US 9,317,486 B1 · Synchronizing playback of digital content with captured physical content

Abstract

A computing device may provide a visual cue to items of content (for example, words in a book) synchronized with the playback of companion content (for example, audio content corresponding to the book). Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a content playback synchronization system for use with physical books (or other physical media). In an embodiment, the computing device captures images of the physical book and may display a visual cue (for example, an underline, box, dot, cursor, or the like) to identify a current location in textual content of the captured and displayed images of the physical book corresponding to a current output position of companion audio content. As the audio content is presented (i.e., as it “plays back”), the highlight and/or visual cue may be advanced to maintain synchronization between the output position within the audio content and a corresponding position in the displayed physical textual content.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A device for synchronizing output of an audio book with a corresponding physical book, the device comprising:

an image capture device configured to capture an image of a section of a physical book;
a processor configured to:
adjust an alignment of text in the image;
determine a boundary that encloses a word of the text in the image;
identify a portion of the image within the boundary;
and
apply an emphasis to the portion of the image;
a display device configured to display the image;
an audio output device configured to output an audio book corresponding to the physical book;
and
a data store configured to store synchronization information for associating the word with a corresponding portion of the audio book,
wherein the processor is in communication with the image capture device, the display device, the audio output device, and the data store, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
cause the display device to display the image, including the portion to which the emphasis has been applied, as the corresponding portion of the audio book is being audibly output by the audio output device, based at least in part on the synchronization information.

10 more elements

A computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with specific computer executable instructions,
capturing, by an image capture device, an image of a section of a physical book;
adjusting an alignment of text in the image;
determining a boundary that encloses a word of the text in the image;
identifying a portion of the image within the boundary;
applying an emphasis to the portion of the image;
outputting, by an audio output device, an audio book corresponding to the physical book;
accessing a data store configured to store synchronization information for associating the word with a corresponding portion of the audio book;
and
causing a display device to display the image, including the portion to which the emphasis has been applied, as the corresponding portion of the audio book is being audibly output by the audio output device, based at least in part on the synchronization information.

7 more elements

A system for synchronizing output of an audio book with a corresponding physical book, the system comprising:

a synchronization device comprising:
an image capture device configured to capture an image of a section of a physical book;
a processor configured to:
adjust an alignment of text in the image;
determine a boundary that encloses a word of the text in the image;
identify a portion of the image within the boundary;
and
apply an emphasis to the portion of the image;
a display device configured to display the image;
and
an audio output device configured to output an audio book corresponding to the physical book,
wherein the processor is in communication with the image capture device, the display device, and the audio output device;
and
a remote data store in communication with the synchronization device and configured to store synchronization information for associating the word with a corresponding portion of the audio book,
wherein the processor is further configured to:
access the synchronization information from the remote data store;
and
cause the display device to display the image, including the portion to which the emphasis has been applied, as the corresponding portion of the audio book is being audibly output by the audio output device, based at least in part on the synchronization information.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Synchronizing playback of digital content with captured physical content

Life of this patent

Synchronizing playback of digital content with captured physical content

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26