Audio Video Watermark Synchronization for Simulcast Commentary
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providers of alternative audio commentary applications face difficulties in synchronizing the primary video track of live and recorded events with the alternative audio commentary track, resulting in issues like premature audio delivery and drift, which disrupts the viewing experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that synchronize primary video of live and recorded events with alternative audio commentary from a second audio channel or second screen by using digital watermarks or fingerprints as identifiers to align the primary and alternative content data streams, ensuring synchronized delivery to the end user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If alternative audio commentary is delivered independently from primary video content, then audio delivery speed is improved, but synchronization accuracy deteriorates causing premature delivery and drift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces digital watermarks as intermediary elements embedded in both the primary video content and alternative audio commentary streams. These watermarks serve as synchronization markers that enable the system to maintain independent delivery paths while ensuring accurate temporal alignment at the receiver end, resolving the contradiction between fast independent delivery and precise synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts and compares digital watermarks from received content to determine synchronization status. This feedback mechanism allows the receiver to adjust timing of the alternative audio commentary based on the detected drift, maintaining synchronization accuracy while allowing independent stream delivery.
2Adaptability or versatility
If alternative content is delivered through separate channels, then delivery flexibility is improved, but content matching accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Digital watermarks act as unique identifiers embedded in the primary content that are detected in the alternative content streams. This intermediary mechanism enables separate channel delivery while maintaining accurate content matching through watermark detection and comparison, allowing flexible routing without sacrificing matching precision.
3Device complexity
If synchronization is performed manually or with simple timing, then system complexity is reduced, but synchronization reliability deteriorates under network variations
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization system automatically extracts digital watermarks from incoming streams, compares them to identify corresponding content, and adjusts timing without manual intervention. This self-service approach increases reliability under network variations while keeping the user-facing complexity low, as the sophisticated synchronization occurs transparently in the background.
Data Source
AI summary
An alternative content system receives a primary content data stream and a secondary content data stream associated with an event. The alternative content system provides an alternative content data stream associated with the event. The alternative content system extracts a primary content identifier from the primary content data stream. The alternative content system identifies an alternative content identifier based on the alternative content data stream. The alternative content system synchronizes the alternative content data stream to the primary content data stream based on the alternative content identifier and the primary content identifier. The alternative content system transmits the synchronized alternative content data stream based on the primary content identifier.