Apparatus and method for processing an audio/video program

• US 8,009,962 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Herz, William Samuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhao; Daquan
• Application Number:
  US10/727,710
• Time in Patent Office: 2,827 Days
• Field of Search: 386/113, 386/120, 386/27, 386/33, 386/39, 386/45, 386/46, 386 95- 96, 386104-106, 386/109, 386111-112, 386124-126, 386/239, 386/201, 386/248, 386/326
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/92 Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback

Abstract

Apparatus and method for processing an audio/video program is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a preferences module configured to coordinate the specification of a presentation setting with a portion of the audio/video program. The apparatus also includes a presentation module coupled to the preferences module. The presentation module is configured to selectively apply the presentation setting to the portion of the audio/video program during subsequent playback of the audio/video program.

Claims

1. An apparatus to process an audio/video program, comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory connected to the processing unit and including

a preferences module configured to

coordinate specification, by a first user, of multiple, first presentation settings with respective ones of multiple, first portions of said audio/video program and with a first attribute of said first user, wherein said preferences module is configured to receive input by said first user at different times during an initial playback session of said audio/video program for said first user, and said preferences module is configured to synchronize said first presentation settings with respective ones of said first portions of said audio/video program according to said different times when said input by said first user is received during said initial playback session of said audio/video program for said first user, and

coordinate specification, by a second user, of multiple, second presentation settings with respective ones of multiple, second portions of said audio/video program and with a second attribute of said second user, wherein said preferences module is configured to receive input by said second user at different times during an initial playback session of said audio/video program for said second user, and said preferences module is configured to synchronize said second presentation settings with respective ones of said second portions of said audio/video program according to said different times when said input by said second user is received during said initial playback session of said audio/vide program for said second user; and

a presentation module coupled to said preferences module, said presentation module being configured to,

during a subsequent playback session of said audio/video program for said first user,

based on said first attribute of said first user, retrieve said first presentation settings for said first user, and

selectively apply said first presentation settings to respective ones of said first portions of said audio/video program, such that said first presentation settings remain synchronized with respective ones of said first portions of said audio/video program during said subsequent playback session for said first user, and

during a subsequent playback session of said audio/video program for said second user,

based on said second attribute of said second user, retrieve said second presentation settings for said second user, and

selectively apply said second presentation settings to respective ones of said second portions of said audio/video program, such that said second presentation settings remain synchronized with respective ones of said second portions of said audio/video program during said subsequent playback session for said second user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said preferences module is configured to coordinate said specification of said first presentation settings with respective ones of said first portions of said audio/video program based on multiple, first time stamps associated with said first portions of said audio/video program, and said preferences module is configured to coordinate said specification of said second presentation settings with respective ones of said second portions of said audio/video program based on multiple, second time stamps associated with said second portions of said audio/video program.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first presentation settings and said second presentation settings corresponds to one of an audio setting and a display setting.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said audio setting corresponds to one of an audio channel setting, an audio field setting, an audio format setting, a dynamic range setting, a language setting, a pitch setting, a playback speed setting, a tone setting, and a volume setting.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said display setting corresponds to one of a brightness setting, a black and white setting, a contrast setting, a color setting, a fast motion setting, a flicker setting, a gamma setting, a hue setting, a letterbox setting, a non-square zoom setting, a pan and scan setting, a pillar-box setting, a pixel blurring setting, a pixel sharpening setting, a red-eye setting, a slow motion setting, and a zoom setting.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said preferences module is configured to coordinate storage of said first presentation settings and said first attribute of said first user, and said preferences module is configured to coordinate storage of said second presentation settings and said second attribute of said second user.

7. The apparatus of claim 6,

wherein said memory is configured to store said first presentation settings and said first attribute of said first user and said second presentation settings and said second attribute of said second user.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said preferences module is configured to:

(a) receive input, by said first user, of a first display setting while a first video frame of said audio/video program is displayed during said initial playback session of said audio/video program for said first user, (b) synchronize said first display setting with said first video frame, (c) receive input, by said first user, of a second display setting while a second video frame of said audio/video program is displayed during said initial playback session of said audio/video program for said first user, and (d) synchronize said second display setting with said second video frame, and said presentation module is configured to, during said subsequent playback session of said audio/video program for said first user, apply said first display setting and said second display setting to said first video frame and said second video frame, respectively.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first display setting and said second display setting are associated with different scaling factors.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first display setting and said second display setting are associated with different aspect ratios.