Thursday, May 4,2006 @ 7:35pm
Apple patents iPod audio navigation tags
In another filing revealed today, Apple patented a system for automatic generation of audio navigation tags for an iPod. The tags would provide audio cues to navigating and selecting songs without viewing the iPod display. The tags could be used while driving, jogging, or during other activities when the iPod is not easily or conveniently accessible. According to Unwired View, the tags are generated from the metadata of music or video files. Appended automatically by many music services and audio programs, metadata contains the text-based informaion such as author, song name and duration, film director or lead actor name, etc. This text information is then converted using text-to-speech software into a small audio files--audio navigation tags--on your PC.
"By dynamically generating audio tags in iTunes on your computer when song is downloaded or playlist is created and then synchronizing it with the iPod, Apple is able to make audio navigation as easy to use and update as current text navigation system," according to the report. "And since no hardware and navigation control changes are necessary, audio navigation can be added to current iPods through simple software update."