Apparatus, systems and methods for audio content diagnostics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9886233-B2
Application number	US-201514921065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2015
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	Feb 6, 2018
Grant date	Feb 6, 2018

Abstract

Media content systems and methods are operable to detect sound using one or more microphones during presentation of a media content event. The audio content output is changed by a remedial action that is performed if the audio content detected by the microphones does not correspond to the intended audio content of the presented media content event.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method that presents media content, the method comprising:
detecting sound using at least one microphone, wherein the detected sound includes at least audio content that is being output from at least one speaker;
determining a detected audio characteristic from the detected sound;
determining an intended audio characteristic from audio content of a media content event that is currently being presented;
wherein the intended audio characteristic is the same as the detected audio characteristic, and
wherein the intended audio content characteristic is determined during a duration that the sound detection occurs;

comparing the determined detected audio characteristic with the determined intended audio characteristic; and
performing at least one remedial action in response to the detected audio characteristic not matching the intended audio characteristic, wherein the remedial action changes the audio content that is being output from the at least one speaker;
wherein determining the detected audio characteristic from the detected sound comprises:
discerning first dialogue from the detected sound; and
determining first text from the discerned first dialogue,

wherein determining the intended audio characteristic from the audio content of the media content event comprises:
discerning second dialogue from the audio content of the media content event; and
determining second text from the discerned second dialogue,

wherein comparing the determined detected audio characteristic with the determined intended audio characteristic comprises comparing the first text with the second text, and
wherein the at least one remedial action is performed in response to the first text not matching the second text.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the at least one remedial action comprises:
changing an audio channel input from a first audio input channel to a second audio input channel.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the first text with the second text comprises:
determining a first number of words of the first text;
determining a second number of words of the second text;
determining a difference between the first number of words and the second number of words;
comparing the difference with a threshold number; and
performing the at least one remedial action when the difference is less than or equal to the threshold number.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the first text with the second text comprises:
determining a first number of words of the first text;
determining a second number of words of the second text;
determining a ratio between the first number of words and the second number of words;
comparing the ratio with a threshold ratio; and
performing the at least one remedial action when the difference is less than or equal to the threshold ratio.

5. A method that presents media content, the method comrpising:
detecing sound using at least one microphone, wherein the detected sound includes at least audio content that is being output from at least one speaker;
determining a detected audio characteristic from the detected sound;
determining an intended audio characteristic from audio content of a media content event that is currently being presented;
wherein the inteded audio characteristic is the same as the detected audio characteristic, and
wherein the intended audio content characteristic is determined during a duration that the sound detection occurs;

comparing the determined detected audio characteristic with the determined intended audio characteristic; and
performing at least one remedial action in response to the detected audio characteristic not matching the inteded audio characteristic, wherein the remedial action changes the audio content that is being output from the at least one speaker;
wherein determining the detected audio characteristic from the detected sound comprises determining whether the output from the at least one speaker is output in stereo or is output in surround sound,
wherein determining the intended audio characteristic from the audio content of the media content event comprises determining whether the audio content of the media content event that is currently output is available in stereo and is available in surround sound,
wherein comparing the determined detected audio characteristic with the determined intended audio characteristic comprises:
determining that the output from the at least one speaker is output in stereo; and
determining a predefined user preference for presentation of audio content in surround sound when surround sound audio content is available,

wherein performing the at least one remedial action comprises changing an audio channel input from a stereo audio input channel to a surround sound audio input channel when the predefined user preference is for the surround sound audio content.

6. A method that presents media content, the method comprising:
detecting sound using at least one microphone, wherein the detected sound includes at least audio content that is being output from at least one speaker;
determining a detected audio characteristics from the detected sound;
determining an intended audio characteristic from audio content of a media content event that is currently being presented,
wherein the intended audio charateristic is the same as the detected audio characteristic, and
wherein the intended audio content characteristic is determined during a duration that the sound detection occurs:

comparing the determined detected audio characteristic with the determined intended audio characteristic; and
performing at least one remedial action in response to the detected audio characteristic not matching the intended audio characteristic, wherein the remedial action changes the audio content that is being output from the at least one speaker,
wherein determining the detected audio characteristic from the detected sound comprises:
discerning first dialogue from the detected sound; and
determining a first language of the first dialogue,

wherein determining the intended audio characteristic from the audio content of the media content event comprises:
discerning second dialogue from the audio content of the media content event; and
determining a second language from the discerned second dialogue,

wherein comparing the determined detected audio characteristic with the determined intended audio characteristic comprises:
determining whether the audio content of the media content event that is currently output is available in the first language and is available in the second language; and
determining a predefined user language preference for presentation of audio content,

wherein performing the at least one remedial action comprises changing an audio channel input from a first audio input channel having the first language to a second audio input channel having the second language when the predefined user language preference is for the second language.

7. A method that presents media content, the method comprising:
detecting sound using at least one microphone, wherein the detected sound includes at least audio content that is being output from at least one speaker;
determining a detected audio characteristic from the detected sound;
determining an intended audio characteristic from audio content of a media content event that is currently being presented,
wherein the intended audio characteristic is the same as the detected audio characteristic; and
wherein the intended audio content characteristic is determined during a duration that the sound detection occurs:

comparing the determined detected audio characteristic with the determined intended audio characteristic; and
performing at least

Assignees

• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Innes David
• Mickelsen Jeremy

Classifications

• G06F40/263

  Language identification · CPC title

• H04S7/30

  Control circuits for electronic adaptation of the sound field · CPC title

• H04R2420/05

  Detection of connection of loudspeakers or headphones to amplifiers · CPC title

• H04R29/001

  for loudspeakers (H04R29/007 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F40/226

  Validation · CPC title