IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,661,175
Granted Patent B2
US 10,661,175 · App. 15/715,653 · Granted May 26, 2020

Intelligent user-based game soundtrack

Inventors: Michael Taylor (San Mateo, CA); Glenn Black (San Mateo, CA)
Assignee: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
A63F13/63A63F13/30A63F13/33A63F13/54A63F13/67G10H2210/026G10H2240/131
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,661,175
App. No.
15/715,653
Granted
May 26, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, system, and processor-readable storage medium for providing audio playback are disclosed to enable users to replace background music in a computer or video game with music of user choice, while preserving other in-game sounds. An example method comprises receiving a game music stream from a gaming application of a user which includes a game background soundtrack and in-game sounds, extracting audio parameters of the game background soundtrack, determining an emotional classification of the game background soundtrack based on the audio parameters of the game background soundtrack, selecting a user soundtrack from a user music library that matches the emotional classification of game background soundtrack, replacing at least a part of the game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack, and providing a replacement game music stream to the user, the replacement game music including the user soundtrack and the in-game sounds.

Claims (88)

1. A method for providing audio playback in a gaming application, the method comprising:

receiving a game music stream from a gaming application of a user, the game music stream including

a separate game background soundtrack; and

separate in-game sounds;

extracting audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack;

determining an emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack based on the audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack;

identifying a current emotional state of the user, the identifying comprising:

capturing images of a user facial expression with a video camera and classifying the user facial expression with a machine learning system;

recognizing a speech of the user; or

by analyzing in-game user actions of the user;

selecting a user soundtrack from a user music library, the user soundtrack being selected:

based on the current emotional state of the user; and

to match the emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack;

replacing at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack; and

providing a replacement game music stream to the user, the replacement game music stream including both the user soundtrack and the separate in-game sounds.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the replacement of the at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack is performed before the user initiates the gaming application.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the replacement of the at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack is performed dynamically and selectively during a gameplay by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing the user music library, the user music library including a plurality of user soundtracks;

extracting audio parameters from each of the user soundtracks;

determining an emotional classification for each of the user soundtracks based on the audio parameters of the user soundtracks; and

indexing the plurality of user soundtracks based on the emotional classifications,

wherein user soundtrack indexes are used to match the emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determination of the emotional classification of each of the user soundtracks and the determination of the emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack is performed by the machine learning system and wherein the machine learning system is trained based on historical user data including user music preferences.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the audio parameters of the user soundtracks and the audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack include three or more of the following: a beats-per-minute (BPM) value, a tonality value, a pitch value, a timbre value, a harmonics value, a loudness value, a rhythm value, a sound envelope, a music genre, and a release date.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein the emotional classifications of the user soundtracks and the emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack are indicative of one or more of the following: happiness, sadness, neutrality, joy, wonder, surprise, fear, anxiety, violence, anger, sorrow, disgust, and distress.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying sound triggers based on a gameplay of the gaming application, actions of the user in the gaming application, or actions of other users in the gaming application, wherein the replacement of the at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack is performed at times associated with the sound triggers.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the replacement of the at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack includes mixing the separate game background soundtrack and the user soundtrack such that a transition between the separate game background soundtrack and the user soundtrack is blended and seamless to the user.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

accessing historical user data associated with the user music library;

determining user music preferences based on the historical user data; and

prioritizing user soundtracks in the user music library based on the user music preferences, wherein the replacement of the at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack is performed with the user soundtrack being a highest priority.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating a user playlist of one or more user soundtracks used to replace one or more parts of the separate game background soundtrack; and

storing the user playlist in a memory.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising sharing the user playlist with one or more other users via the Internet.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a user playlist of another user, wherein the user music library of the user is based on the user playlist of the other user.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising separating the separate game background soundtrack and the separate in-game sounds from the game music stream before performing the extraction of the audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising temporarily displaying, within the gaming application, an identifier of the user soundtrack used to replace the at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying a current stress level of the user based on user vital parameters or user motions, wherein the selecting of the user soundtrack from the user music library is further based on the current stress level of the user.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising further identifying the current emotional state of a gameplay based on a text content of the gaming application.

18. A system for providing audio playback in a gaming application, the system comprising at least one processor and a memory storing processor-executable codes, wherein the at least one processor is configured to implement the following operations upon executing the processor-executable codes:

receiving a game music stream from a gaming application of a user, the game music stream including both a separate game background soundtrack and separate in-game sounds;

extracting audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack;

accessing a user music library, the user music library including a plurality of user soundtracks;

extracting audio parameters from each of the user soundtracks of the plurality of user soundtracks;

determining, by a machine learning system, an emotional classification for each of the user soundtracks of the plurality of user soundtracks based on the audio parameters of the user soundtracks of the plurality of user soundtracks, the machine learning system being trained based on historical user data including user music preferences;

indexing the plurality of user soundtracks based on the emotional classifications;

determining, by the machine learning system, an emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack based on the audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack;

selecting, based on the user soundtrack indexes, a user soundtrack of the plurality of user soundtracks from the user music library that matches the emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack;

replacing at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack of the plurality of user soundtracks; and

providing a replacement game music stream to the user, the replacement game music stream including both the user soundtrack of the plurality of user soundtracks and the separate in-game sounds.

19. A non-transitory processor-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method for providing audio playback in a gaming application, the method comprising:

receiving a game music stream from a gaming application of a user, the game music stream including both a separate game background soundtrack and separate in-game sounds;

extracting audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack;

determining an emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack based on the audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack;

identifying a current emotional state of the user, the identifying comprising:

capturing images of a user facial expression with a video camera and classifying the user facial expression with a machine learning system;

recognizing a speech of the user; or

by analyzing in-game user actions of the user;

selecting, based on the current emotional state of the user, a user soundtrack from a user music library that matches the emotional classification of the separate game background soundtrack;

replacing at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack; and

providing a replacement game music stream to the user, the replacement game music stream including both the user soundtrack and the separate in-game sounds.

20. A method for providing audio playback in a multiplayer gaming application, the method comprising:

receiving a game music stream from a gaming application of at least one user, the game music stream including both a separate game background soundtrack and separate in-game sounds;

extracting audio parameters of the separate game background soundtrack;

determining a current emotional state of the at least one user, the determining comprising:

capturing images of a user facial expression with a video camera and classifying the user facial expression with a machine learning system;

recognizing a speech of the a least one user; or

by analyzing in-game user actions of the a least one user;

selecting a user soundtrack from a user music library, the user soundtrack being selected based on the current emotional state of the a least one user and to match the current emotional state of the at least one user;

replacing at least a part of the separate game background soundtrack with the user soundtrack; and

providing a replacement game music stream to the at least one user, the replacement game music stream including both the user soundtrack and the separate in-game sounds.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the receiving of the game music stream from the gaming application is performed for a plurality of users;

the determining of the current emotional state is performed for each of the plurality of users;

the user soundtrack is selected to match an average emotional state of all users; and

the providing of the replacement game music stream is performed to the plurality of users.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the receiving of the game music stream from the gaming application is performed for a plurality of users;

the determining of the current emotional state is performed for a winning user, selected from the plurality of users who won a previous game round;

the user soundtrack is selected to match the current emotional state of the winning user; and

the providing of the replacement game music stream is performed to the plurality of users.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the receiving of the game music stream from the gaming application is performed for a plurality of users;

the determining of the current emotional state is performed for a losing user, selected from the plurality of users who lost a previous game round;

the user soundtrack is selected to match the current emotional state of the losing user; and

the providing of the replacement game music stream is performed to the plurality of users.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2017
From: TAYLOR, MICHAEL; BLACK, GLENN
To: SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Reel/Frame 043841/0588 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190091576A1 · Mar 28, 2019
Cited By (1)
US 12,251,634