Device and method for monitoring, rating and/or tuning to an audio content channel

• US 9,077,581 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jpmorgan Chase Bank NA As The Agent
• Original Assignee: SanDisk IL Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Moran, Dov, Pomerantz, Itzhak, Teicher, Mordechai
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Lana N
• Application Number:
  US13/336,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20120166631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 455 302- 306, 4551861-1881, 455/177.1, 709/224, 725/34, 725 41- 43
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Devices, methods and computer-readable code for simultaneously monitoring the content of at least two streaming audio content channels are disclosed. In some embodiments, the monitored content is analyzed, and one or more features of the monitored content channels are computed, including but not limited to music classification features, content genre features, and spoken content features. These computed features may be used, for example, to compute a rating or score for each monitored audio channel, for example, a rating computed relative to user listening preferences, expressed, for example, in preference rules. In some embodiments, the presently disclosed device includes a channel selector for automatically tuning, for example, to a channel assigned a higher rating at a given time. Alternatively or additionally, content rating scores may be displayed to a user who manually selects and tunes to an audio content channel.

Claims

1. An audio content processing device that is operative to:

a) monitor the content of at least two streaming audio content channels simultaneously; and

b) compute respective ratings for each said monitored content channel, wherein the audio content processing device includes a content analyzer configured to extract audio content features from said monitored content channels and to compute the respective ratings using the extracted features and a stored content preference for a user that varies with time, wherein computing the respective ratings using the extracted features and the stored content preference for the user that varies with time includes assigning different ratings values to particular audio content, wherein assigning the different ratings values includes assigning a first ratings value to a song from an artist currently being played on one of said monitored content channels in response to a song from the same artist being played on the device a first time period before the currently playing song and assigning a second ratings value to the currently playing song in response to a song from the same artist being played on the device a second time period before the currently playing song, wherein the first ratings value is lower than the second ratings value and wherein the first time period is less than the second time period.

2. The device of claim 1 where the device is further operative to:

c) display to a user data indicative of computed ratings.

3. The audio content processing device of claim 1, wherein assigning different ratings values includes assigning higher ratings values to slower songs than faster songs playing on said monitored content channels in the morning and assigning lower ratings values to slower songs than faster songs playing on said monitored content channels in the afternoon.

4. The audio content processing device of claim 1, wherein assigning different ratings values includes assigning a higher ratings value to a preferred song playing on one of said monitored content channels if the content channel is playing a position in the song nearer to a beginning of the song than an end of the song.

5. A method for rating audio content comprising:

a) concurrently monitoring a plurality of channels, each said channel providing respective streaming content; and

b) computing respective ratings of said respective streaming content of said monitored content channels, wherein computing the respective ratings includes utilizing a content analyzer to extract audio content features from said monitored content channels and to compute the respective ratings using the extracted features and a stored content preference for a user that varies with time, wherein computing the respective ratings using the extracted features and the stored content preference for the user that varies with time includes assigning different ratings values to particular audio content, wherein assigning the different ratings values includes assigning a first ratings value to a song from an artist currently being played on one of said monitored channels in response to a song from the same artist being played on the device a first time period before the currently playing song and assigning a second ratings value to the currently playing song in response to a song from the same artist being played on the device a second time period before the currently playing song, wherein the first ratings value is lower than the second ratings value and wherein the first time period is less than the second time period.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein assigning different ratings values includes assigning higher ratings values to slower songs than faster songs in the morning and assigning lower ratings values to slower songs than faster songs in the afternoon.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein assigning different ratings values includes assigning a higher ratings value to a preferred song playing on one of said monitored content channels if the content channel is playing a position in the song nearer to a beginning of the song than an end of the song.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions, wherein when executed the program instructions are operable to:

a) concurrently monitor a plurality of channels, each said channel providing respective streaming content; and

b) compute respective ratings of said respective streaming content of said monitored content channels, wherein computing the respective ratings includes utilizing a content analyzer to extract audio content features from said monitored content channel and to compute the respective ratings using the extracted features and a stored content preference for a user that varies with time, wherein computing the respective ratings using the extracted features and the stored content preference for the user that varies with time includes assigning different ratings values to particular audio content, wherein assigning the different ratings values includes assigning a first ratings value to a song from an artist currently being played on one of said monitored content channels in response to a song from the same artist being played on the device a first time period before the currently playing song and assigning a second ratings value to the currently playing song in response to a song from the same artist being played on the device a second time period before the currently playing song, wherein the first ratings value is lower than the second ratings value and wherein the first time period is less than the second time period.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein assigning different ratings values includes assigning higher ratings values to slower songs than faster songs playing on said monitored content channels in the morning and assigning lower ratings values to slower songs than faster songs playing on said monitored content channels in the afternoon.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein assigning different ratings values includes assigning a higher ratings value to a preferred song playing on one of said monitored content channels if the content channel is playing a position in the song nearer to a beginning of the song than an end of the song.