Systems and methods for varied audio segment compression for accelerated playback of media assets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039177-B2
Application number	US-201916357715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2019
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for varied audio segment compression for accelerated playback of media assets. A priority weight for each of the various audio segments is then determined. Each audio segment for use during accelerated playback is based on the priority weight of that audio segment, the received playback time period, and a duration of that audio segment. A sum of the modified time for each audio segment equals the received playback time period. An accelerated playback speed for each audio segment is determined based on the modified time for that audio segment and the duration of that audio segment. The technique generates for playback the video segment based on a determined video playback speed and the audio segments based on the accelerated playback speed for each audio segment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for varied audio segment compression for accelerated playback of media assets, the method comprising:
calculating a video playback speed of a video segment of a media asset based on a received playback time period and the duration of the video segment;
determining a plurality of audio segments from the media asset, wherein each audio segment comprising one or more audio portions of similar type from the media asset;
determining a corresponding priority weight for each of the plurality of audio segments;
calculating a modified time for each audio segment for use during accelerated playback based on (1) corresponding priority weight of that audio segment, (2) the received playback time period, and (3) a duration of that audio segment, wherein a sum of the modified time for each audio segment equals the received playback time period;
determining an accelerated playback speed for each audio segment based on the modified time for that audio segment and the duration of that audio segment; and
generating, for playback, the video segment based on the video playback speed, and the plurality of audio segments based on the accelerated playback speed for each audio segment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a corresponding priority weight for each of the plurality of audio segments comprises:
retrieving a predefined priority scheme comprising a plurality of audio portion types and corresponding priority weights;
determining, for each of the plurality of audio segments, whether the type of the corresponding one or more audio portions of the audio segment match a predefined audio portion type from the predefined priority scheme; and
in response to the determination that the type of the corresponding one or more audio portions of the audio segment matches the predefined audio portion type from the predefined priority scheme, assigning the corresponding priority weight of the matching predefined audio portion type to the corresponding audio segment.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the predefined priority scheme is based at least in part on one or more user preferences.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a corresponding priority weight for each of the plurality of audio segments comprises:
determining a dialogue type of audio segment from the plurality of audio segments;
determining a weight for the dialogue type of audio segment; and
determining the corresponding priority weights for each of the remaining plurality of audio segments, wherein the corresponding priority weights for each of the remaining plurality of audio segments are greater than the weight for the dialogue type of audio segment.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving real-time locational information of an electronic device for media asset playback, wherein the real-time locational information indicates movement of the electronic device;
determining, based on historical locational information for the electronic device, whether a subset of the real-time locational information matches a subset of historical locational information;
responsive to the determination that the subset of the current real-time locational information matches the subset of historical locational information, determining an estimated playback time period based on the subset of historical locational information; and
assigning the estimated playback time period to the received playback time period.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
at a particular time during playback of the video segment:
determining an offset audio value based on the difference between the particular time of the audio segment and the particular time of the video segment; and
determining whether the offset audio value exceeds a predefined maximum offset value; and
in response to the determination that the offset audio value exceeds the predefined maximum offset value, stopping generation for playback of the video segment and the plurality of audio segments.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the predefined maximum offset value is based at least in part on one or more user preferences.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a second modified time for each audio segment for use during accelerated playback based on (1) corresponding priority weight of that audio segment, (2) the received playback time period, (3) a duration of that audio segment, and (4) a bias for a specific audio segment, wherein a sum of the modified time for each audio segment equals the received playback time period, and wherein at least one of the second modified time for each audio segment is different than the modified time for each audio segment;
determining a second accelerated playback speed for each audio segment based on the second modified time for that audio segment and the duration of that audio segment; and
generating, for display, an interface for an electronic device which provides a selection of the playback of the audio segments based on the second accelerated playback speed for each audio segment and the accelerated playback speed for each audio segment.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
in response to generating, for display, the interface for the electronic device providing the selection of the playback of the audio segments, receiving selection of a selected playback speed; and
generating, for playback, the video segment based on the video playback speed, and the plurality of audio segments based on the selected playback speed.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the bias is received from a content producer of the media asset.

11. A system for varied audio segment compression for accelerated playback of media assets, the system comprising:
control circuitry configured to:
calculate a video playback speed of a video segment of a media asset based on a received playback time period and the duration of the video segment;
determine a plurality of audio segments from the media asset, wherein each audio segment comprising one or more audio portions of similar type from the media asset;
determine a corresponding priority weight for each of the plurality of audio segments;
calculate a modified time for each audio segment for use during accelerated playback based on (1) corresponding priority weight of that audio segment, (2) the received playback time period, and (3) a duration of that audio segment, wherein a sum of the modified time for each audio segment equals the received playback time period;
determine an accelerated playback speed for each audio segment based on the modified time for that audio segment and the duration of that audio segment; and
generate, for playback, the video segment based on the video playback speed, and the plurality of audio segments based on the accelerated playback speed for each audio segment.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein control circuitry is further configured, when determining a corresponding priority weight for each of the plurality of audio segments, to:
retrieve a predefined priority scheme comprising a plurality of audio portion types and corresponding priority weights;
determine, for each of the plurality of audio segments, whether the type of the corresponding one or more audio portions of the audio segment match a predefined audio portion type from the predefined priority scheme; and
in response to the determination that the type of the corresponding one or more audio portions of the audio segment matches the predefined audio portion type from the predefined priority scheme, assign the corresponding priority weight of the matching predefined audio portion type to the corresponding audio segment.

Assignees

• Rovi Guides Inc

Inventors

• Kumar Neeraj
• Panchaksharaiah Vishwas Sharadanagar
• Gupta Vikram Makam

Classifications

• G06V20/46

  Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames · CPC title

• H04N21/84

  Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors {(systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73)} · CPC title

• H04N21/2335 Primary

  involving reformatting operations of audio signals, e.g. by converting from one coding standard to another (details of audio signal transcoding G10L19/173) · CPC title

• H04N21/47217

  for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks (specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312) · CPC title

• H04N21/8549

  Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer {(retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739)} · CPC title