IP Library Granted Patent US 12,229,527
Granted Patent B2
US 12,229,527 · App. 18/517,658 · Granted Feb 18, 2025

Methods and systems for providing subtitles

Inventors: Ankur Anil Aher (Maharashtra, IN); Charishma Chundi (Andhra Pradesh, IN)
Assignee: Adeia Guides Inc.
G06F40/58G10L21/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,229,527
App. No.
18/517,658
Granted
Feb 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods are described for providing subtitles for a media content item. Subtitles are obtained, using control circuitry, for the media content item. Control circuitry determines whether a character component of the subtitles should be replaced by an image component. In response to determining that the character component of the subtitles should be replaced by an image component, control circuitry selects, from memory, an image component corresponding to the character component. Control circuitry replaces the character component of the subtitles by the image component to generate modified subtitles.

Claims (82)

1. A method for providing modified subtitles comprising:

obtaining, using control circuitry, subtitles for a media content item;

determining, using the control circuitry, whether a character component of the subtitles is replaceable with an image by:

querying the character component in an image search;

determining a level of variance between images returned as part of the search; and

determining that the character component is replaceable when the level of variance is less than a threshold level of variance;

in response to determining that the character component of the subtitles is replaceable with an image, determining, using the control circuitry, whether to replace the character component of the subtitles by an image component;

selecting, from memory, an image component corresponding to the character component;

replacing, using the control circuitry, the character component of the subtitles with the image component to generate modified subtitles; and

displaying the modified subtitles at user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the character component of the subtitles is replaceable with an image further comprises at least one of:

determining whether the character component is greater than a predetermined length; or

determining whether the character component is difficult to understand.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined length comprises at least one of:

a number of characters in the character component; or

an audio length of the character component.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining whether the character component is difficult to understand comprises at least one of:

determining a difficulty rating of the character component; or

determining a language ability level of a user.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

translating an audio component of the media content item from a first language into a second language to obtain the subtitles; and

determining if the subtitles comprise a character component that could not be translated into the second language to determine if the character component of the subtitles should be replaced with an image component.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing metadata of the media content item;

accessing a database containing a plurality of images corresponding to the character component; and

selecting one of the plurality of images corresponding to the character component as the image component based on the metadata of the media content item.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing metadata of a consumed portion of the media content item;

determining whether the consumed portion of the media content item comprises a frame containing an image corresponding to the character component based on the metadata; and

in response to determining that the consumed portion of the media content item comprises a frame containing an image corresponding to the character component, selecting the frame as the image component.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the consumed portion of the media content item comprises a plurality of frames containing an image corresponding to the character component, the method further comprising:

selecting a frame from the plurality of frames as the image component based on at least one of:

an elapsed time between display of the frame in the consumed portion of the media content item and a time of generation of the subtitles;

a clarity of the image corresponding to the character component in the frame; or

a size of the image in the frame.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a visual property of the image component.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, using control circuitry, that the character component of the subtitles relates to a first language; and

determining, using control circuitry, whether the character component of the subtitles translates from the first language to a second language based on a translation score;

wherein determining whether the character component of the subtitles is replaceable further comprises:

determining whether the translation score exceeds a translation threshold.

11. A system for providing modified subtitles, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

obtain subtitles for a media content item;

determine whether a character component of the subtitles is replaceable with an image by:

querying the character component in an image search;

determining a level of variance between the images returned as part of the search; and

determining that the character component is replaceable when the level of variance is less than a threshold level of variance;

in response to determining that the character component of the subtitles is replaceable with an image, determine whether to replace the character component of the subtitles by an image component;

select, from memory, an image component corresponding to the character component;

replace the character component of the subtitles with the image component to generate modified subtitles; and

display the modified subtitles at user equipment.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein, when determining whether the character component of the subtitles is replaceable with an image, the control circuitry is configured to perform at least one of:

determine whether the character component is greater than a predetermined length; or

determine whether the character component is difficult to understand.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the predetermined length comprises at least one of:

a number of characters in the character component; or

an audio length of the character component.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein, when determining whether to replace the character component of the subtitles by an image component, the control circuitry is configured to perform at least one of:

determining a difficulty rating of the character component; or

determining a language ability level of a user.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:

translate an audio component of the media content item from a first language into a second language to obtain the subtitles; and

determine if the subtitles comprise a character component that could not be translated into the second language to determine if the character component of the subtitles should be replaced with an image component.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

access metadata of the media content item;

access a database containing a plurality of images corresponding to the character component; and

select one of the plurality of images corresponding to the character component as the image component based on the metadata of the media content item.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

access metadata of a consumed portion of the media content item;

determine whether the consumed portion of the media content item comprises a frame containing an image corresponding to the character component based on the metadata; and

in response to determining that the consumed portion of the media content item comprises a frame containing an image corresponding to the character component, select the frame as the image component.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the consumed portion of the media content item comprises a plurality of frames containing an image corresponding to the character component, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

select a frame from the plurality of frames as the image component based on at least one of:

an elapsed time between the display of the frame in the consumed portion of the media content item and a time of the generation of the subtitles;

a clarity of the image corresponding to the character component in the frame; or

the size of the image in the frame.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to adjust a visual property of the image component.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the character component of the subtitles relates to a first language; and

determine whether the character component of the subtitles translates from the first language to a second language based on a translation score; and

wherein, when determining whether the character component of the subtitles is replaceable, the control circuitry is configured to determine whether the translation score exceeds a translation threshold.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 4, 2024
From: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
To: ADEIA GUIDES INC.
Reel/Frame 069113/0323 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2024
From: AHER, ANKUR ANIL; CHUNDI, CHARISHMA
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 066306/0272 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17165451 · Feb 2, 2021
Related Publication 20240160863A1 · May 16, 2024
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