Soundtrack for electronic text

Abstract

A soundtrack creation method and user playback system for soundtracks synchronized to electronic text. Synchronization is achieved by maintaining a reading speed variable indicative of the user's reading speed. The system provides for multiple channels of audio to enable concurrent playback of two or more partially or entirely overlapping audio regions so as to create an audio output having, for example, sound effects, ambience, music or other audio features that are triggered to playback at specific portions in the electronic text to enhance the reading experience.

1 . A method of generating a digital soundtrack for synchronized playback with the reading of an electronic text, the method implemented on a system comprising a processor and memory, and comprising the steps of:
 designating or identifying a text index for the electronic text for defining text positions within the electronic text;   defining multiple audio regions for the soundtrack, each audio region being defined by configurable audio data to playback during the reading of a corresponding text region in the electronic text, and the audio data being configured by:   selecting an audio track from a database for playback in the audio region; and
 designating a start index value representing or indicative of the start text position of a word in the electronic text corresponding to where the playback of the audio region is to begin and a stop index value representing or indicative of the stop text position of a word in the electronic text corresponding to where the playback of the audio region is to cease; and 
 compiling the audio data associated with the audio regions into an output data file or files representing the digital soundtrack. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the text index is based on the number of words in the electronic text, and wherein each word in the electronic text has designated a unique index value that represents its text position in the electronic text relative to the other words, and wherein each word has an index value that corresponds to its word number or word count in the electronic text, and the start and stop index values defining each audio region represent the start and stop word numbers or counts in the electronic text where the audio region is to begin and cease playback respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the text index is based on a text positional reference scheme for identifying locations within the electronic text, and wherein each word in the electronic text has an associated index value that represents or is indicative of its text position in the electronic text with reference to the text positional reference scheme, and wherein the start and stop index values defining each audio region represent the start and stop text positions of the text positional reference scheme of the electronic text where the audio region is to begin and cease playback respectively. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of configuring the audio data for one or more of the audio regions further comprises defining or selecting an audio type for one or more of the audio regions from a list of audio types, and wherein the list of audio types comprise any one or more of the following types: background music, ambient sounds, and sound effects. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the method further comprises configuring one or more automation envelope for one or more of the audio regions, the automation envelopes each respectively defining one or more playback effects or sound manipulations that are applied to the audio track of an audio region in real-time during playback across the audio region or a portion of the audio region based on the real-time playback text position. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein the automation envelopes comprise a volume envelope configured to define a variable volume envelope over the duration of the audio region and/or a panning envelope configured to define a variable balance setting to left and right stereo channels of the soundtrack over the duration of the audio region. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of configuring the audio data for one or more of the audio regions further comprises defining or selecting a channel from a selection of channels over which the audio track of an audio region will playback, and wherein the soundtrack comprises a plurality of channels such that two or more overlapping audio regions may playback concurrently. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of configuring the audio data for one or more of the audio regions further comprises defining or selecting one or more playback effects for an audio region, the playback effects comprising any one or more of the following: fade-in effects, fade-out effects, and looping. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein designating the start index value and stop index value of an audio region being configured comprises operating a graphical user interface displaying the electronic text in a text display area on a display screen and highlighting the text region of the electronic text associated with the audio region being configured, and automatically extracting and configuring the start index value and stop index value for the audio region based on the data of the highlighted text region. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the audio data for each audio region comprises the audio track in the form of an audio track sound file for playback and inclusion in the output data file or files or a link to the actual audio track sound file for playback at an accessible electronic audio database or music library source. 
     
     
         11 . A digital soundtrack creation system for generating a digital soundtrack for synchronised playback with the reading of an electronic text, the soundtrack comprising multiple audio regions configured for playback during corresponding text regions of the electronic text, each audio region being defined by audio data comprising: an audio track for playback in the audio region; a start index value representing or indicative of the start text position of a word in the electronic text corresponding to where the playback of the audio region is to begin and a stop index value representing or indicative of the stop text position of a word in the electronic text corresponding to where the playback of the audio region is to cease, the system comprising:
 a processor;   memory for storing soundtrack data;   an electronic display displaying an operable graphical user interface and providing a text display area operable to display the electronic text;   an audio region configuration interface operable by a user to define multiple audio regions for the soundtrack, the interface being operable by the user to:   select an audio track from a database for playback in the audio region; and
 designate a start index value representing or indicative of the start text position of a word in the electronic text corresponding to where the playback of the audio region is to begin and a stop index value representing or indicative of the stop text position of a word in the electronic text corresponding to where the playback of the audio region is to cease; and 
   a compilation module configured to compile the audio data associated with the configured audio regions into an output data file or files representing the digital soundtrack.   
     
     
         12 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the text index is based on the number of words in the electronic text, and wherein each word in the electronic text has designated a unique index value that represents its text position in the electronic text relative to the other words, and wherein each word has an index value that corresponds to its word number or word count in the electronic text, and the start and stop index values defining each audio region represent the start and stop word numbers or counts in the electronic text where the audio region is to begin and cease playback respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the text index is based on a text positional reference scheme for identifying locations within the electronic text, and wherein each word in the electronic text has an associated index value that represents or is indicative of its text position in the electronic text with reference to the text positional reference scheme, and wherein the start and stop index values defining each audio region represent the start and stop text positions of the text positional reference scheme of the electronic text where the audio region is to begin and cease playback respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the audio region configuration interface is operable by a user via the graphical user interface to define or select an audio type for one or more of the audio regions from a list of audio types, and wherein the list of audio types comprise any one or more of the following types: background music, ambient sounds, and sound effects. 
     
     
         15 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the audio region configuration interface is operable by a user via the graphical user interface to configure one or more automation envelope for one or more of the audio regions, the automation envelopes each respectively defining one or more playback effects or sound manipulations that are applied to the audio track of an audio region in real-time during playback across the audio region or a portion of the audio region based on the real-time playback text position. 
     
     
         16 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 15  wherein the automation envelopes comprise a volume envelope configured to define a variable volume envelope over the duration of the audio region and/or a panning envelope configured to define a variable balance setting to left and right stereo channels of the soundtrack over the duration of the audio region. 
     
     
         17 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the audio region configuration interface is operable by a user via the graphical user interface to define or select a channel from a selection of channels over which the audio track of an audio region will playback, and wherein the soundtrack comprises a plurality of channels such that two or more overlapping audio regions may playback concurrently. 
     
     
         18 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the audio region configuration interface is operable by a user via the graphical user interface to define or select one or more playback effects for an audio region, the playback effects comprising any one or more of the following: fade-in effects, fade-out effects, and looping. 
     
     
         19 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the audio region configuration interface is operable by a user via the graphical user interface to highlight the text region of the electronic text associated with an audio region being configured, and wherein the audio region configuration interface automatically extracts and configures the start index value and stop index value of the audio data for the audio region based on the data of the highlighted text region on the display. 
     
     
         20 . The digital soundtrack creation system according to  claim 11  wherein the audio data for each audio region comprises the audio track in the form of an audio track sound file for playback and inclusion in the output data file or files or a link to the actual audio track sound file for playback at an accessible electronic audio database or music library source.