Method and device for transmitting audio and video for playback

• US 8,731,370 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Heinmiller, Wayne R., Gruchala, Carol S., Tiliks, Dianna
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, William
• Application Number:
  US12/352,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20100178036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,954 Days
• Field of Search: 386/203, 386/239, 386/248
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/22 Means responsive to presence or absence of recorded information signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/631 Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals

Abstract

A video stream from a first source and an audio stream from a second source are received at a multimedia processing device such as a set-top box for play back. A first offset time is determined based upon user input, whereby playback of the video stream relative to playback of the audio stream is adjusted to facilitate synchronization of the audio and video stream.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a multimedia processing device comprising a processor, a multimedia stream from a first source, the multimedia stream comprising a first video stream and a first audio stream;

receiving, by the multimedia processing device, a second audio stream from a second source, the second audio stream differing from the first audio stream, wherein the multimedia stream and the second audio stream are associated with common subject matter;

forwarding video content of the first video stream to a display device to display the video content;

receiving, by the multimedia processing device, at a first time during the display of the video content at the display device, a first user action coincident with a visual aspect of an event observable in a presentation of the first video stream, wherein the event is common to the subject matter presented in both the first video stream and the second audio stream;

forwarding audio content of the second audio stream to a speaker for presentation of the audio content;

receiving, by the multimedia processing device, at a second time during presentation of the audio content at the speaker, a second user action coincident with an audible aspect of the event observable in a presentation of the second audio stream, wherein one of the first user action, the second user action, or the first and second user actions comprises pressing a button;

determining, by the multimedia processing device, in real-time, a timing offset between the first video stream and the second audio stream according to a time difference between the first time and the second time;

transmitting, by the multimedia processing device, first information while receiving the multimedia stream to display images associated with the first video stream; and

transmitting, by the multimedia processing device, second information while receiving the second audio stream to present audible signals associated with the second audio stream,

wherein transmitting of the first information and the second information is synchronized according to the timing offset.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information to display the images associated with the first video stream is delayed according to the timing offset.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information to present the audible signals associated with the second audio stream is delayed according to the timing offset.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressing of the button occurs at the multimedia processing device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the timing offset is determined in response to user control of a physical input of the multimedia processing device that delays the second audio stream.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the timing offset is determined in response to user control of the physical input of the multimedia processing device that delays the first video stream.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the timing offset is determined in response to user control of a physical input of the multimedia processing device that delays the first video stream.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the multimedia stream is received via a private network, and wherein the second audio stream is received via a public network source.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second audio stream includes a second video stream.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second audio stream is an audio-only stream.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the multimedia stream and the second audio stream are received at a common input port of the multimedia processing device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the multimedia processing device is a set-top box.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the multimedia stream is received at a first input port of the multimedia processing device, and the second audio stream is received at a second input port of the multimedia processing device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the first user action, the second user action, or the first and second user actions comprises pressing a button at a remote control in communication with the multimedia processing device.

15. The method of claim 1 comprising saving the first video stream and the second audio stream for retransmission according to the timing offset.

16. A method comprising:

selecting, by a system comprising a processor, a first multimedia stream including a first video stream and a first audio stream;

selecting, by the system, a second audio stream, wherein the first multimedia stream and the second audio stream are associated with common subject matter;

selecting, by the system, playback of the first video stream and the second audio stream at a multimedia center;

determining, by the system, a timing offset according to a time difference between a first user input coincident with a visual aspect of an event observable in the playback of the first video stream and a second user input coincident with an audible aspect of the event observable in the playback of the second audio stream, wherein one of the first user input, the second user input, or the first and second user inputs comprises pressing a button during playback of the first video stream and the second audio stream at the multimedia center; and

synchronizing, by the system, the first video stream and the second audio stream in real-time according to the timing offset.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein determining the timing offset comprises adjusting, by the system, an indicator at a display device according to the user input.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein determining the timing offset comprises manipulating, by the system, a physical input of a device that processes the second audio stream to establish the timing offset.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein selecting the second audio stream includes selecting a second multimedia stream including the second audio stream.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the second audio stream is an audio-only stream.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein determining the timing offset comprises receiving the user input during playback of the first video stream and the second audio stream responsive to the event included in the first video stream.

22. A device comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, facilitates performance of operations, comprising;

requesting delivery of a multimedia stream to equipment of a user, the multimedia stream including a video stream and a first audio stream, wherein video content of the video stream is for presentation at a multimedia system;

requesting delivery of a second audio stream to the equipment of the user, wherein the multimedia stream and the second audio stream are associated with common subject matter, and wherein audio content of the second audio stream is for presentation at the multimedia system;

receiving, at a first time, at the equipment of the user, a first user action coincident with a visual aspect of an event observable in the video stream, wherein the first time is during a presentation of the video content at the multimedia system, and wherein the event is common to the subject matter presented in both the multimedia stream and the second audio stream;

receiving, at a second time, at the equipment of the user, a second user action coincident with an audible aspect of the event observable in the second audio stream, wherein the second time is during a presentation of the audio content at the multimedia system, and wherein one of the first user action, the second user action, or the first and second user actions comprises pressing a button;

determining in real-time a timing offset between the video stream and the second audio stream according to a time difference between the first time and the second time;

synchronizing image information of the video stream with audio information of the second audio stream according to the timing offset to generate synchronized image information and synchronized audio information;

transmitting the synchronized image information for display at a display device of the equipment of the user; and

transmitting the synchronized audio information for concurrent presentation with the synchronized image information at the equipment of the user.

23. A device comprising:

a memory that stores executable instructions; and

a controller coupled to the memory, wherein the controller, responsive to executing the instructions, facilitates performance of operations, comprising;

receiving, by equipment of a user, video content from a first source for presentation at a multimedia system;

receiving, by the equipment of the user, audio content from a second source for presentation at the multimedia system, the second source differing from the first source, wherein the video content and the audio content are associated with common subject matter;

receiving, at a first time, by the equipment of the user, a first user action coincident with a visual aspect of an event observable in the video content, wherein the first time occurs during the presentation of the video content at the multimedia system, and wherein the event is common to the subject matter presented in both the video content and the audio content;

receiving, at a second time, by the equipment of the user, a second user action coincident with an audible aspect of the event observable in the audio content, wherein the second time occurs during the presentation of the audio content at the multimedia system, and wherein one of the first user action, the second user action, or the first and second user actions comprises pressing a button;

determining a timing offset between the video content and the audio content in real-time according to a time difference between the first time and the second time;

synchronizing image information of the video content with audio information of the audio content according to the timing offset to generate synchronized image information and synchronized audio information; and

presenting the synchronized image information and the synchronized audio information to the equipment of the user concurrently while receiving the video content and the audio content.