EP2026482A1 - Verfahren zur Steuerung der Wiedergabe eines Radioprogramms - Google Patents

Verfahren zur Steuerung der Wiedergabe eines Radioprogramms Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2026482A1
EP2026482A1 EP07014290A EP07014290A EP2026482A1 EP 2026482 A1 EP2026482 A1 EP 2026482A1 EP 07014290 A EP07014290 A EP 07014290A EP 07014290 A EP07014290 A EP 07014290A EP 2026482 A1 EP2026482 A1 EP 2026482A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
radio program
media file
music
radio
piece
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP07014290A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Meik Pfeffinger
Gerhard Schmidt
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
Original Assignee
Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH filed Critical Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH
Priority to EP07014290A priority Critical patent/EP2026482A1/de
Publication of EP2026482A1 publication Critical patent/EP2026482A1/de
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
    • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
    • H04H60/09—Arrangements for device control with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time; Arrangements for control of broadcast-related services
    • H04H60/11—Arrangements for counter-measures when a portion of broadcast information is unavailable
    • H04H60/12—Arrangements for counter-measures when a portion of broadcast information is unavailable wherein another information is substituted for the portion of broadcast information

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method for controlling the playback of a radio program and relates to a multimedia system comprising a radio receiver and a media file player, which is able to control the reception of a radio signal in such a way that signal perturbations of the receiver radio signal are not noticed by the user.
  • the increasing amount of storage capabilities allows the storage of hundreds or thousands of audio files on one portable small storage unit.
  • the audio file is stored in the MP3 format (MP3 standing for MPEG Layer 3)
  • the audio files do not only contain the audio data for replay, but also additional information about the stored file such as the artist or the name of the song.
  • these data are stored as MP3 tags.
  • the quality of the received radio program varies continuously as the vehicle is moving and as the signal strength of the received radio signal is varying.
  • prior art radio receivers try to use redundant information contained in the received audio signal.
  • these methods for improving the signal quality of the received radio signal can only be used when the distortions are very short, i.e. in the range of 50 ms or less.
  • a method for controlling the playback of a radio program, the radio program being transmitted by a radio signal which is received from a radio receiver of a multimedia system.
  • the signal quality of the received radio program is determined and the radio program is played back, i.e. output to the user.
  • a database storing a plurality of media files is accessed and one of the media files from the database is selected and the played back radio program is replaced by the selected media file and the selected media file is played back instead of the broadcast radio program if it is determined that the signal quality of the received radio program is below a predetermined threshold.
  • the claimed method helps to mask distortions in the received radio signals by switching the output from the received radio program to the output of a played back media file.
  • the distorted radio signal can be replaced by an audio signal from a media file stored on the database.
  • the database may be part of the radio receiver or can be part of an external device such as an audio player coupled to the radio receiver.
  • a replacement can be carried out in such a way that signal distortions of the transmitted radio signal can be compensated in such a way that the user is not even aware of them anymore.
  • the radio program may be identified by identifying the piece of music played back in the radio program.
  • the broadcast radio program normally comprises additional information contained in the transmitted radio signal allowing the identification of the current song or the current piece of music. This information can be used to identify the audio content of the broadcast radio program.
  • the media files contained in the database are digitally encoded media files. With these digitally encoded media files it is easy to search in the database for media files containing the same piece of music as played back in the radio program. When a media file corresponding to the piece of music of the radio program can be found in the database, the radio program can be replaced by the media file containing the same piece of music. It should be understood that this invention is not restricted to a certain type of music or to the playback of music at all. It is also possible to use the invention in connection with other audio files such as audio books or any other kind of audio data broadcast by a radio program.
  • the piece of music broadcast by the radio program can be any type of music, be it classic music, jazz music, rock or pop music.
  • the piece of music played back in the radio program is identified when the signal quality of the radio program is higher than a predetermined threshold.
  • This threshold can be the threshold mentioned above which is used as a replacement threshold. However, it is also possible to use any other threshold. This feature helps to ensure that the transmitted radio program can be identified correctly.
  • the signal quality e.g. the signal level
  • the identification of the played back piece of music might be erroneous. Accordingly, it is preferable to carry out the identification of the radio program when the radio signal is received at a high signal strength before the low signal is detected. As it is not shown in advance when the quality of the received radio signal will become lower, it is preferable to identify the broadcast piece of music as soon as it is received in a sufficient quality allowing the extraction of the information which piece of music is actually played back.
  • the played back radio program Before the played back radio program is replaced by a played back media file, it is preferable to carry out a temporal fitting of the piece of music played back in the radio program and the selected media file of the database in such a way that the piece of music played back in the radio program is substantially synchronous to the played back media file.
  • This temporal fitting can mean that the playback of the media file is started substantially at the same position within the media file at which the output of the piece of music of the radio program is stopped.
  • the synchronization of the audio parts of the piece of music to the media file can also mean that the playback velocity of the piece of music in the radio program is determined and the playback velocity of the media file is adapted accordingly.
  • the media file is a digitally stored bit stream in which the media files are stored in different frames.
  • the playback velocity can be adapted by adapting the frame rate of the file.
  • the media file is used for masking distortions of the broadcast radio program. Accordingly, it is preferable to continuously determine the signal quality of the received radio program. As soon as the signal quality of the received radio program is again higher than the predetermined threshold, the played back media file can be again replaced by the broadcast radio program broadcasting the piece of music which was replaced by the media file containing the same piece of music before.
  • the media file is played back at about the same velocity as the piece of music in the radio program and when the position within the piece of music is correctly identified, the first replacement of the radio program by the media file and the second replacement replacing the media file again by the radio program can be done in such a way that the user does not even notice the replacement.
  • the title and the artist of the piece of music are determined and the media file having the same title from the same artist is preferably selected for replacement. Furthermore, it is possible to additionally analyze the piece of music in the radio program and the media file in order to be sure that the piece of music of the broadcast radio program is replaced by the correct media file. It is possible that different recordings of the same piece of music exist, e.g. a live recording and a studio recording. Normally a studio recording cannot be replaced by a live recording without the notice of the user. As a consequence, additional analysis can be carried out, e.g. by carrying out a correlation analysis.
  • the received radio signal is demodulated in the case of an analog radio signal or decoded in the case of a digital radio signal and directly fed to the output for playback, a signal distortion could be detected.
  • a replacement of the radio program by a media file of the database could not be carried out without notice of the user. For this reason it is preferred to delay the playback of the radio program by a predetermined delay time before it is output to the user. This delay time can then be used when it was detected that the signal quality of the received radio program is below the predetermined threshold.
  • the media file can be selected from the database, the corrected time within the media file can be determined and the radio program can be replaced by playing back the media file within said delay time.
  • radio signal or the database do not contain the information needed to identify the piece of music by the artist or the title of the song, it is also possible to carry out a similarity check of the piece of music in the radio program in connection with all media files of the database and the media file best matching the piece of music broadcast in the radio program could be used for replacing the radio program.
  • the played back piece of music in a radio program is not contained in the database of the user. In this situation it is possible to present other media files of the same artist or other media files of a similar genre to the user for further selection.
  • the invention further relates to a multimedia system comprising a radio receiver receiving the radio signal containing the broadcast radio program. Furthermore, a media player configured for playing back media files and a database containing the media files are provided. Additionally, means for determining the signal quality of the received radio program and for determining whether the signal quality is below a predetermined threshold are provided.
  • the multimedia system outputs the received radio program via an output unit.
  • the multimedia system further comprises switching means configured for selecting the output from one of the media player and the radio receiver. When said means for determining the signal quality detects that the signal quality of the received radio program is below the predetermined threshold, the switching means replaces the played back radio program by a media file from the database.
  • a radio program identification unit may be provided identifying the piece of music that is played back in the radio program.
  • the identification of the radio program can be carried out on the basis of the data additionally transmitted in connection with the radio program (e.g. the RDS (Radio Data System) data).
  • a media file identification unit may be provided using the metadata contained in the media files in order to identify the different media files.
  • a delay element may be provided delaying the output of the received radio program before it is output via the output unit.
  • the playback velocity of the media file can be adapted to the playback velocity of the broadcast radio program by a playback velocity control unit.
  • the playback velocity control unit helps to control the velocity in such a way that the velocities of the media file and of the piece of music in the radio program substantially coincide.
  • a multimedia system 100 is shown which may be incorporated into a vehicle (not shown).
  • the multimedia system 100 can overcome distortions in mobile radio reception by replacing the broadcast radio program by playing back a media file stored in a database coupled to the radio receiver.
  • the broadcast radio signal is fed to the system as signal 110.
  • the received radio signal 110 is first of all fed to a conventional radio receiver 115 comprising a receiving unit 120, where the received radio signal 110 is demodulated.
  • the radio signal 110 can be an analogously broadcast signal, however it is also possible that signal 110 is a digitally broadcast signal.
  • the receiving unit 120 additionally decodes the radio signal.
  • the radio signal 110 is additionally fed to a signal strength determination unit 125, where the signal strength of the received radio signal and of the radio program contained in the radio signal is analyzed.
  • the information of the extracted signal strength is fed to a media file identification unit 130 and to a main control unit 150.
  • the dashed lines indicate control signals, whereas the continuous lines indicate audio, radio or data signals.
  • the received radio signal is additionally fed to an identification unit 140 which extracts additional information from the radio signal.
  • the additional information can be the name of the broadcasting radio station, the name and the artist of the currently broadcast song, etc. All these pieces of information can be found in the RDS signal (radio data system signal).
  • the information about the title of the currently played piece of music and the artist is fed to the media file identification unit 130.
  • the media file identification unit 130 then accesses a database 135 containing a large number of audio files.
  • the database can be part of a media player such as an MP3 player where the media files are stored in the database 135 in a compressed way.
  • the media file is fed to a decoding unit 145, where the digitally encoded file data are decoded and are made ready for playback.
  • a combination of the artist and the title of the song cannot clearly define a media file, as it is possible that different recordings of one title exist.
  • the piece of music played back in the radio program could be a live recording and the media file in the database 135 could be a studio recording. Normally, these two recordings differ from each other in such a way that the replacement of the radio program by the media file is not possible without notice of the user.
  • the two audio signals are compared to each other.
  • the audio file decoded by unit 145 is fed back to the media file identification unit which also receives the demodulated and decoded audio signal.
  • the comparison of the two signals can be obtained through a correlation analysis.
  • it is also possible to use other methods for comparing two audio signals e.g. cepstral distance measures.
  • the signal x r (n) and x d (n) relate to the demodulated radio signal and the decoded audio file, respectively, n being the time index, N being the number of cycles. Additionally, an unknown time delay ko between the two audio signals has to be considered. For this reason in order to carry out the similarity check the two signals should be based on a short part of the audio signal (N cycles). Additionally, a radio signal should be used having a high signal-to-noise ratio. This part of the received radio signal is then compared to a corresponding segment of the media file. The comparison is then repeated for another part of the signal having a different time delay.
  • the parameter no is the starting time of the analyzed segment.
  • the following can be said: - ⁇ ⁇ n ⁇ k ⁇ 1
  • the media file of the database 135 can be used for replacing the broadcast radio program.
  • the signal strength determination unit 125 determines that the signal strength of the received radio signal is below a certain threshold, the corresponding information is fed to the media file identification unit in which, as discussed above, also the correlation analysis is carried out.
  • the information about the lower signal quality is additionally fed to control unit 150 and to a switch 160 which is responsible for switching between the radio signal and the signal from the audio file.
  • a delay element 170 is provided receiving the signal from the radio receiver 115.
  • the delay element 170 introduces an additional time delay before the signal is fed to switch 160.
  • a delay element 180 is also provided adapting the time delay of the audio signal of the audio file to the time delay of delay element 170.
  • the delay ko(n) By switching from the radio signal to the audio signal of the media file, the delay ko(n) has to be considered. If several maxima were detected in the correlation analysis, the maximum having the lowest delay should be selected. In the correlation analysis it is possible that several maxima are detected when a part of the refrain was used as a segment for the comparison, as the refrain is normally repeated several times.
  • the radio signal x r (n) and the media file signal x d (n) should be analyzed and it should be determined whether the two signals diverge. This divergence can be detected using correlation analysis which is repeated periodically ( ⁇ max ( n 0 )+ m ⁇ T 0 ). If the determined delay ko(no+mTo) changes compared to its predessor ko(n 0 +(m-1)T 0 ), it can be followed that the transmitted radio signal was either played back faster or slower than normal.
  • the relative velocity difference a can be determined using a simple linear regression using the following supporting points: [ k 0 ( n 0 ) , k 0 n 0 ] , [ k 0 ( n 0 + T 0 ) , k 0 n 0 + a ⁇ T 0 ] , [ k 0 ( n 0 + 2 ⁇ T 0 ) , k 0 n 0 + 2 ⁇ a ⁇ T 0 ] ,
  • the relative velocity difference a is fed to a velocity control unit 190, which adapts the playback velocity of the media file.
  • the system 100 shown in Fig. 1 is configured in such a way that the signal strength determination unit continues to determine the signal strength of the received radio signal.
  • the broadcast radio program can be replaced with a media file selected from the database as discussed above.
  • the audio file is fed to switch 160 which then may switch from the radio signal to the audio signal from the media file.
  • the switch may either abruptly switch from one audio signal to the other; however, preferably a smooth transition is carried out so that the user does not even notice that the radio signal was replaced by another audio signal.
  • x(n) corresponds to the output signal 195, ⁇ (n) determines the time-dependent mixing relation.
  • ⁇ (n) should be set to 0.
  • the signal x ⁇ d ( n ) is the velocity compensated signal of x d (n).
  • the playback sound level is adapted to the sound level of the broadcast radio program.
  • Fig. 2 The steps for replacing the playback of a radio program by the playback of an audio file in the case of a signal distortion of the radio program are summarized in Fig. 2 .
  • the methods starts in step 200.
  • the radio program is received in step 210 and in steps 220 and 230 the played back piece of music is identified and the signal strength of the received radio signal is determined in unit 125 of Fig. 1 .
  • step 240 a delay time is inserted before the signal is output as output signal 195.
  • step 250 it is asked whether the signal strength of the received radio signal is higher than a predetermined threshold. If this is the case, the received radio signal is output with the inserted delay time in step 260.
  • step 250 it can be checked in step 270 whether a media file having the same audio content as the broadcast radio program can be found in database 135. If such a media file cannot be detected in the database, the system can return to step 260 and can continue to output the radio program. If, however, in step 270 a media file having the same audio content as the broadcast radio program can be found, the piece of music played back in the radio program can be replaced by the played back media file in step 280. The system continues to analyse the signal quality of the received radio signal and when the received radio signal is again over the predetermined threshold, the radio signal is again output to the user.
  • the received radio signal can be compared to all the media files in the database, e.g. the comparison can be based on a correlation analysis as disclosed in equation 1 above.
  • the media file best fitting the received radio signal could then be selected in order to replace the radio signal.
  • it is possible to store the identified pieces of music in the database preferably also in a compressed way.
  • the radio content could such be ripped on the storage unit of the database. In many radio stations the current hits are often repeated. It may happen that the same piece of music is again broadcast by the radio station and in this situation when the same song was recorded earlier and stored in the database the stored version could be used for replacing the broadcast version in the case of a signal distortion in the radio signal.
  • the invention provides an efficient possibility to mask signal distortions in the received radio signal by replacing the radio signal by a signal from an audio file stored in a database coupled to the radio receiver.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Circuits Of Receivers In General (AREA)
EP07014290A 2007-07-20 2007-07-20 Verfahren zur Steuerung der Wiedergabe eines Radioprogramms Ceased EP2026482A1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07014290A EP2026482A1 (de) 2007-07-20 2007-07-20 Verfahren zur Steuerung der Wiedergabe eines Radioprogramms

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07014290A EP2026482A1 (de) 2007-07-20 2007-07-20 Verfahren zur Steuerung der Wiedergabe eines Radioprogramms

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EP2026482A1 true EP2026482A1 (de) 2009-02-18

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010116214A1 (en) * 2009-04-10 2010-10-14 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Automatic audio transition
EP2355382A1 (de) * 2010-02-05 2011-08-10 Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH Empfangsvorrichtung und Verfahren zur Wiedergabe in einem mobilen Empfänger
WO2015011122A1 (de) * 2013-07-25 2015-01-29 Continental Automotive Gmbh Verfahren zur wiedergabe eines radioprogramms sowie multimediaeinheit zur durchführung des verfahrens
US9705616B2 (en) 2013-06-08 2017-07-11 Audi Ag Evaluation and acoustic emission of audio broadcasting signals in a vehicle

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1286484A1 (de) * 2001-08-17 2003-02-26 Sony International (Europe) GmbH Verfahren zur Wiedergabe eines Datenstroms
US20040148555A1 (en) * 2003-01-24 2004-07-29 Dennis Blackburn Apparatus and method for accommodating loss of signal
US20040267388A1 (en) * 2003-06-26 2004-12-30 Predictive Media Corporation Method and system for recording and processing of broadcast signals
US20060034464A1 (en) * 2004-08-16 2006-02-16 Denso Corporation Sound reproduction device
WO2006134516A1 (en) * 2005-06-17 2006-12-21 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Receiving radio broadcasts
DE102005041653A1 (de) * 2005-09-02 2007-03-08 Robert Bosch Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Umschalten zwischen den Ausgaben von mehreren Audiosignalen von verschiedenen Sendequellen

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1286484A1 (de) * 2001-08-17 2003-02-26 Sony International (Europe) GmbH Verfahren zur Wiedergabe eines Datenstroms
US20040148555A1 (en) * 2003-01-24 2004-07-29 Dennis Blackburn Apparatus and method for accommodating loss of signal
US20040267388A1 (en) * 2003-06-26 2004-12-30 Predictive Media Corporation Method and system for recording and processing of broadcast signals
US20060034464A1 (en) * 2004-08-16 2006-02-16 Denso Corporation Sound reproduction device
WO2006134516A1 (en) * 2005-06-17 2006-12-21 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Receiving radio broadcasts
DE102005041653A1 (de) * 2005-09-02 2007-03-08 Robert Bosch Gmbh Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Umschalten zwischen den Ausgaben von mehreren Audiosignalen von verschiedenen Sendequellen

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010116214A1 (en) * 2009-04-10 2010-10-14 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Automatic audio transition
CN102405608A (zh) * 2009-04-10 2012-04-04 索尼爱立信移动通讯有限公司 自动音频转换
EP2355382A1 (de) * 2010-02-05 2011-08-10 Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH Empfangsvorrichtung und Verfahren zur Wiedergabe in einem mobilen Empfänger
US9705616B2 (en) 2013-06-08 2017-07-11 Audi Ag Evaluation and acoustic emission of audio broadcasting signals in a vehicle
WO2015011122A1 (de) * 2013-07-25 2015-01-29 Continental Automotive Gmbh Verfahren zur wiedergabe eines radioprogramms sowie multimediaeinheit zur durchführung des verfahrens

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