IP Library Granted Patent US 9,152,377
Granted Patent B2
US 9,152,377 · App. 14/013,610 · Granted Oct 6, 2015

Dynamic event sounds

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,152,377
App. No.
14/013,610
Granted
Oct 6, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Event sounds for a multimedia system are assigned statically and/or dynamically to an event based on internal and/or external events and the like. An associator associates a sound to an event based on these factors. User related information that is implicit and/or explicit can also be used to determine an association between an event sound and an event. A controller controls which sound is played back when a particular event occurs based on the event sound association. Probabilities related to a user's preferences can also be utilized to determine which sound is played back during an occurrence of an event.

Claims (27)

1. An apparatus comprising:

an associator configured to associate a plurality of sounds with an event

a controller configured to:

detect an occurrence of the event; and

select a sound from the plurality of sounds associated with the event based at least partially on a weight value corresponding to each of the sounds; and

wherein the controller is further configured to assign the weight value corresponding to each sound based at least partially on at least one of a preference of a user, user interface access, a user profile, a media selection, explicit user information and implicit user information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to alter the weight value corresponding to each sound based on a change in at least one of a preference of a user, a user interface access, a user profile, a media selection, explicit user information and implicit user information.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the weight value indicates a likelihood of selection by the controller.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to select the sound based on an occurrence of an event and time.

5. A method comprising:

associating a plurality of sounds with an event; and

detecting an occurrence of the event; and

selecting a sound from the plurality of sounds associated with the event based at least partially on a weight value corresponding to each of the sounds; and

wherein the associating further comprises automatically changing the weight value when user information changes.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the associating further comprises assigning the weight value corresponding to each sound based on at least one of media type selected and media content selected.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

utilizing at least one of implicit information about a user and explicit information about a user, when assigning the weight value.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

altering the weight value corresponding to each sound, when a different user is detected.

9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

altering the weight value corresponding to each sound, when a different multimedia system is detected.

10. A system that controls event sounds in a multimedia system, comprising:

means for associating at least one sound to at least one event occurring in a multimedia system;

means for determining a probability for the associated sound based on a user; and

means for controlling which associated event sound occurs based on the probability.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

means for dynamically changing a probability based on at least one of a change in multimedia system and a change in user.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2020
From: THOMSON LICENSING S.A.S.
To: MAGNOLIA LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 053570/0237 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2014
From: PHILLIPS, SHELDON GEORGE; COULTER, RYAN CAMERON; MOYSES, RODRIGO THOMAS; MARTIN, GREG ALAN; VIERA, JOHN; ETTER, MICHAEL
To: THOMSON LICENSING
Reel/Frame 032799/0955 →