Audio Menu Generation for Portable Media Players
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional portable media players are inaccessible to blind users and those who are visually occupied, as they require visual interaction to read metadata from display screens.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that converts metadata into speech, allowing for the creation of audio menus by retrieving metadata, converting it into speech, and saving it in media files, enabling blind users to navigate and interact with media content through audio cues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If metadata is displayed on a visual display screen, then information is presented to users, but blind users and visually occupied users cannot access the information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the visual display mechanism with an audio output mechanism. Text-to-speech technology converts metadata from visual text format into audible speech format, allowing blind users and visually occupied users to access information through their ears rather than eyes. This substitution of the information delivery mechanism directly resolves the accessibility contradiction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of information presentation from visual (display screen) to auditory (audio output). By transforming the sensory modality through which users access metadata, the system enables blind users and visually occupied users to perceive information without requiring visual capability, thus resolving the accessibility issue.
2Ease of operation
If audio menus are created for all media files, then accessibility is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively creating audio menus only for media files that require accessibility support, rather than converting all metadata universally. The system can identify and prioritize media files based on user needs, file types, or other criteria, thereby reducing the overall processing burden and system complexity while still providing necessary accessibility functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-generating audio menus for media files during idle periods or when files are first added to the library, rather than converting them on-demand during playback. This advance preparation reduces real-time processing requirements and distributes the computational load, thereby managing device complexity more effectively.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables blind users and visually occupied individuals to access and navigate media content on portable media players using audio menus, enhancing usability and accessibility.
Implementation Method 1
converting at least a portion of the metadata to speech
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for creating an audio menu describing media content of a media player. Embodiments include retrieving metadata describing the media files managed by the media player; converting at least a portion of the metadata to speech; creating one or more media files for the audio menu; and saving the speech in the audio portion of the one or more the media files for the audio menu.