Methods and apparatus for altering audio output signals

• US 20090177300A1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Michael M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/162 Interface to dedicated audio devices, e.g. audio drivers, interface to CODECs
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/013 Adapting to target pitch
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/10527 Audio or video recording; Data buffering arrangements G11B20/12 - G11B20/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10555 wherein the frequency, the amplitude, or other characteristics of the audio signal is taken into account
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10564 frequency
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10574 volume or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer readable media for altering an audio output are provided. In some embodiments, the system may change the original frequency content of an audio data file to a second frequency content so that a recorded audio track will sound as if a different person had recorded it when it is played back. In other embodiments, the system may receive an audio data file and a voice signature, and it may apply the voice signature to the audio data file to alter the audio output of the audio data file. In that instance, the audio data file may be a textual representation of a recorded audio data file.

Claims

1. A method for producing altered audio output signals, comprising:

providing an audio data file having a first frequency content;

processing an audio input having a second frequency content;

changing the first frequency content of the audio data file to the second frequency content; and

playing the altered audio file to produce altered audio output signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing comprises:

receiving a selection by a user of an audio file for playback; and

loading the selected audio data file from storage into memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein processing comprises:

recording an audio input; and

configuring the audio input such that it can be used to alter the audio data file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein changing comprises:

receiving an indication from a user that only a portion of the audio data file should be altered; and

altering only the selected portion of the audio data file using the audio input.

5. A method for producing altered audio output signals, comprising:

providing a text representation of an audio data file;

processing a voice signature;

applying the voice signature to the text representation of the audio data file to produce an altered audio data file; and

playing the altered audio data file to produce altered audio output signals.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing comprises:

receiving a selection by a user of an audio file for playback; and

loading a text representation of the selected audio data file from storage into memory.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein processing comprises:

receiving a selection by a user of an voice signature; and

configuring the selected voice signature such that it can be applied to the text representation.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein applying comprises:

receiving an indication from a user that only a portion of the audio data file should be altered; and

altering only the selected portion of the audio data file using the voice signature.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein processing comprises:

receiving data defining the voice signature.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving data defining a voice signature comprises:

recording an audio input; and

extracting data defining the voice signature from the recorded audio input.

11. Apparatus for producing altered audio output signals, comprising:

storage circuitry for providing an audio data file having a first frequency content;

processing circuitry for processing an audio input having a second frequency content;

altering circuitry for changing the first frequency content of the audio data file to the second frequency content; and

output circuitry for playing the audio data file using the second frequency content.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

display circuitry for presenting a user a list of audio data files; and

selection circuitry for enabling the user to select a chosen audio data file from the list of audio data files, and wherein the storage circuitry is configured to provide the chosen audio data file.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

display circuitry for presenting a user a list of audio inputs; and

selection circuitry for enabling the user to select a chosen audio input from the list of audio inputs, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to process the chosen audio input.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

portion circuitry for enabling a user to choose a portion of the audio data file that will be altered.

15. Apparatus for producing altered audio output signals, comprising:

analysis circuitry for analyzing a text representation of a recorded audio data file;

processing circuitry for processing a voice signature;

application circuitry for applying the voice signature to the text representation of the audio data file and producing an output; and

output circuitry for playing the output.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

display circuitry for presenting a user with a list of audio data files; and

selection circuitry for enabling a user to select a chosen audio data file from the list of audio data files.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

display circuitry for presenting a user with a list of voice signatures; and

selection circuitry for enabling a user to select a chosen voice signature from the list of voice signatures.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

portion circuitry for enabling a user to choose a portion of the audio data file that the application circuitry will function on.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

input circuitry for receiving an audio input defining the voice signature.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

recording circuitry for recording the audio input; and

extraction circuitry for extracting data defining the voice signature from the recorded audio input.

21. A computer readable medium containing at least computer program code for producing altered audio output signals, comprising:

computer program code for processing a text representation of an audio data file;

computer program code for processing a voice signature; and

computer program code for applying the voice signature to the text of the audio data file to produce an output.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

computer program code for presenting a user with a list of audio data files; and

computer program code for enabling the user to select a chosen audio data file from the list of audio data files.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

computer program code for presenting a user with a list of voice signatures; and

computer program code for enabling the user to select a chosen voice signature from the list of voice signatures.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

computer program code for enabling a user to select a portion of the audio data file that the voice signature will be applied to.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

computer program code for recording an audio input; and

computer program code for extracting data defining the voice signature from the recorded audio input.