trigger position indexed to the experiential data stream at a least-cost location of the two or more candidate portions.

2. The computer controlled method of claim 1 wherein said audio trigger position is determined from the value of said first playback position in response to receiving.

3. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for delaying said transitory audio from a point on said time dimension where said transitory audio was uttered.

4. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for having said transitory audio overlap significant audio from said experiential data stream.

5. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for having said transitory audio overlap a second commentary audio clip.

6. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for presenting said transitory audio out of sequence with a second commentary audio clip that resulted from a previously received transitory audio.

7. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein receiving the transitory audio further comprises accepting audio data representing said transitory audio from a network.

8. The computer controlled method of claim 1, wherein receiving the transitory audio further comprises capturing said transitory audio uttered by a local audience member.

9. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause said computer to perform a method for providing a commentary audio clip associated with an experiential data stream in a shared social space to at least one local audience member, said method comprising:

presenting, on a local device, an experiential data stream at a first playback position in a time dimension of the experiential data stream, wherein a later portion of the experiential data stream beyond the first playback position is available to the local device;

receiving a transitory audio while said experiential data stream is being presented;

characterizing the transitory audio;

analyzing the later portion to locate two or more candidate portions suitable for placing the transitory audio;

determining a minimum cost associated with placing the transitory audio at a respective candidate portion, which involves determining a charge for compressing the duration of the transitory audio such that the transitory audio can be presented within the duration of the candidate portion; and

storing the transitory audio as a commentary audio clip having an audio trigger position indexed to the experiential data stream at a least-cost location of the two or more candidate portions.

10. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said audio trigger position is determined from the value of said first playback position in response to receiving the transitory audio.

11. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for delaying said transitory audio from a point on said time dimension where said transitory audio was uttered.

12. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for having said transitory audio overlap significant audio from said experiential data stream.

13. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for having said transitory audio overlap a second commentary audio clip.

14. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the minimum cost further comprises computing a charge for presenting said transitory audio out of sequence with a second commentary audio clip that resulted from a previously received transitory audio.

15. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 9, wherein receiving the transitory audio further comprises accepting audio data representing said transitory audio from a network.

16. The computer-usable storage medium of claim 9, wherein receiving the transitory audio further comprises capturing said transitory audio uttered by a local audience member.

17. An apparatus for providing a commentary audio clip associated with an experiential data stream in a shared social space to at least one local audience member, the apparatus comprising:

a first presentation logic configured to present said experiential data stream at a first playback position in a time dimension of the experiential data stream, wherein a later portion of the experiential data stream beyond the first playback position is available to the apparatus;

a receiver configured to receive a transitory audio while said experiential data stream is being presented;

a characterization logic configured to characterize said transitory audio;

an analysis logic configured to analyze the later portion to locate two or more candidate portions suitable for placing the transitory audio;

a cost determination logic configured to determine a minimum cost associated with placing said transitory audio at a respective candidate portion, which involves determining a charge for compressing the duration of the transitory audio such that the transitory audio can be presented within the duration of the candidate portion; and

a storage logic configured to store the transitory audio as a commentary audio clip having an audio trigger position indexed to the experiential data stream at a least-cost location of the two or more candidate portions.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said audio trigger position is determined from the value of said first playback position responsive to the receiver.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cost determination logic further comprises a charge determination logic configured to determine a charge for delaying said transitory audio from a point on said time dimension where said transitory audio was uttered.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cost determination logic further comprises a charge determination logic configured to determine a charge for having said transitory audio overlap significant audio from said experiential data stream.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cost determination logic further comprises a charge determination logic configured to determine a charge for having said transitory audio overlap a second commentary audio clip.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cost determination logic further comprises a charge determination logic configured to determine a charge for presenting said transitory audio out of sequence with a second commentary audio clip that resulted from a previously received transitory audio.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the receiver further comprises a communication logic configured to accept audio data representing said transitory audio from a network.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the receiver further comprises a microphone configured to capture said transitory audio uttered by a local audience member.