Buffered Audio Playback for Interruptions and Live Catch-Up

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Solution Overview

Problem

Primary audio sources are often interrupted by secondary sources, causing users to miss important information during navigation or other priority events, as the primary audio is muted and playback is not seamlessly resumed.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a buffering system that plays back primary audio content at an accelerated speed after an interruption event, gradually accelerating and decelerating playback to match the primary source, ensuring no information is missed and providing a smooth transition.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the primary audio source is interrupted by secondary audio content, then the secondary audio content can be delivered to the user, but the primary audio content is lost or missed during the interruption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprimary audio contentVSAvoidaudio playback continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by buffering primary audio content before the interruption occurs. The buffer stores audio segments in advance so that when interruption happens, the buffered content can be played back without loss, ensuring both secondary audio delivery and primary audio continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The buffer acts as an intermediary between the primary audio source and the user. It captures and holds primary audio content during interruptions, then releases it to the user after the secondary audio finishes, mediating between the conflicting audio streams to prevent information loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the buffered audio content is played back at accelerated speed, then the playback can catch up to live output, but the transition may be abrupt or disruptive

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio playback recovery speedVSAvoidlistening experience smoothness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies dynamics by making the playback speed adjustable rather than fixed. It dynamically changes the playback rate from normal speed to accelerated speed during buffer playback, then gradually returns to normal speed, optimizing both recovery speed and listening comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the playback parameter (speed) adaptively. It accelerates playback to catch up with live output after interruption, then gradually decelerates to match the primary audio source speed, providing smooth transitions that maintain ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20130308794A1Mitigating the effects of audio interruptions via adaptive automated fast audio playback

Publication Date: 2013.11.21 GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

AI summary

An audio interruption and buffering playback system includes a primary audio source for reproducing primary audio content and a secondary audio source for reproducing secondary audio content. A processing device detects an interruption event that includes the secondary audio source reproducing secondary audio content having priority over the primary audio source. The processor mutes the output of the primary audio content in response to the interruption event. A buffer buffers the audio content from the primary audio source during the interruption event. The buffered audio content is reproduced by the processor to the user at an accelerated playback speed following the interruption event.