FR3096209A1 - A method of managing the reception of digital content by an access device. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing access, by an access device (STB), to multimedia content (CH1-CH5) via a communication network, the access device being able to receive control commands. selection of multimedia contents (SEL (CH1) -SEL (CH5)) from a control device (TCD) and to transmit access requests (REQ (CH1) -REQ (CH5)) corresponding to the selected contents via the network of communication (RES), characterized in that it comprises a detection of a phase of reception of successive selection commands (SEL (CH2) -SEL (CH4)) whose spacing between consecutive commands is less than a given duration ( Tmax); and in that it comprises a step of transmitting, during the detected phase, part of the corresponding access requests. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 4

Description

Method for managing the reception of digital content by an access device.

The invention relates to the field of telecommunications.

More particularly, the invention relates to a method for managing access to multimedia content by an access device with a view to playback on a playback device.

By multimedia content is meant any audio and/or video content such as television channels also called audiovisual channels.

The targeted access device is a fully-fledged device capable of being connected to a restitution device. This access device is for example a television connected to a communication network, a digital television decoder, a home gateway, etc.

State of the art

We have recently seen the development of new control modes for controlling audiovisual devices. The way to navigate generally consists of using the direction arrows on a remote control, in particular using the P+ and P- buttons to navigate, or "zap", very simply between the audiovisual channels offered on a graphical interface rendered on the restitution.

The time required to perform a zapping by P+/P- key on a digital television decoder connected to a network, for example of the IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) type, is relatively long, of the order of 3 seconds. approximately. Indeed, to access a stream broadcast in multicast, the decoder must subscribe to this stream, for example through an IGMP protocol (Anglo Saxon acronym for "Internet Group Management Protocol"). The time necessary for the display of the stream on the television then depends on many factors such as the size of the GOP groups of pictures (Anglo-Saxon acronym for "Group Of Pictures") in accordance with the MPEG standard (Anglo-Saxon acronym for " Moving Picture Experts Group”) or the size of the buffer memory (also called Buffer) present in the decoder.

Certain techniques make it possible to considerably reduce this waiting time, such as the technique called "fast zapping" known to those skilled in the art. This technique, available for terminals with very high bandwidth, consists of receiving several data streams at the same time; more specifically, the principle consists in automatically accessing (or "subscribing") to a selected channel and also to other channels, for example adjacent channels, namely the previous channel and the next channel. The decoder then receives the data streams corresponding to the three chains, and decodes the corresponding data streams. At this point, the selected string is rendered and the other data corresponding to the adjacent strings are received and ready to be rendered on request.

Also, if the decoder receives a channel change command, and the target channel is one of the adjacent channels; in this case, this television channel is reproduced without the need to send a subscription order on the network. This results in a very fast channel change (also called zapping).

This so-called “fast zapping” technique is however very consuming of network resources, in particular bandwidth; moreover, a subscription to channels is only of interest if the user wishes to view the channel in question. However, the subscription is made at each request to change the channel without taking into account the wish or not to view the channel in question.

The invention improves the situation.

The invention

• une détection d’une phase de réception de commandes de sélection successives dont l’espacement entre commandes consécutives est inférieur à une durée donnée ;

To this end, according to a functional aspect, the subject of the invention is a method for managing access, by an access device, to multimedia content via a communication network, the access device being capable of receiving content selection commands from a control device and transmitting corresponding access requests to the selected content via the communication network, characterized in that it comprises

• detection of a reception phase of successive selection commands, the spacing between consecutive commands of which is less than a given duration;

- and in that it includes a step of transmitting, during the detected phase, part of the corresponding access requests.

According to the invention, the access requests are no longer transmitted systematically; some are transmitted, others are not transmitted. The decision whether or not to transmit an access request depends on detection of a rapid zapping phase, i.e. the spacing between two selection commands received consecutively. If the spacing is less than a given value, this means that a fast zapping phase is in progress, so the user does not want to view the selected content.

The invention thus avoids the transmission of useless access requests and consequently also avoids the reception of multimedia streams received without interest because they are the subject of rapid zapping. This results, thanks to the invention, in a considerable saving in bandwidth. The invention also maintains an optimal quality of access to the desired multimedia content.

It should be noted that the invention is not limited to the case where the subscription requests relate to main content and secondary content such as adjacent channels. The invention also applies to the case where only a subscription is requested to a main content. The bandwidth saving is also considerable in this last configuration.

According to a first embodiment, the spacing between consecutive selection commands relates to the spacing between the current selection command and the selection command received subsequently. In this configuration, according to a variant of this first mode, the method comprises, for each selection command received, a step of triggering a time delay, and a step of transmitting the corresponding access request at the end of the time delay if no selection command is received during this first time delay. In this configuration, the last access request associated with the fast zapping phase is transmitted. In this way, the last content selected during this so-called fast zapping phase is received and restored.

According to a second embodiment, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the first mode, the spacing between consecutive selection commands relates to the spacing between the current selection command and the selection command previously received. This second mode avoids implementing a time delay in the access device.

Note that timeout here means an action to suspend the transmission of an access request.

According to a second embodiment, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous one, during the detected phase, an access request not transmitted is deleted.

According to a material aspect, the subject of the invention is an entity for managing access to multimedia content by an access device, the access device being capable of receiving successive commands for selecting multimedia content from a control device and to transmit a set of corresponding access commands to the multimedia contents, characterized in that it comprises

- a detection module capable of detecting a reception phase of successive selection commands whose spacing between consecutive commands is less than a given duration;

- a selection module capable of selecting a subset of corresponding access requests to be transmitted.

According to another material aspect, the subject of the invention is an access device comprising a management entity as defined above.

According to a material aspect, the subject of the invention is a computer program capable of being implemented on a management entity as defined above, the program comprising code instructions which, when it is executed by a processor, performs the steps of the management method defined above.

According to another material aspect, the subject of the invention is a data medium on which has been stored at least one series of program code instructions for the execution of a management method as defined above.

The medium in question can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or even a magnetic recording means, for example a hard disk. On the other hand, the information medium can be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which can be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded from an Internet-type network. Alternatively, the information carrier may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, given by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 represents a computer system on which an exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a decoder according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exchange of messages between a remote control, a decoder and a multimedia content provider server illustrating a first embodiment.

Figure 4a illustrates a first embodiment for detecting a fast zapping phase using a time delay.

FIG. 4b illustrates an exchange of messages between a remote control, a decoder and a multimedia content provider server illustrating a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment for determining a fast zapping phase based on the determination of a time elapsed between a current selection command and a previously received command.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

Figure 1 shows a system SYS comprising a control device TCD, an access device STB, a television TV, a service platform PF.

In our example, the STB device is a decoder. This decoder STB communicates with the service platform PFS via a communication network RES1. In our example, this communication takes place via a GTW home gateway (or router). The communication network RES1 used between the gateway GTW and the platform PFS is for example an extended network WAN such as the Internet network.

In our example, the PFS service platform includes a plurality of services such as access to multimedia content, television channels, video on demand, TV on demand, online games, etc.

In the various examples described in this text, the contents will be television channels. The PFS platform could also be split up so as to offer distributed services in the network RES1.

In our example, the control device TCD is a remote control TCD which makes it possible to control the decoder STB. A command is for example access to television channels. Thanks to the remote control, the user can zap from one television channel to another.

The STB decoder and the GTW gateway have a hardware architecture equivalent to a computer; the architecture of a computer will not be described in more detail here to simplify the description of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the STB decoder includes an access module capable of requesting the reception (the person skilled in the art also uses the expression "capable of subscribing to") of one or more multimedia data streams illustrated by television channels in our example embodiment. In our example, this access module is a computer program stored in a ROM of the STB decoder.

To receive several data streams, with reference to FIG. 2, in our example, the STB decoder is equipped with several demodulators (also called tuners by those skilled in the art) TUN1-TUN3. More particularly, this access device DISP is able to request access to a main channel selected via the remote control TCD and to request the reception of other channels CH, typically the adjacent channels CH- and CH+, called secondary channels. The request for access to the main channel or to the secondary channels can be done simultaneously or at different times.

These access requests, also called subscriptions, to the channels concerned, made by the STB decoder, implying the access module, are in our example the channels CH-/CH/CH+, CH- and CH+ designating in our example the adjacent strings of the restored string CH. Strings other than the adjacent strings could have been chosen to complement or replace the adjacent strings.

Concretely, the STB decoder requires

- the reception of a first main stream, (we also say “subscribes to the first stream”); it will be reproduced on the TV screen,

- as well as, in our example, the reception of secondary streams, namely the adjacent channels CH- and CH+.

After reception of the streams, the decoder STB decodes the three streams received, for example at the same time. At this point, one television channel is received and played back, and two other channels are received by the decoder ready to be played back on demand. After reception, the secondary chains are stored in a buffer present in the decoder. In this way, if the STB decoder receives a CH+ channel change command, the decoder requests the restitution of the CH+ channel instead of the CH channel without requiring the sending of an access request to the requested channel CH+ with the PFS platform. This method speeds up the rendering of a string.

In our example, the TCD remote control communicates with the STB decoder via a communication link which can be wired (USB, Ethernet, etc.) or non-wired, for example of the Wifi, ZigBee type. In our example, the remote control and the decoder are equipped with respective Zigbee modules.

Remember that Zigbee is a low-power radio wireless technology; it is possible to exchange messages on a radio channel that comply with the ZigBee protocol. It should be noted that the ZigBee protocol is a high-level protocol allowing the communication of small radios, with reduced consumption, based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard for networks with a personal dimension (Wireless Personal Area Networks: WPAN).

In our example, the STB decoder is connected by a CBL cable to the TV set. The cable is for example an HDMI cable. In our example, the decoder is connected to the gateway via an ETH Ethernet cable.

The STB decoder receives a channel selection command SEL(CHx), from a television channel CHx (TF1, FR2, BBC, etc.), from the remote control TCD and can transmit an access request REQ(CHx) to corresponding selected channel CHx.

The user of the TCD remote control can skip several channels. When the channel jumps are fast, we speak of “fast zapping”. During fast zapping, the transmission of access requests is systematic from the decoder to the PFS platform; it clutters the network unnecessarily; indeed, with each channel selection, a subscription to the channel is made. However, when a user quickly zaps several channels successively, for example from a channel CH1 to a channel CH12, the useless subscription to the intermediate channels CH1-CH11 is extremely bandwidth intensive; indeed, as explained previously, a subscription or access to a channel leads to the reception of the selected channel but also in certain cases of the adjacent channels as explained above.

To this end, the invention proposes, when a rapid zapping phase ZR is detected, to transmit only part of the associated access requests.

• une étape de détection d’une phase, dite phase de zapping rapide,
• lors de cette phase de zapping rapide, une étape d’accès au cours de laquelle seule une partie des requêtes d’accès correspondantes sont transmises à destination de la plateforme PFS.

In order to achieve this objective, the invention comprises the following steps

• a step for detecting a phase, called the fast zapping phase,
• during this fast zapping phase, an access step during which only some of the corresponding access requests are transmitted to the PFS platform.

The rapid zapping detection phase takes place when selection commands are successively received and the spacing between the consecutive commands is less than a given duration (Tmax); more precisely the spacing between a command received and the next. A counter (stopwatch or other similar device) measures the time interval between a command received and if the next command is received before a defined time Tmax, it is considered that a fast zapping is in progress. If no command is received within this time Tmax, zapping is considered normal.

Figure 3 illustrates the general principle described above. In this figure 3, three axes are represented, a first axis for the TCD remote control, a second axis for the STB decoder, and a third axis for the PFS platform.

Selection commands SEL(CHn) are transmitted by the remote control TCD to the decoder STB; the STB decoder then transmits all or part of the access requests to the respective channels CHn to the PFS platform according to the time spacing between selection commands received consecutively.

In figure 3, a first command SEL(CH1) is transmitted to the decoder STB which then transmits a request for access to the channel CH1. The STB decoder receives in return a television stream CH1 which it restores on the ECR screen.

Later, the user quickly zaps from the second channel CH2 to channel CH17.

A management entity MNG, in our example present in the decoder STB, detects this fast zapping phase ZR. Two fast zapping phase determination methods will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 4a/4b and 5.

During this fast zapping phase ZR, following the reception of selection commands, the STB decoder transmits only part of the access requests associated with the selection commands. The selection of requests to transmit can be done in several ways; for example, with reference to FIG. 3, only the last access request REQ(CH17) associated with the last selection command SEL(CH17) received during the fast zapping phase ZR is transmitted. The other requests, namely the requests REQ(CH2)-REQ(CH16) are not transmitted. The invention is obviously not limited to this example; a variant could have been to transmit a higher number of access requests during fast zapping; for example one out of two access requests, or one out of three requests.

Following the transmission of the REQ(CH17) request, the STB decoder receives in return a television stream CH17 which it restores on the ECR screen.

Following the rapid zapping phase ZR, the user visualizes this channel CH17.

Later, the user normally zaps and selects a CH18 channel. The STB decoder receives the selection command SEL(CH18) and transmits an access request REQ(CH18) to the PFS platform.

The decoder receives in return a CH18 television stream which it displays on the ECR screen.

Later still, the user normally zaps and selects a CH19 channel. The decoder STB receives the selection command SEL(CH19). No zapping phase being detected, the STB decoder transmits an access request REQ(CH19) to the PFS platform.

The decoder receives in return a CH19 television stream which it displays on the ECR screen.

Figures 4a and 4b illustrate a solution making it possible to detect the fast zapping phase by means of a timer and a timer capable of delaying the transmission of an access request linked to an access command received.

Figure 4a illustrates the principle used and Figure 4b an associated embodiment.

As in Figure 3, in Figure 4a, three axes are allocated respectively to the platform PF which transmits television streams on demand, to the decoder STB and to the remote control TCD.

A first television content selection command CHn (n is an integer) is first received. A TPn timer is implemented.

If no selection command is received during the time delay TPn (case not shown in FIG. 4a), a selection request is transmitted to the PFS platform.

If a selection command SEL(CHn+1) is received during the time delay TPn, which is the case in FIG. 4a, the access request is not transmitted and a new time delay TPn+1 is implemented at counting from the moment of reception of the selection command SEL(CHn+1).

Then, if no selection command is received during the new time delay TPn+1, the corresponding access request REQ(CHn+1) is transmitted to the PFS platform.

The duration of the time delay is for example of the order of 500 ms. In FIGS. 4a and 4b, the maximum time delay duration Tmax is shown hatched.

If the user quickly zaps right after turning on the television, this may result in nothing being displayed on the screen. In our example, the principle described with reference to FIG. 4a may not be used when receiving a first content selection command SEL(CH1) so as to display a content CH1 on the screen.

Figure 4b is a schematic view of successive subscriptions to different channels CHn ("n" is an integer). We will see in this example that the user will select five television channels CH1-CH5 successively, some of which during a rapid zapping phase ZR, namely from the current channel CH2 to the channel CH4.

As in FIG. 3, in FIG. 4b, three axes are allocated respectively to the platform PF which transmits television streams on demand, to the decoder STB and to the remote control TCD.

In our example, as soon as a selection command SEL(CHn) is received by the decoder STB, a counter (timer in English) measures the time that elapses and a timer TPn delays the transmission of the corresponding access request .

With reference to FIG. 4b, the steps ETm (m is an integer) illustrating an embodiment based on the principle described above are described below.

During a first step ET1, a first television channel CH1 is selected by a user using the remote control TCD.

During a second step ET2, the decoder STB receives the selection command SEL(CH1). After reception, a time delay TP1, in our example of 500 ms, is started during a second step ET2.

In our example, the decoder STB does not receive a new selection command during the time delay TP1, the access request REQ(CH1) is therefore transmitted to the platform PFS during a third step ET3.

In our example, the request REQ(CH1) also includes a request to access adjacent channels, namely CH0 and CH2; As explained above, this allows later, when the user zaps to channel CH2 to display channel CH2 more quickly, since it is already being received by a tuner present in the STB decoder.

The decoder STB receives in return, during a fourth step ET4, streams including the television stream corresponding to the channel CH1, which can at that time be restored on the screen ECR.

Then, the user decides to zap several times:

During a fifth step ET5, the user zaps a first time from the first channel CH1 to the second channel CH2. A selection command SEL(CH2) is transmitted to the decoder STB.

On reception, the decoder triggers a time delay TP2 during a sixth step ET6.

During the time delay TP2, the decoder receives a new access command SEL(CH3). In this case, the corresponding access request REQ(CH2) is not transmitted and a new time delay TP3 is implemented from the time of reception of the selection command SEL(CH3). Timer TP3 is started during a seventh step ET7.

During the time delay TP3, the decoder receives a new access command SEL(CH4). The corresponding access request REQ(CH3) is not transmitted and a new time delay TP4 is implemented from the time of reception of the selection command SEL(CH4). This time delay TP4 is started during an eighth step ET8.

Note that an access request REQ(CHn) not transmitted is for example deleted.

No selection command is received during the time delay TP4, a corresponding access request REQ(CH4) is then transmitted during a ninth step ET9 after the time delay TP4.

During a tenth step ET10, the decoder receives the corresponding television channel CH4 and can restore the channel on the screen.

In our example, for example ten seconds later, during an eleventh step ET11, the user zaps again to channel CH5.

A time delay TP5 is implemented during a twelfth step ET12.

No selection command is received during this time delay TP5, the decoder STB then transmits, after expiry of the time delay TP5, the corresponding access request REQ(CH5) during a thirteenth step ET13 and receives in return the content corresponding television CH5 during a fourteenth stage.

At this point, the decoder can restore the channel in question CH5 and restore it.

According to a second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, this mode being able to be used alternatively or in combination with the first mode, the detection of a rapid zapping phase can be carried out in a manner other than that illustrated with reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b. This second mode avoids implementing a time delay. In this second embodiment, when a selection command is received, a measurement of the time elapsed between the current command received and the previous command received is determined and if the determined duration is less than a given duration Tmax, it is considered that the zapping is fast.

Referring to Figure 5, a user selects a channel CH1; this selection SEL(CH1) is received by the decoder; as this selection command is the first received, an access request REQ(CH1) is transmitted by the decoder to the platform.

The user then receives another selection command SEL(CH2). The management unit measures the elapsed time T12 between this selection command SEL(CH2) and the previous one SEL(CH1). In our example, this duration T12 is greater than the duration Tmax, the zapping is therefore not a fast zapping; an access request REQ(CH2) is therefore transmitted by the decoder STB to the platform PFS.

Then the user selects a CH3 channel. The management entity MNG measures the elapsed time T23 between this selection command SEL(CH3) and the previous one SEL(CH2). In our example, this duration T23 is less than the duration Tmax, the zapping is therefore a fast zapping; The access request REQ(CH3) is therefore not transmitted by the decoder to the platform.

Then the user selects a CH4 channel. The management unit measures the elapsed time T34 between this selection command SEL(CH4) and the previous one SEL(CH3). In our example, this duration T34 is less than the duration Tmax, the zapping is therefore always a fast zapping; in our example, the access request REQ(CH4) is therefore not transmitted by the decoder to the platform.

Then the user selects a CH5 channel. The management unit measures the elapsed time T45 between this selection command SEL(CH5) and the previous one SEL(CH4). In our example, this duration T45 is greater than the duration Tmax, the rapid zapping has therefore ceased. The access request REQ(CH5) is therefore transmitted by the decoder to the platform.

As indicated above, during the fast zapping phase, the number of access requests transmitted may vary. Indeed, even if the detected phase is a fast zapping phase ZR, we can decide to select a few access requests.

It should be noted that the detection of the fast phase ZR can be performed outside the decoder STB. For example, a fast zapping phase detection module can be installed in the remote control. The information relating to the existence of fast zapping can then be transmitted to the STB decoder.

It should be noted here that the access device STB and the content platform PFS have the hardware structure of a conventional computer. They include in particular physical and/or software resources, namely memories M associated with a processor. The memories can be ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory) or Flash. They allow in particular the storage of a program in the ROM for the implementation of the invention. On initialization, the code instructions of the computer program are for example loaded into a RAM memory before being executed by the processing circuit.

Finally, let us specify here that the term module or the term entity can correspond to a software component as well as to a hardware component or a set of hardware and software components, a software component itself corresponding to one or more programs or sub-programs computer or more generally to any element of a program able to implement a function or a set of functions as described for the modules concerned. In the same way, a hardware component corresponds to any element of a hardware (or hardware) assembly capable of implementing a function or a set of functions for the module concerned (integrated circuit, smart card, memory card, etc. .).

Claims (9)

Method for managing access, by an access device (STB), to multimedia content (CH1-CH5) via a communication network (RES), the access device being capable of receiving selection commands from multimedia contents (SEL(CH1)-SEL(CH5)) from a control device (TCD) and to transmit access requests (REQ(CH1)-REQ(CH5)) corresponding to the contents selected via the communication network ( RES), characterized in that it comprises

• detection of a reception phase of successive selection commands (SEL(CH2)-SEL(CH4) whose spacing between consecutive commands is less than a given duration (Tmax);
• and in that it comprises a step of transmitting, during the detected phase, part of the corresponding access requests.

Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacing between consecutive selection commands relates to the spacing between the current selection command and the selection command received subsequently Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a step, for each selection command received, of triggering a time delay (Tmax), and a step of transmitting the corresponding access request at the end of the time delay (Tmax) if no selection command is received during this first time delay. Management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the spacing between consecutive selection commands relates to the spacing between the current selection command and the selection command previously received. Management method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a non-transmitted access request is deleted. Entity for managing (MNG) access to multimedia content by an access device, the access device being able to receive successive commands for selecting multimedia content from a control device (TCD) and to transmit access requests corresponding to the selected contents, characterized in that it comprises

• a detection module capable of detecting a reception phase of successive selection commands (SEL(CH2)-SEL(CH4) and whose spacing between consecutive commands is less than a given duration (Tmax);
• a transmission module capable of transmitting, during the detected phase, part of the corresponding access requests.

Access device (STB) comprising a management entity as defined in claim 6. Computer program adapted to be implemented on a management entity (MNG) as defined in claim 6, the program comprising code instructions which, when executed by a processor, carry out the steps of the method defined in claim 1. Data carrier on which has been stored at least one series of program code instructions for the execution of a method according to claim 1.