Television Audio Video Synchronization Adjustment Method

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional television systems often experience delays between video and audio data, leading to incorrect lipsync issues, which can be perceived as system malfunctions by users.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for synchronizing audio and visual data in a television system, allowing users to dynamically adjust the time delay between visual and audio indicators using synchronization means within the broadcast data receiver, enabling user-selected levels of synchronization independent of remote data sources, and overriding existing presentation time stamps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional television systems display video data and sound audio data through separate processing channels, then the system can process and output visual and audio content independently, but a time delay occurs between video display and audio output, resulting in incorrect lipsync

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelipsync accuracyVSAvoidaudio-video delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by calculating and storing the required time adjustment value before actual playback. The system determines the difference between audio and video processing times in advance, stores this adjustment value in memory, and applies it during playback to ensure synchronized output without real-time delay

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - a time adjustment value stored in memory that acts as a mediator between the video display channel and audio output channel. This intermediary stores the calculated time difference and applies it to synchronize the two separate processing channels, eliminating the lipsync issue caused by independent processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the television system uses fixed processing times for video and audio data, then the system operation is simple and stable, but the audio and video data cannot be synchronized when processing times differ

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesynchronization accuracyVSAvoidsynchronization control mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the time delay parameter of either audio or video data based on measured processing time differences. The system calculates the actual processing times, determines the required adjustment, and modifies the time parameter to achieve synchronization, transforming a fixed-time system into an adaptive one

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by measuring the actual processing times of video and audio data, comparing them to determine the time difference, and using this information to adjust the output timing. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that the system automatically compensates for processing time variations to maintain synchronization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If manual synchronization adjustment is required for audio and video data, then the system can achieve lipsync, but the user experience is degraded due to the need for manual intervention and the indicators may not be clearly distinguishable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomatic synchronizationVSAvoidsynchronization accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by enabling the television system to automatically measure its own video and audio processing times, calculate the time difference, store the adjustment value in memory, and apply the correction without any user intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously identifying and correcting its synchronization issue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses color changes (visual indicators with distinct colors or patterns) to show synchronization status and guide users if manual adjustment is needed. The display shows different colors or visual patterns to indicate whether audio and video are synchronized or out of sync, making the status clearly distinguishable and eliminating the need for manual adjustment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP1720339B1Television system
Publication Date: 2012.09.26 PACE PLC
  • EP1720339B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

A method is provided for synchronising visual and audio data for a television system. The television system includes display means for displaying visual data thereon and audio means for allowing audio data to be sounded via said system. The method includes the steps of undertaking one of displaying a visual indicator on said display means or sounding an audio indicator via said audio means and, after a time delay or period of time, undertaking the other of displaying the visual indicator or sounding the audio indicator, the period of time between the display of said visual indicator and the sounding of said audio indicator being adjustable by a user of said television system using synchronisation means.