Accessory Audio Synchronization via Fingerprinting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack efficient methods for coordinating the output of primary and supplemental content between voice-controlled devices and accessory devices in environments, particularly when identifying and synchronizing audio content played on voice-controlled devices.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses speech recognition and natural language processing to identify audio content being played on a voice-controlled device, generates or retrieves audio feature data, and sends this data to accessory devices to enable them to output supplemental content synchronized with the primary content, even when the content's identity is unknown or not immediately recognized.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the system relies on metadata provided by the music provider to identify audio content, then the identification process is simple and fast, but the system fails when metadata is unavailable or the content cannot be identified
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by attempting metadata-based identification first, and only if that fails, it proceeds to generate audio feature data and perform audio fingerprinting. This staged approach ensures reliability while avoiding unnecessary complexity when metadata is available.
Solution Approach 2:
The voice-controlled device acts as an intermediary between the music provider system and the accessory device. It receives audio data, attempts identification through multiple methods (metadata, audio fingerprinting), and relays appropriate information to accessory devices, thereby managing the complexity centrally rather than distributing it throughout the system.
2Reliability
If the system generates audio feature data locally when metadata identification fails, then content identification reliability improves, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary metadata-based identification which is computationally efficient and fast. Only when this preliminary action fails does it proceed to the more time-consuming audio feature generation and fingerprinting processes, thereby minimizing average processing time while maintaining high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial identification using metadata first, and only generates the full audio feature data set when necessary. This partial action approach reduces average processing time while ensuring reliable identification through the more comprehensive audio fingerprinting method when needed.
3Measurement precision
If accessory devices wait for confirmed content identification before outputting supplemental content, then synchronization accuracy improves, but the response time delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary content identification using metadata before accessory devices begin outputting supplemental content. This preliminary action establishes the content identity early, enabling synchronized output without significant delay. If metadata identification fails, the system continues with audio fingerprinting while accessory devices can still output content based on audio feature data, maintaining both accuracy and responsiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques and systems for enabling accessory devices to output supplemental content that is complementary to content output by a primary user device in situations where a separate music-provider system provides the primary content to the primary device. The techniques may include attempting to identify the primary content using metadata provided by the music-provider system, retrieving existing audio feature data in response to identifying the primary content, and providing the audio feature data to the accessory device for use in outputting the supplemental content. If the primary content is unable to be identified using metadata, then the techniques may include instructing the primary device to generate audio feature data and/or instructing the primary device to generate a fingerprint of the primary content for use in identifying the primary content.