Systems and Methods for Providing Audio Content During Trick-Play Playback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017347136-A1
Application number	US-201615163370-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 24, 2016
Priority date	May 24, 2016
Publication date	Nov 30, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing playback of audio content during a trick-play mode in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. Media content can include audio content and video content. The audio content is divided into segments and the video content includes frames. Synchronization information associates a presentation time of each of the segments of the audio content with a presentation time of one or more frames associated with the images of the video content. When a trick-play mode is requested, the next frame from the video content to present is determined. The synchronization information is used to determine the segments of the audio content associated with the next frame. The determined segments audio content are presented as the frames are displayed in trick-play mode.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method for providing playback of audio content in a trick-play mode during playback of media content, the method comprising:
storing a plurality of segments of an audio content portion of media content in a buffer in a playback device; storing a plurality of frames of a video content portion of media content in a buffer in the playback device; storing synchronization information in a memory in the playback device wherein the synchronization information associates a presentation time of each of one or more of the plurality of segments of the audio content portion with the presentation time of one or more frames of the plurality of frames of the video content; receiving a command for playback of the media content in a trick-play mode in the playback device; determining a next frame from the plurality of frame to present based upon the trick-play mode using the playback device; determining each segment from the plurality of segments of the audio content associated with the next frame from the synchronization information stored in memory; and presenting each of the segments of the plurality of segments of audio content associated with the next frame during playback in the trick-play mode using the playback device.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
presenting the next frame on a display of the playback device.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the presenting of each segment of the plurality of segments of the audio content associated with the next frame is performed concurrently with the presentation of the next frame.

4 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:
adding each segment of the plurality of segments of the audio content associated with the next frame to a queue in response to a determination of each of the plurality of segments associated with the frame using the playback device; and
wherein each segment of the plurality segments associated with the next frame is presented based upon the queue and is independent of the presentation of the next frame from the video content on the display of the playback device.

5 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:
generating a display of a scrubber for the video content indicating a presentation time of the next frame from the video content using the playback device; and
overlaying the display of the scrubber for the video content over the presentation of the image on the display.

6 . The method of claim 2 further comprising:
generating a display of a scrubber for the audio content indicating a presentation time of each segment of the audio content associated with the next frame using the playback device; and
overlaying the display of the scrubber for the audio content over the presentation of the image on the display.

7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the scrubber for the audio content is separate from a scrubber for the video content in the display.

8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving data for the plurality of segments of the audio content portion, data for the plurality of frames of the video content, and the synchronization information in the playback device from a content provider system over a network using adaptive bitrate streaming.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the receiving of the data for the plurality of segments of the audio content portion, the data for the plurality of frames of the video content, and the synchronization information in the playback device from a content provider system over a network using adaptive bitrate streaming comprises:
receiving a top level index file from the content provider system in the playback device over a network wherein the top level index files identifies a plurality of alternative streams of video content wherein at least a portion of the plurality of alternative streams are encoded at different maximum bitrates, and at least one stream of audio content; and
requesting portions of the video content from the plurality of alternative streams from the content provider system using the playback device based upon network bandwidth between the playback device and the content provider system;
receiving the requested portions of the video content in the playback device in response to the requests;
generating the plurality of frames of the video content in the playback device from the portions of video content received by the playback device;
storing the plurality of frames in a buffer of the playback device;
requesting portions of the audio content from the at least one streams of audio content from the content provider system using the playback device;
receiving the requested portions of the audio content in the playback device;
generating the plurality of segments of the audio content from the portions of audio content received using the playback device;
storing the plurality of segments of audio content in a buffer of the playback device;
obtaining the synchronization information from the content provider system using the playback device based upon information in the top level index file; and
storing the synchronization information in the memory of the playback device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the obtaining of the synchronization information comprises:
reading a pointer to a file including the synchronization information from the top level index file using the playback device; requesting the file from content provider system using the playback device; and receiving the requested file in the playback device.

11 . A playback device comprising:
a memory; a network interface; and a processor that reads instructions stored in the memory that direct the processor to:
store a plurality of segments of an audio content portion of media content in a buffer in the playback device,
store a plurality of frames of a video content portion of media content in a buffer in the playback device,
store synchronization information in a memory wherein the synchronization information associates a presentation time of each of one or more of the plurality of segments of the audio content portion with a presentation time of one or more frame of the plurality of frames of the video content,
receive a command for playback of the media content in a trick-play mode,
determine a next frame from the plurality of images to present based upon the trick-play mode,
determine each segment from the plurality of segments of the audio content associated with the next frame from the synchronization information stored in memory; and
present each of the segments of the plurality of segments of audio content associated with the next frame during playback in the trick-play mode using the playback device.

12 . The playback device of claim 11 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to:
present the next frame on a display of the playback device.

13 . The playback device of claim 12 wherein the presenting of each of the segments of the audio content associated with the next frame is performed concurrently with the presentation of the next frame.

14 . The playback device of claim 12 wherein the instructions further direct the processor to:
add each of the segments of the audio content associated with the next frame to a queue in response to a determination of each of the segments is associated with the next frame; and
wherein the presenting each of the segments is based upon the queue and is independent of the presenting of the next frame from the video content on the display of the playback device.

15 . The playback device of claim 12 wherein the instructions further direct the proce

Assignees

• Sonic Ip Inc

Inventors

• Frantz William
• Grab Eric William

Classifications

• H04N21/8456

  by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments · CPC title

• H04N21/4302

  Content synchronisation processes, e.g. decoder synchronisation · CPC title

• H04N21/242

  Synchronisation processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Programme Clock References] {(arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18)} · CPC title

• H04N21/4312

  involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations · CPC title

• H04N21/6125

  involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82) · CPC title