Christopher R Ward

US Patent:

61378348, Oct 24, 2000

Filed:

May 28, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/864322

Inventors:

Charles M. Wine - Princeton NJ
Robert Norman Hurst - Hopewell NJ
Christopher Ward - Glen Ridge NJ
Paul Wallace Lyons - New Egypt NJ

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H04B 166

US Classification:

375240

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for splicing a first compressed digital information stream into a second compressed digital information stream. The first information stream includes at least one entrance indicium identifying an appropriate stream entrance point, the second information stream includes at least one exit indicium identifying an appropriate stream exit point. A controller monitors the two streams until the appropriate points are found and, in response to a control signal, splices the first stream into the second stream.

US Patent:

61413585, Oct 31, 2000

Filed:

Jun 5, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/092809

Inventors:

Robert Norman Hurst - Hopewell NJ
Christopher Ward - Glen Ridge NJ

Assignee:

Sarnoff Corporation - Princeton NJ

International Classification:

H04J 322

US Classification:

370543

Abstract:

A method and concomitant apparatus for incorporating one or more relatively low bitrate information streams (e. g. , MPEG) into a relatively high bitrate information stream (e. g. , SDTI) in a manner aligning low bitrate sub-stream splice entrance points and splice exit points within the frame boundaries of the high bitrate information stream. In this manner the splicing of the relatively high bitrate information stream at appropriate In Frames and Out Frames will provide relatively seamless splicing of information sub-streams.

US Patent:

20220328051, Oct 13, 2022

Filed:

Nov 9, 2021

Appl. No.:

17/522595

Inventors:

- New York NY, US
Mark Kalman - Tappan NY, US
Deepen Sinha - Chatham NJ, US
Christopher Ward - Lawrenceville NJ, US

International Classification:

G10L 19/00
G11B 27/038
H04H 60/04
H04H 20/38
G11B 27/031

Abstract:

Systems and methods are presented for efficient cross-fading of compressed domain information streams on a user/client device. Exemplary systems may provide cross-fade between AAC/Enhanced AAC Plus information streams, between MP3 information streams, or between information streams of unmatched formats. These systems are distinguished in that cross-fade is directly applied to compressed bitstreams so a single decode operation is performed on the resulting bitstream. Thus, a set of frames from each input stream associated with the time interval in which a cross fade is decoded, and combined and recoded with a cross fade or other effect now in the compressed bitstream. Once sent through the client device's decoder, the user hears the transitional effect. The only input data that is decoded and processed is that associated with the portion of each stream used the crossfade, blend or other interstitial, and thus the vast majority of input streams are left compressed.

US Patent:

20200202871, Jun 25, 2020

Filed:

Jul 30, 2019

Appl. No.:

16/526296

Inventors:

- New York NY, US
Mark Kalman - Tappan NY, US
Deepen Sinha - Chatham NJ, US
Christopher Ward - Lawrenceville NJ, US

International Classification:

G10L 19/00
G11B 27/038
H04H 60/04
H04H 20/38
G11B 27/031

Abstract:

Systems and methods are presented for efficient cross-fading (or other multiple clip processing) of compressed domain information streams on a user or client device, such as a telephone, tablet, computer or MP3 player, or any consumer device with audio playback. Exemplary implementation systems may provide cross-fade between AAC/Enhanced AAC Plus (EAACPlus) information streams or between MP3 information streams or even between information streams of unmatched formats (e.g. AAC to MP3 or MP3 to AAC). Furthermore, these systems are distinguished by the fact that cross-fade is directly applied to the compressed bitstreams so that a single decode operation may be performed on the resulting bitstream. Moreover, using the described methods, similar cross fade in the compressed domain between information streams utilizing other formats of compression, such as, for example, MP2, AC-3, PAC, etc. can also be advantageously implemented. Thus, in exemplary embodiments of the present invention a set of frames from each input stream associated with the time interval in which a cross fade is decoded, and combined and recoded with a cross fade or other effect now in the compressed bitstream. Once sent through the client device's decoder, the user hears the transitional effect. The only input data that is decoded and processed is that associated with the portion of each stream used in the crossfade, blend or other interstitial, and thus the vast majority of the input streams are left compressed.

US Patent:

20190244626, Aug 8, 2019

Filed:

Dec 11, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/216635

Inventors:

- New York NY, US
Christopher Ward - Lawrenceville NJ, US
Charles W. Christine - Robbinsville NJ, US

International Classification:

G10L 19/16
G10L 19/26
G06F 9/50
G10L 19/008
H04H 60/04
G11B 27/038

Abstract:

Systems and methods are presented for cross-fading (or other multiple clip processing) of information streams on a user or client device, such as a telephone, tablet, computer or MP3 player, or any consumer device with audio playback. Multiple clip processing can be accomplished at a client end according to directions sent from a service provider that specify a combination of (i) the clips involved; (ii) the device on which the cross-fade or other processing is to occur and its parameters; and (iii) the service provider system. For example, a consumer device with only one decoder, can utilize that decoder (typically hardware) to decompress one or more elements that are involved in a cross-fade at faster than real time, thus pre-fetching the next element(s) to be played in the cross-fade at the end of the currently being played element. The next elements(s) can, for example, be stored in an input buffer, then decoded and stored in a decoded sample buffer, all prior to the required presentation time of the multiple element effect. At the requisite time, a client device component can access the respective samples of the decoded audio clips as it performs the cross-fade, mix or other effect. Such exemplary embodiments use a single decoder and thus do not require synchronized simultaneous decodes.

US Patent:

20180025735, Jan 25, 2018

Filed:

Oct 2, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/722240

Inventors:

- New York NY, US
Mark Kalman - Tappan NY, US
Deepen Sinha - Chatham NJ, US
Christopher Ward - Lawrenceville NJ, US

International Classification:

G10L 19/00
H04H 20/38
G11B 27/038
H04H 60/04

Abstract:

Systems and methods are presented for efficient cross-fading (or other multiple clip processing) of compressed domain information streams on a user or client device, such as a telephone, tablet, computer or MP3 player, or any consumer device with audio playback. Exemplary implementation systems may provide cross-fade between AAC/Enhanced AAC Plus (EAACPlus) information streams or between MP3 information streams or even between information streams of unmatched formats (e.g. AAC to MP3 or MP3 to AAC). Furthermore, these systems are distinguished by the fact that cross-fade is directly applied to the compressed bitstreams so that a single decode operation may be performed on the resulting bitstream. Moreover, using the described methods, similar cross fade in the compressed domain between information streams utilizing other formats of compression, such as, for example, MP2, AC-3, PAC, etc. can also be advantageously implemented. Thus, in exemplary embodiments of the present invention a set of frames from each input stream associated with the time interval in which a cross fade is decoded, and combined and recoded with a cross fade or other effect now in the compressed bitstream. Once sent through the client device's decoder, the user hears the transitional effect. The only input data that is decoded and processed is that associated with the portion of each stream used in the crossfade, blend or other interstitial, and thus the vast majority of the input streams are left compressed.