Segmentation and transmission of audio streams
First Claim
1. A method of providing files for storage in a network accessible library for use in transmission of digital audio data, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) analyzing an audio stream to locate natural language gaps in the audio stream and segmenting the audio stream into a plurality of small digital audio files in dependence upon the located natural language gaps;
b) determining at least one of a start time, an end time, and a play time of each small digital audio file within the audio stream;
c) creating a descriptor for identifying the audio stream and for ordering the plurality of small digital audio files, the descriptor including the at least one of a start time, an end time, and a play time of each small digital audio file within the audio stream, and including at least one of a title, subtitle, author, theme, plot, performer, publisher, copyright holder, ISBN number, and ‘
Vchip’
rating of the audio stream,wherein the descriptor is for use with a media player for successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files to reproduce an experience of a contiguous audio stream without reconstruction of the audio stream, andwherein a client including the media player is for determining numeric values representing current time offsets into the audio stream while successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files, for creating bookmarks using the current time offsets and information in the descriptor for identifying the audio stream, for determining an amount of memory available, for obtaining a list of small digital audio files currently resident within the client, and for purging a plurality of small digital audio files in the list in dependence upon at least one of a current time offset in the audio stream and a bookmarked time offset.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and computer-readable code for segmenting an audio stream into a plurality of small digital audio files using gaps in the natural language of the audio stream is provided. The small digital audio files are transmitted, loaded, and played in a specific order, such that from the user'"'"'s perspective, the audio stream is reproduced in an apparently seamless manner. This is done without reassembling the audio stream, either in whole or in part. The small digital audio files are created using natural language gaps, and are generally small enough to ensure that a first small digital audio file can be downloaded and played without significant delay, while successive small digital audio files are downloaded to be played in the future. Accordingly, the user receives audio-on-demand in a timely manner.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of providing files for storage in a network accessible library for use in transmission of digital audio data, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) analyzing an audio stream to locate natural language gaps in the audio stream and segmenting the audio stream into a plurality of small digital audio files in dependence upon the located natural language gaps; b) determining at least one of a start time, an end time, and a play time of each small digital audio file within the audio stream; c) creating a descriptor for identifying the audio stream and for ordering the plurality of small digital audio files, the descriptor including the at least one of a start time, an end time, and a play time of each small digital audio file within the audio stream, and including at least one of a title, subtitle, author, theme, plot, performer, publisher, copyright holder, ISBN number, and ‘
Vchip’
rating of the audio stream,wherein the descriptor is for use with a media player for successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files to reproduce an experience of a contiguous audio stream without reconstruction of the audio stream, and wherein a client including the media player is for determining numeric values representing current time offsets into the audio stream while successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files, for creating bookmarks using the current time offsets and information in the descriptor for identifying the audio stream, for determining an amount of memory available, for obtaining a list of small digital audio files currently resident within the client, and for purging a plurality of small digital audio files in the list in dependence upon at least one of a current time offset in the audio stream and a bookmarked time offset. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for transmission of digital audio data, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) selecting an audio stream, the audio stream analyzed to locate natural language gaps in the audio stream and segmented into a plurality of small digital audio files in dependence upon the located natural language gaps; b) determining a first small digital audio file in the plurality of small digital audio files to be transmitted using a descriptor, the descriptor including at least one of a start time, an end time, and a play time of each small digital audio file; c) transmitting the first small digital audio file from a server to a client; and d) using a media player and the descriptor, successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files beginning with the first small digital audio file to reproduce an experience of a contiguous audio stream without reconstruction of the audio stream, and comprising; determining numeric values representing current time offsets into the audio stream, while successfully playing the plurality of small digital audio files; creating a first bookmark using a first current time offset and information in the descriptor for identifying the audio stream; determining an amount of memory available; obtaining a list of small digital audio files currently resident within the client; and purging a plurality of small digital audio files in the list in dependence upon at least one of the first current time offset, a second other current time offset, and a bookmarked time offset. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for creating a bookmark for use in transmission of digital audio data, comprising the steps of:
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a) selecting an audio stream, the audio stream analyzed to locate natural language gaps in the audio stream and segmented into a plurality of small digital audio files in dependence upon the located natural language gaps, the plurality of small digital audio files stored on at least one network accessible server; b) using a descriptor of the audio stream and a media player, successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files to reproduce an experience of a contiguous audio stream without reconstruction of the audio stream, the descriptor including at least one of a start time, an end time, and a play time of the plurality of small digital audio files; c) determining a numeric value representing a first current time offset into the audio stream while playing a small digital audio file; d) creating a bookmark using the first current time offset and information in the descriptor for identifying the audio stream; wherein a client including the media player is for determining an amount of memory available, for obtaining a list of small digital audio files currently resident within the client, and for purging a plurality of small digital audio files in the list in dependence upon at least one of the first current time offset, a second other current time offset in the audio stream, and a bookmarked time offset. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including computer readable code, which when executed by a computer, causes said computer to:
download at least part of a selected audio stream stored on a network accessible server, the selected audio stream stored as a plurality of small digital audio files, each small digital audio file corresponding to a segment of the selected audio stream bounded by natural language gaps in the selected audio stream; and begin playing the selected audio stream using a media player in less than about 5 seconds, wherein play of the selected audio stream includes successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files to reproduce an experience of a contiguous audio stream without reconstruction of the audio stream, wherein play is begun from a predetermined position within the selected audio stream, the predetermined position determined using a time offset in the selected audio stream, the time offset obtained from one of a bookmark, a catalog index, and an advertising structure and wherein a client including the media player is for determining numeric values representing current time offsets into the audio stream while successively playing the plurality of small digital audio files, for creating bookmarks using the current time offsets and information in the descriptor for identifying the audio stream, for determining an amount of memory available, for obtaining a list of small digital audio files currently resident within the client, and for purging a plurality of small digital audio files in the list in dependence upon at least one of a current time offset in the audio stream and a bookmarked time offset.
Specification