FR2894102A1 - Audiovisual document e.g. image document, broadcasting method for e.g. Internet, involves combining data part of multimedia file with data identifying multimedia document, and storing data combination in broadcasting file - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves reading, in a memory unit, a data file (D1) representing a document (D) following a multimedia format e.g. MPEG format. A data part of the multimedia file is combined by a software agent with data identifying the document. The data combination is stored in a broadcasting file (D3) following a broadcasting format e.g. flash video format, where the broadcasting file is usable by a broadcasting server for transmitting and playing the document (D). An independent claim is also included for a system for broadcasting audiovisual document by transmitting through a computer network.

Description

-1- Method for generating, distributing and tracing a document

  The invention relates to the field of the generation and use of audiovisual documents in the form of digital data. It applies in particular to documents distributed over computer networks, in particular the Internet, whether they are played, ie executed, in streaming mode, that is to say played as and when their reception or that they are played, later, for example deferred or repeatedly. Numerous audiovisual documents are used, transmitted or distributed by computer networks, in particular by making available on sites with self-service access. This is the case, for example, by using the Internet to offer Internet users websites, accessible according to a protocol of the HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) or derived type, and containing pages in HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) format. or XML (eXtended Markup Language) containing audiovisual documents to download or play directly.

  The term audio-visual document covers here any document of the images type, animated or not, whatever their mode of creation, animated and sounded, or sound only. It can thus be for example films, video or cinema, cartoon or calculated animations, slide show, as well as background sounds, dialogue strips, or simply music. The problem of the control of the respect of the rights of authors is regularly current, and raises numerous solutions of various types, more or less adapted to different modes of diffusion. Among the many existing solutions, especially for documents distributed without material support, many prefer the search for a protection preventing or limiting copying or dissemination. However, even without limiting the distribution of a document, it may be useful to have follow-up information on the use and dissemination of it. For example, when the creator or rights holders of such a document provide to the person in charge of a dissemination site, for example a website, the media or the data making it possible to prepare his broadcast, it is often in conditions that depend on the use to be made of it. It will thus be useful to be able to receive information indicating whether the document has been received from another source, whether by a copying on removable physical medium, or by a diversion of the document from the original website to another website. . In many cases also, for example to improve the content or the mode of dissemination, such a document provider also wants to know the conditions of execution of this document to the different people, or spectators, who can come to watch or listen to this document. Such tracking information, allowing some monitoring of the use and dissemination of the document, include, among others: - the dissemination site from which the viewer has received the document, the technical conditions in which this document was distributed to him; the number of times this document has been played with a spectator or on his / her position, called the execution post; the quality achieved during this execution, whether it concerns the graphic and / or sound quality achieved or the fluidity of the scrolling; the type of hardware or software used to play this document, or the technical conditions and setting parameters of the workstation, etc. There is therefore an interest, in particular for suppliers of audiovisual documents, to have a preparation and dissemination technology which makes it possible to better manage the mode and the quality of dissemination and execution of these documents, allowing among other things to protect the related intellectual rights. An object of the invention is thus to allow a collection of information relating to the execution of the document, to the computer station used to play the document, to the broadcaster of this document, or to the broadcasting conditions actually practiced. This object is achieved by a method of broadcasting an audiovisual document by transmission via at least one computer network, comprising: a data transmission representing this audiovisual document from a broadcast server, a reception of these data, on at least one least one execution site, by at least one execution station executing at least one execution software for playing this document, characterized in that it comprises beforehand at least one digital data transformation processing representing this document, comprising reading phases, in memory means, of at least one data file representing the document in a first format, said multimedia format; combining, by a software agent, at least part of the data of this multimedia file with data identifying this document; and storing this combination of data in at least one broadcast file in a second format, called broadcast format, that can be used by the broadcast server to transmit and play the document. According to one feature, the method combines at least a portion of the multimedia data representing the document to be processed with data representing a reference to at least one statistics server and allowing an execution station to communicate with said statistics server through to less a computer network. According to one feature, the method combines at least a portion of the multimedia data representing the document to be processed with data representing program instructions executable by the execution software of the execution station so that the execution of the received document inputting said execution station into communication with a statistics server through at least one computer network.

  According to one feature, the method further comprises: transmitting, by an execution station playing an audiovisual document in the broadcast format, trace data representing at least one identification of said document; transmission of this tracing data by a computer network; and -4- receiving this trace data by a statistics server. According to a particularity, the tracing data further comprise identification data of the broadcast server.

  In addition, the optimal shape and structure for this diffusion may vary according to various technical conditions, which, moreover, are not always known or accessible to the supplier of the document. The volume of data representing the document, in particular, is often a crucial factor: inefficient transmissions or workstations may make it preferable to compress the document before distribution. But such compression can also reduce the quality obtained, unnecessarily in better technical conditions. Another object of the invention is therefore to allow the document to be distributed in a form that can be adapted to various types of technical conditions. This purpose is achieved by a broadcast according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transformation processing of at least part of the data representing the audiovisual document 20 comprises: a data compression step, carried out according to parameters determined according to a predicted performance level for the subsequent transmission of these data to at least one execution station; A step of combining these data to generate at least one broadcast file in broadcast format. According to a particular feature, the compression of the multimedia data is done according to a varying compression rate, during the course of the document that they represent, depending on the content of the document. Another object of the invention is to allow an influence on the execution of the document within the execution station, either to optimize its execution conditions or to interrupt or suspend this execution. This object is achieved by a broadcasting method as described above and characterized in that at least a part of the tracing data is transmitted before the end of the execution of the audiovisual document by the execution station. the method further comprising: - generating, by the statistics server, return data dependent on the content of the trace data received from the execution station; a transmission of this return data by the statistics server, through a computer network; receipt of this return data by the execution station; a modification or an interruption of the execution of the continuation of said document. According to one particularity, at least one execution station uses an execution software is arranged so as to make it difficult or impossible for a user of the execution station to store data representing the audiovisual document that makes it possible to play again the document without receiving new data from the broadcast server or the statistics server. According to one particularity, the tracing data and the broadcast data are transmitted by the same computer network. Thus, it becomes possible to avoid that a document can be played completely without having requested and received, in real time, a permission of the statistics server based on the positive identification of an authorized broadcast server. Furthermore, in particular on a website, audiovisual documents are often offered for distribution in a format adapted to transmission and execution different from that under which they are stored or stored at the creator or supplier provider of this document. In particular for important documents, or that one wishes to be able to consult without waiting or with little wait, there is a mode of diffusion called streaming, which one could qualify of run-of-the-river performance or flow course. This delivery mode consists of starting to execute and play the document on the execution station, using the first data received from the server of the broadcasting site, without waiting for the receipt or the end of the data representing the totality of the data. document. Depending on the case, this technology can use more or less -6-directly received data, for example by storing one or more temporary files being transmitted. According to a particular feature, the transmission of at least one broadcast file from the broadcast server to at least one execution station is done according to a protocol allowing this execution station to start playing the document without waiting to receive all the data representing the same document. In many cases, this technology uses particular storage formats, referred to here as broadcast formats, which may be different from the multimedia formats under which the documents to be broadcast have been stored. The transformation processing of these documents can then represent an important work, and possibly require skills different from those of the supplier or the broadcaster. Another goal is therefore to allow a flexible, high-performance and quality management of the various transformation processes applied to audiovisual documents to be broadcast. This object is achieved by such a method further comprising the following steps: sending at least one multimedia format data file representing an audiovisual document, by a document provider station; sending transformation data, according to a format of transformation parameters, associated with the multimedia file and representing parameters applicable to the transformation processing that will be applied to said multimedia file; receiving by a transformation server and storing in memory means the multimedia file and the associated transformation data, and storing these elements in memory means; and triggering, by a software agent, said processing agent, executed by the transformation server, processing processing of at least a portion of the data of the multimedia file, according to the parameters stored in the transformation data associated with the document represented by this multimedia file. According to a particular feature, the transformation processing triggered by the processing agent further comprises the following steps: triggering a first transformation operation applied to a portion of the multimedia data representing the document and providing a partial result; evaluation or verification of the partial result quality by a software agent or an operator; triggering a second transformation operation on all the multimedia data representing the document; and generating by a software agent 320 executed by the transformation server, report data representing at least one identification of the document, or an identification of the document provider, or information on the transformation processing applied to the multimedia file.

  According to a feature, the method further comprises an acquisition step comprising: a reading phase of an audiovisual document from a recording medium compatible with image or sound recording means; - a digitization phase of this audiovisual document, by means of digitization; and a storage phase, in memory means, of data representing this audiovisual document. In order to implement this method, the invention also proposes a system for broadcasting audiovisual documents intended to be received via a computer network by at least one executing station able to play this document comprising: receiving or reading means in memory means, at least one multimedia data file representing an audiovisual document from a document provider station means for receiving, or reading in memory means, transformation data, in a format transform parameters, associated with the multimedia file and -8-representing parameters applicable to a transformation processing to be applied to said multimedia file; and calculating means executing at least one software agent able to combine the transformation data with the multimedia data in order to generate a data file that can be used by the execution station to play the document and transmit to a statistics server information concerning the document, or its provenance, or the item of execution, or the execution of its execution. According to one feature, the system comprises: a server operating according to the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) for receiving documents to be broadcast or transformation data, and calculation means executing program instructions implementing at least one software agent capable of periodically or triggered collection of multimedia files or transformation data and transfer them to an application for compressing audio-visual data and generating files playable by the execution station as and when it is received. According to a particularity, this system comprises calculation means executing program instructions realizing a software interface that can be used through Internet browser software to enter all or part of the transformation data. Thus, the transformation data by the supplier of the multimedia file can be provided by an interactive entry in a form, for example a web page, which requires it to correctly enter all the necessary data in fields that are required to validate the decision. in account of a transformation order. The method according to the invention is particularly applicable to the use of the Internet as one or more of the described computer networks.

  According to one feature, the broadcast format is compatible with SWF or FLV formats, used by Macromedia software. According to one particularity, the execution software includes the Flash software from Macromedia company, the program instructions -9- triggering the communication with the statistics server being coded in PHP language. According to one feature, the tracing data includes data representing the name of the document, an identification of the broadcast site, or the date or time of execution on the execution station, or the path leading to the file. broadcast the document within the broadcast server, or the IP address of the workstation. Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description of an embodiment which is in no way limiting, and the appended drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents an overall diagram of the main parties involved in the process according to the invention, in an embodiment comprising the diffusion of a document from the provider to the viewer with the use of return data; FIG. 2 represents a diagram illustrating more particularly the operation of a transformation processing of the multimedia files into broadcast files within a transformation server in one embodiment of the invention. The invention in some of its embodiments, cited without limitation will now be described with reference to the above figures. In the present description, the audiovisual document broadcast according to the method of the invention will sometimes be described generically as a film. It is clear, however, that this document may be a cartoon, a slide show, or any other form of audiovisual document, including a sound or musical document. Since such documents are often broadcast in streaming mode, the invention will be described in an embodiment where the broadcast is done in a streaming mode, that is to say that the viewer can start viewing the movie before the reception is completed on his computer. However, the invention can also be applied, in many of its features and advantages, to documents that are played only after reception, or even in offline mode or from a removable medium such as a CDROM. FIG. 1 illustrates the method according to the invention in one of its embodiments, in which a provider 1.2 has a document D, D 'and is in agreement with an operator managing a broadcasting site, for example a web site (world wide web) accessible via the Internet, to disseminate this document from a broadcast server 5 hosting its website. He wants to receive information on how his document is distributed, for example, whether the viewers were able to view it in good conditions, and how often it is executed. He may also wish to be notified if the document is distributed on another website than that provided for in the contract. According to variants of this embodiment, the operator of the broadcast site 5 and the document provider 1, 2 can also be linked, or even identical, without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the same way, other phases of the process, upstream of the broadcast and until the broadcast can also be carried out by the same person, or on the same site, or in the same computer or server, without leaving the computer. spirit of the invention. The different tasks are here described separately for the sake of clarity, and can be divided or grouped according to known means. In order to obtain later information on the dissemination of its document or film D, a document provider 2 transmits one or more data files representing this document to a transformation server 5 managed by an operator or provider of. transformation, on a transformation site. This document D is provided to the transformation server 3 in the form of at least one computer file, said multimedia file D1, stored in a digital format, here called multimedia format generically. This format can be a specific format or any standard format, which includes AVI, MOV (used by Apple's Quicktime software), MPEG, GIF, or other formats known in the audiovisual field. computer. In the transformation server 3, the data of the multimedia file D1 is read, then processed and combined with information D2 provided by the document provider, and then stored in the form of at least one data file, called the D3 broadcast file. , according to a format of diffusion and execution. This broadcast format includes data, and / or program instructions, which can be read by runtime software 61 used by a viewer 62 to view the movie-11D on an execution station 6, for example a individual computer with multimedia capabilities. This broadcast file D3 is then transmitted to the broadcast server 5 which puts it online, that is to say makes it accessible on a website, for example in the form of a click icon included in a web page in HTML or XML format. When a user 62 connects to the broadcast site 5, it can then trigger the sending of the data from this file to its execution station 6. When the broadcast file D3 is read and played on station 6, by a execution software 61, the data and / or program instructions included in the broadcast file D3 control on the execution station a communication with a server, said statistics server 7, by a computer network R. The position runtime then sends data to the statistics server, called trace data 7, whose content depends on the data embedded in the broadcast file, and other information collected by the execution station at the request of the program instructions included in this same D3 broadcast file. When it receives this trace data D4 from an execution station 6, the statistics server can then store them in a database or send them directly to one or other of the stakeholders. In one embodiment of the invention, the statistics server 7 responds to the execution station 6 by sending it back data D5 that can influence the progress of the execution of the document D on this execution station 6. cases, these return data may be instructions or parameters to adjust the execution mode, or instructions to allow or interrupt this execution. As a protection against unauthorized use of the D document, the program instructions included in the D3 broadcast file may include, from the beginning or during the course of the document, an obligation to receive certain return data, such as an authorization. , to continue the execution of the document. Such authorization-enabled return data may be computed by the statistics server 7 from the content of the trace data D4 that it has received previously during the execution of the document on the computer station. execution 6. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the transmission of the different data D3, D4, D5 between the execution station 6 and the broadcast server 5 or the statistics server 7 is done via the Internet. Other embodiments (not shown) may, however, be implemented using local area network (LAN), or regional (MAN) type networks, or wide area networks (WAN). Moreover, the computer networks used on the one hand for the transmission T56 of the broadcasting data D3, and on the other hand for the transmission T67, T76 of the trace data D4 and / or the return data D5, can very well be different networks without departing from the spirit of the invention. Similarly, data exchanges between computers, or their software agents, can also be performed by removable media such as floppy disks, tapes or CDROMs, in particular between the speakers 1, 2, 3, 5 upstream of the execution station . Execution stations 6 include calculation means of known type, and may be, for example, a personal computer equipped with multimedia capabilities or connected to a multimedia reproduction system (hi-fi system or television), a laptop, a specialized terminal, an MP3 player with network capabilities, a digital assistant, or a digital phone with multimedia capabilities. Typically, the execution software 61 comprises software means of a known type, often called English player, capable of reading tracing data and / or program instructions included in the data received to play an audiovisual document . Especially for streaming streaming, this runtime software can use a version of Macromedia's Flash software.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, a document provider 1 can also provide a document D 'stored in a format called a recording format, which can not be used directly by the transformation server. It can be a digital shooting or sound format, for example a DV (Digital Video) format from a digital video camera, or a DAT (Digital Audio Tape) format or a format. MD (MiniDisc) from Sony from a music player / recorder. It can also be an analog format for shooting or sound, magnetic or film, such as VHS, SVHS, Hi8, Beta-Max, from a camera or camcorder or a recording on audio cassette or microsillon disc. In the case of a document D 'provided in recording format, the transformation server 3 comprises acquisition means compatible with this format. These acquisition means comprise an input or reading device compatible with the recording format. If the document D 'is analog, it is then digitized by digitization means, such as a scanner. It is then converted according to known methods into a multimedia file D1 'in a multimedia format and then transmitted to the transformation server 3 for the rest of the process. The transformation process, or part of this processing, may in particular be carried out by an application such as certain versions of Macromedia's Flash software, or Sorenson Sorenson Squeeze software. These applications use 330 folders specifically designed to receive files to be processed in batch processing (batch), where the processing agent will move or copy Dl multimedia files that he found in the various client files (D311) FTP server (31). FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a method and system according to the invention, and more particularly a transformation server 3 used by a transformation provider to transform documents or films D and to generate one or more broadcasting files D31, D32, D33 in broadcast format. These transformed films are then transmitted to the broadcast server, directly or through the client 2 that provided them, for example an Internet content provider or a producer of audiovisual documents.

  The transformation server comprises a storage server 31 accessible to its customers by means of receiving means 300 connected to a computer network, for example the Internet R, where each client has a storage location, or file client 311, to which he can download data. Typically, this storage server operates according to the FTP (File Transfer Protocol). When it wants to generate one or more broadcast files from a document that it has in a multimedia format, the client sends one or more multimedia data files D1 representing this document and stores them in its client file. on the provider's FTP server. It also prepares transformation data D2, associated with the multimedia data D1, representing transformation parameters, which will be used by the provider to generate the data in the broadcast format. Within the transformation server 3, at certain times, a software agent, called processing agent 320, scans the various client folders to collect the files that may be there. These collections can be carried out for example at regular intervals, or at certain predetermined times, or when the processing of the preceding files is completed, or at the choice of an operator.

  When it finds in a client folder 311 a multimedia file D1 and the associated transformation parameters D2, the processing agent 320 activates a transformation process 33, for example by copying or moving these data D1, D2 into a file. processing file 311 used by the transformation process 33.

  The processing agent 320 can then perform a first transformation process 331 on part of the data of the document, as a test, thereby providing a partial result. This partial result is then checked 332, for example in terms of the quality of the result, by an operator or by a software agent. If the partial result is not satisfactory, the operator or the software agent carrying out the verification can then modify one or more parameters, including within the transformation parameters D2 provided by the client 2. Once the partial result is deemed satisfactory, the processing agent 320 performs the transformation 333 of all the data of the multimedia file D1, with the parameters D2 possibly modified previously. Depending on the initial D2 transformation parameters, and possibly changes made thereto during processing, the processing agent generates 340 D21 report data.

  These report data can then be used by one or other of the responders, for example as an operation report, or for billing of the service. At the end of the complete transformation 333, the broadcast file or files D31, D32, D3 generated can be stored in the client file 311 or in another client folder specific to the broadcast files. The client 2 or the broadcast server 5 which must put them on line can pick them up in the FTP server according to his needs or availability. These broadcast files can also be transmitted directly by the transformation server once they are ready.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the transformation server can also receive all or part of the data necessary for the transformation by other means. For example, it can use reading means 301 to read the data of the multimedia file D1 and the transformation parameters D2 on a removable memory medium, for example a tape, DVD or CDROM reader for the multimedia data D1 and a multimedia player D1. floppy disk drive for the transformation parameters. for the data of the transformation parameters, which represent little volume but some of which must imperatively be provided to carry out the processing, transformation server may comprise a software agent, for example the processing agent 320, which dialogs with an operator acting for the client, or the document provider. It may be particularly interesting to carry out this dialogue by proposing to the client an interface page, for example an HTML or XML form, comprising fields where to enter the data to enter in the transformation parameters. Some fields can be made mandatory, or undergo a compliance check, which will limit the risk of incomplete parameters. Each transformation operation 331, 333 itself may comprise several phases, varying according to the transformation parameters D2 it uses. In the embodiment described herein, this transformation operation 331, 333 comprises a data compression step for decreasing the performance requirements, in transmission rate as speed of execution by known methods. This compression step is followed by a step of combining the compressed multimedia data with the data and program instructions to be used to generate and transmit the trace data D4 when executing the document D on the workstation. execution 6.

  The rate and method of compression may vary according to need, and these choices may be contained in the D2 transformation parameters received from the client. A significant compression often causing a loss of quality for the viewer 62, the client can plan to generate several broadcast files D31, D32, D33, adapted to the different performance of the different execution stations 6 and their connection to the broadcast server 5. Thus, the same document D, received in a single multimedia file D1, can be transformed to generate several broadcast files, one D31 provided for transmission via modem connection at the speed 56kb / s, another D32 provided for a transmission via DSL or ADSL connection at 128kb / s, and another D33 provided for transmission over a DSL or ADSL connection at 512kb / s. The transformation parameters may therefore include compression ratios to be used, or predicted flow rates for which compression must be optimized.

  The combining phase comprises combining the multimedia data with transformation data and program instructions, as well as converting to the format corresponding to the intended broadcast type according to information contained in the transformation parameters. This broadcasting format may be, for example, a format compatible with SWF or FLV formats, or a combination of files in these formats, used by the Macromedia company software, and in particular with the Flash player as 61. In one embodiment of the invention, the broadcast format used may include, in addition to the sound and image reproduction data, program instructions that will be executed by the execution software and can control or trigger actions that go beyond just viewing or listening to the audiovisual document. As an example, it is presented below a script in PHP language, inserted into the broadcast file D3, and running at a specific point in the course of the film, for example after the first image. / * * INFORMATION to be informed for EVERY CLIENT movie! * / * RMQ1 * / var qs_title_film = "The title of the movie"; var qs_societe = "The name of the company";

  // ---- SCRIPT INCLUDED IN THE ONLINE FILE / * RMQ2 * / if (typeof first_read == "undefined") {// - variables var first_read; var pageExec = new LoadVars (); var now = new Date (); var qs_url_referer = _root._url; // recovery of the url / * RMQ3 * /

  / * RMQ4 * / if (now.getMonth ()> = 10) {v_mois = now.getMonth (); } else {v_mois = "0" + now.getMonth (); } if (now.getDay ()> = 10) {vJour = now.getDay (); } else {vJour = "0" + now.getDay (); } if (now.getHours ()> = 10) {v_heur = now.getHours (); } else {v_heur = "0" + now.getHours (); } if (now.getMinutes ()> = 10) {v_mint = now.getMinutes (); } else {v_mint = "0" + now.getMinutes (); } var gs_date = now.getFullYear () + "" + (v_month + 1) + vJour + "_" + v_hour + v_mint; // - retrieve the return code from the php page ---- / * RMQ5 * / - 18 -pageExec.onLoad = function (pSuccess) {if (pSuccess) {url_ok = this ["url_ok"]; } esse {url ok = 1; }};

  // - Execution of the url / * RMQ6 * / var qs_server_dedie = "www.monserver.fr"; // Indicate here the final server (internal) + directory (if necessary)

  / * RMQ7 * / var gs_url "http: / P '+ gs_server_dedie +" / trace movie.php? Qs title_fiim = "+ gs_title movie +" & gs_societe = "+ q s_so ciete +" & q s_u rl_refe re r = "+ q s_u rl_refe rer + "& q s_d ate =" + q s_d ate; pageExec.load (gs_url); // - do not call the page a second time first read = 1;} Inside this script, we can underline the points following, identified by the mention / * RMQ * /: RMQ1: when generating the broadcast file D3, these instructions are updated according to the transformation data D2, to contain the name of the film and that of the company which broadcasts it (eg broadcast site or document provider) 30 RMQ2: This check by IF does not execute the code when the movie is played back (return to the first frame of the movie). : when viewing the movie by the viewer, this instruction obtains from the execution station 6 the URL (Universal Resource Locator) from which was received the file of d D3 - 19 RMQ4: When viewing the movie by the viewer, this instruction gets the date and time of the playback from runtime 6 and stores it in the format YYYYMMDD_H24. RMQ5: when viewing the movie by the viewer, after sending trace data D4 from the execution station 6 to the statistics server 7, this instruction receives the return data D5 and analyzes it through the function pSuccess to influence the unfolding of the rest of the film. In the above example including a protection function, this function gives a true or false value to a variable named url_ok, if the D5 return data contains an authorization from the statistics server 7. RMQ6: when generating the file D3 broadcast, this instruction is updated according to the transformation data D2, to contain the URL of the statistics server 7 to which the execution station 6 will connect during the viewing of the film, to send him the D4 plot data. RMQ7: when viewing the movie by the viewer, this instruction uses a SQL query to trigger a connection to the URL defined above, and thus send the trace data D4 to the statistics server 7. As a for example, it is presented below a script executed by the statistics server 7 in response to the SQL request sent by the execution station 6 and sending it the trace data D4. <? php // SCRIPT EXECUTED BY THE SERVER OF STATISTICS // to retrieve information from the film viewed ----

  30 // CONNECTING TO THE DATABASE / * RMQ11 * / $ host = "Localhost"; // insert your host $ user = "root"; // insert the login $ pass = ""; // insert the password 35 $ bdd = "qiostream"; // database name25 -20- @mysgl_connect ($ host, $ user, $ pass) or die (mysgl_error ()); @mysgl_select_db ("$ bdd") or die (mysgl_error ());

  / * RMQ12 * / / hauler back to movie function parse ($ variable, $ value) {echo "& $ variable = $ value"; }

  $ url_ok = 1; parse ("url_ok", $ url_ok); // Execute the query / * RMQ13 * / $ sql = "insert into stat_backing values (", '$ qs_title movie', '$ gs_society', '$ qs_url_referer', '$ REMOTE_ADDR', '$ gs_date') "; $ resu = mysql_query ($ sql) or die (mysgl_error ());?> Within this script, we can underline the following points, identified by the mention / * RMQ * /: RMQ11: these variables must contain the access parameters of the statistics server to connect to the database (not shown) where it will store the information received in the trace data D4.

RMQ12: When receiving trace data D4 from the execution station 6, this instruction calls a parse function which analyzes this trace data D4 and generates D5 return data which is sent to the execution station for execution. influence following the execution of the film. In the above example including a protection function, this function stores a string url_ok in a variable named $ url_ok, if the broadcast URL passed in the trace data corresponds to an authorized site. RMQ13: these instructions store the information received in the trace data D4 in the database (not shown) of the statistics server 7. Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples that come from described and many adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (22)

  A method for broadcasting an audiovisual document (D) by transmission via at least one computer network (R), comprising: a transmission of data representing this audiovisual document from a broadcast server (5), a reception of these data, on at least one execution site, by at least one execution station (61) executing at least one execution software (61) for playing this document, characterized in that it comprises beforehand at least one processing of transformation (33) of digital data representing this document, comprising reading phases, in memory means (331), of at least one file (D1) of data representing the document (D) according to a first format, said format multimedia; combining, by a software agent, at least part of the data of this multimedia file with data identifying this document (D); and storing this combination of data in at least one broadcast file (D3, D31) according to a second format, called broadcast format, usable by the broadcast server (5) for transmitting and playing the document (D).   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transformation processing (33) further comprises a phase of combining at least part of the multimedia data (D1) representing the document (D) to be processed with data. representing a reference to at least one statistics server (7) and allowing an execution station (6) to communicate with said statistics server through at least one computer network (R).   3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transformation processing (33) further comprises a combination phase of at least part of the multimedia data (D1) representing the document to be processed with data. representing program instructions executable by the execution software (61) of the execution station (6) so that the execution of the received document causes said execution station to communicate with a server of statistics (7) through at least one computer network (R).   4. Broadcasting method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transformation processing (33) of at least part of the data (D1) representing the audiovisual document comprises: a data compression step, performed according to parameters determined according to a performance level provided for the transmission (T56) of these data to at least one execution station; and a step of combining these data to generate at least one broadcast format file (D3). 15   5. broadcasting method according to claim 5, characterized in that the compression of multimedia data is made according to a varying compression rate, during the course of the document they represent, depending on the content of the document. 20   6. Broadcasting method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises: a transmission, by an execution station (6) playing an audiovisual document (D) broadcast format, data of tracing (D4) representing at least one identification of said document; transmitting said trace data over a computer network (R); and receiving said trace data (D4) by a statistics server (7). 30   7. Broadcast method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the trace data (D4) further comprises identification data of the broadcast server (5). 35   8. Broadcasting method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a portion of the trace data (D4) is issued before the end of the execution of the audiovisual document (D) by the post method (6), the method further comprising: generating, by the statistics server (7), return data (D5) dependent on the content of the trace data (D4) received from the execution station (6). ); transmitting said return data by said statistics server, through a computer network (R); receipt of this return data by the execution station; and a modification or interruption of execution by the execution station (6) of the sequence of said document (D).   9. Broadcast method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises the following steps: - sending at least one data file (Dl) multimedia format representing an audiovisual document (D), by a document provider (1, 2); sending transformation data (D2), according to a format of transformation parameters, associated with the multimedia file (D1) and representing parameters applicable to the transformation processing (33) that must be applied to said multimedia file; reception by a transformation server (3) and storage in memory means (31) of the multimedia file and associated transformation data; and triggering, by a software agent, said processing agent (320), executed by the transformation server, a transformation processing (33) of at least a part of the data of the multimedia file (D1), according to the parameters stored in the transformation data (D2) associated with the document represented by this multimedia file.   10. The diffusion method as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the treatment (33) triggered by the treatment agent (320) further comprises the following steps: triggering a first transformation operation (331) applied to a portion of the multimedia data (D1) representing the document (D) and providing a partial result; evaluation (332) or verification of the partial result quality by a software agent or an operator; if the partial result is considered satisfactory, triggering a second transformation operation (333) on all the multimedia data (D1) representing the document; and generating (340) by a software agent (320) executed by the transformation server, reporting data (D21) representing at least one identification of the document (D), or an identification of the document provider (1, 2), or information about the transformation processing (33) applied to the multimedia file (D1).   11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises an acquisition step (8) comprising: a reading phase of an audiovisual document (D ') from a support d recording compatible with image or sound recording means; - a digitization phase of this audiovisual document, by means of digitization; and a storage phase, in memory means, of data (D1 ') representing this audiovisual document.   12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmission of at least one broadcast file (D3) of the broadcast server (5) to at least one execution station (6) is done following a protocol allowing this executing station to start playing the document (D) without waiting to have received all the data representing the same document.   13. The method of claim 12, characterized in that at least one execution station (6) uses an execution software (61) is arranged to make it difficult or impossible for a user (62) of the post execution, a data storage representing the audiovisual document (D) which allows it to play the document again with a similar quality without receiving new data (D5) from the broadcast server (5) or the server of statistics (7).   14. Broadcasting method according to one of claims 6 to 13, characterized in that the trace data (D4), the return data (D5) and the broadcast data are transmitted by the same computer network (R).   15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the computer networks (R) used is the Internet.   16. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the broadcast format is compatible with SWF or FLV formats, used by software company Macromedia.   17. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the execution software (61) comprises the Macromedia Flash software, the program instructions triggering the communication of the execution station (6) with the server. of statistics (7) being coded in PHP language.   18. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tracing data (D4) comprise data representing the name of the document (D), or an identification of the broadcast site (5), or the date or the date Execution time on the workstation (6), or the path leading to the broadcast file (D3) of the document (D) within the broadcast server, or the IP address of the workstation execution.   19. System for broadcasting audiovisual documents by transmission 30 over a computer network implementing a method according to one of claims 1 to 18.   20. System for broadcasting audiovisual documents intended to be received via a computer network by at least one execution station (6) able to play this document, characterized in that it comprises: reception means (300), or reading (301) in memory means, at least one multimedia data file (D1) representing an audiovisual document (D) coming from a station (2) document supplier reception means (300), or reading (301) in memory means, transformation data (D2), according to a format of transformation parameters, associated with the multimedia file (D1) and representing parameters applicable to a transformation processing ( 33) to apply to said multimedia file; and calculating means (3) executing at least one software agent (320) able to combine the transformation data with the multimedia file to generate a broadcast file (D31, D32, D33) that can be used by the execution station to play the document and transmit to a statistics server (7) information concerning the document, or its source, or the execution item, or the execution of its execution.   21. System according to claim 20, characterized in that it comprises: a server (31) operating according to the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) protocol to receive in free service the multimedia data files (D1) or the transformation data. (D2), and computing means executing program instructions implementing at least one software agent (320) capable of periodically collecting or triggering the multimedia files or transformation data and transferring them to an audiovisual data compression application and generating files playable by the execution station.   22. System according to one of claims 20 or 21, characterized in that it comprises calculation means executing program instructions realizing a software interface (302) usable through an Internet browser software to enter all or part of transformation data (D2).