# US 10,122,961 B2 · Closed captioning management system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,961 B2 - Document ID: US10122961B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/340,925 - Filed: 2016-11-01 - Published: 2017-02-23 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-04-24 - Assignees: MobiTV, Inc. - Applicants: MobiTV, Inc. - Inventors: Torbjorn Einarsson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122961B2 ## CPC - H04N 7/0885: {for the transmission of subtitles} - H04L 65/1089: by adding media; by removing media - H04N 21/41407: {embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop (constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57)} - H04N 21/42202: {environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes} - H04N 21/42203: {sound input device, e.g. microphone} - H04N 21/4884: {for displaying subtitles} - H04N 21/6181: {involving transmission via a mobile phone network (arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Media content typically includes closed captioning information such as subtitled in domestic and foreign languages. Techniques and mechanisms provide that closed captioning information may be toggled on/off using menu options and preferences as well as automatically managed by intelligently monitoring the environment surrounding a device. Device sensors such as microphones and vibration monitors determine the noise level of an environment as well as the spectral characteristics of the noise to determine whether the noise profile would interfere with the video playback experience. A particular environmental noise profile could automatically trigger the display of closed captioning information or present an easy access, otherwise unavailable toggle to display closed captioning information associated with a video stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: generating a sound profile for a media content file; generating an environmental noise profile based on environmental noise; determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience of the media stream, wherein determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience of the media stream includes comparing spectral components of the environmental noise profile and temporal characteristics of the environmental noise profile to the sound profile of the media, wherein determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience includes determining whether the environmental noise exceeds both a loudness and temporal threshold, wherein temporarily loud events that exceed the loudness threshold but not the temporal threshold are categorized as not having an adverse impact on the viewing experience; and automatically activating closed captioning for a video program in the media stream upon determining that the environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the environmental noise profile includes using a sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a microphone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor is a vibration detector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein environmental noise is continually monitored. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein spectral components of the environmental noise profile includes environmental noise duration. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein spectral components of the environmental noise profile includes environmental noise volume. ### Claim 8 A system, comprising: a processor; memory storing instructions to execute a method, the method comprising: generating a sound profile for a media content file; generating an environmental noise profile based on environmental noise; determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience of the media stream, wherein determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience of the media stream includes comparing spectral components of the environmental noise profile and temporal characteristics of the environmental noise profile to the sound profile of the media, wherein determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience includes determining whether the environmental noise exceeds both a loudness and temporal threshold, wherein temporarily loud events that exceed the loudness threshold but not the temporal threshold are categorized as not having an adverse impact on the viewing experience; and automatically activating closed captioning for a video program in the media stream upon determining that the environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein generating the environmental noise profile includes using a sensor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is a microphone. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor is a vibration detector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein environmental noise is continually monitored. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein spectral components of the environmental noise profile includes environmental noise duration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein spectral components of the environmental noise profile includes environmental noise volume. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions to execute a method, the method comprising: generating a sound profile for a media content file; generating an environmental noise profile based on environmental noise; determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience of the media stream, wherein determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience of the media stream includes comparing spectral components of the environmental noise profile and temporal characteristics of the environmental noise profile to the sound profile of the media, wherein determining that environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience includes determining whether the environmental noise exceeds both a loudness and temporal threshold, wherein temporarily loud events that exceed the loudness threshold but not the temporal threshold are categorized as not having an adverse impact on the viewing experience; and automatically activating closed captioning for a video program in the media stream upon determining that the environmental noise would adversely impact a viewing experience. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein generating the environmental noise profile includes using a sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the sensor is a microphone. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the sensor is a vibration detector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein environmental noise is continually monitored. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein spectral components of the environmental noise profile includes environmental noise duration.