Method and apparatus for managing presentation of media content

• US 9,462,407 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• 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: Wollmershauser, Steven M, Sprague, William O. Jr., Sprague, Jason B.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US14/619,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94, 381/63
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/305 Electronic adaptation of stereophonic audio signals to reverberation of the listening space H04S7/301 takes precedence

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box having a controller to receive a request for reverberation in an environment having a plurality of media devices, and adjust a time delay for audio signals presented by one of the plurality of media devices operably coupled to the set top box based at least in part on the request. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A machine-readable storage device, comprising instructions, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, a processor performs operations comprising:

receiving a request for reverberation at a first media device of a plurality of media devices in an environment comprising the plurality of media devices, wherein the plurality of media devices have an audio overlap in the environment, wherein the plurality of media devices are communicatively coupled, wherein a first media device of the plurality of media devices is operably coupled to a first media output device, wherein a second media device of the plurality of media devices is operably coupled to a second media output device,

selecting an audio effect associated with audio signals and video signals presented by the plurality of media devices to the first media device as a selected audio effect;

determining potential time delays based on physical parameters associated with the environment as determined time delays, wherein the determined time delays comprise respective time signals for each one of the plurality of media devices to create the selected audio effect in the environment; and

enabling adjusting a time delay for audio signals for each media device of the plurality of media devices based on the respective time signals to create the selected audio effect in the environment through the plurality of media devices.

2. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the audio effect comprises echo effects for the environment.

3. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise presenting a selection of the potential time delays at one of the plurality of media devices for determining the determined time delay.

4. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining the respective time signals based on a type of media being presented by the plurality of media devices.

5. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the physical parameters comprise one of dimensions of the environment, number of media devices, position of media devices, or any combination thereof.

6. The machine-readable storage device of claim 5, comprising computer instructions for sensing the physical parameters.

7. The machine-readable storage device of claim 5, comprising computer instructions for receiving information associated with the physical parameters which is inputted by a user.

8. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for determining the potential time delays based on media being presented by the plurality of media devices.

9. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise wirelessly communicating respective time signals from the first media device to the second media device.

10. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the respective time signals for the plurality of media devices is based on a staggered echo configuration where the respective time signals are not uniform.

11. The machine-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining the respective time signals based on a user profile.

12. A set top box, comprising:

a memory that stores computer instructions;

at least one processor coupled to the memory, wherein responsive to executing the instructions, the at least one processor performs operations comprising;

receiving a request for reverberation in an environment comprising a plurality of set-top boxes, wherein the plurality of set-top boxes have an audio overlap in the environment, wherein the plurality of set-top boxes are communicatively coupled, wherein a first set-top box of the plurality of set-top boxes is operably coupled to a first media output device, wherein additional set-top boxes of the plurality of set-top boxes are each operably coupled to additional media output devices,

selecting an audio effect associated with audio signals and video signals presented by the plurality of set-top boxes as a selected audio effect;

determining potential time delays based on physical parameters associated with the environment as determined time delays, wherein the determined time delays comprise respective time signals for each one of the plurality of set-top boxes to create the selected audio effect in the environment; and

enabling adjusting of the determined time delays for audio signals for each media device of the plurality of set-top boxes based on the respective time signals to create the selected audio effect in the environment through the plurality of set-top boxes.

13. The set top box of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting available audio effects for the plurality of set-top boxes, wherein the available audio effects comprise reverberation effects for the environment when the plurality of set-top boxes are presenting a same media content in the environment; and

retrieving a selection of one of the available audio effects as the selected audio effect.

14. The set top box of claim 13, wherein the presenting further comprises presenting the potential time delays for the audio signals.

15. The set top box of claim 13, wherein the available audio effects are based on one of a selected time, a selected description, or a selected user profile.

16. The set top box of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise determining the respective time signals based on a type of media being presented by the plurality of set-top boxes.

17. The set top box of claim 12, wherein the physical parameters comprise one of dimensions of the environment, a number of media output devices, or positions of media output devices associated with the plurality of set-top boxes.

18. The set top box of claim 12, wherein the determining the potential time delays is based on a same media content being presented by the additional media output devices, and wherein a potential time delays for the audio signals is different from a potential time delay for video signals.

19. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, a request for reverberation in an environment comprising a plurality of set-top boxes, wherein the plurality of set-top boxes have an audio overlap in the environment, wherein the plurality of set-top boxes are communicatively coupled, wherein a first set-top box of the plurality of set-top boxes is operably coupled to a first media device of a plurality of media devices, wherein additional set-top boxes of the plurality of set-top boxes are each operably coupled to additional media devices plurality of media devices of the plurality of media devices,

selecting, by the system, an audio effect associated with audio signals and video signals presented by the plurality of media devices as a selected audio effect

determining, by the system, potential time delays based on physical parameters associated with the environment as determined time delays, wherein the determined time delays comprise respective time signals for each one of the plurality of set-top boxes to create the selected audio effect in the environment; and

enabling, by the system, adjusting a time delay for audio signals for each media device of the plurality of set-top boxes based on the respective time signals to create the selected audio effect in the environment through the plurality of set-top boxes.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the audio effect comprise echo effects for the environment.