IP Library Granted Patent US 9,210,360
Granted Patent B2
US 9,210,360 · App. 13/730,145 · Granted Dec 8, 2015

Volume level-based closed-captioning control

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,210,360
App. No.
13/730,145
Granted
Dec 8, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for a control of closed captioning based on an audio volume level. A content receiver detects that a volume of an audio of a video presentation has been adjusted by a user, and determines the adjusted audio volume level that results from the adjustment. The content receiver compares the resulting adjusted audio volume level to a threshold level. When the content determines that the adjusted audio volume level is under the threshold level, it enables closed captioning of the video presentation, thus presenting the user with both audio and closed captioning. When the content receiver determines that the adjusted audio volume level is above the threshold level, it disables closed captioning for the video presentation. The content receiver may use a microphone to determine the adjusted audio volume level.

Claims (106)

1. A method comprising:

sending from a content receiver, a video signal to a display device, the video signal carrying a video data for a video presentation on the display device;

sending from the content receiver, an audio signal to an audio device, the audio signal carrying an audio data for output as an audio at a first volume level value, the audio data being associated with the video data;

detecting, by the content receiver, a volume adjustment that alters the audio output by the audio device;

determining, at the content receiver, a second volume level value based at least on the detected volume adjustment; and

in response to the volume adjustment, modifying, under control of the content receiver, a state of closed-captioning in the video presentation based on the determined second volume level value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein determining the second volume level value comprises:

determining a last known volume level value;

receiving from the audio device, an audio control message associated with the volume adjustment; and

determining the second volume level value based at least on the last known volume level value and the audio control message.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the modifying, under control of the content receiver, the state of closed-captioning in the video presentation comprises:

providing text on the video presentation when the second volume level value is below a selected threshold value, the text being at least a transcription of the audio associated with the video presentation.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, at the content receiver, an input from a user selecting the selected threshold value; and

storing the selected threshold value in the memory module.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the audio device is integrated with the display device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

storing the second volume level value as a last known volume level value in a memory module.

7. A method comprising:

sending from a content receiver, a video signal to a display device, the video signal carrying video data for a video presentation on the display device;

sending from the content receiver, an audio signal to an audio device, the audio signal carrying an audio data for output as an audio at a first volume level, the audio data being associated with the video data;

detecting, by the content receiver, a volume adjustment that has occurred associated with the audio output by the audio device;

determining, at the content receiver, a second volume level value based at least on the detected volume adjustment, by

receiving, at a transducer, an acoustic air pressure resulting from the volume adjustment, the acoustic air pressure being associated with a the audio output by the audio device;

converting the acoustic air pressure to an electrical signal; and

outputting the electrical signal as the second volume level value; and

modifying, under control of the content receiver, a state of closed-captioning in the video presentation based on the determined second volume level value.

8. A method comprising:

sending from a content receiver, a video signal to a display device, the video signal carrying video data for a video presentation on the display device;

sending from the content receiver, an audio signal to an audio device, the audio signal carrying audio data for output as an audio at a first volume level, the audio data being associated with the video data;

detecting, by the content receiver, a volume adjustment that has occurred associated with the audio output by the audio device;

determining, at the content receiver, a second volume level value based at least on the detected volume adjustment; by

determining a last known volume level value;

receiving, at the content receiver, a transmission of the volume adjustment from a remote control; and

determining the second volume level value based at least on the last known volume level value and the received transmission of the volume adjustment and

modifying, under control of the content receiver, a state of closed-captioning in the video presentation based on the determined second volume level value.

9. A method comprising:

sending from a content receiver, a video signal to a display device, the video signal carrying video data for a video presentation on the display device;

sending from the content receiver, an audio signal to an audio device, the audio signal carrying audio data for output as an audio at a first volume level, the audio data being associated with the video data;

detecting, by the content receiver, a volume adjustment that has occurred associated with the audio output by the audio device;

determining, at the content receiver, a second volume level value based at least on the detected volume adjustment; and

modifying, tinder control of the content receiver, a state of closed-captioning in the video presentation based on the determined second volume level value, by

retrieving from a memory module, a selected threshold value;

enabling closed-captioning of the video presentation if the second volume level value is less than the selected threshold value; and

disabling the closed-captioning of the video presentation if the second volume level value is more than the selected threshold value.

10. A content receiver comprising:

a tuning module configured to receive an encrypted signal;

a decoding module coupled to the tuning module, the decoding module configured to decode a programming content and caption data from the encrypted signal, the programming content including video data and audio data associated with the video data, the caption data being associated with the video data and the audio data;

a receiving module configured to receive a transmission from a remote control;

a video processing module configured to process the video data for display as a video presentation;

an audio processing module configured to process the audio data for output as an audio;

an interface module configured to send the audio data to an audio device for output at a first volume level and to send the video data to a display device for display as a video presentation;

a controlling module coupled to the receiving module, the video processing module, and the audio processing module, the controlling module including

a comparing module configured to compare a second volume level value to a selected threshold value, and

a control generating module configured to control closed-captioning of the video presentation; and

a volume detection module coupled to the controlling module, the volume detection module configured to determine the second volume level value in response to a volume level adjustment to the first volume level.

11. The content receiver as claimed in claim 10 wherein the video processing module comprises:

a receiving module configured to receive the caption data and the video data;

a synchronization module configured to synchronize the caption data to the video data; and

an overlay module configured to encode, in a synchronized manner, the caption data onto the video data, the caption data for display as a text on the video presentation.

12. The content receiver as claimed in claim 10 wherein the volume detection module comprises:

a transducer configured to

detect an acoustic air pressure associated with the volume level adjustment, and

convert the acoustic air pressure into an electrical signal; and

a processing module coupled to the transducer, the processing module configured to output the electrical signal as the second volume level value.

13. The content receiver as claimed in claim 10 wherein the volume detection module comprises:

a processing module coupled to the interface module, the processing module configured to

retrieve a last known volume level value from a memory module,

receive a message from the audio device via a first connector coupled to the interface module, the message being associated with the volume level adjustment, and

determine the second volume level value based at least on the last known volume level value and the received message.

14. The content receiver as claimed in claim 10 wherein the transmission from the remote control is a volume adjustment command, and wherein the volume detection module comprises:

a processing module coupled to the receiving module, the processing module configured to

retrieve a last known volume level value from a memory module, and

determine the second volume level value based at least on the last known volume level value and the volume adjustment command.

15. The content receiver as claimed in claim 10 wherein the controlling module is configured to

retrieve the selected threshold value from a memory module,

compare the second volume level value to the selected threshold value,

enable closed-captioning of the video presentation if the second volume level value is less than the selected threshold value, and

disable the closed-captioning of the video presentation if the second volume level value is greater than the selected threshold value.

16. The content receiver as claimed in claim 10 further comprising:

a memory module coupled to the controlling module and to the volume detection module, the memory module configured to store the selected threshold value and a last known volume level value.

17. A system comprising:

a display device;

an audio device configured to output an audio;

a remote control device configured to transmit an adjustment command to adjust volume of audio output by the audio device;

a content receiver coupled to the display device and the audio device, the content receiver configured to

receive an encrypted signal via a tuner, the encrypted signal including video, audio, and caption data,

decode the video, audio and caption data from the encrypted signal,

send the video data to the display device for output as a video presentation,

send the audio data to the audio device for output as the audio at a first volume level,

detect a volume adjustment to the audio,

determine a second volume level value based at least on the detected volume adjustment,

store the second volume level value in memory as a last known volume level value, and

modify closed captioning of the video presentation based at least on a comparison between the second volume level value and a selected threshold value, closed captioning being a display of text over the video presentation, the text being at least a transcription of the audio associated with the video presentation.

18. The system in claim 17 wherein the content receiver detects the volume adjustment to the audio by

receiving an acoustic air pressure resulting from the volume adjustment, the acoustic air pressure being associated with the audio,

converting the acoustic air pressure to an electrical signal, and

outputting the electrical signal as the second volume level value.

19. The system in claim 17 wherein the content receiver detects the volume adjustment to the audio by

retrieving the last known volume level value from the memory,

receiving, from the audio device, an audio control message associated with the volume adjustment, and

determining the second volume level value based at least on the last known volume level value and the audio control message.

20. The system in claim 17 wherein the content receiver detects the volume adjustment to the audio by

retrieving the last known volume level value from the memory,

receiving the volume adjustment command transmission from the remote control device, and

determining the second volume level value based at least on the last known volume level and the received volume adjustment command.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 30, 2021
From: DISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION; DISH NETWORK L.L.C.; DISH TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
To: U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058295/0293 →
CONVERSION Recorded Aug 7, 2018
From: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
To: DISH TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 046737/0610 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ECHOSTAR UK HOLDINGS LIMITED
To: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 041672/0080 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2017
From: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
To: ECHOSTAR TECHNOLOGIES L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 041674/0954 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2014
From: ELDON TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
To: ECHOSTAR UK HOLDINGS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 034650/0050 →