System and method of adjusting audiovisual content to improve hearing

• US 8,020,102 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2006
• Issued: 09/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Enhanced Personal Audiovisual Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Enhanced Personal Audiovisual Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Ziegler, James E., Sokol, Anthony B., Orosz, Michael D., Berk, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ryan; Patrick A
• Application Number:
  US11/503,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20070039034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/727
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/854 Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/003 Digital PA systems using, e.g. LAN or internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 3/008 in which the audio signals are in digital form, i.e. employing more than two discrete digital channels data reduction aspects thereof based on psychoacoustics G10L19/02

Abstract

A system for adjusting audiovisual content having a server including a receiver for receiving a first content from a media source, a first circuitry configured to generate a second content based on the first content, the second content having multiple audio channels, a first transceiver for sending the second content to one or more clients, each client including a second transceiver for receiving the second content, and a second circuitry configured to generate a third content based on the second content and provide the third content to an audio device, wherein the second circuitry is configured to provide a graphical user interface to a user, the graphical user interface having a plurality of icons representing the user and the multiple audio channels, wherein movement of any of the plurality of icons will alter the second content.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting audiovisual content comprising:

receiving, at a server, a first signal comprising a first content from a media source;

generating, at a server, a second content comprising multiple audio channels based on the first content;

providing, at a plurality of clients, a graphical user interface having a plurality of icons representing a user and the multiple audio channels, wherein the second content is altered by moving any of the icons on the graphical user interface;

generating, at the plurality of clients, a third signal based on the second content;

providing, at the plurality of clients, the third signal to an audio device;

increasing, at the plurality of clients, a volume of a first audio channel of the second content when a movement of an icon representing the first audio channel decreases a distance between the first audio channel icon and the user icon;

maintaining or decreasing, at the plurality of clients, a volume of the audio channels of the second content other than the first audio channel when a movement of the first audio channel icon decreases the distance between the first audio channel icon and the user icon; and

allowing, at the plurality of clients, the user to maintain an unbalanced sound condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnitude of the alteration in second content corresponds to the distance an icon was moved.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the alteration in second content is related to the position of the plurality of icons on the graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to allow the user to alter the volume of the multiple channels by moving the icons.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple audio channels comprise a front left channel, a front right channel, a center channel, a left surround channel, a right surround channel, and a special effects channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content is transported in one or more packets.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transporting the one or more packets via a wireless connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content comprises video content.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing the video content to a video device in synchronization with the third content provided to the audio device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a second graphical user interface to the user, where the second graphical user interface is configured to allow the user to alter the video content.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating close-captioning text data based on the video content and providing the close-captioning text data to a video device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is provided by a cell-phone or a personal data assistant.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining, at the plurality of clients, the multiple audio channels into a right channel and a left channel;

providing, at the plurality of clients, a volume on the right channel based on input from the user; and

providing, at the plurality of clients, a volume on the left channel based on input from the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface provides the user with an ability to modify a frequency content of each of the multiple audio channels.

15. A system for adjusting audiovisual content comprising:

a server comprising;

a receiver for receiving a first content from a media source;

a first circuitry configured to generate a second content based on the first content, the second content comprising multiple audio channels; and

a first transceiver for sending the second content;

a plurality of clients, each client comprising;

a second transceiver for receiving the second content;

an audio device; and

a second circuitry configured to generate a third content based on the second content and provide the third content to the audio device,

wherein the second circuitry is configured to provide a graphical user interface to a user, the graphical user interface having a plurality of icons representing the user and the multiple audio channels,

wherein, when a movement of an icon representing a first audio channel of the second content decreases a distance between the first audio channel icon and the user icon, the second circuitry is configured to;

increase a volume of the first audio channel; and

maintain or decrease a volume of the audio channels of the second content other than the first audio channel, and

wherein the second circuitry is configured to allow the user to maintain an unbalanced sound condition.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a movement of a first icon of plurality of icons will alter the second content, and wherein the magnitude of the alteration in second content corresponds to the distance the first icon is moved.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein a movement of any of the plurality of icons will alter the second content, and where the alteration in second content is related to the position of the plurality of icons on the graphical user interface.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the graphical user interface allows the user to alter the volume of the multiple channels by moving the plurality of icons.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the multiple audio channels comprise a front left channel, a front right channel, a center channel, a left surround channel, a right surround channel, and a special effects channel.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the second content is transported in one or more packets.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first transceiver sends the one or more packets to the plurality of clients via a wireless connection.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the first content comprises video content.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein each client is configured to provide the video content to a video device in synchronization with the third content provided to the audio device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein each client is configured to provide a second graphical user interface to the user, where the second graphical user interface is configured to allow the user to alter the video content.

25. The system of claim 24:

wherein the video content comprises text; and

wherein the second graphical user interface is configured to allow the user to alter a characteristic of the text, wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of size, color, and translucence.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the second circuitry generates close-captioning text data based on the second content and provides the close-captioning text data to a video device.

27. The system of claim 15, wherein at least one of the clients is a cell-phone or a personal data assistant.

28. The system of claim 15:

wherein the second circuitry is configured to combine the multiple audio channels into a right channel and a left channel;

wherein the second circuitry is configured to provide a volume on the right channel based on input from the user; and

wherein the second circuitry is configured to provide a volume on the left channel based on input from the user.

29. The system of claim 15, wherein the graphical user interface provides the user with an ability to modify a frequency content of each of the multiple audio channels.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein, when a movement of the first audio channel icon increases a distance between the first audio channel icon and the user icon, the second circuitry is configured to:

decrease a volume of the first audio channel; and

maintain a volume of the audio channels of the second content other than the first audio channel.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein, when a movement of the user icon decreases a distance between the user icon and a first icon group comprising at least one of the plurality of icons representing the multiple audio channels, the second circuitry is configured to:

increase a volume of a first audio channel group comprising the audio channels corresponding to the icons of the first icon group; and

maintain or decrease a volume of the audio channels of the second content other than the audio channels of the first audio channel group.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein, when a movement of the user icon increases a distance between the user icon and a second icon group comprising at least one of the plurality of icons representing the multiple audio channels, the second circuitry is configured to:

decrease a volume of a second audio channel group comprising the audio channels corresponding to the icons of the second icon group; and

maintain or increase a volume of the audio channels of the second content other than the audio channels of the second audio channel group.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein, when a movement of the user icon or the first audio channel icon increases or decreases a distance between the user icon and the first audio channel icon, the second circuitry is configured to maintain a position of the multiple audio channel icons other than the first audio channel icon.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein, when the user icon is moved, the second circuitry is configured to:

increase a volume of a first audio channel group comprising audio channels corresponding to icons of a first icon group comprising icons of the plurality of icons representing the multiple audio channels where a distance between icons of the first icon group and the user icon decreased;

decrease a volume of a second audio channel group comprising audio channels corresponding to icons of a second icon group comprising icons of the plurality of icons representing the multiple audio channels where a distance between icons of the second icon group and the user icon increased; and

maintain a volume of a third audio channel group comprising audio channels corresponding to icons of a third icon group comprising icons of the plurality of icons representing the multiple audio channels where a distance between icons of the third icon group and the user icon is unchanged.

35. The system of claim 15, wherein an initial display of the graphical user interface comprises the user icon positioned approximately at a central location of the graphical user interface and the multiple audio channel icons positioned at points surrounding the user icon.

36. The system of claim 15:

wherein the first content comprises video content; and

wherein each client further comprises a video device configured to display the video content.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the video device is a head mounted video display.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the head mounted video display is configured to project at least a portion of the video content directly into an eye of the user.

39. A system for adjusting audiovisual content comprising:

a server configured to;

receive a first content from a media source; and

generate a second content comprising multiple audio channels based on the first content; and

a plurality of clients, where each client is configured to;

receive the second content from the server;

provide a graphical user interface to a user, the graphical user interface having a plurality of icons representing the user and the multiple audio channels;

generate a third content based on the second content;

provide the third content to an audio device;

increase a volume of a first audio channel group comprising at least one of the multiple audio channels when a movement of the user icon decreases a distance between a first icon group, comprising the audio icons representing the audio channels of the first audio channel group, and the user icon;

maintain or decrease a volume of the audio channels of the second content other than the audio channels of the first audio channel group when the movement of the user icon decreases the distance between the first icon group and the user icon; and

allow the user to maintain an unbalanced sound condition.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to allow the user to alter the volume of the multiple channels by moving the icons.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein each of the plurality of clients is configured to:

combine the multiple audio channels into a right channel and a left channel;

provide a volume on the right channel based on input from the user; and

provide a volume on the left channel based on input from the user.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein the graphical user interface provides the user with an ability to modify a frequency content of each of the multiple audio channels.

43. A method of adjusting audiovisual content comprising:

receiving, at a server, a first signal comprising a first content from a media source;

generating, at a server, a second content comprising multiple audio channels based on the first content;

providing, at a plurality of clients, an input configured to allow a user to alter the multiple audio channels;

generating, at the plurality of clients, a third signal based on the second content;

providing, at the plurality of clients, the third signal to an audio device;

increasing, at the plurality of clients, a volume of a first audio channel group comprising at least one of the multiple audio channels when a movement of the user icon decreases a distance between a first icon group, comprising the audio icons representing the audio channels of the first audio channel group, and the user icon;

maintaining or decreasing a volume of the audio channels of the second content other than the audio channels of the first audio channel group when the movement of the user icon decreases the distance between the first icon group and the user icon; and

allowing the user to maintain an unbalanced sound condition.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the input is configured to allow the user to alter the volume of the multiple channels.