Private listening system for streaming audio and video

Abstract

Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a private listening system for streaming audio and video. Example embodiments operate by receiving a first selection of a first version of audio content for output to a first audio device connected to a streaming device. A second selection of a second version of audio content for output to a second audio device connected to the streaming device is received. A first version of the audio content is provided to the first audio device and a second version of the audio content is provided to the second audio device for simultaneous and synchronized output with the video content output to the video device.

Description

Background Art

[0001] One of the challenges of watching multimedia content on a shared device such as a TV is that different users who may want to share a viewing experience may have different audio preferences. However, with conventional settings, all users who want to share a viewing experience must also decide on and share the same audio experience. This can result in a degraded experience for everyone, especially those users who have to share a suboptimal audio experience when their preferences may differ from the audio preferences of the group or others. Summary of the invention

[0002] Provided herein are system, apparatus, articles of manufacture, method, and / or computer program product embodiments and / or combinations and sub-combinations thereof for a private listening system for streaming audio and video.

[0003] An example embodiment operates by determining video content being output to a video device. Determining that a first audio device and a second audio device are both connected to a streaming device configured to output audio content. Receive a first selection of a first version for output to the first audio device. Receive a second selection of a second version for output to the second audio device. Provide the first version of the audio content to the first audio device and provide the second version of the audio content to the second audio device for output simultaneously with and in coordination with the video content output to the video device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification.

[0005] Figure 1 A block diagram of a multimedia environment is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0006] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example media device is shown in accordance with some embodiments.

[0007] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a private listening system (PLS) according to some example embodiments.

[0008] Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of a private listening system (PLS) according to some embodiments.

[0009] Figure 5 An example computer system is shown for implementing various embodiments.

[0010] In the drawings, like reference numbers generally refer to like or similar elements. Additionally, usually, the leftmost digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0011] Provided herein are system, apparatus, device, method, and / or computer program product embodiments, and / or combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for a private listening system for streaming audio and video.

[0012] Various embodiments of the present disclosure may use Figure 1 The multimedia environment 102 shown implements and / or may be Figure 1 102. However, note that multimedia environment 102 is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not limiting. As will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art based on the teachings contained herein, embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using and / or may be a part of an environment other than and / or in addition to multimedia environment 102. An example of multimedia environment 102 will now be described.

[0013] Multimedia Environment

[0014] Figure 1 A block diagram of a multimedia environment 102 according to some embodiments is shown. In a non-limiting example, the multimedia environment 102 may refer to streaming media. However, the present disclosure is applicable to any type of media (instead of or in addition to streaming media) and any mechanism, means, protocol, method and / or process for distributing media.

[0015] The multimedia environment 102 may include one or more media systems 104. The media system 104 may represent a family room, kitchen, backyard, home theater, school classroom, library, car, boat, bus, airplane, movie theater, stadium, auditorium, park, bar, restaurant, or any other location or space where streaming content needs to be received and played. One or more users 132 may operate the media system 104 to select and consume content.

[0016] Each media system 104 may include one or more media devices 106, each of which is coupled to one or more display devices 108. Note that unless otherwise specified herein, terms such as "coupled," "connected to," "attached," "linked," "combined," and similar terms may refer to physical, electrical, magnetic, logical, etc.

[0017] The media device 106 may be a streaming device, a DVD or BLU-RAY device, an audio / video playback device, a cable box, and / or a digital video recording device, to name a few examples. The display device 108 may be a monitor, a television (TV), a computer, a smartphone, a tablet, a wearable device (e.g., a watch or glasses), a home appliance, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, and / or a projector, to name a few examples. In some embodiments, the media device 106 may be part of, integrated with, operably coupled to, and / or connected to its corresponding display device 108.

[0018] Each media device 106 can be configured to communicate with a network 118 via a communication device 114. The communication device 114 can include, for example, a cable modem or a satellite television transceiver. The media device 106 can communicate with the communication device 114 via a link 116, which can include a wireless (such as Wi-Fi) and / or wired connection.

[0019] In various embodiments, network 118 may include, but is not limited to, wired and / or wireless intranets, extranets, the Internet, cellular, Bluetooth, infrared and / or any other short-range, long-range, local, regional, global communication mechanisms, means, methods, protocols and / or networks, and any one or more combinations thereof.

[0020] The media system 104 may include a remote control 110. The remote control 110 may be any component, part, device, and / or method for controlling the media device 106 and / or the display device 108, such as a remote control, a tablet, a laptop, a smartphone, a wearable device, on-screen controls, integrated control buttons, audio controls, or any combination thereof, just to name a few examples. In an embodiment, the remote control 110 communicates wirelessly with the media device 106 and / or the display device 108 using cellular, Bluetooth, infrared, etc., or any combination thereof. The remote control 110 may include a microphone 112, which will be further described below.

[0021] The multimedia environment 102 may include a plurality of content servers 120 (also referred to as content providers, channels, or sources 120). Figure 1 Only one content server 120 is shown in the figure, but in practice, the multimedia environment 102 may include any number of content servers 120. Each content server 120 may be configured to communicate with the network 118.

[0022] Each content server 120 may store content 122 and metadata 124. Content 122 may include any combination of music, videos, movies, television programs, multimedia, images, still pictures, text, graphics, game applications, advertisements, program content, public service content, government content, local community content, software, and / or any other content or data object in electronic form.

[0023] In some embodiments, metadata 124 includes data about content 122. For example, metadata 124 may include associated or auxiliary information indicating or relating to writers, directors, producers, composers, artists, actors, summaries, chapters, productions, history, years, trailers, alternate versions, related content, applications, and / or any other information related to or associated with content 122. Metadata 124 may also or alternatively include links to any such information related to or associated with content 122. Metadata 124 may also or alternatively include one or more indexes to content 122, such as, but not limited to, trick mode indexes.

[0024] The multimedia environment 102 may include one or more system servers 126. The system servers 126 may operate to support the media devices 106 from the cloud. Note that the structural and functional aspects of the system servers 126 may reside in whole or in part in the same or different ones of the system servers 126.

[0025] The media devices 106 may be present in thousands or millions of media systems 104. Thus, the media devices 106 lend themselves to crowdsourcing embodiments, and therefore, the system servers 126 may include one or more crowdsourcing servers 128.

[0026] For example, using information received from thousands or millions of media devices 106 in a media system 104, one or more crowdsourcing servers 128 may identify similarities and overlaps between closed captioning requests made by different users 132 viewing a particular movie. Based on such information, one or more crowdsourcing servers 128 may determine that turning on closed captioning may enhance the viewing experience of users at certain parts of the movie (e.g., when it is difficult to hear the soundtrack of the movie), and turning off closed captioning may enhance the viewing experience of users at other parts of the movie (e.g., when displaying closed captioning obstructs key visual aspects of the movie). Thus, one or more crowdsourcing servers 128 may operate to cause closed captioning to be automatically turned on and / or off during future streaming of the movie.

[0027] The system server 126 may also include an audio command processing module 130. As described above, the remote control 110 may include a microphone 112. The microphone 112 may receive audio data from a user 132 (as well as other sources such as a display device 108). In some embodiments, the media device 106 may be audio-responsive, and the audio data may represent spoken commands from the user 132 to control the media device 106 as well as other components in the media system 104, such as the display device 108.

[0028] In some embodiments, audio data received by microphone 112 in remote control 110 is forwarded to media device 106 and then forwarded to audio command processing module 130 in system server 126. Audio command processing module 130 may operate to process and analyze the received audio data to identify spoken commands of user 132. Audio command processing module 130 may then forward the spoken commands back to media device 106 for processing.

[0029] In some embodiments, the audio data may alternatively or additionally be processed and analyzed by the audio command processing module 216 in the media device 106 (see Figure 2 The media device 106 and the system server 126 may then collaborate to select one of the spoken commands for processing (either the spoken command recognized by the audio command processing module 130 in the system server 126 or the spoken command recognized by the audio command processing module 216 in the media device 106).

[0030] Figure 2 A block diagram of an example media device 106 according to some embodiments is shown. The media device 106 may include a streaming module 202, a processing module 204, a memory / buffer 208, and a user interface module 206. The user interface module 206 may include an audio command processing module 216, as described above.

[0031] The media device 106 may also include one or more audio decoders 212 and one or more video decoders 214 .

[0032] Each audio decoder 212 can be configured to decode audio in one or more audio formats, such as, but not limited to, AAC, HE-AAC, AC3 (Dolby Digital), EAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus), WMA, WAV, PCM, MP3, OGG GSM, FLAC, AU, AIFF, and / or VOX, to name just a few examples.

[0033] Similarly, each video decoder 214 can be configured to decode video in one or more video formats, such as, but not limited to, MP4 (mp4, m4a, m4v, f4v, f4a, m4b, m4r, f4b, mov), 3GP (3gp, 3gp2, 3g2, 3gpp, 3gpp2), OGG (ogg, oga, ogv, ogx), WMV (wmv, wma, asf), WEBM, FLV, AVI, QuickTime, HDV, MXF (OP1a, OP-Atom), MPEG-TS, MPEG-2PS, MPEG-2TS, WAV, Broadcast WAV, LXF, GXF and / or VOB, just to name a few examples. Each video decoder 214 may include one or more video codecs, such as, but not limited to, H.263, H.264, HEV, MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG-TS, MPEG-4, Theora, 3GP, DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO, DVCProHD, IMX, XDCAM HD, XDCAM HD422 and / or XDCAM EX, to name just a few examples.

[0034] Now refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments, the user 132 may interact with the media device 106 via, for example, the remote control 110. For example, the user 132 may interact with the user interface module 206 of the media device 106 using the remote control 110 to select content, such as movies, television programs, music, books, applications, games, etc. The streaming module 202 of the media device 106 may request the selected content from one or more content servers 120 via the network 118. The one or more content servers 120 may send the requested content to the streaming module 202. The media device 106 may send the received content to the display device 108 for playback to the user 132.

[0035] In streaming embodiments, the streaming module 202 may transmit content to the display device 108 in real time or near real time as such content is received from one or more content servers 120. In non-streaming embodiments, the media device 106 may store content received from one or more content servers 120 in the memory / buffer 208 for later playback on the display device 108.

[0036] Private listening system

[0037] One of the challenges of watching multimedia content on a shared device such as a TV is that different users who may want to share a viewing experience may have different audio preferences. However, in conventional settings, all users who want to share a viewing experience must also decide on and share the same audio experience. This can result in a degraded experience for everyone, especially those users who have to share a suboptimal audio experience when their preferences may differ from the audio preferences of the group or the audio preferences of others.

[0038] Figure 3 3 is a block diagram 300 illustrating a private listening system (PLS) 302 according to some example embodiments. The PLS 302 may allow different users to enjoy unique and customizable audio experiences while sharing a viewing experience or screen. For example, a group of different users may be watching the same television program on a monitor 310 (the monitor may include a device such as a laptop, a projector, or a television with a visual output screen for multimedia), but through the PLS 302, each user may have their own unique and individually adjustable audio settings, which may include settings such as language, volume, bass, treble, mute, etc.

[0039] The PLS 302 may enable multiple different versions or tracks of audio content 324 to be synchronized simultaneously and output through a variety of different listening devices and coordinated with the video content 322 output through the monitor 310. For example, a primary speaker 312 (such as a television's built-in speakers or a sound bar) may output the default or primary audio for various users of a program, movie, or other multimedia being played on the monitor 310. However, there may be other users viewing the video content 322 on the monitor 310 who have unique audio or listening preferences or requirements that differ from the content output through the primary speaker 312.

[0040] While conventionally these users with unique audio preferences must listen to the same audio as everyone else through the default speaker system, the PLS 302 allows each of these users to uniquely customize their own listening and audio experience on their own personal audio devices 314A, 314B while sharing the same viewing experience on the television or monitor 310.

[0041] The streaming media device 106 may be a streaming media player that receives the video content 322 and the audio content 324 from the content server 120 as described above. In some embodiments, the video content 322 and the audio content 324 may be received synchronously in real time. In some embodiments, the streaming media device 106 may have a buffer in which the streaming media device 106 can store the received video content 322 and / or audio content 324 before outputting it.

[0042] In some embodiments, the streaming media player 106 can be connected to a monitor 310 (such as a television) and a main speaker 312 (such as a sound bar) via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the streaming media device 106, the monitor 310, and the main speaker 312 can all be coupled to one device or system, such as a smart (SMART) TV or other Internet of Things (IoT) device.

[0043] In some embodiments, the streaming device 106 can provide video content 322 to the video decoder 214 and provide audio content 324 to the primary audio decoder 212 for output. In some embodiments, the streaming device 106 can perform synchronization so that the video content output via the monitor 310 is synchronized with the audio content 324 output via the primary speaker 312 and any other connected audio devices 314A, 314B.

[0044] The streaming device 106 may be connected to the PLS 302 by wire or wirelessly. In some embodiments, the PLS 302 functionality may be integrated into the physical streaming device 106 or as part of the physical streaming device 106 (which may be physically located near the main speaker 312 and the audio devices 314A, 314B, or connected via the same wired network connection, Wi-Fi network, or Bluetooth connection). In some embodiments, the PLS 302 functionality may be at least partially executed on one or more cloud computing devices that may be coupled to the streaming device 106 and / or one or more of the audio devices 314A, 314B via a network communication. In some embodiments, the cloud computing device may provide version 308A to the audio device 314A and / or version 308B to the audio device 314B on behalf of and / or in lieu of the streaming device 106 providing the versions 308A, 308B.

[0045] The PLS 302 may enable different users to select, customize, and receive different versions or tracks of audio content 324 on their respective audio devices 314A, 314B (collectively referred to herein as audio devices 314). The audio devices 314 may include any device with audio output capabilities, including but not limited to a mobile phone, a remote control, a hearing aid, one or more speakers, headphones, a subwoofer, a tablet, a laptop, or an IoT device. The audio device 314 may include a wired or wireless channel or connection to the PLS 302, such as WI-FI, Bluetooth, or cellular.

[0046] The PLS 302 may allow each user of the audio device 314 to customize their personal audio preferences, which may include selecting which track or version of the audio content 324 to play, and the audio characteristics (e.g., bass, treble, balance, volume) of the selected version. The PLS 302 may receive and / or store these preferences as an audio pair 304A, 304B (generally referred to as an audio pair 304).

[0047] In some embodiments, the audio pair 304 may include a device identifier 306A, 306B and a version 308A, 308B (as well as any user-specified audio characteristics). The device ID 306 may refer to one of the connected audio devices 314A, 314B. The version 308 may identify a selected track or version of the audio content 324 to be output to the corresponding device ID 306. In some embodiments, the version 308 may also indicate customized audio characteristics of the selected audio (e.g., volume, bass, treble, balance, etc.).

[0048] In some embodiments, audio content 324 may include different versions of video content 322 or audio of different soundtracks. Different versions of audio may include different sound characteristics, languages, vocabulary, music, sound effects, or other variations. Some examples of different soundtracks may include English audio, Spanish audio, an audio description track for the hearing impaired, a track with director's commentary, a track with voice enhancement for use with hearing aids or other audio devices, and a child-friendly track in which certain adult vocabulary is replaced, muted, or deleted.

[0049] In some embodiments, the PLS 320 may receive a selection of versions 308A, 308B, in which tracks from the audio content 324 are to be output to each of the audio devices 314A, 314B, and submit a corresponding request to the content server 120. In some embodiments, the content server 120 may package the selected tracks or versions together as audio content 324, which may be transmitted together to the streaming device 106. Then, for example, the streaming device 106 and / or the PLS 302 may decode the selected tracks using an audio decoder (212, 312A, 312B) to output to each corresponding audio output device (312, 314A, 314B). In some embodiments, each audio decoder may output a different (user-selected or default) track from the audio content 324.

[0050] As described above, the streaming device 106 and / or PLS 302 can maintain or provide synchronization between all output audio versions or tracks and the video content 322 output via the monitor 310. This can allow different individuals to enjoy and experience different audio tracks of the video content 322 while also enjoying the visual experience of the shared video content 322 at the same time.

[0051] At any point in time, the user of the audio device 314 may change the selection of the audio track they want to hear (e.g., they may change the language from English to Hindi), and the PLS 302 may transmit that request to the content server 120, which may begin streaming the Hindi audio package as part of the audio content 324 (if not already received as part of the audio content 324). In some embodiments, the PLS 302 may already have access to the Hindi audio track and may provide the Hindi audio track to the requesting device, while the audio output to the remaining audio devices remains unchanged.

[0052] In some embodiments, these changes to the selected tracks can be performed directly from the audio device 314A (e.g., a mobile phone), and other users may not be aware of the audio changes, or which tracks were selected by the user of the audio device 314A. In some embodiments, the user of the audio device 314A can mute their audio while the audio content 324 continues to be audibly output via the primary speaker 312 and the audio device 314B.

[0053] In some embodiments, different users or audio devices 314 may be associated with different audio preferences, which may be stored as profiles 316A, 316B (generally referred to as profiles 316). Profiles 316 may be stored locally on the audio device 314 by the PLS 302, the streaming device 106, and / or across one or more cloud computing devices. Profiles 316 may include preferences such as preferred language and / or other audio settings or features (e.g., volume, bass, treble, balance, etc.). This is described in more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17 / 862,273, filed on July 11, 2022 by Soh et al., entitled “Automatic Parental Control Using A Remote Control Or Mobile App,” which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0054] In some embodiments, the user of the audio device 314 can personalize other audio settings or features, such as bass, treble, volume, balance, etc. These can be saved as part of the configuration file 316 or version 308, or can be a one-time setting for the current connection of the PLS 302, which can be reset to the default settings the next time it is used or connected. In some embodiments, these audio settings can be adjusted locally on the audio device 314 (if possible), such as through the interface of the mobile phone. In some embodiments, it may be necessary to adjust the audio settings at the streaming device 106 and / or PLS 302 through the shared user interface 340 displayed on the monitor 310. For example, the user of the audio device 314B can increase the bass setting of their audio track, while the bass setting of the audio track output via the main speaker 312 and the audio device 314A is not affected.

[0055] The user interface 340 may include any visual interface that may be displayed via the monitor 310 and that allows for adjustment of the audio of the primary speaker 312, the audio device 314A, and / or the audio device 314B. In some embodiments, the user interface 340 may be displayed as an overlay on top of the video content 322. In some embodiments, the PLS 302 may enable multiple users to simultaneously adjust their audio settings via the user interface 340, as the user interface 340 may simultaneously display multiple boxes indicating the audio characteristics of each audio output device 312, 314A, 314B, which may be connected to different remote controls configured to adjust the characteristics.

[0056] In some embodiments, a user adjusts their audio selection for version 308, which may cause the video content 322 (and corresponding audio content 324) to pause for each connected audio output device. In other embodiments, the video content 322 may continue to play while one or more users update the audio version or settings. Although not shown, the audio version of the primary audio decoder 212 played through the primary speaker 312 (if present) may be modified and adjusted using its own audio pair 304 and / or configuration file 316 as described herein.

[0057] In some embodiments, if all audio output devices (312, 316A, 316B) include a selection of the same audio track or the same version of audio content 324, the streaming device 106 or PLS 302 can output a single wireless stream of audio content 324 (e.g., through a single audio decoder), and each audio output device can be configured to listen to that stream (e.g., rather than having its own unique dedicated audio channel). However, if audio device 314A switches to a different audio track or adjusts its audio settings, a different audio channel can be established for each audio output device (as shown).

[0058] In some embodiments, if one of the audio devices 314A, 314B or a channel is detected to be disconnected while the video content 322 is being streamed, the PLS 302 can pause the video output for each person. A prompt can be displayed on the user interface 340, which allows the user to confirm whether the disconnection is intentional before resuming the video output. In some embodiments, the video can continue to play when the audio devices 314A, 314B are connected to the PLS 302 and / or disconnected from the PLS 302 or the audio preferences of the audio devices 314A, 314B are adjusted. In some embodiments, a visual notification indicating which connection is disconnected or terminated can appear on the user interface 340 or monitor 310 that is outputting the video content 322.

[0059] If the video content 322 has advertisements, in some embodiments, different audio advertisements may be provided to different audio output devices 312, 314A, 314B based on their selection of which audio tracks to receive. In some embodiments, the video content 322 may include a video for an advertisement, and each audio output device may include its corresponding audio track. In some embodiments, a video message may be displayed as part of the video content 322, and each audio output device may receive a unique audio advertisement based on the audio track or version of the audio content 324 they selected. For example, an audio advertisement for a French audience may be for a restaurant, while an audio advertisement for an English audience may be for a clothing line.

[0060] In some embodiments, one or more remote controls connected to the streaming media device 106 may have the ability to affect global changes for all listeners of different audio output devices 312, 314A, 314B. For example, there may be a global mute option that can mute the audio of all audio output devices. In some embodiments, these global changes may include turning on / off, or limiting or restricting the ability of different users to customize their audio preferences while outputting video content 322, as described herein. For example, some users may be restricted from changing their audio characteristics (volume, bass, treble), but can customize their language, whereas some users may be restricted from customizing their language, but can change their audio characteristics (volume, bass, treble).

[0061] Figure 44 is a flow chart 400 illustrating an example operation of a private listening system (PLS) 302 according to some embodiments. The method 400 can be performed by processing logic that may include hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions executed on a processing device), or a combination thereof. It should be understood that not all steps are required to perform the disclosure provided herein. In addition, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that some steps may be performed simultaneously or in parallel. Figure 4 The method 400 will refer to Figure 3 However, method 400 is not limited to this exemplary embodiment. For example, but not limited to, method 400 may also be applied to Figure 1 Example embodiments shown.

[0062] In step 410, the video content being output to the video device is determined. For example, the PLS 302 may determine or receive notification from the streaming device 106 that the video content 322 is being output to the monitor 310. The PLS 302 may access the audio content 324 directly from the content server 120 through the streaming device 106, or the audio content 324 may be stored locally. The audio content 324 may include different audio tracks, such as audio in different languages, child-friendly audio, and / or audio description audio.

[0063] In step 420, it is determined that both the first audio device and the second audio device are connected to a streaming device configured to output audio content. For example, the streaming device 106 can detect the connection with the audio devices 314A and 314B via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. In some embodiments, the connection can be a wired connection.

[0064] In step 430, a first selection of a first version of audio content for output to a first audio device is received. For example, PLS 302 may receive a selection of version 308A from audio device 314A, which may be identified by device ID 306A.

[0065] In step 440, a second selection of a second version of the audio content for output to a second audio device is received. For example, PLS 302 may receive a selection of version 308B from audio device 314B, which may be identified by device ID 306B.

[0066] In step 450, a first version of the audio content is provided to a first audio device, and a second version of the audio content is provided to a second audio device for simultaneous and synchronous output with the video content output to the video device. For example, PLS 302 may provide a first version or track of audio content 324 to audio device 314A, and provide a second version or track of audio content 324 to audio device 314B. Both tracks are thereby synchronized with video content 322 output via monitor 310.

[0067] Example of a computer system

[0068] For example, one or more well-known computer systems (e.g., Figure 5 Various embodiments may be implemented using computer systems 500 shown in . For example, a combination or sub-combination of computer systems 500 may be used to implement media device 106. Additionally or alternatively, for example, one or more computer systems 500 may be used to implement any of the embodiments discussed herein and combinations and sub-combinations thereof.

[0069] Computer system 500 may include one or more processors (also referred to as central processing units or CPUs), such as processor 504. Processor 504 may be connected to a communications infrastructure or bus 506.

[0070] The computer system 500 may also include one or more user input / output devices 503 such as a monitor, keyboard, pointing device, etc., which may communicate with the communication infrastructure 506 via one or more user input / output interfaces 502 .

[0071] One or more of the processors 504 may be a graphics processing unit (GPU). In an embodiment, a GPU may be a processor of a dedicated electronic circuit designed to process mathematically intensive applications. A GPU may have a parallel structure that may be efficient for processing large blocks of data in parallel, such as mathematically intensive data common to computer graphics applications, images, videos, etc.

[0072] The computer system 500 may also include a main memory or primary storage 508, such as a random access memory (RAM). The main memory 508 may include one or more levels of cache. The main memory 508 may have control logic (ie, computer software) and / or data stored therein.

[0073] The computer system 500 may also include one or more secondary storage devices or memories 510. The secondary storage 510 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 512 and / or a removable storage device or drive 514. The removable storage drive 514 may be a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, an optical storage device, a magnetic tape backup device, and / or any other storage device / drive.

[0074] The removable storage drive 514 can interact with a removable storage unit 518. The removable storage unit 518 may include a computer usable or readable storage device having computer software (control logic) and / or data stored thereon. The removable storage unit 518 may be a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical disk, a DVD, an optical storage disk, and / or any other computer data storage device. The removable storage drive 514 can read from and / or write to the removable storage unit 518.

[0075] Secondary memory 510 may include other means, devices, components, tools, or other methods for allowing computer system 500 to access computer programs and / or other instructions and / or data. Such means, devices, components, tools, or other methods may include, for example, a removable storage unit 522 and an interface 520. Examples of removable storage unit 522 and interface 520 may include a program cartridge and cartridge interface (such as a program cartridge and cartridge interface in a video game device), a removable memory chip (such as an EPROM or PROM) and an associated socket, a memory stick and USB or other port, a memory card and an associated memory card slot, and / or any other removable storage unit and associated interface.

[0076] The computer system 500 may also include a communication or network interface 524. The communication interface 524 may enable the computer system 500 to communicate and interact with any combination of external devices, external networks, external entities, etc. (individually and collectively referenced by reference numeral 528). For example, the communication interface 524 may allow the computer system 500 to communicate with an external or remote device 528 via a communication path 526, which may be wired and / or wireless (or a combination thereof) and may include any combination of a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, etc. Control logic and / or data may be transmitted to and from the computer system 500 via the communication path 526.

[0077] The computer system 500 may also be a personal digital assistant (PDA), a desktop workstation, a laptop or notebook computer, a netbook, a tablet computer, a smart phone, a smart watch or other wearable device, a home appliance, part of the IoT, and / or an embedded system, to name a few non-limiting examples, or any combination thereof.

[0078] The computer system 500 can be a client or server that accesses or hosts any applications and / or data through any delivery paradigm, including but not limited to remote or distributed cloud computing solutions; local or on-premises software ("on-premises" cloud-based solutions); "as a service" models (e.g., content as a service (CaaS), digital content as a service (DCaaS), software as a service (SaaS), management software as a service (MSaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), desktop as a service (DaaS), framework as a service (FaaS), backend as a service (BaaS), mobile backend as a service (MBaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), etc.); and / or a hybrid model including any combination of the foregoing examples or other services or delivery paradigms.

[0079] Any suitable data structures, file formats and schemas in computer system 500 may be obtained from standards including, but not limited to, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Yet Another Markup Language (YAML), Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Wireless Markup Language (WML), MessagePack, XML User Interface Language (XUL), or any other functionally similar representations alone or in combination. Alternatively, proprietary data structures, formats, or schemas may be used alone or in combination with known or open standards.

[0080] In some embodiments, a tangible, non-transitory device or article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-usable or readable medium storing control logic (software) may also be referred to herein as a computer program product or program storage device. The tangible, non-transitory device or article of manufacture includes, but is not limited to, computer system 500, main memory 508, secondary memory 510, and removable storage units 518 and 522, as well as tangible articles of manufacture embodying any combination of the foregoing. Such control logic, when executed by one or more data processing devices (e.g., computer system 500 or one or more processors 504), may cause such data processing devices to operate as described herein.

[0081] Based on the teachings contained in this disclosure, how to use Figure 5 It will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that data processing devices, computer systems, and / or computer architectures other than those shown can be used to make and use the embodiments of the present disclosure. Specifically, the embodiments can operate with software, hardware, and / or operating system implementations other than those described herein.

[0082] in conclusion

[0083] It should be understood that the "Detailed Description" section (but not any other section) is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The other sections can set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments contemplated by the inventors, and therefore are not intended to limit the present disclosure or the appended claims in any way.

[0084] Although the present disclosure describes exemplary embodiments for exemplary fields and applications, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Other embodiments and modifications thereof are possible and are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, without limiting the generality of this paragraph, the embodiments are not limited to the software, hardware, firmware, and / or entities shown in the drawings and / or described herein. In addition, the embodiments (whether or not explicitly described herein) have important utility for fields and applications beyond the examples described herein.

[0085] Embodiments are described herein with the aid of functional building blocks that illustrate implementations of specified functions and relationships thereof. For ease of description, the boundaries of these functional building blocks are arbitrarily defined herein. As long as the specified functions and relationships (or their equivalents) are properly performed, alternative boundaries can be defined. In addition, alternative embodiments can perform functional blocks, steps, operations, methods, etc., in an order different from that described herein.

[0086] References herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an example embodiment," or similar phrases indicate that the described embodiments may include certain features, structures, or characteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes certain features, structures, or characteristics. . In addition, these phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when a certain feature, structure, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, a person skilled in the art will be able to incorporate such a feature, structure, or characteristic into other embodiments, whether or not explicitly mentioned or described herein. In addition, some embodiments can be described using the expressions "coupled" and "connected" and their derivatives. These terms are not necessarily synonymous with each other. For example, some embodiments can be described using the terms "connected" and / or "coupled" to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. However, the term "coupled" can also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but still cooperate or interact with each other.

[0087] The breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method comprising: receiving, at a streaming device, a first selection of a first version of audio content for output to a first audio device connected to the streaming device, wherein video content being output to a video device corresponds to both the first version of the audio content and a second version of the audio content that is different from the first version; receiving, at the streaming device, a second selection of the second version of the audio content for output to a second audio device connected to the streaming device; and The first version of the audio content is provided by the streaming device to the first audio device, and the second version of the audio content is provided to the second audio device for output simultaneously and synchronously with the video content output to the video device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The streaming device is configured to provide the video content being output to the video device and to perform synchronization of the video content with both the first version of the audio content and the second version of the audio content.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The streaming device is wirelessly connected to one or more cloud computing devices, and the one or more cloud computing devices are configured to provide the second version of the content to a second computing device instead of the streaming device.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: An audio stream is received from a content provider of a video stream, the audio stream including both the first version of the audio content and the second version of the audio content.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The provision includes: decoding, by the streaming device, the first version of the audio content from the audio stream for the first audio device; and The second version of the audio content is decoded by the streaming device from the audio stream for the second audio device.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The first version of the audio content includes the audio content in a first language, and wherein the second version of the audio content includes the audio content in a second language.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The first version of the audio content includes the audio content in a default language, and wherein the second version of the audio content includes an audio description track of the audio content.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving customized audio settings for the first version of the audio content; adjusting the first version of the audio content based on the customized audio settings, wherein the second version of the audio content remains unchanged; as well as The adjusted first version of the audio content is provided to the first audio device.

9. A system comprising at least one processor, each coupled to one or more memories and configured to perform operations comprising: A first selection of a first version of audio content for output to a first audio device connected to the streaming device is received at the streaming device, wherein: the video content being output to the video device corresponds to both the first version of the audio content and a second version of the audio content that is different from the first version; receiving, at the streaming device, a second selection of the second version of the audio content for output to a second audio device connected to the streaming device; as well as The first version of the audio content is provided by the streaming device to the first audio device, and the second version of the audio content is provided to the second audio device for output simultaneously and synchronously with the video content output to the video device.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein: The streaming device is configured to provide the video content being output to the video device and to perform synchronization of the video content with both the first version of the audio content and the second version of the audio content.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein: The streaming device is wirelessly connected to one or more cloud computing devices, and the one or more cloud computing devices are configured to provide the second version of the content to a second computing device instead of the streaming device.

12. The system of claim 9, the operations further comprising: An audio stream is received from a content provider of a video stream, the audio stream including both the first version of the audio content and the second version of the audio content.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein: The provision includes: decoding, by the streaming device, the first version of the audio content from the audio stream for the first audio device; and The second version of the audio content is decoded by the streaming device from the audio stream for the second audio device.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein: The first version of the audio content includes the audio content in a first language, and wherein the second version of the audio content includes the audio content in a second language.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein: The first version of the audio content includes the audio content in a default language, and wherein the second version of the audio content includes an audio description track of the audio content.

16. The system of claim 9, the operations further comprising: receiving customized audio settings for the first version of the audio content; adjusting the first version of the audio content based on the customized audio settings, wherein the second version of the audio content remains unchanged; as well as The adjusted first version of the audio content is provided to the first audio device.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising: A first selection of a first version of audio content for output to a first audio device connected to the streaming device is received at the streaming device, wherein: the video content being output to the video device corresponds to both the first version of the audio content and a second version of the audio content that is different from the first version; receiving, at the streaming device, a second selection of the second version of the audio content for output to a second audio device connected to the streaming device; as well as The first version of the audio content is provided by the streaming device to the first audio device, and the second version of the audio content is provided to the second audio device for output simultaneously and synchronously with the video content output to the video device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein: The streaming device is configured to provide the video content being output to the video device and to perform synchronization of the video content with both the first version of the audio content and the second version of the audio content.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein: The streaming device is wirelessly connected to one or more cloud computing devices, and the one or more cloud computing devices are configured to provide the second version of the content to a second computing device instead of the streaming device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, the operations further comprising: An audio stream is received from a content provider of a video stream, the audio stream including both the first version of the audio content and the second version of the audio content.

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