Managing playback of synchronized content
First Claim
1. A system for synchronizing output of audio content with textual content, the system comprising:
- a data store that stores textual content;
an input device that obtains a location of a an input pointer referencing a location within the textual content;
a display device that presents the textual content;
an output device that outputs audio content; and
a processor in communication with the data store, the input device and the output device, the processor operative to;
generate audio content based at least in part on the textual content;
cause output of the generated audio content via the output device;
cause presentation of the textual content on the display device;
maintain synchronization between an output pointer of the textual content presented on the display device and an associated position of the generated audio content output via the output device, wherein the associated position advances during output of the generated audio content, and wherein the output pointer indicates a position within the textual content corresponding to a current output position of the generated audio content;
obtain the input pointer referencing the location within the textual content presented on the display device from the input device;
during advancement of the output pointer, determine, independent of the obtained input pointer, a position of the output pointer corresponding to the current output position of the generated audio content;
determine a segment of textual content based at least in part on a difference between the determined position of the output pointer and the location within the textual content referenced by the input pointer;
determine a length of time required to output audio content corresponding to the determined segment of textual content; and
modify a speed at which the generated audio content is output via the output device based at least in part on the determined length of time.
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Abstract
A computing device may provide a control interface that enables the user to manage the synchronized output of companion content (e.g., textual content and corresponding audio content generated by a text-to-speech component). For example, the computing device may display a visual cue to identify a current location in textual content corresponding to a current output position of companion audio content. As the audio content is presented, the visual cue may be advanced to maintain synchronization between the output position within the audio content and a corresponding position in the textual content. The user may control the synchronized output by dragging her finger across the textual content displayed on the touch screen. Accordingly, the control interface may provide a highlight or other visual indication of the distance between the advancing position in the textual content and the location of a pointer to the textual content indicated by the current position of the user'"'"'s finger.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for synchronizing output of audio content with textual content, the system comprising:
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a data store that stores textual content; an input device that obtains a location of a an input pointer referencing a location within the textual content; a display device that presents the textual content; an output device that outputs audio content; and a processor in communication with the data store, the input device and the output device, the processor operative to; generate audio content based at least in part on the textual content; cause output of the generated audio content via the output device; cause presentation of the textual content on the display device; maintain synchronization between an output pointer of the textual content presented on the display device and an associated position of the generated audio content output via the output device, wherein the associated position advances during output of the generated audio content, and wherein the output pointer indicates a position within the textual content corresponding to a current output position of the generated audio content; obtain the input pointer referencing the location within the textual content presented on the display device from the input device; during advancement of the output pointer, determine, independent of the obtained input pointer, a position of the output pointer corresponding to the current output position of the generated audio content; determine a segment of textual content based at least in part on a difference between the determined position of the output pointer and the location within the textual content referenced by the input pointer; determine a length of time required to output audio content corresponding to the determined segment of textual content; and modify a speed at which the generated audio content is output via the output device based at least in part on the determined length of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer implemented method comprising:
under control of one or more computing devices, generating audio content based at least in part on textual content; causing output of the generated audio content; causing presentation of the textual content; maintaining synchronization between an output pointer of textual content being presented and an associated position of the generated audio content being output, wherein the associated position of the generated audio content advances during output of the generated audio content, and wherein the output pointer indicates a position within the textual content corresponding to a current output position of the generated audio content; obtaining an input pointer referencing a location within the textual content being presented from an input device; during advancement of the output pointer, determining, independent of the obtained input pointer, a position of the output pointer corresponding to the current output position of the generated audio content; determining a segment of textual content based at least in part on a difference between the determined position of the output pointer and the location within the textual content referenced by the input pointer; determining a length of time required to output audio content corresponding to the determined segment of textual content; and modifying an attribute associated with the output of the generated audio content based at least in part on the determined length of time. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system outputting audio content and displaying textual content, the system comprising:
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a data store; and a processor in communication with the data store, the processor operative to; generate audio content based at least in part on textual content; cause output of the generated audio content; cause presentation of the textual content; obtain an input pointer referencing a position within the textual content being presented; during advancement of the output pointer, determine, independent of the obtained input pointer, a position in the textual content corresponding to the current output position of the generated audio content; determine a segment of textual content based at least in part on a difference between the determined position within the textual content and the position within the textual content referenced by the input pointer; determine a length of the segment of textual content; and modify an attribute associated with the output of the generated audio content based at least in part on the determined length of the segment of textual content. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium having at least one computer-executable component for providing synchronized content, the at least one computer-executable component comprising:
a content synchronization module operative to; generate audio content based at least in part on textual content; cause output of the generated audio content; cause presentation of the textual content; maintain synchronization between an output pointer of the textual content and an associated position of the generated audio content, wherein the associated position advances during output of the generated audio content, and wherein the output pointer indicates a position within the textual content corresponding to a current output position of the generated audio content; obtain an input pointer referencing a location within the textual content from an input device; during advancement of the output pointer, determine, independent of the obtained input pointer, a position of the output pointer corresponding to the current output position of the generated audio content; determine a segment of textual content based at least in part on a difference between the determined position of the output pointer and the location within the textual content referenced by the input pointer; determine a length of time required to output audio content corresponding to the determined segment of textual content; and modify an attribute associated with the output of the generated audio content based at least in part on the determined length of time. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A computer-implemented method comprising:
under control of one or more computing devices, generating a first content based at least in part on a second content; causing output of the generated first content and the second content; maintaining synchronization between an output pointer of the second content and an associated position of the generated first content being output, wherein the associated position of the generated first content advances during output of the generated first content, and wherein the output pointer indicates a position within the second content corresponding to a current output position of the generated first content; obtaining an input pointer referencing a position within the second content being output from an input device; during advancement of the output pointer, determining, independent of the obtained input pointer, a position of the output pointer corresponding to the current output position of the generated first content; determining a segment of the second content based at least in part on a difference between the determined position of the output pointer and the input pointer; determining a length of time required to output a segment of the first content corresponding to the determined segment of the second content; and modifying an attribute associated with the output of the generated first content based at least in part on the determined length of time. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39)
Specification