Recorded Sound Thumbnails for Faster, Privacy-Aware Image Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face inefficiencies in finding and using images or avatars in messaging applications that accurately convey their thoughts, as they often require manual searching through multiple pages and the available content is generic, leading to resource waste and discouragement in using these features.

Innovation Solution

A messaging application allows users to record custom sounds or audio clips that are associated with images, with privacy settings and graphical elements, enabling efficient selection and sharing of these sounds with others.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users manually search through multiple pages of generic images or avatars, then they can find content to share, but it consumes excessive time and resources while the content often fails to accurately convey their thoughts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of finding and sharing contentVSAvoidtime spent searching through multiple pages
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-generates visual elements (stickers, emojis, or images) that represent different sound states before the user needs them. When the user records a sound, the corresponding visual element is already prepared and immediately displayed, eliminating the need to search through multiple pages of generic images.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces sound recording as an intermediary between the user's thought and the visual content they share. Instead of directly searching for images, users record sounds which then automatically generate or select appropriate visual elements, creating a new pathway that bridges intent and expression more efficiently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If users manually search through generic images and avatars, then they can find content to share, but the generic nature of the content reduces its effectiveness in conveying specific thoughts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of conveying user thoughtsVSAvoidcomplexity of content selection process
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of content representation from static generic images to dynamic sound-based visual elements. By recording sounds with specific characteristics (duration, pitch, volume), the system generates visual elements that adapt to the user's specific intent, making the content more versatile and accurate while the system handles the complexity automatically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs the complex task of selecting and generating appropriate visual elements automatically based on the recorded sound characteristics. The user simply records the sound, and the system self-services by analyzing the sound and presenting the most appropriate visual representation, eliminating the need for manual searching or complex selection processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If the system allows recording and processing of custom sounds with visual elements and privacy settings, then user engagement increases, but device resource usage increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser engagement in sharing contentVSAvoiddevice resource usage for recording and processing
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separates the computationally intensive tasks from the user device. Sound recording and basic processing occur on the device, but complex visual element generation, privacy setting management, and content matching are performed by remote servers, reducing the energy burden on the user's device while maintaining high user engagement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs sound processing and visual element generation partially on-device and partially on-remote servers. By distributing the computational load, the system achieves the necessary processing power for high user engagement without requiring the user's device to handle all resource-intensive operations locally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4214917B1Recorded sound thumbnail
Publication Date: 2025.07.02 SNAP INC
  • EP4214917B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4214917B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4214917B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system and a method for performing operations comprising: displaying, by a messaging application, a sound capture screen that enables a user to record the sound; after the sound is recorded using the sound capture screen, generating, by the messaging application, a visual element associated with the sound; receiving, by the messaging application, selection of the visual element from a displayed list of visual elements representing different sounds; in response to receiving the selection of the visual element, conditionally adding one or more graphics representing the sound to one or more images at a user selected position based on a privacy status of the sound; and playing, by the messaging application, the sound associated with the visual element together with displaying the one or more images.