Abstract:
A method for the manufacture of an audio book, including a first step of obtaining an authorization key to access a text file on a server, a second step of displaying content of the text file at a personal computer, a third step of producing an audio file at the personal computer corresponding to the text file and a fourth step of combining the audio file with a sound effects file to produce the audio book. Also described is a device for the manufacture of an audio book. The device comprises an authorization key for authorizing access to a text file, a display device for displaying content of the text file, a microphone for recording an audio file corresponding to the content of the text file and a processing software combining the audio file with a sound effects file to produce the audio book.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to an audio book and a means for the manufacture of an audio book.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Audio books are well-known in the art. Originally they were produced as LP (long playing) records. More recently cassettes and CDs (or DVDs) have been used to record stories. These have the advantage over LPs in that it is relatively easy for home-produced audio books to be produced. Cassette players have had a record function for many years; more recently the widespread use of personal computers with CD burners have allowed the home-production of audio CDs. Currently audio books are produced by recording the text and later editing the recording. Sound effects and background music can be added during the editing of the text. This procedure is time consuming and expensive. It is therefore only useful when producing professional audio books for sale.  
         [0005]     Several patent applications are known relating to the production of audio books. International patent application WO-A-03/010733 (Kirwan et al, assigned to The Zone, Inc.) discloses a storybook with a separate audio recording and playback device. The storybook is in the form of pages and a separate device is provided which is usable with multiple storybooks. The audio recording device allows, for example, a parent to record the story such that the child can listen to the story. Furthermore the playback device allows the use of dual audio tracks in which one track is background material—such as sound effects—and the other is the current audio (e.g. story). The patent application does not, however, disclose how synchronisation is achieved between the background material and the story such that, for example, the sound effects occur in the correct place or the background music is appropriate (and synchronized) for the story.  
         [0006]     A similar device is known from international patent application WO 03/073398 (Calabrese, assigned to the Walt Disney Company) which discloses a product and method for providing education with a virtual book. This patent application teaches the use of a single medium for storing book information and co-ordinated audio narration. However, this patent application does not disclose any means by which a user can record his or her voice.  
         [0007]     There is a demand for recording stories. For example, suppose a parent is absent for several days and is unable to read the child&#39;s usual good-night story, then the child will be reassured if it is able to listen to its parent&#39;s voice.  
         [0008]     In the UK, a scheme is known at HMP Dartmoor in which the prisoners record stories on to tape. The stories are digitally edited to remove any mistakes and background music and sound effects are added as appropriate (see http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaign/prisons.html#Storybook—downloaded on 5 Oct. 2005). The addition of the background music and the sound effects makes the story more interesting. This scheme relies on post-editing of a recorded story which is time-consuming and requires specialised equipment.  
         [0009]     It would be advantageous to provide a simple system for the recording of a story with appropriate sound effects and background music.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method for the manufacture of audio books with synchronized effects.  
         [0011]     In this context “synchronized” means that the effects occur at appropriate moments when listening to the audio book. The term “effects” includes but is not limited to sound effects and background music.  
         [0012]     It is furthermore an object of the invention to enable the simple and inexpensive recording of an audio book.  
         [0013]     It is furthermore an object of the invention to enable the manufacture of an audio book using recording by any user.  
         [0014]     These and other objects of the invention are solved by a method for the manufacture of an audio book which comprises a first step of obtaining an authorization key to access a text file on a server, a second step of displaying content of the text file at a personal computer, a third step of producing an audio file at the personal computer corresponding to the text file and a fourth step of combining the audio file with a sound effects file to produce the audio book.  
         [0015]     The display of the content of the text file enables a user to make his or her voice recording of the content of the text file to produce a personalized audio book, rather than relying on audio books produced using, for example, actors. This enables the production of a “personalized” present for, for example, a child. The text file includes control items which control the manner in which the content of the text file is displayed at the personal computer.  
         [0016]     The authorization key is used to ensure that only text files—containing stories—are accessed for which the user is authorized. This could be, for example, for copyright reasons or to ensure that the user pays for access to the data file.  
         [0017]     The invention further provides for a device for the manufacture of an audio book. The device comprises an authorization key for authorizing access to a text file, a display device for displaying content of the text file, a microphone for recording an audio file corresponding to the content of the text file and processing software combining the audio file with a sound effects file to produce the audio book.  
         [0018]     The invention in a further aspect provides for a system for the recording of an audio book. The system comprises a server having a plurality of text files with content, a personal computer being connected over a network for accessing at least one of the plurality of text files, recording software for displaying the content of at least one of the text files and displaying the content on a display device, a microphone for recording an audio file corresponding to the content of at least one of the text files, a processing software for combining the audio file with a sound effects file corresponding to the accessed one of the plurality of text files to produce the audio book.  
         [0019]     In another aspect, the invention relates to a computer-readable software for running on a computer comprising text information for producing text on a display device connected to the personal computer; display control information for controlling the controlling the display of text on the display device; audio file creation information for controlling the creation of an audio file; and effect control information for controlling the addition of effects to the audio file.  
         [0020]     In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a method for the presentation of an audio book comprising a step of purchasing rights to the audio book; a step of recording the audio book to produce one or more audio files; a step of combining the one or more audio files with an effects file to produce a recorded story file; and a step of presenting the recorded story file in the form of the audio book.  
         [0021]     And, finally, in another aspect, the invention relates to a method for reading a story comprising a step of purchasing rights to the story; a step of reciting the story to produce one or more audio files at a first location; a step of combining the one or more audio files with one or more effects files to produce one or more recorded story files at a server; and a step of broadcasting the one or more recorded story files at a second location distant from the first location. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  shows an overview of the system.  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows a flow diagram in which the main steps of the method are illustrated.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3  shows a screen shot for the selection of a text file.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a screen shot for the recording of the text files.  
         [0026]      FIG. 5  shows a screen shot for the upload of an audio file. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]      FIG. 1  shows an overview of a personal computer  10  connected to a server  20  through a network  30 . The personal computer  10 , the server  20  and the network  30  are well-known in the art and will not be described in more detail. The personal computer  10  is provided in one embodiment of the invention with recording software  40  as well as a microphone  50 , a display device  55  and loudspeaker  60 . The microphone  50  and the loudspeaker  60  are known in the art and will not be described in more detail. The recording software  40  works with processing software  70  on the server  20  to implement the invention as will now be described. It will be noted at this point that the recording software  40  includes an audio file  45  whose function will be explained later.  
         [0028]     In another embodiment of the invention, the recording software is situated at the server  20 . The personal computer  10  acts as a “dumb” terminal. The personal computer  10  will, of course, have drivers for the microphone  50 , display device  55  and the loudspeaker  60 .  
         [0029]     The invention is described with respect to a personal computer  10 . The term “personal computer” is intended to include not only desktop computers and laptop computers, but also PDAs, smart cellphones, and other devices which can be connected to the server  20  over the network  30 . The network  30  could include, but is not limited to, the Internet or a mobile telephone network. This list is merely exemplary of the types of personal computers and is not intended to be limiting.  
         [0030]     The processing software  70  is connected to one or more story data  80  which are also stored on the server. The story data  80  includes a text file  90  and an effects file  100 . Any data storage method and/or protocol can be used to store the text file  90  and the effects file  100 . In the preferred embodiment of the invention an XML format is used as will be illustrated.  
         [0031]     Suppose a user now wishes to record a story. The process for reading the story is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In a first step  210  the user accesses the server  20  through the personal computer  10  from which the story data  80  can be downloaded. The server  20  or the personal computer  10  must be provided with the recording software  40 . The recording software  40  is in one embodiment of the invention on the server  20 . The recording software  40  could also be either installed from, for example, a CD-ROM previously purchased and installed on the personal computer  10  or the recording software  40  could be downloaded from the server  20 . A configuration file  42  is downloaded from the server  20  (or from the previously purchase CD-ROM). The configuration file  42  has the following structure:  
                                                             &lt;SOAP-ENV:Envelope   xmlns:xsi=“http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-       instance”   xmlns:xsd=“http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema”            xmlns:SOAP-ENC=“http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/”       xmlns:SOAP-ENV=“http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/”       xmlns:clr=“http://schemas.microsoft.com/soap/encoding/clr/1.0”       SOAP-       ENV:encodingStyle=“http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/”&gt;       &lt;SOAP-ENV:Body&gt;            &lt;a1:AppSetting   id=“ref-1”            xmlns:a1=“http://schemas.microsoft.com/clr/nsassem/App/Fabularo       %2C%20Version%3D1.0.2040.39631%2C%20Culture%3Dneutral%2C%20Publ       icKeyToken%3Dnull”&gt;       &lt;nDevice&gt;0&lt;/nDevice&gt;       &lt;nDeviceSource&gt;0&lt;/nDeviceSource&gt;       &lt;nFormat&gt;1&lt;/nFormat&gt;       &lt;nWaveFormat&gt;0&lt;/nWaveFormat&gt;       &lt;member2 xsi:null=“1”/&gt;       &lt;member3 xsi:null=“1”/&gt;       &lt;member4&gt;0&lt;/member4&gt;       &lt;strFormTitle id=“ref-3”&gt;Fabularo&lt;/strFormTitle&gt;       &lt;strTabStory id=“ref-4”&gt;Story&lt;/strTabStory&gt;       &lt;strTabSetting id=“ref-5”&gt;Setting&lt;/strTabSetting&gt;       &lt;strTabUpload id=“ref-6”&gt;Upload&lt;/strTabUpload&gt;       &lt;strLabTitle id=“ref-7”&gt;Please open a story file&lt;/strLabTitle&gt;       &lt;strLabPageInfo id=“ref-8”&gt;Page Information&lt;/strLabPageInfo&gt;       &lt;strLabPages id=“ref-9”&gt;Pages&lt;/strLabPages&gt;       &lt;strLabLevel id=“ref-10”&gt;Level&lt;/strLabLevel&gt;       &lt;strBtnOpen id=“ref-11”&gt;&amp;#38;Open&lt;/strBtnOpen&gt;       &lt;strBtnClose id=“ref-12”&gt;&amp;#38;Close&lt;/strBtnClose&gt;       &lt;strBtnRecord id=“ref-13”&gt;&amp;#38;Record&lt;/strBtnRecord&gt;       &lt;strBtnStop id=“ref-14”&gt;&amp;#38;Stop&lt;/strBtnStop&gt;       &lt;strBtnListen id=“ref-15”&gt;&amp;#38;Listen&lt;/strBtnListen&gt;       &lt;strLabRecordTime id=“ref-16”&gt;Record Time: &lt;/strLabRecordTime&gt;       &lt;strPage id=“ref-17”&gt;Page: &lt;/strPage&gt;       &lt;strDuration id=“ref-18”&gt;Duration: &lt;/strDuration&gt;       &lt;strRecordAgain id=“ref-19”&gt;Do you want to record this page       again?&lt;/strRecordAgain&gt;       &lt;strStopRecordFirst id=“ref-20”&gt;Please stop recording       first!&lt;/strStopRecordFirst&gt;       &lt;blanklinedelay&gt;1.5&lt;/blanklinedelay&gt;       &lt;uploadurl id=“ref-21”&gt;www.fabularo.com/upload.aspx&lt;/uploadurl&gt;       &lt;/a1:AppSetting&gt;       &lt;/SOAP-ENV:Body&gt;       &lt;/SOAP-ENV:Envelope&gt;                  
 
         [0032]     The configuration file  42  configures the recording software  40  as will be explained later. The user needs to purchase rights to a story which is to be produced as an audio book (step  215  ). This can be done either in a store—in which case the user is given a code word or other authorization key—or online (in which case the authorization key can be generated automatically or given to the user for later input). At least three possible methods of purchasing the story are conceivable.  
         [0033]     In the first method, the user purchases, for example, in a bookstore, a book together with a CD-ROM or other storage medium. The CD-ROM or other storage medium includes the text file  90  which can then be run directly on the personal computer  10 . The CD-ROM or other storage medium will include the authorization key. The text file  90  could, of course, be purchased without the book. In the second method the user purchases the book in the bookstore together with an authorization key—there is no need for the supply of the CD-ROM or other storage medium; in this case the text file  90  will be downloaded on connection to the server  20  (step  210  ) or will be directly accessed on the server  20 . Finally in the third method the purchase of the text file  90  is carried out on-line. Payment can be made by credit card, debit card, invoice or in any number of payment methods known.  
         [0034]     In the next step  220  the user selects which one(s) of the stories he or she would like to record. The authorization key indicates which stories are available. The user is presented with a screen similar to that shown in  FIG. 3 . The user chooses—for example by selecting an appropriate entry using a mouse or scrolling through the entries using the cursor keys—and—if necessary—the text file  90  is presented on the display device  55  or is downloaded to the personal computer  10 .  
         [0035]     In one embodiment of the invention the sound effects  100  are not downloaded to the personal computer  100 . However, the sound effects  100  could be downloaded if this was desired.  
         [0036]     The text file  90  is in XML format. One exemplary embodiment is shown below:  
                                                   &lt;story&gt;           &lt;id&gt;Chris01&lt;/id&gt;           &lt;title&gt;Laura and Mia meet the raven&lt;/title&gt;           &lt;author&gt;Chris Coombs&lt;/author&gt;           &lt;version&gt;1.0&lt;/version&gt;           &lt;mainimage&gt;No Image&lt;/mainimage&gt;           &lt;intro&gt;The enchanting story of an encounter between two little           girls and a big black raven&lt;/intro&gt;           &lt;pages&gt;The enchanting story of an encounter between two little           girls and a big black raven           &lt;page&gt;&lt;pagenumber&gt;4&lt;/pagenumber&gt;           &lt;duration&gt;104&lt;/duration&gt;           &lt;pagetext&gt;Laura Earliup awoke as usual, just before the sun           came up.           She loved the early morning and getting up as she says ‘before           breakfast’           Laura shrugged her way into her robe and pulled on her           slippers.           She heard her three year old sister Mia begin to stir and went           into her room help . . .           . . . seemed unperturbed by the sudden noise and merely cocked           its head to acknowledge           Mia&#39;s presence as if she had been expecting her all           along.&lt;/pagetext&gt;           &lt;pageimage&gt;No image&lt;/pageimage&gt;           &lt;mediafilename&gt;Chris024-200596162245.MP3&lt;/mediafilename&gt;           &lt;media64&gt;/+MgxAASsHacAUwQAQJiO8SAaA0EgmGBPMzM/           AAAA=&lt;/media64&gt;           &lt;/page&gt;           &lt;/pages&gt;           &lt;recorder&gt;Andy&lt;/recorder&gt;           &lt;reference&gt;Andy01&lt;/reference&gt;           &lt;recordeddate&gt;02/04/2005 11:00:00&lt;/recordeddate&gt;           &lt;end&gt;This is the end of the story&lt;/end&gt;           &lt;width&gt;800&lt;/width&gt;           &lt;height&gt;600&lt;/height&gt;           &lt;fontsize&gt;10&lt;/fontsize&gt;           &lt;fontname&gt;Arial&lt;/fontname&gt;           &lt;textcolor&gt;red&lt;/textcolor&gt;           &lt;backcolor&gt;white&lt;/backcolor&gt;           &lt;/story&gt;                      
 
         [0037]     The tags &lt;story&gt; indicates the beginning of the story have a title given by the &lt;title&gt; tag.  
         [0038]     The text file  90  has content which is divided into “pages” which are appropriate divisions of the text of the story. The beginning of one of the pages is indicated by the &lt;page&gt; tag and the end of the page by the &lt;/page&gt; tag. A &lt;duration&gt; tag indicates the length of time it is expected that each page will last. The text file  90  also includes tags to indicate the manner in which the text is displayed on the display device  55 . Such tags include, but are not limited to a &lt;textcolor&gt; tag to indicate the colour of the text, a &lt;backcolor&gt; tag to indicate the colour of the text background, a &lt;fontsize&gt; tag to indicate the size of the font and a &lt;fontname&gt; tag to indicate the type of font used.  
         [0039]     On opening the recording software  40 , the first page of the text file  90  is displayed (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) on the display device  55  connected to the user&#39;s personal computer  10 . It will be noted that the first line of the text is highlighted. The user now recites the story and the story is recorded (step  230  ) using the microphone  50 . The manner of doing this is similar to an auto-cue. The audio is stored in the audio file  45  which may be either on the personal computer  10  or on the server  20 . The text of the story scrolls up the screen a line at a time according to preset timings contained in the text file  90 . The current reading line remains static and highlighted in one position (approximately in the centre of the window). Once a page has been recorded using the microphone  50  it is stored in one of the audio files  45  and can be listened to (using the loudspeaker  60  ) in step  235  and, if necessary, re-recorded in step  240  until the user is happy with the end result. The tag &lt;mediafilename&gt;is used to indicate the name of the actual file recorded (typically in MP3 or WAV format) for each page. Each time a page is recorded or re-record a new one of the audio files  45  is generated. On re-recording of the page, the previous version of the page is erased. It will be noted that at this stage in one embodiment of the invention, the audio file  45  will not include any sound effects or background music. These are introduced at a later stage.  
         [0040]     The text file  90  includes control characters to enable the incorporation of the effects (sound effects and background music). For example, suppose the user needs to pause whilst reciting the story. A pause control character is inserted into the text file  90  which instructs the personal computer  10  to pause for a period of time indicated by the control character. In one embodiment of the invention the pause control character is indicated by a tilde character (i.e. ˜) followed by a period of time. This would allow the insertion of an appropriate one of the sound effects during the pause. Of course, sound effects could also be inserted over the text and background music can also be inserted over the text.  
         [0041]     It will be noted that the screen shots include tabs for “setting” which control the format in which the audio file  45  is recorded and also any necessary settings for the microphone.  
         [0042]     Once the user has completed the recording of the story he or she can select the “upload” tab in step  250  in order to upload the audio files  45  to the server  20  for further processing if the audio files  45  are stored on the personal computer  45 . This is shown in  FIG. 5  in which the user selects the file Chis02. xml for uploading. The upload is carried out, in one embodiment of the invention, by converting the audio files  45  to “base  64 ” format and embedding the audio files  45  into the original XML file and sending the original XML file to the server  20 .  
         [0043]     After the audio files  45  are uploaded to the server  20 —if necessary—, the audio files  45  can be combined with the effects file  100  to produce a recorded story file  110  in step  260  which is also stored on the server  20 . There are a plurality of effect files  110 , each one of which typically corresponds to one page recorded in one of the audio files  45 . The recorded story file  110  can be then burnt to a CD-ROM for sending to the user (for example in the form of a gift package) or can be downloaded from the server  20  to the personal computer  10  and played on the personal computer  10  or burnt onto a CD-ROM by the user. The recorded story file  110  includes the recitation of the story and sound effects from the sound effects file.  
         [0044]     The principle of the invention can also be used to enable a user to read an audio book to another person in real time. Suppose, for example, a mother is on a business trip and wishes to read a good night story to her child. The mother could sit in a hotel room and use a high-speed connection with the personal computer  10  to download the text file  60  and read the story. A plurality of audio files  45  are produced in real-time and uploaded to the server  20  on a regular basis (e.g. every few seconds). The plurality of audio files  45  are combined with the appropriate part of the effects file  10  to produce a plurality of recorded story files  110 . The plurality of recorded story files  110  are then sent to another computer, television or other device in, for example, the child&#39;s bedroom so that the child has a story read to it incorporating appropriate effects.  
         [0045]     The invention has been described with respect to the production of stories. However, it is equally applicable to the production of other types of audio books. For example, a book on dinosaurs could be illustrated with appropriate sound effects.  
         [0046]     The term “effects” has been used in this description to encompass sound effects and background music. The term effects is not intended to be limited to sound effects and background music, but could also cover, for example, animation effects.  
         [0047]     Although the invention has been described herein with reference to illustrative features, aspects and embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention may be practiced with modifications, variations and in other embodiments, as will suggest themselves to those of ordinary skill based on the disclosure herein. The invention therefore is to be interpreted and construed, as encompassing all such modifications, variations, and other embodiments, within the spirit and scope of the claims hereafter set forth.