Audio Stream Management for Television Content

Abstract

Audio stream management techniques are described. In an implementation, a unique representation is generated by a client for each of a plurality of audio streams associated with television content received at the client. Each of the unique representations is displayed in a user interface at the client to be selectable by a user to cause output of a respective audio stream with the television content

1 . One or more computer-readable storage media embodying computer-executable instructions which, when executed, implement a method comprising:
 generating a unique representation, based at least in part using data received with television content, by a client, that describes attributes other than language code for each of a plurality of audio streams associated with television content received at the client; and   displaying each said unique representation in a user interface at the client to be selectable by a user to cause output of a respective said audio stream with the television content.   
     
     
         2 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein the generating is performed in response to receipt of an input to cause the client to tune to the television content. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein the generating is based at least in part using data received with the television content that describes attributes of the plurality of audio streams. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 3 , wherein the data is taken from a program map table associated with the television content. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 3 , wherein the data is selected from a group comprising:
 a language code;   an audio type;   quality;   a textual description;   physical order of references to the plurality of audio streams in a program map table; and   a sequence number.   
     
     
         6 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to change from a default said audio stream specified by a network operator to another said audio stream specified by the user. 
     
     
         7 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to implement a method comprising managing which of the plurality of audio streams is output for a plurality of television channels using one or more selections made using the user interface. 
     
     
         8 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further executable to implement a method comprising prioritizing an order of how each said unique representation is displayed, on to another, in the user interface. 
     
     
         9 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 8 , wherein the prioritizing is performed such that a first said unique representation identifies a first said audio stream as a primary and a second said unique representation identifies a second said audio stream as secondary. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 configuring data, which describes one or more attributes other than language code of a plurality of audio streams associated with television content, to specify a particular one of the audio streams to be used as a default; and   including the configured data with the television content to be streamed to a client.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method as described in  claim 10 , wherein the configuring data is performed by specifying particular program identifiers to one or more of the plurality of audio streams. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method as described in  claim 11 , wherein the program identifiers are configured to indicate a hierarchy of suggested audio consumption of the plurality of audio streams. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method as described in  claim 12 , wherein the audio stream which has a lowest said program identifier in the hierarchy of suggested audio consumption is the default. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method as described in  claim 10 , the method further comprising streaming the configured data with the television content and the plurality of streams over a network connection to the client. 
     
     
         15 . One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions which, when executed, implement a method comprising:
 determining which of a plurality of audio streams, associated with television content, to output when an input is received to tune to the television content, wherein:   the determining is based at least in part on one or more locally-stored preferences, which describe one or more attributes, other than language code, associated with the plurality of audio streams, at least one attribute of the one or more attributes associated with an audio quality; and   when a determination cannot be made based on the preferences, the determining is based at least in part on data which describes one or more attributes other than language code, associated with the television content indicating which of the audio streams is a default.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 15 , wherein said determining is made automatically and without user intervention using the locally-stored preferences previously provided by a user. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 15 , wherein:
 the determining based on the one or more locally-stored preferences is performed such that when a preferred said audio stream is not available, another said audio stream in a similar language is output; and   when the determining cannot be made based on the one or more locally-stored preferences to find the other said audio stream, the determining is based at least in part on the data associated with the television content indicating which of the audio streams is the default.   
     
     
         18 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further executable to implement a method comprising outputting a user interface to specify the one or more user preferences. 
     
     
         19 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 15 , the user interface further configured to display a prioritized list of one or more audio streams associated with the television content. 
     
     
         20 . The one or more computer-readable storage media as described in  claim 15 , wherein the instructions are further executable to implement a method comprising:
 tuning to television content; and   outputting the determined audio stream associated with the television content.