System and method to modify a metadata parameter

Abstract

A method includes receiving digital audio data at an audio adjustment system. The method includes converting a portion of the digital audio data to an analog audio signal with a digital-to-analog converter of the audio adjustment system to form a sample analog audio signal. The method includes determining a dynamic range of the sample analog audio signal with the audio adjustment system. The method also includes modifying a metadata parameter of the digital audio data with the audio adjustment system when the dynamic range of the sample analog audio signal is below a threshold. The metadata parameter is a dialog normalization parameter.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method, comprising:
 determining, by a computing device, a dynamic range of an analog sample of a digital audio signal; and   modifying, by the computing device, a parameter of the digital audio data when the determined dynamic range is below a threshold, wherein the parameter is usable to adjust a volume level of the digital audio signal.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computing device is a set-top box device. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the computing device is a stand-alone digital audio decoder. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the determining is based on a signal level of the analog sample and a noise level of the analog sample. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the determining is based on a signal-to-noise ratio of the analog sample. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the parameter is a metadata parameter. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the parameter is a dialnorm parameter. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computing device, a dynamic range of a second analog sample of the digital audio signal; and   computing, by the computing device, a difference between the dynamic range of the analog sample and the dynamic range of the second analog sample;   wherein the modifying is performed based at least in part on the computed difference.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the second analog sample corresponds to an advertisement. 
     
     
         30 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a signal including digital video and digital audio;   determining a dynamic range of an analog sample of the digital audio; and   modifying a parameter of the digital audio when the determined dynamic range is below a threshold, wherein the parameter is usable to adjust a volume level of the digital audio.   
     
     
         31 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the operations further comprise outputting a modified signal including the digital video and the digital audio having the modified parameter. 
     
     
         32 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 31 , wherein the operations further comprise synchronizing the digital video with the digital audio having the modified parameter. 
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the threshold is a user-selectable threshold. 
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the parameter is a dialnorm parameter. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor;   a computer-readable memory having instructions executable by the at least one processor to:
 determine a first dynamic range of a first analog sample of a digital audio signal; 
 determine a second dynamic range of a second analog sample of the digital audio signal; and 
 modify a parameter of the digital audio data when a difference between the first dynamic range and the second dynamic range exceeds a threshold difference, wherein the parameter is usable to adjust a volume level of the digital audio signal. 
   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to:
 receive media content;   separate the received media content into encoded digital video data and encoded digital audio data; and   decode the encoded digital audio data to produce the digital audio data.   
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the parameter is a dialnorm parameter. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the first dynamic range is determined based on a signal-to-noise ratio of the first analog sample. 
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the second dynamic range is determined based on a signal-to-noise ratio of the second analog sample. 
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the first digital audio signal corresponds to desired media content, and wherein the second digital audio signal corresponds to an advertisement.