Audio Watermarking for Accessible In-App Messaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Amusement parks face challenges in providing additional information to guests about attractions, especially for those who may not hear well, as existing audio and video presentations lack supplementary data like captioning, multilingual messaging, and hidden secrets.
Innovation Solution
An in-application messaging system that uses audio and video watermarking to encode data within audio and video signals broadcast in amusement parks, allowing portable electronic devices to decode and display relevant information, such as captioning, multilingual translations, guided tours, and hidden secrets, via applications running on these devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If audio and video presentations are provided for attractions, then entertainment value is improved, but additional information such as captioning and multilingual messaging cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds watermark data within the audio signal itself, nesting additional information (captioning, multilingual messaging, hidden secrets) inside the existing audio presentation. The audio watermarking system encodes supplementary data within the audio carrier wave, allowing multiple layers of information to coexist without adding separate physical systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a portable electronic device with audio sensor and processing circuitry as an intermediary. This mediator captures the broadcast audio, decodes the embedded watermarks, and presents the extracted information through the device's display, bridging the gap between the audio broadcast system and the guest's information needs
2Loss of information
If audio watermarking is used to encode data, then additional information can be provided, but audio signal quality may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs audio watermarking technology that modifies audio signal parameters (such as phase, frequency, or amplitude) to embed data. These parameter changes are designed to be imperceptible to human listeners, allowing information encoding while preserving the perceived audio quality and maintaining reliability of the audio presentation
3Loss of information
If portable electronic devices decode audio watermarks, then in-application messaging is provided, but device resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements selective decoding where the portable electronic device only processes and decodes audio watermarks when the device's application is actively running and the audio sensor detects broadcast audio. This partial action approach avoids continuous processing and energy consumption, activating resources only when messaging information is actually being delivered
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
Enhances the entertainment experience by providing additional information to guests through encoded audio and video signals, making attractions more engaging and accessible, especially for those with hearing impairments, by displaying relevant data on their devices.
Implementation Method 1
an audio sensor configured to detect an audio signal broadcast into a physical environment
Implementation Method 2
processing circuitry configured to identify at least one audio watermark encoded within the audio signal
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods presented herein provide an in-application messaging system that includes an audio generation system configured to encode at least one audio watermark within an audio signal, and to broadcast the audio signal into a physical environment. The in-application messaging system also includes a portable electronic device configured to receive the audio signal from the physical environment, to identify the at least one audio watermark encoded within the audio signal, and to display in-application messaging information via an application running on the portable electronic device. The in-application messaging information is based at least in part on the at least one audio watermark.