Using mute/non-mute transitions to output an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9747069-B2
Application number	US-201715398258-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 1, 2015
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first audio-stream that represents first audio-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content; the computing device receiving a second audio-stream that represents second audio-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computing device configured for performing a set of acts for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up video-broadcast system, the set of acts comprising:
the computing device receiving a primary audio-stream generated by a primary audio-broadcast system, wherein the primary audio stream represents first audio-content;
the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content;
the computing device receiving a back-up audio-stream generated by the back-up audio-broadcast system, wherein the back-up audio stream represents second audio-content;
the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content;
the computing device making a determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and
responsive to the determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a mute/non-mute transition within the first audio-content.

3. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a type of the identified mute/non-mute transition.

4. The computing device of claim 2 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a playout time of the identified mute/non-mute transition.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the generated first signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time, wherein making the determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the generated second signature does not represent a second transition that has the first type and that is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein outputting an alert comprises displaying a message.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein outputting an alert comprises transmitting an instruction.

8. A computing device configured for performing a set of acts for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up video-broadcast system, the set of acts comprising:
the computing device receiving a primary audio-stream generated by a primary audio-broadcast system, wherein the primary audio-stream represents first audio-content;
the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content;
the computing device receiving a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of audio transitions included within second audio-content represented by a back-up audio-stream that is generated by the back-up audio-broadcast system;
the computing device making a determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and
responsive to the determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a mute/non-mute transition within the first audio-content.

10. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a type of the identified mute/non-mute transition.

11. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a time associated with the identified mute/non-mute transition.

12. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the generated first signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time, wherein making the determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the generated second signature does not represent a second transition that has the first type and that is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time.

13. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein outputting an alert comprises displaying a message.

14. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein outputting an alert comprises transmitting an instruction.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed cause a computing device to perform a set of acts for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system, the set of acts comprising:
receiving a primary audio-stream generated by a primary audio-broadcast system, wherein the primary audio stream represents first audio-content;
generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content;
receiving a back-up audio-stream generated by the back-up audio-broadcast system, wherein the back-up audio stream represents second audio-content;
generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content;
making a determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and
responsive to the determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, outputting an alert.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a mute/non-mute transition within the first audio-content.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a type of the identified mute/non-mute transition.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a playout time of the identified mute/non-mute transition.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the generated first signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time, wherein making the determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the generated second signature does not represent a second transition that has the first type and that is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein outputting an alert comprises displaying a message.

Assignees

• Tribune Broadcasting Co Llc

Inventors

• Hundemer Hank J

Classifications

• G10L25/78

  Detection of presence or absence of voice signals (switching of direction of transmission by voice frequency in two-way loud-speaking telephone systems H04M9/10) · CPC title

• H04H20/12

  Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting · CPC title

• H04N21/2405

  Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load (allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34) · CPC title

• H04N21/4396

  by muting the audio signal · CPC title

• G06F3/165 Primary

  Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path · CPC title