Using mute/non-mute transitions to output an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system
View Patent ↗In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first audio-stream that represents first audio-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content; the computing device receiving a second audio-stream that represents second audio-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.
1. A method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system, the method comprising:
a computing device receiving a primary audio-stream generated by a primary audio-broadcast system, wherein the primary audio stream represents first audio content;
the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content;
the computing device receiving a back-up audio-stream generated by the back-up audio-broadcast system, wherein the back-up audio stream represents second audio-content;
the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the second audio-content;
the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and
responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a mute/non-mute transition within the first audio-content.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a type of the identified mute/non-mute transition.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a playout time of the identified mute/non-mute transition.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generated first-signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time, wherein making the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the generated second-signature does not represent a second transition that has the first type and that is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting an alert comprises displaying a message.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting an alert comprises transmitting an instruction.
8. A method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system, the method comprising:
a computing device receiving a primary audio-stream generated by a primary audio-broadcast system, wherein the primary audio-stream represents first audio content;
the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content;
the computing device receiving a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of audio transitions included within second audio-content represented by a back-up audio-stream that is generated by the back-up audio-broadcast system;
the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the received second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and
responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the received second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a mute/non-mute transition within the first audio-content.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a type of the identified mute/non-mute transition.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a time associated with the identified mute/non-mute transition.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the generated first-signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time, wherein making the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the generated second-signature does not represent a second transition that has the first type and that is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein outputting an alert comprises displaying a message.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein outputting an alert comprises transmitting an instruction.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed cause a computing device to perform a set of acts for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up audio-broadcast system, the set of acts comprising:
receiving a primary audio-stream generated by a primary audio-broadcast system, wherein the primary audio-stream represents first audio-content;
generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within the first audio-content;
receiving a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of mute/non-mute transitions included within second audio-content represented by a back-up audio-stream generated by the back-up audio-broadcast system;
making a determination that the generated first-signature and the received second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and
responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the received second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, outputting an alert.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a mute/non-mute transition within the first audio-content.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a type of the identified mute/non-mute transition.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining a playout time of the identified mute/non-mute transition.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the generated first-signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time, wherein making the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the generated second-signature does not represent a second transition that has the first type and that is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein outputting an alert comprises displaying a message.