MANAGING PLAYBACK OF SYNCHRONIZED CONTENT

• US 20120245720A1
• Filed: 03/23/2011
• Published: 09/27/2012
• 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, Guy A. Jr., Israel, Bruce N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/096 using a touch screen touch screen note input, e.g. using a displayed keyboard G10H2220/241; personal digital assistant [PDA] G10H2230/015
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/325 Synchronizing two or more audio tracks or files according to musical features or musical timings synchronised lyrics, e.g. for karaoke G10H2220/011

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). 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.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing output of audio content with textual content, the system comprising:

one or more data stores that store textual content, audio content, and content synchronization information, wherein the content synchronization information corresponds to information for synchronizing the textual content and the audio content;

an input device that obtains a location of a pointer referencing 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 one or more data stores, the input device and the output device, the processor operative to;

cause output of the audio content via the output device;

cause presentation of the textual content on the display device;

maintain, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of a position of the textual content presented on the display device with an associated position of the audio content output via the output device, wherein the associated position of the audio content advances during output of the audio content;

obtain, from the input device, a current location of the pointer referencing the textual content presented on the display device;

determine a lead interval based at least in part on a difference between the current location of the pointer to the textual content and the position of the textual content; and

modify a speed at which the audio content is output via the output device based at least in part on the determined lead interval.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein maintaining, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of the position of the textual content with the advancing associated position of the audio content comprises updating the position of the textual content to correspond to the advancing associated position of the audio content.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein obtaining a current location of the pointer referencing the textual content from the input device comprises obtaining a location of the pointer corresponding to at least one of a word, syllable, letter, sentence, line, paragraph, chapter, stanza, section, or column in the textual content.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises at least one of a touch screen, a mouse, a stylus, a remote control, a game controller, and a motion detector.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the determined lead interval is indicated by a visual cue.

6. A computer-implemented method outputting first content and second content, the computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices,

causing output of a first content and a second content;

maintaining, based at least in part on synchronization information, synchronization of a position of the second content being output with an associated position of the first content being output, wherein the associated position of the first content advances during output of the first content;

obtaining, from an input device, a current location of a pointer referencing the second content being presented;

determining a lead interval based at least in part on a difference between the current location of the pointer and the position of the second content; and

modifying an attribute associated with the output of the first content based at least in part on the determined lead interval.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the first content comprises at least one of increasing and decreasing a speed at which the first content is output.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein increasing a speed at which the first content is output includes skipping output of one or more segments of the first content.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the first content comprises audio content.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein increasing the speed at which the audio content is output includes increasing the speed without a change in a pitch of the audio content, and wherein decreasing the speed at which the audio content is output includes decreasing the speed without a change in a pitch of the audio content.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein maintaining, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of the position of the second content with the advancing associated position of the first content comprises updating the position of the second content to correspond to the advancing associated position of the first content.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the second content comprises textual content.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein obtaining a current location of the pointer referencing the second content from the input device comprises obtaining a location of the pointer corresponding to at least one of a natural feature and a predefined feature of the second content.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the input device comprises at least one of a touch screen, a mouse, a stylus, a remote control, a game controller, and a motion detector.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the determined lead interval is indicated by at least one of a visual cue, an auditory cue, and a tactile cue.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the visual cue comprises highlighting of the textual content.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the first content based at least in part on the determined lead interval comprises modifying the attribute if the lead interval satisfies a threshold value.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the threshold value is indicated by at least one of a visual cue, an auditory cue, and a tactile cue.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the threshold value is determined based at least in part on input by a user.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the first content based at least in part on the determined lead interval comprises modifying the attribute if the lead interval is determined to at least one of exceed the threshold value for a predetermined length of time, and drop below the threshold value for a predetermined length of time.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising determining a new position of the second content based at least in part on the current location of the pointer referencing the second content.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21 further comprising causing output of the first content beginning from a new position of the first content associated with the new position of the second content.

23. A system for synchronizing playback of content comprising:

a data store that stores content synchronization information;

a processor in communication with the data store, the processor operative to;

maintain, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of a position within a visual content being output with an associated position of a sequential content being output, wherein the associated position of the sequential content advances during output of the sequential content;

obtain a current location of a pointer that references the visual content being output; and

modifying an attribute associated with the output of the sequential content based at least in part on a difference between the current location of the pointer that references the visual content being output and the position within the visual content being output.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the sequential content comprises at least one of increasing and decreasing the speed at which the sequential content is output.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein maintaining, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of the position within the visual content with the advancing associated position of the sequential content comprises updating the position within the visual content to correspond to the advancing associated position of the sequential content.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the current location of the pointer that references the visual content is obtained from an input device.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the visual content and the position within the visual content is indicated by at least one of a visual cue, an auditory cue, and a tactile cue.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the sequential content comprises modifying the attribute if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the visual content and the position within the visual content satisfies a threshold value.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the sequential content comprises modifying the attribute if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the visual content and the position within the visual content satisfies the threshold value for a predetermined length of time.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the sequential content comprises:

outputting the sequential content at a first rate if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the visual content and the position within the visual content satisfies a first threshold value for a first predetermined length of time;

outputting the sequential content at a second rate if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the visual content and the position within the visual content satisfies a second threshold value for a second predetermined length of time, wherein the second rate is faster than the first rate; and

outputting the sequential content at a third rate if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the visual content and the position within the visual content satisfies a third threshold value for a third predetermined length of time, wherein the third rate is faster than the second rate.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first rate corresponds to at least one of a rate at which the sequential content was recorded, a rate determined by a user of the system, and a rate determined by a provider of the sequential content.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is further operable to determine a new position within the visual content based at least in part on the current location of the pointer that references the visual content.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor is further operable to cause output of the sequential content beginning from a new position of the sequential content associated with the new position within the visual content.

34. 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;

maintain, based at least in part on synchronization information, synchronization of a position within a second content being output with an associated position of a first content being output, wherein the associated position of the first content advances during output of the first content;

obtain a current location of a pointer that references the second content being output; and

modify an attribute associated with the output of the first content based at least in part on a difference between the current location of the pointer that references the second content being output and the position within the second content being output.

35. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 34, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the first content comprises at least one of increasing and decreasing the speed at which the first content is output.

36. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 34, wherein maintaining, based at least in part on the synchronization information, synchronization of the position within the second content with the advancing associated position of the first content comprises updating the position within the second content to correspond to the advancing associated position of the first content.

37. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 34, wherein the current location of the pointer that references the second content is obtained from an input device.

38. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 34, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the first content comprises modifying the attribute if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the second content and the position within the second content satisfies a threshold value.

39. The computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium of claim 34, wherein modifying an attribute associated with the output of the first content comprises:

outputting the first content at a first rate if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the second content and the position within the second content satisfies a first threshold value for a first predetermined length of time;

outputting the first content at a second rate if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the second content and the position within the second content satisfies a second threshold value for a second predetermined length of time, wherein the second rate is faster than the first rate; and

outputting the first content at a third rate if the difference between the current location of the pointer that references the second content and the position within the second content satisfies a third threshold value for a third predetermined length of time, wherein the third rate is faster than the second rate.