Patent Publication Number: US-2011063413-A1

Title: Method and Media Player for Playing Images Synchronously with Audio File

Description:
This application is a continuation of co-pending International Application No. PCT/CN2009/071949, filed on May 25, 2009, which designated the United States and was not published in English, and which claims priority to Chinese Application No. 200810098276.2, filed on May 28, 2008, both of which applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the field of video playing, and more particularly to a method and a media player for playing images synchronously with an audio file. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When a current PC music player or home power amplifier plays an audio file, a plane image associated with the audio file is displayed on a screen or liquid crystal panel, which is used to indicate the tempo of the audio file. For example, when Windows Media Player used in a Microsoft operating system plays an audio file, different images can be displayed simultaneously, and the images can change as the audio file changes. The principle is that, when the audio file is played, the images vary with the scale or tone of each moment in terms of chroma, luminance, saturation, and contrast, so as to present images that are associated with the audio file and change continuously. 
     Image forms provided for a user by such an existing method for playing images synchronously with an audio file are limited. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method for playing images synchronously with an audio file, which can play stereoscopic images synchronously when an audio file is played. 
     Further embodiments of the present invention are directed to a media player for playing images synchronously with an audio file, which can play stereoscopic images synchronously when an audio file is played. 
     Technical solutions of the present invention are implemented according to the following. 
     A method for playing images synchronously with an audio file is provided, which includes the following steps. 
     Audio file associated parameters are read according to a preset time interval when an audio file is played. 
     Stereoscopic image associated parameters corresponding to the read audio file associated parameters are generated according to a preset first corresponding relation between the audio file associated parameters and the stereoscopic image associated parameters. 
     Stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file are generated according to the stereoscopic image associated parameters, and the stereoscopic images are played. 
     A media player for playing images synchronously with an audio file is provided, which includes a reading module, a parameter generating module, an image generating module, and a playing module. 
     The reading module is adapted to read audio file associated parameters according to a preset time interval when an audio file is played. 
     The parameter generating module is adapted to generate stereoscopic image associated parameters corresponding to the audio file associated parameters read by the reading module according to a preset first corresponding relation between the audio file associated parameters and the stereoscopic image associated parameters. 
     The image generating module is adapted to generate stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file according to the stereoscopic image associated parameters generated by the parameter generating module. 
     The playing module is adapted to play the stereoscopic images generated by the image generating module. 
     It can be seen that, when an audio file is played, the method and media player of the present invention can synchronously generate corresponding stereoscopic images of which the depths vary with the scale or tone of the audio file, and play the generated stereoscopic images. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flow chart of a method for playing images synchronously with an audio file according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a specific implementation for playing images synchronously with an audio file according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic structural view of a media player for playing images synchronously with an audio file according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for playing images synchronously with an audio file.  FIG. 1  is a flow chart of a method for playing images synchronously with an audio file according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the method includes the following steps. 
     In Step  101 , audio file associated parameters are read according to a preset time interval when an audio file is played. 
     In Step  102 , stereoscopic image associated parameters corresponding to the read audio file associated parameters are generated according to a preset first corresponding relation between the audio file associated parameters and the stereoscopic image associated parameters. 
     In Step  103 , stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file are generated according to the stereoscopic image associated parameters, and the stereoscopic images are played. 
     In the method, the audio file associated parameters may include scale and/or tone, and the stereoscopic image associated parameters may include depth and at least one of chroma, luminance, saturation, and contrast. 
     The first corresponding relation between the audio file associated parameters and the stereoscopic image associated parameters may be set by a user himself/herself, or given by a system at random. For example, corresponding magnitudes of the depth, chroma, and luminance are obtained respectively according to the strength of a tone that is read, and the strength of the tone is in direct proportion to the magnitudes of the depth, chroma, and luminance, that is: 
     depth corresponding to each music node=K1×tone 
     chroma corresponding to each music node=K2×tone 
     luminance corresponding to each music node=K3×tone 
     in which, ratio factors K1, K2, and K3 may be greater than 0. 
     Before Step  101 , the method may further include determining whether a user requires playing stereoscopic images and, if the user requires playing stereoscopic images, reading the audio file associated parameters. In this way, the user may choose whether to play the stereoscopic images according to the desire of the user. 
     In the method, after the generating the stereoscopic images, the method may further include storing the stereoscopic images. By storing the generated stereoscopic images, when the same audio file is played next time, the previously stored stereoscopic images can be directly read and played, so that it does not need to generate the corresponding stereoscopic images repeatedly each time the audio file is played. 
     Before Step  101 , the method may further include determining whether stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file are stored, and if stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file are stored, playing the stored stereoscopic images when the audio file is played; otherwise, proceeding to read the audio file associated parameters. 
     If two-dimensional images corresponding to the audio file are pre-stored, corresponding stereoscopic images may also be generated according to the two-dimensional images. That is, after determining that the stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file are not stored, and before reading the audio file associated parameters, the method may further include: determining whether two-dimensional images corresponding to the audio file are stored, and if yes, generating stereoscopic images corresponding to the two-dimensional images according to a preset second corresponding relation between two-dimensional image associated parameters and stereoscopic image associated parameters, and playing the stereoscopic images; otherwise, proceeding to read the audio file associated parameters. 
     The second corresponding relation may be a corresponding relation between amplitude of a two-dimensional image waveform and depth. A depth corresponding to the two-dimensional image waveform can be obtained according to the second corresponding relation, so as to generate corresponding stereoscopic images. 
     An embodiment of the present invention provides in the following an implementing process of playing stereoscopic images.  FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a specific implementation for playing images synchronously with an audio file according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the implementation includes the following steps. 
     In Step  201 , it is determined whether to play stereoscopic images when an audio file is played is determined according to the selection of a user. If the user selects to play stereoscopic images, Step  202  is performed. If the user selects to play two-dimensional images synchronously, two-dimensional images corresponding to the audio file are directly played for the user, and the current process is ended. The method for playing the two-dimensional images is the same as that in the prior art, so that the details will not be described herein again. 
     In Step  202 , it is determined whether stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file are pre-stored. If the stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file are pre-stored, the stereoscopic images are directly played and the current process is ended. Otherwise, Step  203  is performed. 
     In Step  203 , when the audio file is played, audio file associated parameters are read. In this embodiment, tone is read. Other associated parameters such as scale may also be read. 
     In Step  204 , stereoscopic image associated parameters corresponding to the read tone are generated according to a preset first corresponding relation between the audio file associated parameters and the stereoscopic image associated parameters. In this embodiment, the stereoscopic image associated parameters include depth, chroma, and luminance. Other associated parameters such as saturation and contrast may also be read. 
     The first corresponding relation may be that: a stereoscopic image associated parameter is equal to an audio file associated parameter multiplied by a preset ratio factor. The ratio factor may be automatically generated by a system, and may also be selected by the user. The audio file associated parameter may specifically be scale or tone. The stereoscopic image associated parameter may specifically be depth, chroma, luminance, saturation, or contrast. For example, 
     depth=K1×tone; 
     chroma=K2×tone; 
     luminance=K3×tone, 
     in which, ratio factors K1, K2, and K3 may be greater than 0. 
     According to the corresponding relations between the depth, chroma as well as luminance and the tone, after a tone value is read, corresponding depth, chroma, and luminance can be obtained. For example, if the read tone value is 10, when K1=2, it can be obtained that corresponding depth=2×10=20. 
     In Step  205 , corresponding stereoscopic images are generated according to the depth, chroma, and luminance generated in Step  204 , and the stereoscopic images are played synchronously with the audio file. 
     In other embodiments of the present invention, the corresponding stereoscopic images may also be generated by using the pre-stored two-dimensional images corresponding to the audio file, and the generated stereoscopic images are played synchronously with the audio file. A specific implementation method may be that stereoscopic images corresponding to the two-dimensional images are generated according to a preset second corresponding relation between two-dimensional image associated parameters and the stereoscopic image associated parameters; and the generated stereoscopic images are played synchronously with the audio file. The two-dimensional image associated parameters may include amplitude of a two-dimensional image waveform; and the stereoscopic image associated parameters include depth, and include luminance, chroma, and contrast. 
     For example, a preset corresponding relation between depth and waveform amplitude is: 
     depth=K4×waveform amplitude. 
     If the read waveform amplitude is 10, when it is preset that K4=3, it can be obtained that corresponding depth=3×10=30. 
     In an embodiment, the present invention further provides a media player for playing images synchronously with an audio file.  FIG. 3  is a schematic structural view of a media player for playing images synchronously with an audio file according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the media player includes a reading module  301 , a parameter generating module  302 , an image generating module  303 , and a playing module  304 . 
     The reading module  301  is adapted to read audio file associated parameters according to a preset time interval when an audio file is played. 
     The parameter generating module  302  is adapted to generate stereoscopic image associated parameters corresponding to the audio file associated parameters read by the reading module  301  according to a preset first corresponding relation between the audio file associated parameters and the stereoscopic image associated parameters. 
     The image generating module  303  is adapted to generate stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file according to the stereoscopic image associated parameters generated by the parameter generating module  302 . 
     The playing module  304  is adapted to play the stereoscopic images generated by the image generating module  303 . 
     The media player may further include a storage module  305  and a determining module  306 . The storage module  305  is adapted to store the stereoscopic images generated by the image generating module  303 . 
     The determining module  306  is adapted to determine whether the storage module  305  stores the stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file when the audio file is played, and if the storage module  305  stores the stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file, instruct the playing module  304  to play the stereoscopic images; otherwise, instruct the reading module  301  to read the audio file associated parameters. 
     Based on the above, by reading such associated parameters of an audio file as scale and tone, and generating corresponding stereoscopic image associated parameters according to a corresponding relation between audio file associated parameters and stereoscopic image associated parameters, the method and media player for playing images synchronously with an audio file of the present invention can generate stereoscopic images corresponding to the audio file, and play the stereoscopic images synchronously with the audio file. Furthermore, the method and media player of the present invention can select to play stereoscopic images or two-dimensional images for a user according to the preference of the user. 
     Persons of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or part of the steps of the method according to the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by a program instructing relevant hardware. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or a Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM). 
     The foregoing descriptions merely demonstrate the spirit of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.