Synchronizing the playing and displaying of digital content

• US 8,290,777 B1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Laurent An Minh, Chu, Robert Wai-Chi, Rachabathuni, Sailesh, Berbessou, David, Gayles, Edward J., Fleming, Dennis Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Rider, Justin
• Application Number:
  US12/483,479
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 704/260, 704/270
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/0356 for synchronising with other signals, e.g. video signals

Abstract

The techniques disclosed herein allow a user to synchronize the playing and displaying of digital content on an electronic device. The device may render a first portion of digital content so it may be displayed. The device may also play a segment of the digital content as audio using text to speech software. The device may also render a second portion of digital content for display depending on whether the position of the last word read is greater than the last position in the first portion of digital content.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing the playing and displaying of digital content in an electronic device, comprising:

inserting bookmarks into a segment of digital content that is to be played by a text-to-speech engine, wherein each bookmark is associated with a particular position in the digital content;

rendering a first portion of digital content for display on the electronic device;

displaying the rendered first portion of digital content on the electronic device;

determining a position of a last word in the rendered first portion of digital content;

playing the segment of digital content as audio using the text-to-speech engine;

processing the bookmarks as the segment of digital content is being played;

comparing a current bookmark with the position of the last word in the rendered first portion of digital content; and

rendering a second portion of digital content for display when the current bookmark is greater than the position of the last word in the rendered first portion of digital content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of a text unit most recently played as audio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of a text unit most recently compiled to be played as audio.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of at least one word.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of at least one image.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising waiting a period of time before rendering the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is associated with the number of images that are included in the displayed first portion of digital content.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising waiting a period of time before rendering the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is based on a fixed delay between compiling and playing the digital content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input to change at least one display property of digital content;

rendering one or more new portions of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed; and

displaying one of the rendered new portions of digital content that corresponds to a text unit that was most recently played or most recently compiled to be played.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input to change at least one display property of digital content; and

rendering a new portion of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed, wherein the rendered new portion of digital content corresponds to a text unit that was most recently played or most recently compiled to be played.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises an electronic book (eBook) reader, and wherein the digital content comprises an eBook.

11. A method for synchronizing the playing and displaying of digital content in an electronic device, comprising:

rendering a first portion of digital content;

displaying the rendered first portion of digital content on the electronic device;

playing a segment of digital content as audio using a text-to-speech engine while the rendered first portion of digital content is displayed on the electronic device; and

rendering a second portion of digital content for display when a current bookmark that is associated with a particular position in the digital content is greater than a last position in the rendered first portion of digital content.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising inserting bookmarks into the segment of digital content that is to be played by the text-to-speech engine.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising comparing the current bookmark with the last position in the rendered first portion of digital content as the segment of digital content is being played using the text-to-speech engine.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of a text unit most recently played as audio.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of a text unit most recently compiled to be played as audio.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising waiting a period of time before rendering the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is associated with the number of images that are included in the rendered first portion of digital content.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising waiting a period of time before rendering the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is based on a fixed delay between compiling and playing the digital content.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving input to change at least one display property of digital content;

rendering one or more new portions of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed; and

displaying one of the rendered new portions that corresponds to a text unit that was most recently played or most recently compiled to be played.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving input to change at least one display property of digital content; and

rendering a new portion of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed, wherein the rendered new portion of digital content corresponds to a text unit that was most recently played or most recently compiled to be played.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronic device comprises an electronic book (eBook) reader, and wherein the digital content comprises an eBook.

21. An electronic device that is configured to synchronize the playing and displaying of digital content, the electronic device comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to;

render a first portion of digital content for display on the electronic device;

play text units in a segment of digital content as audio using a text-to-speech engine; and

render a second portion of digital content for display if a position of a most recent text unit is greater than a last position in the rendered first portion of digital content.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising instructions executable to insert bookmarks into the segment of digital content that is to be played by the text-to-speech engine.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the position of the most recent text unit is indicated by a current bookmark.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the most recent text unit is the text unit that was most recently played as audio.

25. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the most recent text unit is the text unit that was most recently compiled to be played as audio.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising instructions executable to wait a period of time before rendering the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is associated with the number of images that are included in the rendered first portion of digital content.

27. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising instructions executable to wait a period of time before rendering the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is based on a fixed delay between compiling and playing the digital content.

28. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising instructions executable to:

receive input to change at least one display property of digital content;

render one or more new portions of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed; and

display one of the rendered new portions of digital content that corresponds to the most recent text unit.

29. The electronic device of claim 21, further comprising instructions executable to:

receive input to change at least one display property of digital content; and

render a new portion of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed, wherein the rendered new portion of digital content corresponds to the most recent text unit.

30. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the electronic device comprises an electronic book (eBook) reader, and wherein the digital content comprises an eBook.

31. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by a processor for:

displaying a first portion of digital content on an electronic device;

playing a segment of digital content as audio using a text to speech engine while the first portion of digital content is being displayed on the electronic device; and

displaying a second portion of digital content if a current bookmark is greater than a last position in the displayed first portion of digital content.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions executable for inserting bookmarks into the segment of digital content that is to be played by the text-to-speech engine.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions executable for comparing the current bookmark with the last position in the displayed first portion of digital content as the segment of digital content is being played using the text-to-speech engine.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of a text unit most recently played as audio.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the current bookmark comprises a position of a text unit most recently compiled to be played as audio.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions executable to wait a period of time before displaying the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is associated with the number of images that are included in the displayed first portion of digital content.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions executable to wait a period of time before rendering the second portion of digital content based on a configurable delay value that is based on a fixed delay between compiling and playing the digital content.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions executable to:

receive input to change at least one display property of digital content;

render one or more new portions of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed; and

display one of the rendered new portions of digital content that corresponds to a text unit that was most recently played or most recently compiled to be played.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions executable to:

receive input to change at least one display property of digital content; and

render a new portion of digital content based on the at least one display property that is changed, wherein the rendered new portion of digital content corresponds to a text unit that was most recently played or most recently compiled to be played.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the electronic device comprises an electronic book (eBook) reader, and wherein the digital content comprises an eBook.