Abstract
A method for continuing an ongoing reproduction of audio and/or video content from a first source after a temporary interruption to or overlay on the ongoing reproduction by a reproduction of audio and/or video content from a second source comprises storing a first time marking the beginning of an interruption to or overlay on the ongoing reproduction of the audio and/or video content from the first source with a reproduction of audio and/or video content from a second source. If the first source provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, the received audio and/or video content is recorded at least from the first time onward. The end of the interruption or overlay is detected, and audio and/or video content from the first source or the recording is reproduced from a point consistent with the first time.
Claims
1. A method for continuing an ongoing reproduction of audio and/or video content from a first source after a temporary interruption to or overlay on the ongoing reproduction, comprising: storing a first time marking the beginning of an interruption to or overlay on the ongoing reproduction of the audio and/or video content from the first source with a reproduction of audio and/or video content from a second source; if the first source provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, detecting whether the audio and/or video content substantially contains speech information at least from the first time onward, recording the received audio and/or video content at least from the first time onward if the audio and/or video content substantially contains speech content, detecting the end of the interruption or overlay, and reproducing the audio and/or video content from the first source or the recording at a point consistent with the first time.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, if the first source provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, a quantity of signals from the first source that is consistent with a first reproduction duration is continuously recorded in a ring buffer, said signals being placed at the front of the recording, and wherein reproduction of the recording after the end of the interruption or overlay is begun with the content of the ring buffer.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, additionally comprising: analysing the content of the recording for a linguistic syntax, wherein the point in the recording that is before the first time, and from which reproduction is continued, is a start of a sentence interrupted by the interruption or overlay.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, additionally comprising: analysing the recording for the presence of speech content, and reproducing the recording from the first source beginning at a point from which speech content is contained in the recording.
5. The method as claimed in claim 4, additionally comprising: receiving a user input prompting reproduction of a recorded audio and/or video content to be terminated after the interruption or overlay, in which case undelayed reproduction of a received signal is effected.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, if the first source provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, the recording is continued during reproduction.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein reproduction of the recording is effected at an increased reproduction speed in comparison with a normal reproduction speed until a time at which the reproduced audio and/or video content is consistent with the audio and/or video content received.
8. An apparatus for continuing an ongoing reproduction of audio and/or video content from a first source after a temporary interruption to or overlay on the ongoing reproduction, comprising: an interface for actuating at least one loudspeaker for reproducing audio content and/or for actuating at least one display for reproducing video content, a microprocessor, main memory, nonvolatile memory, an interface for accessing means for locally storing audio and/or video content that are communicatively connected to one another by means of one or more data lines and/or data buses for transmitting data and/or control signals, wherein the nonvolatile memory contains computer program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor during access to the main memory, set up the apparatus to carry out operations comprising: storing a first time marking the beginning of an interruption to or overlay on the ongoing reproduction of the audio and/or video content from the first source with a reproduction of audio and/or video content from a second source; if the first source provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, detecting whether the audio and/or video content substantially contains speech information at least from the first time onward, recording the received audio and/or video content at least from the first time onward if the audio and/or video content substantially contains speech content, detecting the end of the interruption or overlay, and reproducing the audio and/or video content from the first source or the recording at a point consistent with the first time.
9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein, if the first source provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, a quantity of signals from the first source that is consistent with a first reproduction duration is continuously recorded in a ring buffer, said signals being placed at the front of the recording, and wherein reproduction of the recording after the end of the interruption or overlay is begun with the content of the ring buffer.
10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nonvolatile memory contains computer program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor during access to the main memory, set up the apparatus to carry out further operations comprising: analysing the content of the recording for a linguistic syntax, wherein the point in the recording that is before the first time, and from which reproduction is continued, is a start of a sentence interrupted by the interruption or overlay.
11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the nonvolatile memory contains computer program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor during access to the main memory, set up the apparatus to carry out further operations comprising: analysing the recording for the presence of speech content, and reproducing the recording from the first source beginning at a point from which speech content is contained in the recording.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the nonvolatile memory contains computer program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor during access to the main memory, set up the apparatus to carry out further operations comprising: receiving a user input prompting reproduction of a recorded audio and/or video content to be terminated after the interruption or overlay, in which case undelayed reproduction of a received signal is effected.
13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein, if the first source provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, the recording is continued during reproduction.
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein reproduction of the recording is effected at an increased reproduction speed in comparison with a normal reproduction speed until a time at which the reproduced audio and/or video content is consistent with the audio and/or video content received.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] Aspects of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:
[0029] FIG. 1 shows a first schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on the prior art,
[0030] FIG. 2 shows a second schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on the prior art,
[0031] FIG. 3 shows a third schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on the prior art,
[0032] FIG. 4 shows a fourth schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on the prior art,
[0033] FIG. 5 shows a fifth schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on the prior art,
[0034] FIG. 6 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a first aspect of the invention,
[0035] FIG. 7 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a second aspect of the invention,
[0036] FIG. 8 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a third aspect of the invention,
[0037] FIG. 9 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a fourth aspect of the invention,
[0038] FIG. 10 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a fifth aspect of the invention,
[0039] FIG. 11 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a sixth aspect of the invention,
[0040] FIG. 12 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a seventh aspect of the invention,
[0041] FIG. 13 shows an exemplary schematic block diagram of an aspect of the invention, and
[0042] FIG. 14 shows a simplified exemplary flowchart of an aspect of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] In the figures of the drawing, identical or similar elements are provided with identical reference signs.
[0044] FIGS. 1 to 5, showing the prior art, have already been discussed in detail earlier on and are not explained again at this juncture.
[0045] FIG. 6 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a first aspect of the invention. Furthermore, the signal from the first source Q1 is reproduced. The first source Q1 is, by way of example, a reproduction device reproducing a locally accessible recording of an audio and/or video signal. At the time t1, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is interrupted by reproduction of the signal from a second source Q2. In this case, reproduction of the signal from the first source is paused or stopped at the time t1, indicated by the pause symbol 302. As soon as reproduction of the signal from the second source Q2 is finished, at the time t2 in the figure, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is continued, indicated by the play symbol 304. However, reproduction is effected not at the point that was reproduced at the time t1, but rather at a point that has already been reproduced beforehand at a time t0, which is before the time t1. At the time t2, the content of the signal from the first source Q1 that has already been reproduced beforehand at the time t0 is thus reproduced. Only at the time t3 is the point in the content of the signal from the first source Q1 that would have been reproduced without the interruption at the time t1 reproduced. Before reproduction is continued, the content of the signal from the source Q1 has thus been rewound more or less by the time difference t1t0.
[0046] FIG. 7 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a second aspect of the invention. As described with reference to FIG. 6, the signal from the first source Q1 is first of all reproduced. The first source Q1 is, by way of example, a reproduction device reproducing a locally accessible recording of an audio and/or video signal. At the time Ti, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is interrupted after a fade-out process by reproduction of the signal from a second source Q2, which begins with a fade-in process. In this case, reproduction of the signal from the first source is paused or stopped at the time t1, indicated by the pause symbol 302. As soon as reproduction of the signal from the second source Q2 is finished after a fade-out process, at the time t2 in the figure, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is continued with a fade-in process, indicated by the play symbol 304. The fade-in and fade-out processes are indicated by the sloping edges of the bars depicting the sources. As in the example explained with reference to FIG. 6, reproduction is continued not at the point that was reproduced at the time t1, however, but rather at a point that has already been reproduced beforehand at a time t0, which is before the time t1. At the time t2, the content of the signal from the first source Q1 that has already been reproduced beforehand at the time t0 is thus reproduced. Only at the time t3 is the point in the content of the signal from the first source Q1 that would have been reproduced without the interruption at the time t1 reproduced. Before reproduction is continued, the content of the signal from the source Q1 has thus been rewound more or less by the time difference t1t0. In this example, the content of the first source has thus been reproduced twice at least during the respective fade-out and fade-in processes, so that overall no part of the content from the first source evades being heard or seen by a user as a result of the fade-in and fade-out processes.
[0047] FIG. 8 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a third aspect of the invention. At the time t1, an interruption to the reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is initiated with a fade-out process. At the same time, a fade-in process for the signal from the second source is performed. The fade-in and fade-out processes are finished at the time t1 interrupted by reproduction of the signal from a second source Q2, which begins with a fade-in process. At the end of the interruption, a corresponding fade-out and fade-in process is effected between t2 and t2. In this case, as in the example described with reference to FIG. 7, reproduction of the signal from the first source at the time t2 is continued not at the point at which the fade-out process began, but rather at an earlier point that was reproduced at the time t0. In this example, even more of the content of the signal from the first source Q1 is repeated than as a result of the fade-out and fade-in processes. The rewinding can be effected, by way of example, to the start of a chapter of an audiobook or to a start of a sentence interrupted by the interruption, which means that the whole sentence or the whole chapter can be heard without interruption.
[0048] FIG. 9 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a fourth aspect of the invention. First of all, the signal from the first source Q1, which provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, is reproduced. At the time t1, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is interrupted by reproduction of the signal from a second source Q2. From this time onward, the signal from the first source is recorded, indicated by the record symbol 306. As soon as reproduction of the signal from the second source Q2 is finished, at the time t2 in the figure, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is continued, indicated by the play symbol 304. In this case, reproduction is continued from the beginning of the recording, indicated by the source label Q1 (REC). Recording of the signals from the first source continues in this case, by way of example, until a command to stop the recording is received, or until a user selects a different source for reproduction.
[0049] FIG. 10 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a fifth aspect of the invention. The initial situation is similar to that of FIG. 9, but before reproduction of the first source is switched to reproduction of the second source, a fade-out process takes place between t1 and t1, and corresponding fade-out and fade-in processes take place at the end of the interruption between t2 and t2. As described earlier on with reference to the prior art, it is possible that content may no longer or not yet be heard or seen from a particular time onward during the fade-out or fade-in process.
[0050] FIG. 11 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a sixth aspect of the invention. The initial situation is consistent with that of FIG. 9, but the signal from the first source is continuously recorded in a ring memory, so that a certain period of time from the signal, in each case comprising a directly preceding period, is stored at each time. First of all, the signal from the first source Q1, which provides audio and/or video content received and reproduced substantially in real time, is reproduced. At the time t1, there is a switch to the second source Q2, reproduction of which is finished at the time t2. From the time t1 onward, the signal from the first source is recorded, indicated by the record symbol 306. The content that the ring memory contains from the first source, that is to say the period t1 to t1, is placed at the front of the recording. As soon as reproduction of the signal from the second source Q2 is finished, at the time t2 in the figure, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is continued, indicated by the play symbol 304. In this case, reproduction is continued from the beginning of the recording to which the content of the ring memory has been added, indicated by the source label Q1 (REC from t1). Recording of the signals from the first source continues in this case, by way of example, until a command to stop the recording is received, or until a user selects a different source for reproduction.
[0051] FIG. 12 shows a schematic depiction of a reproduction of a signal from a first source that is interrupted by a signal from a second source, based on a seventh aspect of the invention. The initial situation is consistent with that of FIG. 10, but the signal from the first source is continuously recorded in a ring memory, so that a certain period of time from the signal, in each case comprising a directly preceding period, is stored at each time. At the time t1, a fade-out process is initiated and reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is interrupted at the time t1 by reproduction of the signal from a second source Q2. From the time t1 onward, the signal from the first source is recorded, indicated by the record symbol 306. The content that the ring memory contains from the first source is placed at the front of the recording. As soon as reproduction of the signal from the second source Q2 is finished, at the time t2 in the figure, reproduction of the signal from the first source Q1 is continued, indicated by the play symbol 304. In this case, reproduction is continued from the beginning of the recording to which the content of the ring memory has been added, indicated by the source label Q1 (REC from t1). Recording of the signals from the first source continues in this case, by way of example, until a command to stop the recording is received, or until a user selects a different source for reproduction. This example has the assurance that content situated in the area of the fade-in and fade-out that possibly can no longer be heard or seen completely at particular times during the fade-in and fade-out processes can be heard or seen with certainty as a result of the repetition.
[0052] FIG. 13 shows an exemplary schematic block diagram of an aspect of the invention. An interface 1302 for actuating at least one loudspeaker for reproducing audio content and/or for actuating at least one display for reproducing video content (not shown) is communicatively connected to a microprocessor 1304, main memory 1306 and nonvolatile memory 1308, an interface 1310 for accessing means for locally storing audio and/or video content (not shown) and an optional apparatus 1314 for recognising speech by means of one or more data lines and/or data buses 1312 for transmitting data and control signals. The non-volatile memory in this case contains computer program instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor during access to the main memory, carry out the method steps of one or more of the aforementioned aspects of the invention.
[0053] FIG. 14 shows a simplified exemplary flowchart of an aspect of the invention. In step 1402, the signal from the first source is reproduced, and in step 1404 a check is performed to determine whether an interruption is effected by reproduction of a signal from a second source. If not, no branch from step 1404, reproduction of the signal from the first source is continued. If there is an interruption, yes branch from step 1404, a first time is stored, step 1406, and optionallyindicated by the dashed borderthe signal from the first source is recorded from the first time onward, step 1408. In parallel with this, there is a switch to reproduction of the second source, and appropriate fade-out and fade-in processes are carried out, in step 1410, and the second source is reproduced in step 1412. In step 1414, a check is performed to determine whether reproduction of the second source, that is to say the interruption, is at an end. If not, no branch from step 1414, reproduction of the second source is continued. If yes, yes branch from step 1414, there is a switch to reproduction of the first source, and appropriate fade-out and fade-in processes are carried out, in step 1416, and in step 1418 the first source or the recording of the first source is reproduced from the first time onward.
