Method and device for embedding event notification into multimedia content

1. A method comprising:

causing reproduction of multimedia content on an electronic device;

detecting an event that requires notification of a user of said electronic device; and responsive thereto

applying a modification to said reproduction of said multimedia content, according to said event, wherein the modification is based at least in part on the event and the multimedia content being reproduced, wherein said modification comprises embedding a user-perceivable variation in said reproduced multimedia content without interrupting the reproduction of the multimedia content, wherein, in an instance in which the multimedia content comprises audio content, said modification comprises at least one of:

amplitude modulation;

pitch modulation;

tempo modulation;

adding a reverb effect to said audio content;

manipulating an existing reverb effect of said audio content, or

adding a stereo or surround effect to said audio content.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein, in an instance in which the multimedia content comprises audio content, said modification comprises:

analyzing properties of said audio content;

adapting a notification-related audio content according to said analyzed properties; and

adding the adapted notification-related audio content to said reproduction of said audio content.

3. Method according to claim 2 , wherein said analyzed properties comprise at least one of

the tempo of said audio content;

the pitch of said audio content;

the volume of said audio content; or

the spectral distribution of said audio content.

4. Method according to claim 2 , wherein adapting said notification-related audio content comprises

calculating a masking curve of said audio content; and

adapting the level of said notification-related audio content to exceed said masking curve by a pre-determined value.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein, in an instance in which the multimedia content comprises video content, said modification comprises adding a visual notification to said video content, according to said event.

6. Method according to claim 5 , wherein said visual notification comprises a manipulation of at least one of

the color of said video content;

the brightness of said video content; or the contrast of said video content.

7. Method according to claim 5 , wherein, in an instance in which the multimedia content comprises video content, said modification comprises:

analyzing said video content to detect contiguous faces comprising a substantially uniform color; and

adding said visual notification within said detected faces.

8. Method according to claim 1 , wherein, in an instance in which said multimedia content comprises a computer game, said modification comprises a manipulation and/or generation of game objects according to said event.

9. Method according to claim 8 , wherein said computer game uses textures, and wherein said manipulation comprises exchanging textures with textures representing a visual notification according to said event.

10. Method according to claim 1 , wherein said event is an incoming call or an incoming message.

11. Method according to claim 10 , further comprising terminating said modification of said reproduction of said multimedia content when said incoming call is hung up or refused.

12. Method according to claim 1 , wherein said event is a change in an operation condition of said electronic device.

13. Method according to claim 12 , wherein said electronic device is a battery-powered device and wherein said change in an operation condition is the battery capacity falling below a predetermined threshold.

14. Computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program code portions stored thereon, the program code portions being configured when run on a computer or network device, to:

cause reproduction of multimedia content on an electronic device;

detect an event that requires notification of a user of said electronic device; and

responsive thereto

apply a modification to said reproduction of said multimedia content, according to said event, wherein the modification is based at least in part on the event and the multimedia content being reproduced, wherein said modification comprises embedding a user-perceivable variation in said reproduced multimedia content without interrupting the reproduction of the multimedia content, wherein, in an instance in which the multimedia content comprises audio content, said modification comprises at least one of:

amplitude modulation;

pitch modulation;

tempo modulation;

adding a reverb effect to said audio content;

manipulating an existing reverb effect of said audio content, or

adding a stereo or surround effect to said audio content.

15. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

cause reproduction of multimedia content on an electronic device;

detect an event that requires notification of a user of said electronic device; and

responsive thereto

apply a modification to said reproduced multimedia content, according to said event, wherein the modification is based at least in part on the event and the multimedia content being reproduced, and wherein said modification comprises embedding a user-perceivable variation in said reproduced multimedia content without interrupting the reproduction of the multimedia content, wherein, in an instance in which the multimedia content comprises audio content, said modification comprises at least one of:

amplitude modulation;

pitch modulation;

tempo modulation;

adding a reverb effect to said audio content;

manipulating an existing reverb effect of said audio content, or

adding a stereo or surround effect to said audio content.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein, in an instance in which said multimedia content comprises audio content, the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

cause analyzing of properties of said audio content; and

cause adapting of notification-related audio content according to said analyzed properties; and

cause adding of the adapted notification-related audio content to said reproduction of said audio content.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to calculate a masking curve of said audio content; and cause adapting of the level of said notification-related audio content to exceed said masking curve by a predetermined value.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein, in an instance in which said multimedia content comprises video content, the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause adding of a visual notification to said video content, according to said event.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause performing of a manipulation of at least one of

color,

brightness, or

contrast of said video content, according to said event.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause analyzing of said video content to detect contiguous faces comprising a substantially uniform color; and cause adding of said visual notification within said detected faces.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein, in an instance in which said multimedia content comprises a computer game, the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause performing of a manipulation and/or generation of game objects according to said event.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein said computer game uses textures, and wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause exchanging of textures with textures representing a visual notification according to said event.

23. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to detect an incoming call or an incoming message.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to cause terminating of said modification of said reproduction of said multimedia content when said incoming call is hung up or refused.

25. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to detect a change in an operation condition of said electronic device.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25 , wherein said electronic device is a battery-powered device and wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to detect when the battery capacity falls below a predetermined threshold.

27. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

detect events requiring a notification of a user of an electronic device; and

apply, in response to detecting an event, a modification to multimedia content that is otherwise to be reproduced, wherein the modification is based at least in part on the event and the multimedia content being reproduced, wherein the modification comprises embedding a user-perceivable variation in said multimedia content to be reproduced without interrupting the reproduction of the multimedia content, wherein, in an instance in which the multimedia content comprises audio content, said modification comprises at least one of:

amplitude modulation;

pitch modulation;

tempo modulation;

adding a reverb effect to said audio content;

manipulating an existing reverb effect of said audio content, or

adding a stereo or surround effect to said audio content.

28. A method comprising:

causing reproduction of multimedia content on an electronic device;

detecting an event that requires notification of a user of said electronic device;

determining a priority level associated with the event; and

applying a modification to said reproduction of said multimedia content, according to said event, wherein the modification is based at least in part on the event, the determined priority level, and the multimedia content being reproduced, wherein said modification comprises embedding a user-perceivable variation in said reproduced multimedia content without interrupting the reproduction of the multimedia content.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory including computer program code, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause:

reproduction of multimedia content on an electronic device;

detection of an event that requires notification of a user of said electronic device;

determination of a priority level associated with the event; and

application of a modification to said reproduced multimedia content, according to said event, wherein the modification is based at least in part on the event, the determined priority level, and the multimedia content being reproduced, and wherein said modification comprises embedding a user-perceivable variation in said reproduced multimedia content without interrupting the reproduction of the multimedia content.