Video synchronization based on audio

Abstract

A content reproduction screen displays a plurality of content items. A video reproduction processing section reproduces substantially simultaneously videos of a plurality of content items on a screen. An audio reproduction processing section reproduces substantially simultaneously audio signals of a plurality of content items. During reproduction of a plurality of content items, a comparison is made between a current reproduction position of the audio signal in an audio reproduction processing section and a current reproduction position of each video in the video reproduction processing section, and, if a discrepancy between the compared current reproduction positions is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the current reproduction position of the video is corrected on the basis of the current reproduction position of the audio signal. In this way, the current reproduction position of each video is synchronized with the reproduction position of the audio signal.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to a content reproduction (playback) method, apparatus and program for reproducing a content item comprising a combination of video data and audio data, and it relates more particularly to a technique for synchronously reproducing video data and audio data constituting a one content item. Further, the present invention relates to a technique for reproducing a plurality of content items substantially simultaneously. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a technique for creating a musical work by combining a plurality of performance content items.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]It has been known to simultaneously reproduce a plurality of content items each comprising video data and audio data. Such content items are reproduced in various environments, such as a general-purpose environment where a personal computer is used. In cases where a plurality of content items are to be reproduced simultaneously or sync...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention allows for easy synchronization between video and audio data during playback of content items. It also allows for easy switching between different content items while maintaining playback of multiple videos. Additionally, the invention makes it simple to create musical works using performance content items that combine video and audio data.

Problems solved by technology

Because video data has a great data quantity and a high compression ratio, an enormous number of arithmetic operations would be required if the synchronization processing is executed frequently.

Because of a heavy load of the aforementioned synchronization processing, content reproduction cannot be resumed immediately following the synchronization, so that the video cannot sometimes be reproduced smoothly.

Particularly, in cases where a plurality of content items are to be reproduced simultaneously, synchronism between the content items may be undesirably lost due to the heavy load of the aforementioned synchronization processing.

For example, in a case where one music piece (more specifically, an ensemble performance of one music piece) is to be reproduced with a plurality of content items, and particularly if reproduction of a plurality of audio signals of the content items is displaced from each other, reproduction of the music piece would fail musically.

However, the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 2, which requires complicated operations for extracting sound volume levels of a given time period and then performing a pattern matching comparison between the extracted sound volume levels, is not suited for synchronization processing performed in real time during content data reproduction.

With this method, however, it is not possible to change over to another video moving picture before the reproduction of any one the preceding moving pictures ends.

However, with this technique, where the reproduction position of the video moving picture to be added is moved in advance on the background, a user cannot newly designate a video moving picture during the reproduction of the plurality of video moving pictures.

The aforementioned DAW system is designed to be capable of creating a musical work in a precise manner and thus difficult for an unaccustomed user, unfamiliar with a music performance or musical work production of a musical work, to use.

However, this music content creation system is merely constructed such that a plurality of participants bring content corresponding to their assignments (content parts) like in so-called “collection of messages” and these content parts are synthesized by the server apparatus; it does not allow the individual participants to create and edit their musical works on their own or independently of each other, neither does it provide interfaces for such purposes.

However, this audio data recording / using system is based on the premise that a plurality of human players of musical instruments actually gather at the rehearsal studio, and thus, it requires various labor, such as one to gather a plurality of human players and to adjust schedules of the human players for the gathering.

Images