Methods and apparatus for merging media content

Abstract

A computerized method and apparatus is disclosed for merging content segments from a number of discrete media content (e.g., audio/video podcasts) in preparation for playback. The method and apparatus obtain metadata corresponding to a plurality of discrete media content. The metadata identifies the content segments and their corresponding timing information, such that the metadata of at least one of the plurality of discrete media content is derived using one or more media processing techniques. A number of the content segments are selected to be merged for playback using the timing information from the metadata. The merged media content can be implemented as a playlist identifying the content segments to be merged for playback. The merged media content can also be generated by extracting the content segments to be merged for playback from each of the media files/streams and then merging the extracted segments into one or more merged media files/streams.

1 . A computerized method of merging media content, comprising: 
 obtaining metadata corresponding to a plurality of discrete media content, the corresponding metadata identifying content segments and corresponding timing information, wherein the metadata of at least one of the plurality of discrete media content is derived from the plurality of discrete media content using one or more media processing techniques;    selecting a set of content segments for playback from among the content segments identified in the corresponding metadata; and    using the timing information from the corresponding metadata to enable playback of the selected set of content segments at a client.    
   
   
       2 . The computerized method of  claim 1  further comprises: 
 using the timing information from the corresponding metadata to generate a play list that enables playback of the selected set of content segments by identifying the selected set of content segments and corresponding timing information for accessing the selected set of content segments in the plurality of discrete media content.    
   
   
       3 . The computerized method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 downloading the plurality of discrete media content and the play list to a client for playback.    
   
   
       4 . The computerized method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 using the timing information from the corresponding metadata to extract the selected set of content segments from the plurality of discrete media content; and    merging the extracted segments into one or more discrete media content.    
   
   
       5 . The computerized method of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 downloading the one or more discrete media content containing the extracted segments to a client for playback.    
   
   
       6 . The computerized method of  claim 4  further comprising: 
 using the timing information from the corresponding metadata to generate a play list that enables playback of the extracted segments by identifying each of the extracted segments and corresponding timing information for accessing the extracted segments in the one or more discrete media content.    
   
   
       7 . The computerized method of  claim 6  wherein the play list enables ordered or arbitrary playback of the extracted segments that are merged into the one or more discrete media content.  
   
   
       8 . The computerized method of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 downloading the one or more discrete media content containing the extracted segments and the play list to a client for playback.    
   
   
       9 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein the timing information includes an offset and a duration.  
   
   
       10 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein the timing information includes a start offset and an end offset.  
   
   
       11 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein the timing information includes a marker embedded within each of the plurality of discrete media content.  
   
   
       12 . The computerized method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 using the metadata corresponding to the plurality of discrete media content to generate a display that enables a user to select the set of content segments for playback from the plurality of discrete media content.    
   
   
       13 . The computerized method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 obtaining the metadata corresponding to the plurality of discrete media content in response to a search query; and    using the metadata to generate a display of search results that enables a user to select the set of content segments for playback from the plurality of discrete media content.    
   
   
       14 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of discrete media content includes a video component and one or more of the content segments including portions of the video component identified using an image processing technique.  
   
   
       15 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of discrete media content includes an audio component and one or more of the content segments including portions of the audio component identified using a speech recognition technique.  
   
   
       16 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of discrete media content includes an audio component and one or more of the content segments including portions of the audio component identified using a natural language processing technique.  
   
   
       17 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the content segments identified in the metadata include audio corresponding to an individual word, audio corresponding to a phrase, audio corresponding to a sentence, audio corresponding to a paragraph, audio corresponding to a story, audio corresponding to a topic, audio within a range of volume levels, audio of an identified speaker, audio during a speaker turn, audio associated with a speaker emotion, audio of non-speech sounds, audio separated by sound gaps, or audio corresponding to a named entity.  
   
   
       18 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the content segments identified in the metadata include video of individual scenes, watermarks, recognized objects, recognized faces, or overlay text.  
   
   
       19 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein the metadata is separate from the media content.  
   
   
       20 . The computerized method of  claim 1  wherein the metadata is embedded within the media content.  
   
   
       21 . An apparatus for merging media content, comprising: 
 means for obtaining metadata corresponding to a plurality of discrete media content, the corresponding metadata identifying content segments and corresponding timing information, wherein the metadata of at least one of the plurality of discrete media content is derived from the plurality of discrete media content using one or more media processing techniques;    means for selecting a set of content segments for playback from among the content segments identified in the corresponding metadata; and    means for enabling playback of the selected set of content segments at a client using the timing information from the corresponding metadata.    
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprises: 
 means for generating a play list that enables playback of the selected set of content segments using the timing information from the corresponding metadata by identifying the selected set of content segments and corresponding timing information for accessing the selected set of content segments in the plurality of discrete media content.    
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 means for extracting the selected set of content segments from the plurality of discrete media content using the timing information from the corresponding metadata; and    means for merging the extracted segments into one or more discrete media content.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more media processing techniques include at least one automated media processing technique.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more media processing techniques include at least one manual media processing technique.