Method and apparatus for controlling play of an audio signal

Abstract

Apparatus and methods conforming to the present invention comprise a method of controlling playback of an audio signal through analysis of a corresponding close caption signal in conjunction with analysis of the corresponding audio signal. Objection text or other specified text in the close caption signal is identified through comparison with user identified objectionable text. Upon identification of the objectionable text, the audio signal is analyzed to identify the audio portion corresponding to the objectionable text. Upon identification of the audio portion, the audio signal may be controlled to mute the audible objectionable text.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a non-provisional application claiming priority to provisional application 60 / 497,769 titled “Filtering of Media Content Based On the Analysis of the Associated Audio Signal; Using Associated Closed Captioning Signal to Aid in the Analysis” filed on Aug. 26, 2003, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to playing and audio / visual presentation and more particularly a method and apparatus for filtering objectionable words from and audio signal. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Live and taped television and radio programming, movies, and various audio presentations oftentimes include profanity, slurs, and other words or phrases that a particular person may find objectionable. In many instances, people actively avoid a presentation because of the presence of objectionable language. Moreover, it is often the case that parents seek to prohibit their...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022] A fourth aspect of the invention involves a method of controlling playback of an audio presentation comprising: receiving an indication of at least one objectionable word; receiving an audio signal; storing the audio signal in a memory; processing the stored audio signal to determine whether the at least one objectionable word is present in the audio signal; and controlling an audio presentation of the audio signal as a function of the operation of processing. The operation of controlling may com...

Problems solved by technology

In many instances, people actively avoid a presentation because of the presence of objectionable language.

Moreover, it is often the case that parents seek to prohibit their children from being exposed to such language.

However, muting an entire phrase often results in large incomplete sections of dialogue—resulting in poor viewer comprehension and increased viewer frustration.

The overall result oftentimes degrades the quality of the audio presentation.

However, the processing elements are dedicated to the processing of the audio / visual signals, and have little excess bandwidth to perform other operations.

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