- Number
- 9704491
- Published
- 2017-07-11
- Filed
- 2015-02-11
- Assignee
- Disney Enterprises, Inc.
- Inventors
- Goslin; Michael P., Fish; Ron C., Logan; David J., Havok; Reek N., Lum; Susan M.
- CPC
- A63F13/54; H04R29/00; G10L19/0017; A63H5/00; A63F13/30
- Verdict
- High Hardware
- Source
- Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline
The keeper's note
Selects a device in the physical environment to output an audio effect, distributing an immersive soundscape across a storytelling environments devices.
Abstract
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture for outputting an audio effect on a remote device are disclosed. Embodiments select a device from a plurality of devices within a physical environmentfor use in outputting an audio effect. Upon determining that transmitting the audio effect as uncompressed data to the selected device would violate a predefined performance criteria, the audio effect is modified by determining, for each of a plurality of portions of the audio effect, a respective priority. Additionally, upon determining that a first portion of the plurality of portions of the audio effect is a lower priority, relative to a second portion of the audio effect, embodiments compress the first portion of the audio effect, while the second portion of the audio effect remains uncompressed. The modified audio effect is then transmitted to the selected device for playback.
Background
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS(1) So that the manner in which the above recited aspects are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of embodiments of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the appended drawings.(2) It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.(3) FIG. 1 illustrates a playtime environmentin which a controller is instructing interactive devices, according to one embodiment described herein.(4) FIG. 2 illustrates a storytelling environment with a plurality of playgroups, according to one embodiment described herein.(5) FIG. 3 illustrates a physical environment including storytelling devices and a user, according to one embodiment described herein.(6) FIG. 4 illustrates an audio file containing uncompressed data and variable rate compressed data, according to one embodiment described herein.(7) FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for altering audio data, according to one embodiment described herein.(8) FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of creating audio data for output on a particular storytelling device, according to one embodiment described herein.(9) FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an interactive object, according to one embodiment described herein.(10) FIG. 8 is a block diagr
Claims
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer program code, that, when executed, performs an operation comprising: selecting a device from a plurality of devices within a physical environment for use in outputting an audio effect; upon determining that transmitting the audio effect as uncompressed data to the selected device would violate a predefined performance criteria, based on determining that the selected device includes insufficient processing resources for processing the audio effect as uncompressed data, modifying the audioeffect, comprising: determining, for each of a plurality of portions of the audio effect,a respective priority; and upon determining that a first portion of the plurality of portions of the audio effect is a lower priority, relative to a second portion of the audio effect, compressing the first portion of the audio effect, wherein the second portion of theaudio effect remains uncompressed; and transmitting the modified audio effect to the selected device for playback, wherein the selected device is configured to, upon receiving thetransmitted modified audio effect: identify predefined low-frequency audio data associated with the transmitted modified audio effect, wherein the predefined low-frequency audio data comprises a low-frequency sound effect; combine the identified predefined low-frequency audio data with the transmitted modified audio effect to produce combined audio data, such that the low-frequency sound effect is added to the modified audio effect; and output the combined audio data for playback.
9. A storytelling device, comprising: a processor; a communication module; and a memory containing an audio effect and a program that, when executed by the processor, performs an operation comprising: selecting a second storytelling device from a plurality of storytelling devices within a physical environment for use in outputting the audio effect; upon determining that transmitting the audio effect as uncompressed data to the selected second storytelling device would violate a predefined performance criteria, based on determining that the selected device includes insufficient processing resources for processing the audio effect as uncompressed data, modifying the audio effect, comprising: determining, for each of a plurality of portions of the audio effect, a respective priority; and upon determining that a first portion of the plurality of portions of the audio effect is a lower priority, relative to a second portion of the audio effect,compressing the first portion of the audio effect, wherein the second portion of the audio effect remains uncompressed; and transmitting the modified audio effect to the selected device for playback, wherein the selected device is configured to, upon receiving the transmitted modified audio effect: identify predefined low-frequency audio data associated with the transmitted modified audio effect, wherein the predefined low-frequency audio data comprises a low-frequency sound effect; combine the identified predefined low-frequency audio data with the transmitted modified audio effect to produce combined audio data, such that the low-frequency sound effect is added to the modified audio effect; and output the combined audio data for playback.
16. A storytelling device, comprising: a processor; a communication module; and a memory containing an audio effect and a program that, when executed by the processor, performs an operation comprising: receiving, from a controller device,a modified audio effect for output; identifying predefined low-frequency audio data associated with the transmitted modified audio effect, wherein the predefined low-frequency audio data comprises a low-frequency sound effect; determining that the first portion of the audio effect has been compressed, while the second portion of the audio effect remains uncompressed; combining the identified predefined low-frequency audio data with the transmitted modified audio effect to produce combined audio data, such that the low-frequency soundeffect is added to the modified audio effect, wherein the identified predefined low-frequency audio data is combined only with the first portion of the audio effect that has been compressed and not with the second portion of the audio effect that remains uncompressed; and outputting the combined audio data for playback.