Audio Track Segmentation for Efficient Data Acquisition

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current streaming technologies, such as MPEG-DASH, do not optimize the efficiency of acquiring specific types of audio data within video content, leading to inefficient data transmission and processing.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus and method that divide audio data into tracks based on type and arrange them accordingly, allowing for efficient acquisition and generation of specific audio data by utilizing a file structure that includes media presentation description (MPD) files and segmenting audio streams into subsegments for optimized playback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If audio data is transmitted as a single unified stream, then the transmission structure is simple, but the efficiency of acquiring specific audio data types deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveefficiency of acquiring audio dataVSAvoidaudio data structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio data stream is segmented into multiple independent tracks based on audio types (e.g., commentary track, description track, original audio track). Each track can be independently transmitted and acquired, allowing the playback terminal to efficiently retrieve only the needed audio data types without processing unnecessary data, thus improving acquisition efficiency while maintaining manageable structural complexity through standardized track organization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If all audio data is transmitted, then the data completeness is maintained, but the data load and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio data quantityVSAvoidprocessing energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and separates specific audio data types into independent tracks (e.g., extracting commentary or description tracks when needed). The playback terminal can then selectively acquire only the required audio tracks based on user preferences or service requirements, reducing the quantity of audio data processed and thereby decreasing processing energy consumption while maintaining data completeness for the selected audio types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If audio tracks are not organized by type, then the file structure is simple, but the acquisition efficiency of specific audio types deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaudio data acquisition efficiencyVSAvoidfile structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio data structure applies local quality organization by creating distinct tracks with specific characteristics for different audio types. Each track is optimized for its specific audio content (e.g., commentary, description, original audio), allowing the playback terminal to efficiently identify and acquire the needed audio types through track identification mechanisms while maintaining a systematic and manageable file structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4177886A1Information processing apparatus and information processing method
Publication Date: 2023.05.10 SONY GROUP CORP
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  • EP4177886A1 patent drawingFigure 2
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AI summary

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method which are capable of improving an efficiency of acquiring a predetermined type of audio data among a plurality of types of audio data. Audio data of a predetermined track is acquired in a file in which a plurality of types of audio data are divided into a plurality of tracks depending on the types and the tracks are arranged. The present disclosure is applicable to, for example, an information processing system including a file generation device that generates a file, a Web server that records a file generated by the file generation device, and a video playback terminal that plays back a file.