Contextual Audiovisual Synthesis for Attention State Management

Abstract

The invention pertains to a system for managing interruptions to an electronic device outputting an audiovisual broadcast from a media application. The system consists of an interrupt manager, an audiovisual buffer, and a vamping module. The interrupt manager, linked to the device's operating system, is capable of temporarily halting the broadcast and issuing a notification to an end user. The audiovisual buffer collaborates with the interrupt manager, collecting a segment of audio output to create an audio segment to be played during the pause. Concurrently, the vamping module operates by broadcasting the audio segment when the interrupt manager interrupts the broadcast and releases the notification. This process shifts the focus to the notification, relegating the paused broadcast to a background state. The broadcast resumes when the interrupt manager redirects the operating system's focus back to it, promoting the paused broadcast back to the foreground state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for managing interrupts to an electronic device outputting an audiovisual broadcast from a media application, the system comprising:
 an interrupt manager communicatively coupled to an operating system running on the electronic device, the interrupt manager configured to temporarily pause the audiovisual broadcast and pass through or release a notification to an end user;   an audiovisual buffer communicatively coupled to the interrupt manager, the audiovisual buffer extracting a segment of audio output from the media application for output while the audiovisual broadcast is paused by the interrupt manager; and   a vamping module that outputs the audio segment at the time the interrupt manager pauses the audiovisual broadcast and passes through or releases the notification, the interrupt manager causing the operating system to put focus on the notification in a foreground state, the operating system moving the paused audiovisual broadcast to a background state during which time the vamping module audibly broadcasts the audio segment until the interrupt manager causes the operating system to return focus to the audiovisual broadcast whereby the audiovisual broadcast resumes the paused audiovisual broadcast which is further brought back into focus in the foreground state.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vamping module constructs a loop of media content from the extracted segment of the media broadcast at the time the interrupt manager releases the interrupt notification, and the operating system puts focus on the interrupt notification, with the media broadcast moving to a background and the vamping module audibly broadcasting the loop of media content in the background until the operating system returns focus to the media broadcast, allowing the media broadcast to resume at a timecode in the media broadcast equal to that when the media broadcast moved to the background. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising applying a visual effect to the media broadcast when the media broadcast is in the background state. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the visual effect is selected from the group consisting of colorization and animation. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vamping module audibly broadcasts the audio segment at a reduced volume in the background compared to the volume when in focus in the operating system. 
     
     
         6 . A system for managing interrupts to an electronic device outputting an audiovisual broadcast from a media application, the system comprising:
 an interrupt manager communicatively coupled to an operating system running on the electronic device, the interrupt manager configured to temporarily pause the audiovisual broadcast and pass through or release a notification to an end user;   a vamping module that detects a repeatable segment of the media broadcast, creates a buffer, and then repeats that segment or a blend of chosen segments as background audio while the interrupt manager places the audiovisual broadcast in a background state and puts the notification in focus to the end user until such time the end user dismisses the notification wherein the interrupt manager resumes the audiovisual broadcast in a foreground state.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , where the vamping module matches beats and tones during a first transition to the background audio and during a second transition from the background audio back to the media broadcast when the interrupt manager resumes the audiovisual broadcast after the notification is presented to the end user and the interrupted state ends. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the vamping module isolates or removes vocals from the background audio. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the vamping module utilizes separately recorded minus-one tracks to vamp the background audio without voice or vocals until the interrupt is completed. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein segments of different lengths are used as tokens to the background audio, allowing for premature resumption of the audiovisual broadcast if necessary. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , where an excursion module uses segments of different lengths to create filler sequences, accommodating for a premature resumption of the audiovisual broadcast. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein an excursion module guides the duration of the pause based on an estimated interrupt duration. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein an excursion module applies image and video processing synthesis mechanisms and rules inherent in a computer graphics processor in the device and a game engine operating on the device to generate an excursion for interactive digital imagery or audio, induces a pause in the activities of interactive virtual characters or objects and instigates a contextually correlated animation indicating an intention to pause, guides the duration of excursions based on an estimated interrupt duration if available or maintains a minimal length, and structures a series of brief excursions that mimic a perception of a continuous longer excursion capable of termination at any point in the series. 
     
     
         14 . A system for managing interrupts to an electronic device running a productivity application, the system comprising:
 an interrupt manager communicatively coupled to an operating system running on the electronic device, the interrupt manager configured to temporarily pause the productivity application and pass through or release a notification to an end user;   a vamping module that outputs an audio segment at the time the interrupt manager pauses the productivity application and passes through or releases the notification, the interrupt module causing the operating system to put focus on the notification in a foreground state, the operating system moving the paused productivity application to a background state during which time the vamping module audibly broadcasts the audio segment until the interrupt manager causes the operating system to return focus to the productivity application whereby the productivity application resumes and is further brought back into focus in the foreground state.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the productivity application is paused responsive to a lack of activity wherein the notification is automatically released to the end user. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the inactivity is detected by lack of input by the end user to the operating system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the vamping module further applies a visual effect to the productivity application while it is in the background state. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein the visual effect is selected from the group consisting of colorization and animation. 
     
     
         19 . A system for managing interrupts to an electronic device outputting an audiovisual broadcast from a media application, the system comprising:
 an interrupt manager communicatively coupled to an operating system running on the electronic device, the interrupt manager configured to temporarily pause the audiovisual broadcast and pass through or release a notification to an end user;   an audiovisual buffer communicatively coupled to the interrupt manager, the audiovisual buffer configured to extract a segment of audio output from the media application for constructing an audio segment to be output while the audiovisual broadcast is paused by the interrupt manager; and   a vamping module that outputs the audio segment at the time the interrupt manager pauses the audiovisual broadcast and passes through or releases the notification, the interrupt manager causing the operating system to put focus on the notification in a foreground state, and moving the paused audiovisual broadcast to a background state during which time the vamping module audibly broadcasts the audio segment at a reduced volume in the background compared to the volume when the audiovisual broadcast is in focus in the operating system, the vamping module further configured to apply a visual effect to the audiovisual broadcast in the background, the visual effect selected from a group consisting of colorization and animation, wherein the vamping module outputs the audio segment and applies the visual effect until the interrupt manager causes the operating system to return focus to the audiovisual broadcast whereby the audiovisual broadcast resumes and is further brought back into focus in the foreground state.