Mitigating the effects of audio interruptions via adaptive automated fast audio playback

• US 9,042,579 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2012
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Jochim, Markus, Forest, Thomas M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Duc
• Assistant Examiner(s): MONIKANG, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US13/471,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20130308794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 381/58, 381/107, 381/123, 381/56
• US Class Current: 381/123
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3629 Guidance using speech or audio output, e.g. text-to-speech text to speech systems per se G10L13/00
• 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 2020/10694 output interface, i.e. the way data leave the buffer, e.g. by adjusting the clock rate
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information

Abstract

An audio interruption and buffering playback system includes a primary audio source for reproducing primary audio content and a secondary audio source for reproducing secondary audio content. A processing device detects an interruption event that includes the secondary audio source reproducing secondary audio content having priority over the primary audio source. The processor mutes the output of the primary audio content in response to the interruption event. A buffer buffers the audio content from the primary audio source during the interruption event. The buffered audio content is reproduced by the processor to the user at an accelerated playback speed following the interruption event.

Claims

1. A method of presenting audio content to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

reproducing audio content to the user from a primary audio source;

a secondary audio source interrupting the audio content output by the primary audio source, the secondary audio source reproducing secondary audio content having priority over the output of the audio content from the primary audio source;

muting the audio content from the primary audio source during the interruption by the secondary audio source;

buffering audio content from the primary audio source in a buffer at a start of the interruption, the primary audio source uninterruptedly playing the audio content in real-time while buffering;

reproducing the buffered audio content to the user at an accelerated playback speed following the interruption, the buffered audio content reproduced to the user further including audio content from a predetermined period of time prior to the interruption by the secondary audio source to the time when the audio content output from the buffer catches up to the real time audio content of the primary audio source, the audio content from the predetermined period of time prior to the interruption allowing the user to recollect the portion of the topic presented to the user prior to the interruption event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the buffered audio content is output to the user at the accelerated playback speed until a time when the audio content output from the buffer catches up to the real time audio content of the primary audio source.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of reproducing the audio content from the primary audio source to the user in real time after the audio content output from the buffer catches up to the real time audio content of the primary audio source.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the accelerated playback speed is a predetermined speed and is faster than a normal speed at which the real time audio content of the primary audio source is reproduced.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the accelerated playback speed is reconfigurable.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the reconfigurable accelerated playback speed is determined as a function of a duration of the interruption.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the reconfigurable accelerated playback speed is determined as a function a time since a start of the audio playback of the buffered audio content.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the reconfigurable accelerated playback speed is determined as a function of the audio content remaining in the buffer.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the reconfigurable accelerated playback speed is determined as a function of an audio format of the primary audio source.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the reconfigurable accelerated playback speed is determined by a user selecting a playback speed.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the accelerated playback speed of the buffered audio content is gradually increased from a time the buffered content is initially reproduced to a maximum playback speed.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the playback speed of the buffered audio content is gradually decreased from the maximum playback speed to a speed that the real time audio content of the primary audio source is reproduced, wherein the time at which the decreased playback speed catches up to the reproduction speed of the real time audio content of the primary audio source occurs when the audio content output from the buffer catches up to the real time audio content of the primary audio source.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein a frequency shift is applied to the accelerated audio playback to provide a more natural sound to the buffered audio content output at the accelerated speed.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary audio content is produced by a navigation device.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary audio content is produced by a communication device.

16. An audio interruption and buffering playback system comprising:

a primary audio source for reproducing primary audio content;

a secondary audio source for reproducing secondary audio content;

a processing device detecting an interruption event that includes the secondary audio source reproducing secondary audio content having priority over the primary audio content, wherein the processing device mutes the output of the primary audio content in response to the interruption event; and

a buffer for buffering the audio content from the primary audio source during the interruption event, the primary audio source uninterruptedly playing the audio content in real-time while buffering;

wherein the buffered audio content is reproduced by the processing device to the user at an accelerated playback speed following the interruption event, the buffered audio content reproduced to the user further including audio content from a predetermined period of time prior to the interruption by the secondary audio source to the time when the audio content output from the buffer catches up to the real time audio content of the primary audio source, the audio content from the predetermined period of time prior to the interruption allowing the user to recollect the portion of the topic presented to the user prior to the interruption event.

17. The audio interruption and buffering playback system of claim 16 wherein the buffered audio content is reproduced at the accelerated playback speed until a time when the audio content output from the buffer catches up to the real time audio content of the primary audio source.

18. The audio interruption and buffering playback system of claim 16 wherein a frequency shift is applied to the audio content to provide a more natural sound to the buffered audio content output at the accelerated speed.

19. The audio interruption and buffering playback system of claim 16 wherein the processing device gradually increases the playback speed of the buffered audio content from a time the buffered content is initially reproduced to a time when the playback speed reaches a maximum playback speed.

20. The audio interruption and buffering playback system of claim 19 wherein the processing device gradually decreases the accelerated playback speed of the buffered audio content from the maximum playback speed to the speed that the real time audio content of the primary audio source is reproduced, wherein a time at which the decreased playback speed catches up to a reproduction speed of the real time audio content of the primary audio source occurs when the audio content output from the buffer catches up to the real time audio content of primary audio source.