Multi-lingual audio streaming

• US 9,398,322 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hawkins, Sherisse, Osminer, Matthew, Cholas, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US13/094,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,910 Days
• Field of Search: 725/32, 725/34, 725/59, 725/74, 725/78, 725/80, 725/85, 725/86, 725/87, 725/105, 725/131, 725/133, 725/135, 725/139, 725/141
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43079 of additional data with content streams on multiple devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56

Abstract

Digital video data and digital multiple-audio data are extracted from a source, using a hardware processor in a content source device within a premises. The extracted digital video data is processed for display on a main display device in the premises; and the extracted digital multiple-audio data is processed into a primary soundtrack in a primary language, to be listened to within the premises in synchronization with the displayed extracted digital video data. The primary soundtrack corresponds to the displayed extracted digital video data, in the primary language. The extracted digital multiple-audio data is processed into at least one secondary audio asset, different than the primary soundtrack; and the at least one secondary audio asset is transmitted to a personal media device within the premises, for apprehension by a user of the personal media device in synchronization with the displayed extracted digital video data.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

obtaining digital video data and digital multiple-audio data from a source, using a hardware processor in a content source device within a premises;

processing said digital video data for display on a main display device in said premises;

processing said digital multiple-audio data into a primary soundtrack in a primary language, to be listened to within said premises in synchronization with said displayed digital video data, said primary soundtrack corresponding to said displayed digital video data, in said primary language;

introducing a delay in said digital video data for display on said main display device and in said primary soundtrack in said primary language, wherein said delay is controlled by said main display device using feedback received by said main display device from a personal media device;

processing said digital multiple-audio data into at least one secondary audio asset, different than said primary soundtrack; and

transmitting said at least one secondary audio asset to said personal media device within said premises, for apprehension by a user of said personal media device, wherein said delay of said displayed digital video data and said primary soundtrack is synchronized to a playback of said at least one secondary audio asset by said personal media device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting comprises transmitting as packets addressed to said personal media device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting said at least one secondary audio asset comprises transmitting non-compressed pulse code modulated audio wrapped in IP frames.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in said obtaining step, said source comprises a persistent memory device coupled to said hardware processor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, in said obtaining step, said source comprises a media drive, coupled to said hardware processor, and having a removable media therein.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in said obtaining step, said source comprises content streamed to said content source device from an external service provider.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one secondary audio asset transmitted in said transmitting step comprises at least one of:

a secondary soundtrack in a secondary language, said secondary soundtrack corresponding to said displayed digital video data, in said secondary language; and

a descriptive audio track.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one secondary audio asset transmitted in said transmitting step comprises subtitles for display on said personal media device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein in said transmitting step, said subtitles transmitted for display on said personal media device comprise subtitles, in a language other than said primary language, corresponding to said displayed digital video data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, at said content source device, a menu selection from said user of said personal media device, said menu selection specifying a chosen form of said second audio asset.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing, to said personal media device, from said content source device, a representation of a menu from which said menu selection can be made, said representation of said menu comprising data indicative of available forms of said second audio asset.

12. A method for interaction between a personal media device and a content source device which provides, within a premises, digital video data for display on a main display device in said premises, and a primary soundtrack in a primary language, to be listened to within said premises in synchronization with said displayed digital video data, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining, at said personal media device within said premises, from said content source device within said premises, a representation of a menu, said representation of said menu comprising data indicative of available forms of a secondary audio asset,

providing, from said personal media device, to said content source device, a menu selection specifying a chosen form of said secondary audio asset;

obtaining, at said personal media device, from said content source device, said secondary audio asset, for apprehension by a user of said personal media device in synchronization with said displayed digital video data, said secondary audio asset being different than said primary soundtrack; and

providing, from said personal media device, to said content source device, data indicative of an appropriate delay to be introduced in said displayed digital video data and said primary soundtrack at said content source device, wherein said displayed digital video data and said primary soundtrack are simultaneously synchronized to a playback of said at least one secondary audio asset by said personal media device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said obtaining of said secondary audio asset comprises obtaining as packets specifically addressed to said personal media device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said secondary audio asset obtained in said step of obtaining said secondary audio asset comprises at least one of:

a secondary soundtrack in a secondary language, said secondary soundtrack corresponding to said displayed digital video data, in said secondary language; and

a descriptive audio track.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said obtaining of said secondary audio asset comprises obtaining non-compressed pulse code modulated audio wrapped in IP frames.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said secondary audio asset obtained in said step of obtaining said secondary audio asset comprises subtitles for display on said personal media device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein in said step of obtaining said secondary audio asset, said subtitles comprise subtitles in a language other than said primary language, corresponding to said displayed digital video data.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said content source device is provided by a multi-services operator, further comprising said multi-services operator inviting a user of said personal media device to download thereto an appropriate software application which enables said personal media device at least to provide said menu selection to said content source device.

19. A system comprising:

a main memory;

a main hardware processor coupled to said main memory;

a source of digital video data and digital multiple-audio data in data communication with said main hardware processor;

a wireless interface coupled to said main hardware processor;

a graphics processor coupled to said main hardware processor;

wherein;

said main hardware processor and said main memory cooperate to;

obtain said digital video data and said digital multiple-audio data from said source;

process said digital video data and route said video data to said graphics processor for display in a premises;

process said digital multiple-audio data into a primary soundtrack in a primary language, to be listened to within the premises in synchronization with said displayed digital video data, said primary soundtrack corresponding to said displayed digital video data, in said primary language; and

process said digital multiple-audio data into at least one secondary audio asset, different than said primary soundtrack; and

said wireless interface facilitates transmitting said at least one secondary audio asset to a personal media device within the premises, for apprehension by a user of the personal media device in synchronization with said displayed digital video data; and

a variable delay block upstream of said graphics processor, which introduces a delay, determined using feedback received by said system from said personal media device, in said digital video data that is routed to said graphics processor, wherein said displayed digital video data and said primary soundtrack are simultaneously synchronized to a playback of said at least one secondary audio asset by said personal media device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said wireless interface facilitates said transmitting as packets addressed to the personal media device.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising an audio processor which facilitates presentation of said primary soundtrack.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said source comprises a persistent memory device coupled to said main hardware processor.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said source comprises a media drive, coupled to said main hardware processor, receiving a removable media therein.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein said source comprises a network interface to a video content network which receives content streamed to said content source device from an external service provider.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one secondary audio asset comprises at least one of:

a secondary soundtrack in a secondary language, said secondary soundtrack corresponding to said displayed digital video data, in said secondary language; and

a descriptive audio track.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said wireless interface comprises a wireless transmitter which transmits said at least one secondary audio asset as non-compressed pulse code modulated audio wrapped in IP frames.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein said at least one secondary audio asset comprises subtitles for display on the personal media device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said subtitles comprise subtitles, in a language other than said primary language, corresponding to said displayed digital video data.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein said main hardware processor, said main memory, and said wireless interface cooperate to:

provide to the personal media device a representation of a menu from which a menu selection can be made, said representation of said menu comprising data indicative of available forms of said second audio asset; and

obtain said menu selection from said user of said personal media device, said menu selection specifying a chosen form of said second audio asset.

30. The system of claim 21, further comprising said personal media device, said personal media device in turn comprising:

a personal media device hardware processor;

a personal media device wireless interface coupled to said personal media device hardware processor;

an input-output interface coupled to said personal media device hardware processor; and

a personal media device memory which is coupled to said personal media device hardware processor and which stores, in a non-transitory manner, a software application which, when executed by said personal media device hardware processor, causes said input-output interface to present to said user said representation of said menu and obtain from said user said menu selection;

wherein said personal media device wireless interface transmits said menu selection to said wireless interface coupled to said main hardware processor.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said software application stored in said personal media device memory, when executed by said personal media device hardware processor, further causes transmission, by said personal media device wireless interface, to said wireless interface coupled to said main hardware processor, of data indicative of an appropriate delay to be introduced in said digital video data and said primary soundtrack so as to account for a delay in said obtaining, at said personal media device, from said content source device, said at least one secondary audio asset, to maintain said synchronization of said displayed digital video data with said at least one secondary audio asset.