Synchronizing recorded audio content and companion content

• US 9,697,871 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2012
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Audible Incorporated (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Story, Jr., Guy A., Hwang, Douglas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHGOZAR, OMEED DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US13/570,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to synchronously presenting companion content, such as text content of an electronic book, while recording or presenting narration audio content spoken by a narrator. For example, recorded audio content may be received that corresponds to words of the companion content as spoken by a narrator. The recorded audio content may be received at least substantially in real time as the words are spoken. Content synchronization information for the recorded audio content and the text content may be generated, where the content synchronization information maps portions of the recorded audio content to corresponding portions of the text content. The audio content and the text content may be synchronously presented to a user based at least in part on the content synchronization information.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

as implemented by one or more computing devices configured with specific executable instructions,

receiving audio content that includes words read aloud from published digital content, wherein the audio content is received at least substantially in real time as the words are read aloud;

generating content synchronization information for the received audio content and the published digital content, wherein the content synchronization information associates portions of the audio content with corresponding portions of the published digital content; and

causing visual presentation of the published digital content in synchronization with the received audio content as the audio content is received, wherein causing the visual presentation includes changing portions of the published digital content presented for display to correspond to audio portions received in the audio content, wherein the published digital content is presented in synchronization with the received audio content based at least in part on the generated content synchronization information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the audio content is received as a data stream.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the published digital content from a data store.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining synchronization of a current position in the presented published digital content as additional audio content is received.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the current position is visually indicated in the presentation of the published digital content.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the audio content is received via a microphone or other audio recording device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the audio content is received from another computing device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising aurally presenting the received audio content in synchronization with the visual presentation of the published digital content.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating for display additional information regarding at least one word in the published digital content based at least in part on a determination that the at least one word was not read correctly in the audio content, wherein the additional information includes at least one of pronunciation information or a definition.

10. A computer readable, non-transitory storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer system, configure the computer system to perform operations comprising:

retrieving published digital content from a data store, the published digital content including text content;

receiving streaming audio content associated with the published digital content;

receiving content synchronization information for the audio content and the published digital content, wherein the content synchronization information associates portions of the audio content with corresponding portions of the published digital content; and

generating for display portions of the published digital content in synchronization with aural presentation of the streaming audio content as the streaming audio content is received, wherein the portions of the published digital content displayed are changed to correspond to portions of the streaming audio content aurally presented, wherein the published digital content is presented in synchronization with the streaming audio content based at least in part on the received content synchronization information.

11. The computer readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions further configure the computer system to visually distinguish a portion of the published digital content to indicate that the portion corresponds to a current position in the streaming audio content.

12. The computer readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein visually distinguishing a portion of the published digital content comprises highlighting, emboldening or underlining text content.

13. The computer readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 11, wherein the visually distinguished portion comprises at least one of a word, syllable, letter, sentence, line or paragraph.