Methods and systems for audio-visual synchronization
AssigneeIntuit Inc.
InventorPhillip J. Ohme
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Audio-visual synchronization using retrieval of visual data through a network to enhance the content presented to the user and to provide the user with a more meaningful and engaging audio-visual experience. An audio player such as an electronic book reader or stereo plays an audio file. The audio file, whether in analog form as played through a speaker or in digital form, is provided to a controller, which scans the audio file to detect a trigger or cue identifying visual data stored in a data store or database that is local or accessible through a network. The controller accesses the data store or database, downloads the pre-determined visual data, and controls the audio player and display such that playing of audio data and display of the retrieved visual data are synchronized with each other.
Claims32
A computer-implemented method for audio-visual synchronization, the method comprising computer-implemented steps of:
- receiving an audio file from a first source, wherein an audio player of a user also receives the audio file;
- identifying, at a pre-determined location within the audio file, a trigger indicating when stored pre-determined visual data should be retrieved from a second source different than the first source;
- accessing the second source through a network, the second source comprising data store or database storing visual data;
- searching the data store or database of the second source to identify visual data associated with the identified trigger indicating when stored pre-determined visual data should be retrieved from the second source different from the first source;
- receiving the identified pre-determined visual data from the second source through the network;
- and
- coordinating playing of the audio file with the audio player and providing the received pre-determined visual data to a display such that the visual data is displayed with a pre-determined segment of the audio file played by the audio player.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.