Audio Video Offset Detector Using Fingerprint Timestamps

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing video transmission systems face challenges in accurately measuring and correcting temporal offsets between video and audio media content, leading to A/V sync errors or lip sync issues that can go unnoticed until they cause viewer discomfort and operational problems.

Innovation Solution

The system measures temporal offsets by extracting and matching video and audio fingerprints before and after transmission, using associated time stamps to calculate video and audio time stamp offsets, and then determining a temporal offset value to adjust synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If video and audio content pass through separate media channels and processing elements, then processing operations can be performed independently on each media type, but temporal offset between video and audio content occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveIndependent processing capabilityVSAvoidSynchronization accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts fingerprints from both video and audio content, compares their arrival times, and uses this feedback information to calculate and apply compensation delays. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that independent processing can continue while synchronization accuracy is maintained through continuous monitoring and adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces fingerprint extraction and comparison as an intermediary mechanism between the separate video and audio processing channels. This intermediary system measures the temporal offset and enables synchronization correction without interfering with the independent processing operations of each media type.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If temporal offset measurement systems are implemented, then A/V sync errors can be detected and corrected, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveTemporal offset detection accuracyVSAvoidMeasurement system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates simplified representations (fingerprints) of the video and audio content that capture essential timing information without requiring analysis of the complete media streams. These fingerprint copies enable precise temporal offset measurement while avoiding the complexity of processing full-resolution video and audio data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the necessary timing information from the video and audio content through fingerprint extraction, separating the measurement function from the main processing channels. This extraction approach achieves high measurement precision while keeping the system complexity manageable by focusing only on essential synchronization data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If fingerprint extraction and matching is performed for both video and audio content, then accurate temporal offset measurement is achieved, but processing time and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveTimestamp offset calculation accuracyVSAvoidFingerprint processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates simplified fingerprint representations that capture timing information in a compact form, enabling rapid comparison and matching operations. These copied representations allow accurate temporal offset measurement without requiring intensive processing of the complete video and audio content.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the complex video and audio content into simplified fingerprint parameters that retain essential timing information. This parameter transformation reduces the computational complexity and processing time required for temporal offset measurement while maintaining measurement accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS8717499B2Audio video offset detector
Publication Date: 2014.05.06 DIALOGIC INC
  • US8717499B2 patent drawing
  • US8717499B2 patent drawing
  • US8717499B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods of measuring a temporal offset between audio content and video content that employ audio fingerprints from an audio signal in the audio content, and video fingerprints from video frames in the video content. The systems obtain reference audio and video fingerprints prior to transmission of video over a media channel, and obtain target audio and video fingerprints subsequent to transmission of the video over the media channel. Each fingerprint has an associated time stamp. Using the reference and target audio fingerprints and their associated time stamps, the systems determine an audio time stamp offset. Using the reference and target video fingerprints and their associated time stamps, the systems determine a video time stamp offset. Using the audio and video time stamp offsets, the systems determine a temporal offset between the video content and the audio content introduced by the media channel.