Doc. No. 141-1 US/PCT
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`Patent
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`SEGMENTATION AND TRANSMISSION OF AUDIO STREAMS
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`TECHNICAL FIELD
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`[1]
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`The present application relates generally to the transmission of digital audio data, and in
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`particular, to a system, method, and computer-readable code for the delivery of digital audio data
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`on demand.
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`[2]
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`Traditionally, there have been two different approachesfor delivering digital audio data.
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`In the first approach, the digital audio data is mass downloaded. More specifically, and as
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`shown schematically in Fig. 1, one or more files corresponding to an entire audio stream 10 is
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`transmitted one frame 12 at a time from the serverto the client. Once the entire audio stream 10
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`has been received and reassembled to form a continuous, contiguous audio stream,it is stored in
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`storage 14 prior to being transmitted to a media player 16.
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`[3]
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`In the second approach, streaming technologyis used to deliver the digital audio data
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`‘just-in-time’. More specifically, and as shown schematically in Fig. 2, an entire audio stream
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`20 is transmitted one frame 22 at a time from the serverto the client, where it is received and
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`reassembled,in part, to provide a continuous, contiguous audio stream (1.¢e., a small portion of
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`audio stream continuity is preserved). Once each frameis played by the media player 26, it is
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`then discarded from the buffer.
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`[4]
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`Small audio streams, or audio-video streams, which for example correspond to individual
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`songs, very short movies, and music videos, are typically transmitted using the first approach. In
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`terms of the delivery of these smaller streams of media, the delays experienced by the users are
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`generally tolerated because they are relatively short in nature. Typically, time delays are
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`measured as one or two minutes, and although possible, tend not to exceedthis.
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`[5]
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`The delivery of larger audio streams, which for example include booksand radio shows,
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`presents a problem for the user community. Whereasa single song that plays for 4 minutes may
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`take 1 minute to download, an audio bookthat plays for 12 hours may take 3 to 4 hours to
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`download. Although the general performanceis relatively the same in terms of throughputrate,
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`users of this media complain about the hours of waiting to receive and use the media selected.
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`[6]
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`While streaming technology obviates the waiting associated with mass download, any
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`degradation experienced in the delivery of the content in real time introducesinterruptions in the
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`audio stream, causing breaks andinterruptions in the users experience of that audio stream.
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`Moreover, since the digital audio data is not stored, repositioning within the audio stream (e.g.,
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`using rewind or fast forward functions) interrupts the just-in-time nature of content delivery, and
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`thus, may introduce significant delays and/or be inefficient. For example, in the case of
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`rewinding a streamed audio stream, the content associated with the new position selected in the
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`audio stream will need to be downloaded a second time and the future content temporarily stored
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`in the buffer will be discarded.
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`[7]
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`In both of the existing technologies, great effort is made to reassemble the audio stream
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`into a continuous, contiguous audio stream prior to being presented to the media player. In the
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`case of the mass download approach,the entire audio stream is downloaded and reassembled
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`prior to use. In streaming technologies, a very small portion of the audio stream is downloaded
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`and reassembled prior to use with additional content delivered and already played content
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`discarded continuously, to maintain a very small portion of continuity in the audio stream.
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`Notably, this reconstruction of the audio stream complicates the digital audio data delivery and
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`increases delivery time.
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`[8]
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`In addition, in both of the existing technologies, the user has limited tracking options.
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`For example, ‘The Godfather’ is an audio book that, as commercially released, contains 24 MP3
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`files that require 80 megabytes of storage and plays at normal speed for a total of almost 9 hours.
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`In order to use these files with existing mass download technology, the user must manually keep
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`track of whichfile is currently being listened to and whereoneisin that particularfile.
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`[9]
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`Tracking problemsalso develop if the users audio player automatically changesfiles, if
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`the useris listening to multiple audio streams and/orif the userlistens to audio streams on more
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`than one client device(e.g. if a user is listening to the audio stream at work and wants to resume
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`play at home). It can be particularly difficult and time consumingfor the user to resumelistening
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`to an audio stream at a specific position.
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`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
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`[10]
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`The instant invention obviates some of the above-described disadvantages by segmenting
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`an audio stream into a plurality of small digital audio files using gapsin the natural language of
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`the audio stream. These small digital audio files are transmitted, loaded, and played, in a specific
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`order, such that from the user’s perspective, the audio stream is reproduced in an apparently
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`seamless manner. Advantageously, this is done without reassembling the audio stream, either in
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`whole or in part. Further advantageously, since the small digital audio files are created using
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`natural language gaps, they can be sufficiently small to ensure that a first small digital audio file
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`is downloadedand played without significant delay, while successive small digital audio files are
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`downloadedto be played in the future. Accordingly, the user receives the audio-on-demandin a
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`timely manner.
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`[11]
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`The instant invention further obviates some of the above-described disadvantages by
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`providing a virtual audio stream descriptor, which includesa record ofthe position of each small
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`digital audio file in the audio stream,to increase tracking options. Morespecifically, the virtual
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`audio stream descriptor and one or more predetermined time offsets into the audio stream are
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`used to position or reposition the audio stream at will. The predeterminedtime offsets are
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`typically provided via internal media marks, external media marks, and/or rewind/fast-forward
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`functions.
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`[12]
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`In accordance with one aspect of the instant invention there is provided a method of
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`providingfiles for storage in a network accessible library for use in the transmission ofdigital
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`audio data, comprising the steps of: a) segmenting an audio stream into a plurality of small
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`digital audio files using natural language gapsin the audio stream; b) determiningat least one of
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`a start time, an end time, and a play time of each small digital audio file within the audio stream;
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`and c) creating a descriptor for identifying the audio stream and for ordering the plurality of
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`small digital audio files, the descriptor including theat least one ofa start time, an end time, and
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`a play time of each small digital audio file within the audio stream.
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`[13]
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`In accordance with another aspect of the instant invention there is provided a method for
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`the transmission ofdigital audio data, comprising the steps of: a) selecting the audio stream from
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`the network accessible library; b) determiningafirst small digital audio file in the plurality of
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`small digital audio files to be transmitted; c) transmitting the first small digital audio file from
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`the network accessible library to a client; and d) using a media player, playing the first small
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`digital audiofile.
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`[14]
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`In accordance with another aspect of the instant invention there is provided a method for
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`the transmission ofdigital audio data, comprising the steps of: a) selecting an audio stream, the
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`audio stream stored as a plurality of small digital audio files, each small digital audio file
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`corresponding to a segment of the audio stream boundedbynatural language gaps in the audio
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`stream; b) determininga first small digital audiofile in the plurality of small digital audio files to
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`be transmitted; c) transmitting the first small digital audio file from a server to a client; d) using a
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`media player, playing the transmitted first small digital audio file; e) determining subsequent
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`small digital audio files in the plurality of small digital audio files to be transmitted;f)
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`transmitting the subsequent small digital audio files from a server to a client; and, g) using the
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`media player, playing the transmitted subsequent small digital audio files such that, to a user, the
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`transition therebetween is apparently seamless.
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`[15]
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`In accordance with another aspect of the instant invention there is provided a methodfor
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`creating a bookmark for use in the transmission ofdigital audio data, comprising the steps of: a)
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`listening to an audio stream; b) determining a current position within the audio stream;c)
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`determining a time offset from a start of the audio stream to the current position; and, d) creating
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`a bookmark for the current position including the time offset.
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`[16]
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`In accordance with another aspect of the instant invention there is provided a system for
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`the transmission ofdigital audio data comprising: a server for storing audio streams, each audio
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`stream stored as a plurality of small digital audiofiles, each small digital audio file
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`corresponding to a segment of the corresponding audio stream boundedbynatural language gaps
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`in the audio stream; a client for playing selected audio streams stored on the server; and a
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`network for connecting the server and the client and facilitating transmission of the small digital
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`audio files from the server to the client, wherein at least one of the server and the client provides
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`a descriptor for each audio stream stored on the server, each descriptor includingat least one of a
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`start time, an end time, and a play timeofthe plurality of small digital audio files of the
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`corresponding audio stream, each descriptor providing meansfor the client to begin play of the
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`selected audio stream from any position therein without significant delay.
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`[17]
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`In accordance with another aspect of the instant invention there is provided a system a
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`computer readable storage medium including computer readable code, which when executed by
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`a computer, causes said computer to: downloadat least part of a selected audio stream stored on
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`a network accessible server, the selected audio stream stored as a plurality of small digital audio
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`files, each small digital audio file corresponding to a segment of the selected audio stream
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`bounded by natural language gapsin the selected audio stream; and begin playing the
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`downloaded audio stream using a media player without significant delay and such the transition
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`between successive small digital audio files appears seamless to a user of the media player.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`[18]|Further features and advantagesof the present invention will becomeapparent from the
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`following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
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`[19]
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`FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showingthe prior art mass download ofan audio stream;
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`[20]
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`FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showingpriorart streaming of an audio stream;
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`
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`[21] FIG.3isa schematic diagram illustrating the transmission of an audio stream in
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`accordance with one embodimentof the instant invention;
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`[22]
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`FIG. 4 isa schematic diagram of one embodiment of a network based library;
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`[23]
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`FIG. 5a shows an embodimentof an actual audio stream structure;
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`[24]
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`FIG. 5b shows an embodimentof a small digital audiofile structure;
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`[25]
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`FIG. 5c shows an embodimentof a virtual audio stream descriptor structure;
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`[26]|FIG. 5d shows an embodimentofanillustration structure;
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`[27]
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`FIG. 5e shows an embodimentof an advertising structure;
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`[28]
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`FIG. 5f shows an embodimentofa catalog index structure;
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`[29]
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`FIG. 5g shows an embodimentofa serverlist structure;
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`[30]
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`FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing card catalog index structure relationships;
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`[31]
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`FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodimentofa library creation process;
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`[32]
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`FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an audio stream splitter
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`process;
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`[33]
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`FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of a bookmark structure;
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`[34]
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`FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showingvirtual audio stream structure relationships;
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`[35]
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`FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodimentof a performance
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`management process;
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`[36]
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`FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating information transfer and client memory status;
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`[37]
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`FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a bookmarked audio
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`stream purge process;
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`[38]
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`FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodimentof an active audio stream
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`purging process;
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`[39]
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`FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a memory manager
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`process;
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`[40]
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`FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a download manager
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`process;
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`[41] FIG. 171saflow diagram illustrating one embodimentof a process for using the software
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`product;
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`Patent
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`[42]
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`FIG. 18 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodimentofthe player control process; and
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`[43]
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`FIG. 19 is a flow diagram illustrating one embodimentof the general functional process._
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`[44]
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`It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings,like features are identified by like
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`reference numerals.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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`[45]
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`Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown a system for transmitting digital audio data in
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`accordance with one embodimentofthe instant invention. The system includesa server 100, a
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`client 150, and a network (not shown) for connecting the server 100 andthe client 150.
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`[46]
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`On the server side 100, an audio stream analyser 115 is provided for analysing large
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`digital audio files 110 frame by frame 112, and for segmenting the large digital audio files 110
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`into a plurality of small audio files 122. More specifically, the audio stream analyser 115 locates
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`areas of silence or low decibel levels, hereafter referred to as gaps, within the audio stream.
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`Whenthese natural language gaps are found, and after more than a specific amount of content
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`has been processed, that content is written to a small audio file. This parsing processis repeated
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`until the entire audio stream has beensplit, or segmented, into the plurality of small audio files
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`122. In general, the size of each small audio file is selected such that it can be transferred from
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`the server 100 to the client 150 in a period oftime that that does not cause appreciable
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`consternation on behalf of the user. For example, as a benchmark for success, this time frame is
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`similar to that used in the telephone industry when a subscriberlifts a receiver and waits for a
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`dial tone. Accordingly, a two second wait is considered to be close to the maximum tolerable
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`delay, with the optimal target being in the sub-second range. The actual size range of the small
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`audio files will be dependent on the network throughput rates. As a result, as network speed
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`increases, the upper limit on the size of the segments will also increase.
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`[47]
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`The audio stream analyser 115 also analyses each small digital audio file to determine the
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`start time, end time, and/or play time of the small digital audio file within the audio stream 110.
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`This information is recorded in an indexfile 124 (e.g., an XML document). The indexfile 124,
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`whichis a virtual description of the actual audio stream, provides the information needed by a
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`media player to reproduce the experience of a contiguous audio stream for the user without
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`reconstructing the audio stream. The term ‘actual audio stream’ as used herein, refers to the
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`plurality of small digital audio files that comprise the entire audio stream, and that when played
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`sequentially, provide an apparently seamless audio experience. According to one embodiment,
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`each of the small digital audio files is named using a number(e.g., eight-digit decimal number)
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`that indicates its logical order in the actual audio stream.
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`[48]
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`In addition to providing actual stream details (i.¢., the information for locating and
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`managingthe plurality of small digital audio files), the virtual audio stream descriptor 124 also
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`typically includes descriptive details used to describe the content of the audio stream, such as the
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`title and/or ISBN. Optionally, the virtual audio stream descriptor 124 also includesinternal
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`media marks,illustrations related to the audio stream, and/or internal advertising. Internal media
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`marksare used to identify a specific point in time in the audio stream thatis offset from the
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`beginning of the audio stream. Morespecifically, they generally point to a time offset associated
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`with some user readable tag such asa table of contents, an index,a list of tables, a list of figures,
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`footnotes, quotations,alist of illustrations, etc. Illustrations related to the audio stream and/or
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`internal advertising may include graphics, static images, moving images, and/or other audio-
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`visual content that is displayed for a fixed duration.
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`[49]
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`In general, the virtual audio stream descriptor 124 and the actual audio stream 122 will be
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`stored together in a same location 120 on the server 100. For example, according to one
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`embodimentthe plurality of small audio files 122 and the virtual audio stream descriptor 124 are
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`stored in a samedirectory ofa library residing on one or moreservers on the Internet. According
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`to the embodimentillustrated in Fig. 4, the plurality of small audio files 122 and the virtual audio
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`stream descriptor 124 are stored in the samelibrary, but in different areas. More specifically, the
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`virtual audio stream descriptors 124 are stored in an area for administrative files 144, whereas
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`the plurality of small audio files 122 is stored in an area for actual audio streams 140. The area
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`for actual audio streams 140 includesn directories for storing ” audio streams, each with a
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`corresponding coverart image. The cover art image, whichis a graphicfile, is intended to
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`provide a user with a familiar look and feel of a book cover and/or to provide easy recognition.
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`Optionally, one or more ofthe n directories is located at a remote URL.
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`[50]
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`The administrative files, which include the virtual audio stream descriptors 124, typically
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`use the electronic equivalent of a card catalog to provide a simple, easy to use method of
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`navigation and accessofthe actual audio streams.
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`In general, these card catalog indexfiles
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`(e.g., XML documents) will include a hierarchical structure of cascading indexesthatrelate in
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`various ways. For example, according to one embodimentthe card catalogue will include
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`indices based on keywordssuchashistorical, detective, suspense, action, etc. The references
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`contained in each index point to other index structures or to a specific virtual stream descriptor.
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`Each index structure contains a referenceto its parent index structure, thus allowing navigation
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`in both directions(i.e., up and down the branch of hierarchy). Each media entry may appear
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`within the structure of the entire index multiple times, to allow reference and/or navigation from
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`many points. The structure of the index is such that endless navigation loops caused by circular
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`definitions are not possible.
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`[51]|The administrative files also optionally include announcements, updates, and a serverlist
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`(not shown). Announcements, which for example may be in an XMLfile, are typically
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`informative or instructive in nature. The updates, which may include programs, datafiles,
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`instruction files, setup files, and/or other text, typically contain information for providing a
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`maintenance update. Theserverlist (not shown), which mayalso be an XML document,
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`typically containsa list of servers that are available on the network and that can provide general
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`library and content information. In general, each server listed will be a mirror of the primary
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`server (also included inthelist).
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`[52]
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`Figs. 5a-g show examplesofdata structures of: a) an actual audio stream, b) a small
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`digital audio file, c) a virtual stream descriptor, d) illustrations, e) advertising, f) a card catalog,
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`and g) a serverlist, respectively. Fig. 6, which showsthe structure relationships, demonstrates
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`that the actual audio stream,illustration, advertisement, and coverart image structure (not
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`shown) are each referencedas a target structure from the virtual audio stream descriptor. Each
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`of the actual audio stream,illustration, and cover art image structures also contain a reference
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`identifier back to its parent structure.
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`In contrast, the announcmentstructure (not shown)is
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`functionally independent of other information bearing structures.
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`[53]
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`An embodimentofa process used to create an audio book library is shown in Fig. 7. The
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`audio stream, in raw form, is acquired from either a publisher or is imported from an audio
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`media or conversion routine. The raw files are analysed using natural language gaps andare
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`segmentedinto the plurality of small digital audio files (1.e., segment files) that form the actual
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`audio stream. Book coverart is imported and formatted, if required. The plurality of small
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`digital audio files and cover art image are placed in a unique directory, which is local or at some
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`remote URL. Audio stream information that describes the audio stream is manually entered
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`using the library administrator utility to create a virtual audio stream descriptor for each audio
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`stream. Information that describes the location and structure of the actual audio stream is
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`provided using the audio stream profiler. The administrator utility is also used to build a series of
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`integrated index files that make up the card catalog for the library, and to providetools to
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`maintain updates, server lists and announcements. Preferably, this master library is replicated on
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`a numberof mirror sites that are also made available on the network. Following updatesto the
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`master library, an automated verification utility ensures that network accessible copies ofthe
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`library (i.¢e., the one or more mirrorsites) are also updated to ensure the integrity of the system.
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`[54]
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`Referring to Fig. 8, the segmentation of the raw files is discussed in further detail. In a
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`first step, 200, the list of original raw audiofiles is built in logical order. Thesefiles are
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`processed one at a time. More specifically, after confirming the existence of a raw file 202, the
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`raw file is opened 204, a segmentfile is opened 206, and a frameis obtained from the raw file
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`208. Assuming the frame doesnot correspondto the end of the raw file 210, and that the
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`segmentfile has not reached an arbitrary minimum size 214 (e.g., 100 kilobytes), the frameis
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`written to the segmentfile 216. After this limit is reached, audio frames are analysed looking for
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`a period of silence or low decibel levels 218. If this period of silence is found,or if the upper
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`size limit (e.g., 250 kilobytes) of the segmentfile is exceeded, the current segmentfile is closed
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`220 and a new output small audiofile is opened 222. In the event that the unprocessed rawfile
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`contentis less than a slack limit 212 (e.g., 25 kilobytes), the testing for silence and the upper
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`limit testing is not performed and the remaining audio framesare written to the then current
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`segmentfile. According to one embodiment, this methodis used to find periods ofsilence
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`between chapters, paragraphs, sentences, phrases, words, and/or at punctuation marks.
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`Optionally, the audio stream splitter/analyser 115 searches for long periods of silence, which are
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`subsequently truncated. For example, periodsofsilence that exceed 2 secondsin length have
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`been found to make users assumethat a problem exists in the delivery or replay of the audio
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`stream. In order to eliminate these user concerns, periods ofsilence that exceed 2 secondsin
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`length can be truncated, and the audio content that has been truncated, discarded.
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`[55]
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`Referring again to Fig. 3, the client side includes a memory manager 152, a download
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`manager (not shown), a media coordinator 154, and a media player 156. The memory manager
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`152 is a complex memory manager used to maintain the integrity of the actual audio stream,
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`whichis transferred from the server 100 to the client 150 using a standardtransfer utility (e.g.,
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`FTP). The function of the memory manager 152 is to ensure that there is sufficient memory
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`available to receive large numbers of small digital audiofiles, to ensure that sufficient audio
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`content is available when needed, and to ensure that a quantity of already heard audio contentis
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`maintained (e.g., so a user can rewindthe audio stream to review recently heard content without
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`repeated downloads). The download manageris responsible for obtaining the small audiofiles
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`that make up the audio stream. The media coordinator 154 delivers the plurality of small digital
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`audiofiles in the appropriate order to the media player 156. The memory manager152,
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`download manager (not shown), and media coordinator 154, are all part of an integrated,
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`network-based software product used to control the media player 156.
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`[56]|According to one embodiment, the software productis a user-friendly interface that
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`allowsthe user to select an audio stream, to download a small digital audio file representing a
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`selected part of the selected audio stream,to play the small digital audio file relatively quickly
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`(e.g., within 2 to 5 seconds), and to download andplay the logically next small digital audio file
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`suchthat the transition between successive small audiofiles is apparently seamless.
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`[57]
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`According to one embodiment, the software product includes computer-readable code
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`that allowsthe userto use a plurality of navigation buttons to access a network-based library card
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`catalog, bookmarks, cover art images, and/or announcements/updates. As discussed above, a
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`network-basedlibrary card catalog, which may index audio streamsin a hierarchical fashion
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`such that there are many possible paths to reach a single audio stream,is typically stored on a
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`network-basedlibrary for the navigation thereof. According to one embodiment, once the
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`navigation button for the card catalogue is selected the user is able browse througha series of
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`keywordsdescribing a plurality of audio streams, to select an audio stream from the network
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`based card catalogue, to load a profile of the selected audio stream, and/or to download the
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`selected audio stream. According to one embodiment, the profile includes information obtained
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`from the descriptive details entered into the virtual audio stream descriptor.
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`[58]|Bookmarksare external media marks(i.¢e., external to the virtual audio stream descriptor)
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`that allow the user to identify and/or access an audio stream at any point within that audio
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`stream. Similar to internal media marks, each bookmarkprovidesa time offset from the
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`beginning of the audio stream. In other words, if an audio stream starts at time zero and
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`continues for some elapsed time to a maximum duration, the bookmark identifies a specific point
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`in time in the audio stream thatis offset from the beginning of that audio stream. The bookmark
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`also identifies and/or points to the virtual audio stream descriptor of the target audio stream (e.g.,
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`in a local directory or at some network address). Using the time offset and the information in the
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`virtual audio stream descriptor, the software productis able to select the appropriate small audio
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`file to be played. Moreover, the exact position within the small audio file can also be calculated
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`as a local offset to ensure correct positioning within that small audiofile.
`
`[59]
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`Bookmarksare typically, but not always, created by the client software. For example, if
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`the media player is stopped in the middle of an audio stream, a bookmarkis created and stored.
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`Alternatively, the user creates a bookmark using a ‘make bookmark’ command. More than one
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`bookmark may be created for each audio stream. The bookmark identifies the bookmarked
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`audio stream andthe time offset of the bookmarkedposition. Optionally, to assist the user of the
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`audio stream in ‘picking up whereyouleft off’, a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds)is
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`subtracted from the time offset of the bookmarked position and stored as the new timeoffset.
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`Optionally, the predetermined timeis listener selectable. Fig. 9 shows an example ofa data
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`structure for an external bookmark, whereas Fig. 10 illustrates the structure relationships.
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`Notably, the virtual audio stream descriptor may be addressed from either the integrated card
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`catalog or the bookmark. Optionally, the virtual audio stream descriptor is addressed in another
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`manner.
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`[60]|Since the bookmark only contains references to the audio stream, and does not contain
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`any part of the audio stream itself, the bookmark can be transferred from client to client or from
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`server to client without violating the copyright of the work product contained within the audio
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`stream. For example, a user can bookmark an audio stream at an interesting point and e-mail
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`that bookmark to friends without violating copyright. Clearly, the ability to position an audio
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`stream at some arbitrary point without the need for that media to be resident provides great
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`flexibility. Moreover, the nature of the bookmark makesit independent of the physical structure
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`of the audio stream. This allows changes in media and format without corrupting the integrity of
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`the mark or the audio stream. Examples of such changes include changing bit and scanrates in
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`MP3files, changing from MP3 to .wav format, changesto the actual audio stream, small audio
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`file structure, and/or reformatting of the audio stream itself. According to one embodiment, the
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`bookmark is an XML document.
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`[61] The bookmark navigation button allowsthe user to viewalist of bookmarks
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`corresponding to open audio streams(e.g., a book that has been accessed andpartially read), to
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`select a bookmark, and to play the audio stream at the bookmarked position. For example, the
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`software product may list the bookmarked audio streams in the descending order of the date and
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`time that the audio steam waslast read.
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`[62]
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`According to one embodiment, the software product includes computer-readable code
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`that allows the user to use a plurality of standard player control buttons to begin playing the
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`audio stream, stop playing the audio stream, and/or fast forward within the audio stream.
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`Notably, the rewind and fast-forward control buttons do not actually act on the audio stream.
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`Rather, these two functions are used to advanceorretard the time offset that indicates the then
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`current position in the audio stream. For example, rewind will cause this offset to decrease to a
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`minimum ofzero (e.g., seconds), whereas fast forward will increase the time offset to a
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`maximum ofthe upperlimit of the audio stream duration. Accordingly, the useris able to fast
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`forward and rewind through the audio stream, even if the audio contentis not resident. In
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`particular, after the time offset has been adjusted to where the user desires, if the relevant small
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`audiofile is not resident, it is obtained from the library, again in the 2 to 5 second range. The
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`small audio file is then loaded, positioned and played.
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`[63]|According to one embodiment, the software product includes computer-readable code
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`that provides a numberofdifferent displays, including for example, a basic display, an
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`introduction display, a bookmark display, a library card catalog display, a book details display, a
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`book player display, and a book cover display. These displays provide appeal and/or familiarity
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`to the user. For example, the basic display may provide a decorative skin or frame to standardize
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`the appearance of the software product when played on different platforms(e.g., desktop, laptop,
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`personaldata assistant, cell phone, dedicated device, etc), whereas the introduction display may
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`appear during the start up of the program. Other displays, such as the bookmarkdisplay,library
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`card catalog display, and/or book details displays may provide the navigation buttons. The
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`book player display may show the book that is currently loaded into the player, the booktitle,
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`author,