System and method for queuing and presenting audio messages

System and method for queuing and presenting audio messages

The present invention relates to the invention disclosed in US Patent Application 09/894060 filed on June 28, 2001 and titled "Synchronous Personal Video Recorder". This patent application has been assigned to the applicant of the present invention. The disclosure of this related patent application is fully incorporated herein by reference, as if it were fully described in this document.

The present invention generally relates to a communication system, especially a system and method for queuing and presenting audio messages in a video display system.

There are a variety of video playback devices currently on the market. What most people use or are familiar with is a video cassette recorder (VCR). Another type of video playback device is a video tape recorder (VTR). Recently, video recorders that use computer magnetic media hard disks instead of card-type cassette tapes to store video programs have appeared on the market. For example, the ReplayTVJ recorder and TiVOJ recorder can use, for example, MPEG-2 compression to digitally record TV programs on a hard drive. In addition, some video playback devices can also record on a readable/writable digital video disc (DVD) instead of a magnetic disk.

Some video playback devices currently on the market have computer processing capabilities similar to those of personal computers. In addition, some video playback devices have a communication system that allows users to send audio messages to other users who are also watching video programs on similar video playback devices. For example, such a system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application 09/010306, filed on June 28, 2001, entitled "Synchronous Personal Video Recorder".

These types of video playback devices can allow these users to communicate while multiple users are watching the same video program at the same time. All users can communicate with each other. When the communication between users is in the form of text messages, since the system prints each message independently, there is no conflict.

However, when the communication between users is in the form of audio messages, conflicts will occur when two or more audio messages arrive at the same time (or near the same time) so that multiple parts of these audio messages need to be received at the same time. When such an audio message is presented through a speaker, it sounds like multiple people are talking at the same time.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a communication system and method capable of queuing and presenting audio messages. There is also a need in the art for a communication system and method that can sequentially present two or more audio messages with overlapping parts received by an audio receiver at the same time.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings in the prior art, a main purpose of the present invention is to provide a system and method for queuing and presenting audio messages in, for example, a video display system that can display video programs.

The invention includes an audio controller and audio message computer software. The audio controller may receive overlapping audio messages that have multiple parts that the audio controller has received simultaneously. If these overlapping audio messages are played as received, the effect is as if two people are talking at the same time. In order to separate the two overlapping messages, the audio controller stores the overlapping audio messages in the audio buffer in a "first in, first out" sequence. The audio controller then plays these messages sequentially.

The audio controller can delay the playing of the audio message for a predetermined length of time. This provides a time delay between audio messages. Alternatively, the audio controller may delay playing the audio message until the audio controller receives a control signal from the user. In an optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller displays a list of the names of senders of multiple audio messages. The user can select the audio message to be played by selecting the sender's name from the list. This allows the user to choose the order in which the audio messages are played.

In another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller may receive an audio message sent from the first user to the second user, where the audio message relates to a video program being watched by the first user and the second user at the same time. When the audio controller of the first user records the audio message, the audio controller will access the video unit to obtain the time stamp information of the video program at the moment when the audio message is recorded. The audio controller associates the audio message with the time stamp information. Then the audio controller sends the audio message and time stamp information to the second user. The audio controller of the second user then uses the time stamp information to access the relevant part of the video program and play the audio message while displaying the relevant part of the video program.

According to an optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller receives a plurality of overlapping audio information, and stores the overlapping audio information in the audio buffer respectively. The audio controller then sequentially plays each of these separately stored overlapping audio messages.

According to an optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller stores a plurality of overlapping audio messages in the audio buffer according to a "first in, first out" queuing.

According to an optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller can wait for a certain length of time before playing the audio message stored in the audio buffer.

According to another optimized embodiment of the present invention, before the audio controller plays the audio message stored in the audio buffer, the audio controller may receive a control signal from the user.

According to another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller may receive a control signal from the user indicating the audio message to be played next time.

According to another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller may associate the audio message sent by the first user with the time stamp of a part of the video program, and send the audio message together with the time stamp information to the second user.

The features and technical advantages of the present invention have been broadly defined above, so that those skilled in the art can better understand the following detailed description of the present invention. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be described below, which form the subject of the claims of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily use the described concepts and specific embodiments as a basis for modifying or designing other structures to achieve the purpose of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can also realize this equivalent structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Before the detailed description of the embodiments, first define the specific words and phrases used in this patent document: the words "include" and "include" and related derivative words mean inclusion but not limitation; the word "or" means and/or; vocabulary "Related to" and "relevant to" and other similar words mean including, including, in connection with, including, inclusive, and in connection with , Coupled with, communicated with, cooperated with, intertwined, juxtaposed, approached, must, have, have attributes, etc.; the term "controller" means to control at least Any device, system or part of an operation can be implemented by hardware, firmware or software or some combination of at least two of them. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller can be centralized or distributed locally or remotely. In particular, the controller may include one or more data processors and related input/output devices and memories, so that one or more application programs and/or operating system programs can be executed. The definitions of specific words and phrases are applicable throughout this patent document, and those skilled in the art should understand that in many cases, but not most cases, such defined words and phrases also apply to previous and future use.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages of the present invention, now refer to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same objectives, in which FIG. 1 shows an example of an optimized embodiment according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows an exemplary video display system according to an optimized embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 shows an exemplary video display system according to an optimized embodiment of the present invention, used for queuing in the exemplary video display system shown in Figure 2 And a system for presenting audio messages; FIG. 4 shows an audio message computer software used in an optimized embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 shows an operation flowchart of a method for queuing and presenting audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows an operation flowchart of another method for queuing and presenting audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 7 shows an operation flow of another method for queuing and presenting audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention Figure; Figure 8 shows an operational flowchart of another method for queuing and presenting audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 1 to 8 and the multiple embodiments used to describe the principle of the present invention in this patent document are only exemplary, and do not constitute any way to limit the scope of the present invention. In the description of the following exemplary embodiments, the present invention is integrated in or connected to a television receiver or television broadcasting system. However, this embodiment is only exemplary, and does not limit the present invention to the scope of a television receiver or a television broadcasting system. In fact, those skilled in the art should recognize that the exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be easily modified so as to be used in any type of video display system and video broadcast system.

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary television broadcasting system 10 according to an optimized embodiment of the present invention. The television broadcasting system 10 includes local broadcasting equipment 11. The local broadcasting system 11 receives one or more digital video transport streams from a network video source 21, a network video source 22, and a network video source 23. The local broadcasting equipment 11 can receive these digital video transmission streams from a wired communication link or a wireless communication link. For example, the local broadcasting device 11 may receive one or more digital video transmission streams from the network video source 21 through the wired communication link 31, and receive one or more digital video transmission streams from the network video source 22 through the wired communication link 32.

The local broadcast device 11 also includes a basic transceiver station 34 and a basic transceiver station 35, which can wirelessly transmit one or more digital video transmission streams from the network video source 23 to the local broadcast device 11. In an exemplary embodiment, the network video source 23 may send a digital video transmission stream to a basic transceiver station 34 that forms a part of a local multipoint distribution system (LMDS) network through a communication line 33. In the LMDS network, a microwave link can be used to send a digital video transmission stream from the basic transceiver station 34 to the basic transceiver station 35. The communication line 36 transmits the digital video transmission stream from the basic transceiver station 35 to the local broadcasting equipment 11.

The local broadcasting device 11 sends the digital video transmission stream to the user locations 41, 42, and 43, which may include personal residential addresses and commercial locations. If the local broadcasting device 11 is part of a cable television system, the local broadcasting device 11 can send one or more output digital video transport streams to the user locations 41 and 42 via the communication line 51. The communication line 52 transmits one or more output digital video transmission streams from the local broadcasting equipment 11 to the transmitter 53 and wirelessly transmits the output digital signal video transmission streams to the user location 43.

Each digital video transmission stream received or transmitted by the local broadcasting device 11 may be transmitted in a 6 MHz (6 MHz) broadcasting channel. The transport stream usually contains multiple virtual channels, and each virtual channel contains a program. The programs transmitted in virtual channels are what viewers see on individual TV channels, such as movies, news broadcasts, and weather channels. Usually each virtual channel is allocated a fixed bandwidth, such as three megabits per second (3Mbps).

The local broadcasting device 11 also includes an audio message coordinator 60 and an audio message database 70. The audio message coordinator 60 performs two-way communication with the related audio controller in the video playback device at the user's location, so as to receive audio messages from and send audio messages to each user. The user information of each user is stored in the audio message database 70.

Those skilled in the art should understand that the use of the local broadcasting device 11 to control audio messages is only exemplary, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. For example, in another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the out-of-band audio message can be controlled through the Internet connection.

In the following description of the present invention, the related audio controller for two-way communication with the audio message coordinator 60 is implemented in a video playback device including an optical disc-based video recorder. Those skilled in the art should understand that the foregoing is only an exemplary manner and does not limit the scope of the present invention. In another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller can be implemented in a TV, a traditional video cassette recorder (VCR), a cable TV conversion box, or a satellite TV antenna control box.

Fig. 2 shows an exemplary video playback device 150 and a television set 105 according to an optimized embodiment of the present invention. The video playback device 150 receives an input TV signal from a local broadcasting device 11, which may be a cable television service provider (Cable Co.) or an Internet service provider (ISP). The video playback device 150 transmits a television signal to the television set 105 from the selected channel. The channel can be manually selected by the user or automatically selected by a recording device pre-designed by the user. Alternatively, the recording device can automatically select channels and video programs based on the information provided by the program list in the user's personal viewing history.

In the recording mode, the video playback device 150 can demodulate the input radio frequency (RF) television signal, thereby generating a baseband video signal, which is recorded and stored in a storage located inside or connected to the video playback device 150 On the medium. In the play mode, the video playback device 150 reads the stored baseband video signal (ie, program) selected by the user from the storage medium, and transmits it to the television 105. The video playback device 150 may include any type of video recorder, which can receive, record, interact, and play digital signals.

The 150 video playback devices include video recorders that use tapes, hard disks, or solid-state storage, or use any other type of recording device. If the video playback device 150 is a video cassette recorder (VCR), the video playback device 150 stores the input television signal in the tape cassette or reads the signal therefrom. If the video playback device 150 is a disk drive-based device, such as a ReplayTVJ recorder or a TiVOJ recorder, the video playback device 150 stores and reads the input TV signal in a computer magnetic hard disk instead of a cassette tape, and reads it from Read the stored TV signal from the hard disk. In other embodiments, the video playback device 150 can store and read in a local read/write (R/W) digital video disc (DVD) or read/write (R/W) compact disc (CD-RW) . The local storage medium can be fixed (for example, hard drive) or removable (for example, DVD, CD-ROM).

The video playback device 150 includes an infrared (IR) sensor 160, which receives commands (such as channel increase, channel decrease, volume increase, volume decrease, record, play, fast forward (FF), rewind, etc.) from the remote control device 125 operated by the user ). The TV set 105 is a traditional TV set and includes a screen 110, an infrared (IR) sensor 115, and one or more manual controllers (represented by dotted lines). The IR sensor 115 also receives commands (for example, volume up, volume down, power on, power off) from the remote control device 125 operated by the user.

It should be noted that the video playback device 150 is not limited to receiving a specific type of input television signal from a specific type of signal source. As mentioned above, the external signal source can be a cable service provider, a traditional RF broadcast antenna, a satellite antenna, an Internet connection, or other local storage devices, such as a DVD player or a VHS tape player. In some embodiments, the video playback device 150 cannot even record, but is limited to playing back TV signals read from a removable DVD or CD-ROM. Therefore, the input signal can be a digital signal, an analog signal, or an Internet Protocol (IP) packet.

However, in order to briefly and clearly explain the principle of the present invention, an embodiment in which the video playback device 150 receives an input television signal (analog and/or digital) from a cable service provider will be described below. Nevertheless, those skilled in the art should understand that the principles of the present invention are easily applicable to wireless broadcast television signals, local storage systems, and input streams of IP packets containing MPEG data.

The video playback device 150 also receives input audio messages from the local broadcasting device 11, which may be a cable television service provider (Cable Co.) or an Internet service provider (ISP). As will be explained in detail, the video playback device 150 may receive audio messages from other users through the local broadcasting device 11. The video playback device 150 can also send audio messages to other users through the local broadcasting device 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the microphone 170 and the speaker 180 are coupled with the video playback device 150. The user speaks into the microphone 170 to generate an audio message. The microphone 170 provides the audio message to the video playback device 150 to transmit it to one or more other users located in remote locations through the local broadcasting device 11. The speaker 180 plays audio messages of other users located in remote locations that the video playback device 150 has received through the local broadcasting device 11.

Figure 3 shows in more detail an exemplary playback device 150 according to an optimized embodiment of the present invention. The video playback device 150 includes an IR sensor 160, a video processor 210, an MPEG2 encoder 220, a hard disk drive 230, an MPEG2 decoder/NTSC encoder 240, and a video recorder (VR) controller 250. The video playback device 150 also includes a video unit 260 including a video buffer 265, an audio controller 270 including an audio buffer 275, and a memory 280. The VR controller 250 controls the overall operation of the video playback device 150, including viewing mode, recording mode, playback mode, fast forward (FF) mode, reverse mode, and other similar functions. The audio controller 270 controls the generation, storage and playback of audio messages according to the principles of the present invention.

In the viewing mode, the VR controller 250 causes the input television signal provided by the cable service provider to be demodulated and processed by the video processor 210 and sent to the television 105, and the video signal is stored or not stored in the hard disk drive 230 (or Read the video signal from it). The video processor 210 includes a radio frequency (RF) front-end circuit that is used to receive input TV signals from the cable service provider, tune the channel selected by the user, and convert the selected RF signal into a display that can be displayed on the TV 105 Baseband TV signal (such as super video signal). The video processor 210 can also receive a conventional NTSC signal from the MPEG2 decoder/NTSC encoder 240 (after buffering in the video buffer 265 of the video unit 260) during the playback mode, and send the baseband TV signal to the television 105.

In the recording mode, the VR controller 250 causes the input television signal to be stored in the hard disk drive 230. Under the control of the VR controller 250, the MPEG2 encoder 220 receives an input analog TV signal from a cable service provider, and converts the received RF signal into an MPEG2 format for storage on the hard disk drive 230. Alternatively, if the video playback device 150 is coupled with a signal source that transmits MPEG2 data, the input MPEG2 data can bypass the MPEG2 encoder 220 and be directly stored in the hard disk drive 230.

In the playback mode, the VR controller 250 controls the hard disk drive 230 to transmit the stored TV signals (such as programs) to the MPEG2 decoder/NTSC encoder 240, where the MPEG2 data provided by the hard disk drive 230 is converted into super video ( S-Video) signal, the video processor 210 sends the super video signal to the television 105.

It should be noted that the selection of the MPEG2 standard for the MPEG2 encoder 220 and the MPEG2 decoder/NTSC encoder 240 is only illustrative. In other embodiments of the present invention, the MPEG encoder and decoder may also conform to one or more of the MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and MPEG-7 standards, or other types of standards.

For the purpose of this application and the following claims, the hard disk drive 230 is defined as including any readable and writable mass storage device, including but not limited to digital video disc (DVD-RW), writable CD -Traditional disk drives and optical drives such as ROM, VCR tape, etc. In fact, the hard disk drive 230 does not need to be a fixed device permanently installed in the video playback device 150 in the traditional sense. In contrast, the hard disk drive 230 includes any mass storage devices as long as they are dedicated to the video playback device 150 and can store the recorded video programs. Therefore, the hard disk drive 230 may include an additional peripheral drive or a removable hard disk drive (built-in or connected), such as a jukebox (not shown) including multiple read/write DVDs or writable CD-ROMs. As shown in Figure 2, this type of removable hard drive can receive and read a writable CD-ROM disc 235.

In addition, in an optimized embodiment of the present invention, the hard disk drive 230 may include an external mass storage device that the video playback device 150 can access and control through a network connection (such as an Internet Protocol (IP) connection), including, for example, the viewers home The hard disk drive in a personal computer (PC) or the hard disk drive in a viewers Internet service provider (ISP) server.

The VR controller 250 obtains information related to the video signal received by the video processor 210 from the video processor 210. When the VR controller 250 determines that the video playback device 150 is receiving a video program, the VR controller 250 determines whether the video program is the one that has been selected for recording. If the video program is to be recorded, the VR controller 250 causes the video program to be recorded on the hard disk drive 230 as described above. If the video program will not be recorded, the VR controller 250 causes the video processor 210 to process the video program and send it to the television 105 in the above-mentioned manner.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the memory 280 may include random access memory (RAM) or a combination of random access memory (RAM) and read only memory (ROM). The memory 280 may include non-volatile random access memory (RAM), such as flash memory. In other preferred embodiments of the television 105, the memory 280 may include a large-capacity data device, such as a hard disk drive (not shown). The memory 280 also includes an additional peripheral drive or a removable disk drive (built-in or additional) for reading/writing DVD or writable CD-ROM. As shown in FIG. 2, this type of removable disc drive can receive and read a readable CD-ROM disc 285.

Figure 4 shows a selected portion of the memory 280 containing the audio messaging software 300 of the present invention. The memory 280 includes an operating system interface program 310, an audio message queuing application 320, an audio message replay application 330, an audio message video synchronization application 340, and an audio message storage location 350. The audio controller 270 and the audio message software 300 together contain an audio message control system that can implement the present invention. The operating system interface program 310 coordinates operations between the audio message software 300 and the operating systems of the VR controller 250 and the audio controller 270.

Assume that the audio controller 270 receives an audio message from a remote user through the local broadcasting device 11. The audio controller 270 can play the audio message through the speaker 180 immediately. Now suppose that the audio controller 270 receives the first audio message from the first remote user and the second audio message from the second remote user. Assume that two audio messages arrive at the audio controller 270 at the same time (or approximately at the same time so that there is a significant overlap between the two audio messages). If the audio controller 270 immediately plays the two audio messages through the speaker 180, the user will hear the two substantially simultaneous messages. This effect is as if the first remote user and the second remote user are speaking at the same time.

The audio controller 270 of the present invention solves this problem by buffering audio messages in the audio buffer 265 and playing them sequentially under program control or user control. Under the instruction control of the audio control software 300 stored in the memory 280, the audio controller 270 can (1) receive multiple audio messages that arrive at the same time (or arrive almost at the same time so that there is a significant difference between two or more audio messages. (Overlap); (2) queue multiple received audio messages to form an audio message queue; (3) play the audio messages in the audio message queue in the order in which the audio messages arrive; (4) respond to user input, The audio messages in the audio message queue are played sequentially at the time selected by the user; (5) In response to the user's input, the audio messages in the audio message queue are played sequentially in the order selected by the user.

In an optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller 270 stores each received audio message in a "first in first out" (FIFO) queue in the audio buffer 275. The audio controller 270 achieves this by executing computer instructions in the audio message queue application 320. Then, the audio controller 270 sequentially plays the audio messages through the speaker 180 in the order in which the audio messages arrive at the audio controller 270. The audio controller 270 achieves this by executing computer instructions in the audio message playback application 330. The audio controller 270 will wait for a certain length of time (referred to as "audio message time delay") after each message is played before playing the next audio message. The length of the audio message time delay can be set by the user by using the remote control device 125 and the IR sensor 160 to send an appropriate control signal to the audio controller 270.

In another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller 270 stores each received audio message in a "first in first out" (FIFO) queue in the audio buffer 275. The audio controller 270 achieves this by executing computer instructions in the audio message queue application 320. Then, the audio controller 270 sequentially plays the audio messages through the speaker 180 in the order in which the audio messages arrive at the audio controller 270. The audio controller 270 achieves this by executing computer instructions in the audio message playback application 330. In another optimized embodiment of the present invention, after playing each message, the audio controller 270 will wait to receive the "next play" control signal from the user after playing each message and before playing the next audio message. The user uses the remote control device 125 and the IR sensor 160 to send a "next play" control signal to the audio controller 270.

In another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller 270 stores each received audio message in a "first in first out" (FIFO) queue in the audio buffer 275. The audio controller 270 achieves this by executing computer instructions in the audio message queue application 320. Then the audio controller 270 sequentially plays the audio messages through the speaker 180 in the order in which the user selects the audio messages. The audio controller 270 achieves this by executing computer instructions in the audio message playback application 330.

The audio message coordinator 60 of the local broadcasting device 11 assigns a screen name to each user. The screen name of the user is associated with each audio message to identify the user who issued the audio message. In another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller 270 sends the screen name of each audio message to the video unit 260, and sends a control signal to the VR controller 250. According to the control signal of the audio controller 270, the VR controller 270 causes the video unit 260 and the video processor 210 to display a list 190 on the screen 110 of the television 105, the list 190 containing the screen name of the audio message sender.

The list 190 displays (1) all the audio messages that have been received and (2) the identification of the user who sent each audio message. The user uses the remote control device 125 and the IR sensor 160 to send a "play audio message" control signal to the audio controller 270, so as to select which audio message in the list 190 will be played next time. In this way, the user can choose the order in which the audio messages are played. The user can also choose how long should pass before sending the next "play audio message" control signal. This allows the user to control the time delay between playing audio messages.

When the user wants to send an audio message to a remote user, the user speaks the audio message to the microphone 170. The microphone 170 provides the audio message to the audio controller 270, and the audio controller 270 sends the audio message to the audio message coordinator 60 in the local broadcasting device 11. The audio message coordinator 60 obtains the screen name of the speaking user from the audio message database 70. Then the audio message coordinator 60 sends the caller's audio message and the caller's screen name to the remote user (that is, the user targeted by the audio message). The remote user can use any one of the three methods described above to obtain the audio message.

In this way, it is possible for two or more users to exchange audio messages related to the video program they are watching at the same time. A system for simultaneous viewing of video programs is disclosed in US Patent Application 09/010306, filed on June 28, 2001 and titled "Synchronous Personal Video Recorder". This patent application has been assigned to the applicant of the present invention. The disclosure of this related patent application can be incorporated into this application by reference, as described herein.

Assume that the first user sends to the second user audio messages related to events in the video program being watched by the first user and the second user. Any delay in playing the audio message will cause the audio message to be out of sync with the video program. For example, suppose that the first user and the second user are watching a video program of a baseball game at the same time. The first user sends an audio message "Watch the replay of the home run" to the second user. If the audio message has been in the audio message queue for a certain period of time (for example, fifteen seconds) while other audio messages are being played, when the audio message finally arrives, the audio message related to the home run will not be available. It will be synchronized with the part of the video showing the home run. The home run part of the video program targeted by the audio message has been missed.

The present invention provides a system and method for solving the synchronization problem, which associates the audio message with the part of the video program targeted by the audio message. In an optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller 270 receives audio messages from the first user through the microphone 170. The audio controller 270 immediately accesses the video unit 260 to obtain the time stamp of the video program being displayed. Then, use the time stamp of the video program to associate the audio message with the part of the video program being displayed. Alternatively, the audio controller 270 may access the video unit 260 to obtain the "fingerprint" of the frame in the video program related to the moment when the audio message is received from the microphone 170. The time stamp or "fingerprint" of the frame associates the audio message with the video program in time. The audio controller 270 achieves this by executing computer instructions in the audio message video synchronization application 340.

The audio controller 270 then sends the audio message and time stamp information to the audio message coordinator 60 of the local broadcasting device 11 for transmission to a remote user or multiple users. The audio controller 270 located at the remote user's location reads the time stamp information and sends a control signal to the video unit 260 at the remote user's location, thereby replaying the video portion starting from the time indicated by the time stamp. Alternatively, a predetermined amount of time can be subtracted from the time indicated by the time scale, so that a video program that occurred immediately before the time indicated by the time scale can be reproduced. In this way, some "import" parts of the video can be provided as a "preparation" or "background" for the video part associated with the audio message.

When the video part associated with the time scale is displayed on the TV set 105 at the remote location, the audio message is simultaneously played on the speaker 180 at the remote location at the same time. In this way, the remote user can hear the audio message synchronously with the video part associated with the audio message.

Another preferred embodiment of the present invention is aimed at the situation where one or more remote users cannot access the same video program at the same time as the calling user. In another preferred embodiment, the audio controller 270 uses a time stamp to associate one or more audio messages with the video program in the video buffer 265. The audio controller 270 then sends a control signal to the video unit 260 so that all video programs (along with related audio messages) are sent to the remote user through the local broadcasting device 11. The remote user can then (1) play the video file (with associated audio message) according to the received video file or (2) record the video file to be played later (with associated audio message). This allows the remote user to watch the video program and hear the voice message of the calling user as the "voice-over" annotation of the video program.

In another optimized embodiment of the present invention, the audio controller 270 may send one or more audio messages as one mail message in batches.

FIG. 5 shows an operation flowchart 500 of the method for queuing and presenting multiple audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention. In the first step of the method, the audio controller 270 receives the first audio message (step 510). The audio controller 270 then stores the first audio message in the "first in first out" queue in the audio buffer 275 (step 520). Then the audio controller 270 receives a second audio message overlapping the first audio message (step 530). The audio controller 270 stores the second audio message in the "first in first out" queue in the audio buffer 275 (step 540).

The audio controller 270 then plays the first audio message through the speaker 180 (step 550). After the first audio message has been played, the audio controller 270 waits for a time period called "audio message time delay" (step 560). Then the audio controller 270 plays the second audio message through the speaker 180.

FIG. 6 shows an operation flowchart 600 describing a method for queuing and presenting multiple audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention. In the first step of the method, the audio controller 270 receives the first audio message (step 610). The audio controller 270 then stores the first audio message in the "first in first out" queue in the audio buffer 275 (step 620). Then the audio controller 270 receives a second audio message overlapping the first audio message (step 630). The audio controller 270 stores the second audio message in the "first in first out" queue in the audio buffer 275 (step 640).

The audio controller 270 then receives the "next play" control signal from the user corresponding to the first audio message, and plays the first audio message through the speaker 180 (step 650). Then the audio controller 270 receives the "next play" control signal from the user corresponding to the second audio message, and plays the second audio message through the speaker 180 (step 660).

FIG. 7 shows an operation flowchart 700 describing a method for queuing and presenting multiple audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention. In the first step of the method, the audio controller 270 receives multiple audio messages, where each audio message contains the screen name of the sender of the message (step 710). The audio controller 270 stores these audio messages in the queue in the audio buffer 275 (step 720). The audio controller 270 then displays a list 190 of screen names on the screen 110 of the television 105 (step 730).

The audio controller 270 receives the "play audio message" control signal from the user, so as to select the audio message to be played next in the list 190 (step 740). Then the audio controller 270 plays the audio message selected by the user through the speaker 180 (step 750). Then, the audio controller 270 waits to receive the next "play audio message" control signal from the user.

FIG. 8 shows an operation flowchart 800 describing a method for queuing and presenting multiple audio messages in an optimized embodiment of the present invention. In the first step of the method, the first user and the second user are watching a video program at the same time (step 810). The audio controller 270 of the first user receives an audio message related to an event in the video program from the first user (step 820). The audio controller 270 accesses the video unit 260 and obtains the time stamp from the video program (step 830).

The audio controller 270 associates the video time stamp with the audio message (step 840). The audio controller 270 then sends the audio message and time stamp information to the second user (step 850). The audio controller 270 of the second user replays the video program starting from the time indicated by the time stamp and simultaneously plays the audio message (step 860).

Although the method has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art should understand that they can make various changes, substitutions and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.