AUDIO PROGRAM DELIVERY SYSTEM
PRIORITY CLAIM
This application claims priority to a Provisional Patent Application
filed on October 13, 1999, Serial Number 60/159,199.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention related to information delivery systems.
Particularly, the invention relates to interactive audio delivery systems.
BACKGROUND
Consumers receive information by various media, including print,
television, internet, and radio. The information provided to the consumer is
generally pre-arranged and pre-selected, as is the case with radio, print, and
television content.
The internet has facilitated services that deliver information with
embedded hyperlinks, which allow a user to navigate to other information. Some
internet based services allow a user to select categories for which content is provided
on a personalized web page. However, the arrangement and production of the
content remains pre-determined.
Certain users wish to control the selection and arrangement of
content. In addition, certain users find that access to an internet browser is not
always readily available. Thus, there is a need for a system and method that provide
users with a more convenient and readily available information delivery and
extraction mechanism.
SUMMARY
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a system for the
delivery of navigable audio programs. The audio programs include audio content
and corresponding control data. The system provides the audio content to the user
in accordance with control data. The system allows users to control both the audio
content selection and the control data employed to deliver the content. The user can
navigate through the time progression of a program or between various layers ofthe
program.
The present invention further includes a navigable audio replay
system that includes an audio application database, the audio application database
storing control data for controlling the replay of audio segments in an audio
program. The system also includes an audio content database, which stores audio
segments content. An application replay module extracts audio application data
from the audio application database. The application replay module transmits
control signals to an audio replay module. The control signals are generated in
accordance with audio application data. The control signals facilitate the replaying
of audio segments stored in the audio content database.
The system also includes an audio replay module. The audio replay
module receives control signals from the application replay module and responds to
control signals from the application replay module by facilitating the transmission
of at least one audio segment to a user replay device. Finally the system includes a
telephony interface, which facilitates the coimnunication between the audio replay
module and the user replay device. The telephony interface further facilitates the
communication between the application replay module and the user replay module.
The present invention provides for logical navigation within audio
content. The method for facilitating the logical navigation includes processing audio
content to associate at least one navigation tag with the audio content, the navigation
tag including data relating to a logical portion ofthe audio content. The method then
facilitates the delivery of the audio content to a user replay device. A navigation
command is received from the user replay device. The method finally modifies the
replaying ofthe audio content in response to the navigation command received from
the user replay device. The modifying includes facilitating the delivery of audio data
associated with the navigation tag ofthe audio content.
The present invention provides an audio segment and at least one
associated audio segment replayed in parallel with a portion of the first audio
segment. The method includes retrieving an audio application, the audio application
including data relating to audio segments associated with an audio program. The
method then replays an audio program by facilitating the replay of a first audio
segment to a user replay device, the first audio segment selected in accordance with
the audio application data. The method finally makes available to the user replay
device a second audio segment, the second audio segment selected in accordance
with the audio application data. The second audio segment is delivered to the user
replay device during the replay of the first audio segment in response to a user
control signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 illustrates a network arrangement for the delivery of audio
programs;
Figure 2 illustrates a system arrangement for organizing audio content
for replay in accordance with the invention;
Figure 3 illustrates a system arrangement for providing audio
programs to a user telephony-based device;
Figure 4 illustrates the logical components of an audio program
replay system;
Figure 5 is a flow diagram of a process for facilitating the marketing
of musical content;
Figure 6 is a flow diagram of a process for replaying an audio
program;
Figure 7 is a flow diagram of a process for arranging audio content;
and
Figure 8 is an illustration of the audio content segment navigation
method ofthe invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention will now be described with reference to an
embodiment of a navigable audio program transmission system. The illustrated
audio program transmission system is a telephony audio delivery system that
delivers audio programs to users by a telephone interface. The structure of a
network in accordance with the invention is first discussed with reference to
illustrations of arrangements for audio program delivery. Next, the operation of an
audio program delivery system is discussed with reference to flow diagrams.
Finally, methods for delivering audio programing content to consumers, by
employing the audio program delivery system, are discussed.
Figure 1 illustrates a network arrangement for the delivery of audio
programs. The arrangement include an audio database 20, an audio application
database 22, a telephony system 24, a telephony relay module 25, and a telephone
replay device 26. The audio database 20 preferably includes a plurality of audio
database servers that store audio content. The audio application database 22 includes
audio application servers that store audio applications, which control the delivery of
audio content in the audio program delivery system. In one embodiment, the
databases 20, 22, are DB2 databases from IBM.
The telephony system 24 includes both wire carriers 27 and wireless
carriers 23. As may be appreciated, in other embodiments, the telephony system
includes various combinations of wire carriers and wireless carriers, as is required
for the particular audio program delivery system.
The audio database 20 is coupled by a communication link 21 to the
audio application database 22. The audio application database 22 and the audio
database 20 are coupled to the telephony system 24 by a network link 19. In one
embodiment, the network link 19 is a TI communication link.
The telephony system 24 is coupled to a telephony relay module 25,
which receives telephone signals from the telephony system and relays the signals
to user telephone devices. In a wireless carrier implementation, the telephony relay
module 25 is a wireless cell tower, which receives wireless telephone signals from
the wireless carriers and relays the signals to wireless telephone devices.
In operation, the user employs the telephone replay device to
communicate with the audio program delivery system. In one embodiment, the user
transmits DTMF signals to the telephony system 24. The DTMF signals are
forwarded to the audio application database 22. The audio application database 22
responds to the user input by providing audio content in accordance with audio
application data. The audio content is extracted from the audio database 20 and is
delivered, in a navigable manner, to the user replay device 26. Accordingly, a user
interacts with audio content and is provided an audio program. Some of the
navigation features provided by the system ofthe invention include logical jumps,
where the user navigates to logical portions of content, and layering, where the user
is presented with multiple content layers.
As discussed above, the audio content that is delivered to the user
replay device 26 is produced in accordance with audio application data. In one
embodiment, audio content segments are arranged in both a linear and a parallel
fashion so as to provide a plurality of content layers during the program replay.
Figure 8 illustrates an arrangement of segments delivered to a user device. Three
segments 101, 102, 103 are arranged linearly, such that the start of a proceeding
segment corresponds to the end of a previous segment. Accordingly, a linear
arrangement of audio segments is provided. Preferably, the audio levels and tempo
of the segments are matched to provide seamless flow between segments, when
music is provided in the program.
Some ofthe linearly arranged segments 102, 103, are associated with
parallel segment threads 90, 91, 98. For example, in the illustrated segments of
Figure 8, the second segment 102 is associated with two parallel segments 90, 91.
The parallel segments 90, 91 , are delivered to the user replay device at various levels
of prominence. In one embodiment, during the replay ofthe second segment 102,
a parallel segment 90 is brought into prominence for a predetermined period, while
the second segment remains apparent to the listener. Hence, the parallel segment
is made "visible. " Such an effect is provided by, for example, reducing the volume
level associated with the second segment 102 while increasing the volume level for
the parallel segment 90.
In another embodiment, segments are made "visible" in accordance
with control data. In one configuration, user control data is employed to determine
which of several parallel segments is brought into prominence. Hence, several
layered segments are available to the user during a portion of program replay.
In another embodiment, a parallel segment is automatically brought
into prominence during a predetermined portion of the program. In one
embodiment, this parallel segment is an advertizement message that is delivered to
the user while the primary layer audio segment is delivered. Preferably, the
advertisement does not interrupt the primary layer audio segment but is provided at
a level, and during a portion ofthe content, so as to minimize such intrusive effects.
In another embodiment, the selection of which segments are available
at various layers is predetermined according to the user preferences. For example,
a user interacts with a user preference database to select three buttons that
correspond to "artist," "producer," and "label." During the replay of a musical
segment, the user selects "artist" to bring to prominence a first parallel segment that
identifies the artist, "producer" to bring to prominence a second parallel segment that
identifies the producer, or "label" to bring to prominence a third parallel segment
that identifies the record label. As may be appreciated, other customized settings are
selected by users, or the provider ofthe program, to deliver enhanced functionality
within the audio program. In another embodiment, a button is associated with
initiating the download of the replayed content to a private user location on the
server system. The download is facilitated as a typical M-Commerce system where
a user is associated with a local account, which corresponds to a mobile
communication device.
The present invention further facilitates logical navigation within
replayed audio. The logical navigation facilitates modifying audio replay in
accordance with context-based portions ofthe audio rather than in accordance with
blocks of time. Figure 8 illustrates logical navigation tag data for audio segments.
In one embodiment, the audio segment tag information associated with an audio
segment 101 includes data relating to logical points within the segments 87, 88, 89,
which the user may wish to proceed to during the segment's replay. For example,
a music audio segment 101 includes data pointing to the chorus 87, the second verse
88, and an instrumental portion 89. Thus, when the user selects to proceed forward
in navigating the audio segment 101, the replay proceeds to the next logical portion
87, 88, 89, rather than merely advancing the replay by some predetermined time
block. In another embodiment, a second audio segment 103 relates to news stories.
Tag data associated with the audio segment 95, 93, 92, corresponds to different
topics in the news story. As may be appreciated, the navigational tag data relates to
various context-sensitive aspects ofthe replayed audio segments, as is required for
the particular audio delivery system or service. The navigational tags are determined
by preforming a structured analysis of the audio content. The analysis detects
portions ofthe data and stores corresponding pointers, or tags. Several file formats
support such marking, including, Open Music Framework (OMF), and MPEG-7, by
allocating provisions in the specifications for storing tags relating to the audio
content.
In one embodiment, the logical navigation tag data is stored in a linked list
data structure that is associated with a tag data for the audio segment. The tag data
preferably indicates a time value, from the start of the audio segment, which
corresponds to the logical jump location.
Figure 2 illustrates a system arrangement for organizing audio content
that is to be replayed by the audio program delivery system of Figure 1. The
arrangement includes audio content 30 that is retrieved from various media such as
CDs, tapes, satellite transmissions, radio transmissions, and televisions
transmissions. The audio content 30 is further provided to the system in various
formats, hi one embodiment the formats include an MP3 format, a WAVE format,
a MIDI format, and an analog format. The arrangement further includes a
production module 32, which receives the audio content. Finally, the arrangement
includes an audio database 20. The audio database 20, as discussed above with
reference to Figure 1, includes a plurality of audio database servers.
In operation, the audio content 30, from its various sources, is
received by the production module 32. The production module 32 performs various
conversion and editing operations on the received audio content 30 to generate a
standard, and "tagged," format audio content. The audio content 30 is "tagged" by
adding reference information to. audio segments. In one embodiment, the reference
information includes the segment's title, the segment's author, the type of content
in the segment, the date that the segment was created, and the segment's expiration
date. The audio segment, including the associated tag information, is provided to the
audio database 20 for storage. In one embodiment, the audio segments are stored in
accordance with an index that is derived from the corresponding tag information.
Preferably, the production module is a personal computer running an audio
processing application such as PRO TOOLS. However, other computer systems,
which include a digital audio editor, a graphical interface, an audio input, and a file
storing mechanism, are used.
Figure 3 illustrates a system arrangement for providing audio
programs to telephony devices. The system includes an audio processing module
36, which processes raw audio content and stores the audio content in an audio
database, as discussed above with reference to Figure 2. The system further includes
an audio database 38 and a user preferences database 40. The audio database
preferably includes an audio application database and an audio content database.
The user preferences database 40 is used to store user information and user '
selections so as to allow the system to create customized audio programs for a
particular user, hi one embodiment, the user information includes selections of
content that the user is interested in receiving and background information regarding
the user, which allow the system to customize information provided to the user.
In one embodiment, the user preferences, which are stored in the user
preferences database 40, are generated as a result of the user interacting with an
Internet website. In this embodiment the Internet website includes a plurality of
HTML pages, which facilitate the generation of a user preference profile by querying
the user regarding certain attributes and selections relevant to the audio programs
that the user desires to receive. As may be appreciated, such information is
advantageously employed by an intelligent program generation module to create a
customized program for the particular user, based on user selections and preferences.
The system includes a media server 44 that receives audio program
data and employs that data to generate a program for an end user. The media server
44 includes a call control module 46, a session control module 48, an application
replay module 50, and an audio replay module 52. Preferably, the media server 44
is comprised of a server cluster. The media server advantageously includes a digital
signal processor (DSP) to process audio data.
The media server 44 is further associated with a telephony interface
55, which facilitates communication between the media server and a telephone
company network. The system further includes an audio extraction module 54 that
facilitates the retrieval of audio content from the audio database 38. In another
embodiment, the audio extraction module 54 is not employed and the audio replay
module 52 directly communicates with the audio database 38. In other
embodiments, the system further includes a MIDI replay module 56, a voice
recognition module 58, and an audio recording module 60.
In operation, the user establishes a connection with the telephone
company network and directs the connection to the telephony interface 55 associated
with the media server 44. The media server 44 initiates a session with the user by
way of the telephony network 57 that is employed by the user. The telephony
interface 55 forwards user selections to the call control module 46. One such
selection is for logging-in. The login request is forwarded to the session control
module 48 so as to authenticate the user. In one embodiment, such authentication
is accomplished by prompting the user for a password. Preferably the password is
a combination of DTMF signals, or a speech segment that is recognized by a voice
recognition module 58. After authenticating the user, the session control module 48
transmits a "sign-on" command to the application replay module 50. The application
replay module 50 extracts relevant data from the user preferences database 40 and
from the audio database 38. For example, the user preferences database indicates
that the user desires to receive a particular audio program as its start program.
Accordingly, the replay module extracts the corresponding application from the
audio database 38 and prompts the replay ofthe program.
After selecting the audio program for the user, the application replay
module 50 communicates with the audio replay module 52 to deliver audio content
to the user telephone device. In one embodiment, the application replay module 50
transmits a series of audio content identifiers, along with corresponding control
information, to the audio replay module 52. Furthermore, the audio replay module
52 refers to data from user preferences database 40 to produce an audio program that
is customized for the user.
The audio replay module 52 requests audio content from the audio
extraction module 54. The audio extraction module 54 extracts audio content from
the audio database 38 and provides such content, as requested, to the audio replay
module 52. The audio extraction module is preferably part ofthe media server 44.
The audio replay module 52 arranges and modifies the audio content in accordance
with the audio application data as interpreted by the application replay module 50.
The audio content is arranged as a produced program, and is then delivered to the
user.
In one embodiment, the audio program includes audio links that are
selectable by the user. In this embodiment, the audio links are special audio content
segments that allow the user to respond and transmit a command to the system while
the audio segment is playing so as to initiate the retrieval and replay of an audio
program that is associated with the audio link. For example, an audio link may
include the voice announcement of "baseball scores," which would allow a user to
select the link to prompt a program that delivers baseball scores as part of its content.
In another embodiment the user transmits other control commands
to the session control module 48 and, in turn, to the audio replay module 52 to
control the replay on the content. In one embodiment, such additional commands
are a pause command, a fast forward command, a rewind command, a stop
command, a reset command, a logical jump command, a slow or tempo speed
command, volume control commands, equalization commands, a parallel segment
selection command, and a sign off command.
The delivery of segments as parallel layers is preferably facilitated
by the audio replay module 52. The audio replay module 52 receives control signals
from the application replay module 50 that include an identification ofthe segments
that are to be delivered to the user replay device. In one embodiment, the control
data further includes an effect identifier. The effect identifier includes segment
layering, and segment mixing. As control signals are received from the user device,
the application replay module 50 responds to the control signals by transmitting
corresponding data to the audio replay module 52 to facilitate the user request. For
example, a user request for a segment to be brought into prominence, results in a
control signal from the application replay module 50 to the audio replay module 52
to provide segment layering in accordance with the user selections.
Figure 4 illustrates the logical components of an audio program
replay system in accordance with the invention. The logical components include an
audio shell 62, an audio processor 64, and a telephone network interface 66. The
audio shell 62 facilitates flow control for the replay of an audio applications. The
audio shell 62 facilitates commands and functionality such as a login command,
database references and extraction, system set up and clean up, and other logical and
functional services. The audio shell 62 communicates with the audio processor 64
to replay audio content, which is delivered to the user replay device. The functions
provided by the audio processor 64 include audio playback, audio recording, audio
filtering, special effects, mixing, and audio arrangement. The telephone network
interface 66 is coupled to the audio processor 64 and to the audio shell 62 to
facilitate communication with a telephone network.
In operation, the audio shell 62 extracts audio application data and
implements logic and state flow for the audio program. The audio processor 64
facilitates the replay, arrangement, and production of audio content that is provided
to the user by employing the telephone network interface 66.
Figure 5 is a flow diagram of a process for facilitating the marketing
of musical content to consumers. The system ofthe present invention facilitates an
audio content distribution method for marketing musical content. The music
distribution method includes retrieving voice mail box addresses for target customers
(Step 68). A particular profile associated with the voice mail box address is also
retrieved (Step 69). Musical content is selected based on the profile that is
associated with the voice mail box (Step 70). The musical content is then
transmitted to the voice mail address (Step 71).
In one embodiment, the musical content is further associated with
control data that allows the consumer to initiate a process for the purchase of
products associated with the musical content delivered. In one embodiment, the
musical content includes a telephone number and a coded password which
corresponds to the user and the musical content delivered. The telephone number
and password accordingly facilitate the purchase ofthe song.
The method then proceeds to the next voicemail address in the
voicemail address list employed by the system, and selects musical content for the
particular user (Step 72). In another embodiment, uniform musical content is sent
to all voicemail boxes without employing a consumer profile. In another
embodiment, a marketing profile is used to select voicemail boxes from the
voicemail box database in accordance with a particular criteria for the reception of
musical content which is marketed by the system. For example, some content is
directed to consumers of an 18 to 24 age group. Accordingly, the voicemail address
profiles are searched for consumers of that particular age group so as to transmit the
content to targeted consumers.
Figure 6 illustrates a process for replaying an audio program in
accordance with the invention. The process includes executing an audio shell (Step
74). An audio application is then retrieved by the system (Step 75). The system
determines the audio content segments that are associated with the application (Step
76). The system arranges and modifies the segments according to data associated
with the audio application (Step 77). The system goes on to replay the program that
results from the arrangement ofthe segments (Step 78). Additionally, the system
receives user input and acts in accordance with such user input to modify the
replaying ofthe audio program (Step 78, 80).
Figure 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for arranging audio
content for replay in a system of the present invention. The method includes
collecting audio data from various sources (Step 82). The system converts the audio
data to a uniform format (Step 83). In one embodiment, the system converts the
audio data to a WAVE format. The system then assigns tag information to the audio
content (Step 84). In one embodiment, each segment is assigned tag information
which is later used to identify the audio segment. The system stores the data, in
accordance with the tags that are assigned to the content, in the audio content
database (Step 85).
The navigable audio delivery system ofthe present invention can be
employed to facilitate music previews in a music store. Generally, consumers would
like to preview the content of an audio product before buying the product. For
example, when buying music compact discs, consumers would like to preview the
music on the disc. Some merchants provide listening stations that allow the
consumer to preview a limited number of musical selections. However, most
selections are not available from the listening station. Accordingly, there is a need
for a system that allows consumers to preview a wider range of musical content.
Therefore, in accordance with the invention, a musical content
preview system is facilitated. The preview system includes a wireless
communication device, and the navigable audio system. The wireless
communication device includes a scanning module. The scanning module is adapted
to scan a code on musical content packaging. The wireless communication device
is coupled to the musical content server by a wireless communication link. In
response to signals from the wireless communication device, the musical content
server transmits audio content corresponding to the musical content in the scanned
package.
The following is an exemplary scenario, illustrating a process for
previewing musical content by employing a method and system in accordance with
the invention. A consumer enters a music store and browses through the selections.
The consumer finds a particular CD that could possibly be appealing to the
consumer. But the consumer does not know for sure whether he or she will like the
music. One option is to purchase the CD and listen to it later at home, hoping that
the right decision was made. A second option is provided by a method and system
in accordance with the present invention.
The consumer, when entering the music store, is handed an in-store
cordless audio device. The device can receive and transmit signals within the store.
The device is preferably further associated with a security interface that prevents
removing the device from the store. A bar-code scanner is integrated into the device.
In another embodiment, the device includes a numeric keypad which is used to enter
a product code. The device also includes an audio replay module and a cordless
telephone module. The audio replay module advantageously provides audio to an
output device, such as headphones. The cordless audio device facilitates the
communication ofthe device with an audio server ofthe store.
The consumer employs the device to preview musical content
corresponding to a product of interest. The consumer scans the bar-code ofthe a CD
so as to provide the product code of the CD to the device. The device transmits
control signals to the in-store audio server to request the replay ofthe audio content
corresponding to the product code. The in-store audio server preferably
communicates with the device via Bluetooth.
In another embodiment, the device is a wireless telephone. The
product code is entered by employing the telephone keypad. The wireless telephone
preferably establishes communication with the in-store audio server by regular
telephone communication.
An interactive audio program that facilitates the preview ofthe audio
content is then delivered to- the consumer by the server. The interactive audio
program preferably allows the consumer to browse various portions ofthe content
as determined by the particular store or music label.
Although the present invention was discussed in terms of certain
preferred embodiments, the description is not limited to such embodiments. Rather,
the invention includes other embodiments including those apparent to a person of
ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the scope ofthe invention should not be limited by
the preceding description but should be ascertained by reference to the claims that
follow.