FR3067145A1 - METHOD FOR CONNECTING USERS CONSULTING MULTIMEDIA CONTENT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for connecting users respectively associated with gateways (1a, 1b) for access to a wide area network (20), the method being characterized in that it comprises the implementation by a data processing module (21) of a server (2) of said network (20) of steps of: (a) receiving from gateways (1a, 1b) information relating to multimedia contents of the network (20) accessed by users via their gateway (1a, 1b); (b) identifying a first user and a second user among the users from said received information and profiles associated with each of the users and stored in a data storage module (22) of the server (2) such that : ○ The first user and the second user viewed common multimedia content; ○ The said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user. (c) sending to the gateway (1a) of the first user and / or the gateway (1b) of the second user of a notification.

Description

© METHOD OF CONNECTING USERS CONSULTING MULTIMEDIA CONTENT.

FR 3 067 145 - A1 (57) The present invention relates to a method of connecting users respectively associated with gateways (1a, 1b) for accessing a wide area network (20), the method being characterized in that '' it includes the implementation by a data processing module (21) of a server (2) of said network (20) of steps:

(a) reception from gateways (1a, 1b) of information relating to multimedia contents of the network (20) consulted by the users via their gateway (1a, 1b);

(b) Identification of a first user and of a second user among the users from said information received and from profiles associated with each of the users and stored in a data storage module (22) of the server (2) such as :

O The first user and the second user have consulted common multimedia content;

O Said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user.

(c) Transmission to the gateway (1a) of the first user and / or the gateway (1b) of the second user of a notification.

Method for connecting users viewing multimedia content

GENERAL TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the field of multimedia content broadcasting.

More specifically, it relates to a method of connecting users viewing multimedia content.

STATE OF THE ART

It is now known that television and more generally multimedia terminals promote social isolation, especially in children and adolescents.

An "addiction to screens" means that some people will prefer to spend time on the internet or in front of the television rather than meeting friends, and prefer to communicate via a mobile terminal when they have to communicate rather than visually.

Few solutions to this problem have been proposed beyond the outright limitation of hours spent in front of screens. Parental control mechanisms are thus known, which for example prohibit the use of a terminal beyond a certain predetermined duration, or outside of predefined ranges.

Such a solution physically prevents a child user from being in front of the TV all day, but does not in practice fight against isolation. When the use of the terminal is blocked, this does not mean that the child will go to do a group activity

One solution is to encourage playing video games in multiplayer rather than being alone on a show or movie, but that is a matter of taste and cannot be really controlled.

There is therefore a need for an evolution of multimedia systems which makes it possible to effectively combat the social isolation of users regardless of their areas of interest.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention thus relates according to a first aspect to a method of connecting users respectively associated with access gateways to a wide area network, the method being characterized in that it comprises the implementation by a module for processing data from a server of said network of steps of:

(a) Reception from information gateways relating to multimedia content on the network viewed by users via their gateway;

(b) Identification of a first user and a second user among the users from said information received and from profiles associated with each of the users and stored in a data storage module of the server such as:

o The first user and the second user have viewed common multimedia content;

o Said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user.

(c) Transmission to the gateway of the first user and / or the gateway of the second user of a notification.

This process makes it possible to create links between people sharing the same tastes and consulting the same content, so as to allow meetings in a natural way between users.

According to other advantageous and non-limiting characteristics:

• step (a) includes, beforehand, the identification of the user who viewed content via their gateway. So we can have several users in the same household (associated with the same gateway), each with a different profile and tastes;

• said multimedia content is viewed by users on terminals locally connected to gateways;

Each profile is associated with at least one value of at least one descriptive parameter, and each content is associated with at least one value of said at least one descriptive parameter, multimedia content being compatible with a profile if for all or part of the parameters descriptive there is a value for this parameter that is associated with both the multimedia content and the profile. Comparing the values of a combination of parameters is a simple and reproducible way of expressing the compatibility of content with a profile;

• the descriptive parameters include a type and / or theme of multimedia content. Such a data structure makes it easy and efficient to express user tastes;

• multimedia content is audio or video content. These are the content that users will like to share;

• the profiles are also respectively associated with values of a geographic parameter, the first user and the second user being identified in step (b) among the users having the same value of the geographic parameter in their profile. This makes it possible to limit contact with neighboring users, who can in practice visit each other easily;

• the profiles are also respectively associated with lists of friends, the first user and second user are also such as:

o The first user belongs to a list of friends associated with the profile of the second user; and o the second user belongs to a list of friends associated with the profile of the first user.

This additional condition allows the connection to be made only between mutually friendly users, so as to avoid coming across strangers;

• the notification sent in the step in step (c) is only sent to the gateway of the first user, and is a first notification suggesting that the first user invite the second user. This favors the fact that users meet physically so as to fight isolation even better;

Step (c) comprises the reception from the gateway of the first user of a response to the first notification, and the transmission to the gateway of the second user of a second invitation notification of the second user by the first user if said response to the first notification is positive. Management is thus automated to the end and the user no longer needs to issue the invitation himself.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a server for connecting users respectively associated with gateways to access to a wide area network, comprising:

a data storage module storing a database of profiles associated with each of the users, and a data processing module configured for;

o Receive from gateways information relating to multimedia content on the network viewed by users via their gateway;

o Identify a first user and a second user among the users on the basis of said information received and said profiles, such as:

The first user and the second user viewed common multimedia content;

Said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user.

o Send a notification to the gateway of the first user and / or the gateway of the second user.

According to a third aspect, a system is proposed comprising a server according to the second aspect and a plurality of gateways.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution of a method according to the first aspect of the invention for connecting users respectively associated with gateways of access to an extended network.

According to a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a storage means readable by computer equipment on which there is this computer program product.

PRESENTATION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment. This description will be given with reference to the single appended figure which is a diagram of a general network architecture for the implementation of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Architecture

In the remainder of this description, the terms "each / each" will be interpreted in a non-restrictive manner, i.e. that they may be understood as "at least almost all" without this calling into question the scope of the claims.

With reference to FIG. 1, the invention proposes a method of connecting users respectively associated with gateways 1a, 1b for accessing a wide area network 20. In other words, each user is associated with a unique gateway 1a, 1b, but each gateway 1a, 1b can be associated with several users. Furthermore, some of the gateways 1a, 1b of the operator network may completely not be associated with any user within the meaning of the present method, that is to say that no “user profile” has been created for the household members using this gateway and therefore they have not activated the linking functionality.

Typically, the wide area network 20 is the internet, and each gateway 1a, 1b is an internet access box of the "box" type (called IAD for "Integrated Access Device").

Each user has at least one terminal 10a, 10b, connected to the network 20 via its gateway 1a, 1b (which generates, for example, a local network, in the example in FIG. 1, the terminal 10a is connected by Wi-Fi to the first gateway 1a, and the terminal 10b is connected by filial connection to the second gateway), and adapted to restore multimedia content from the network 20. For example, the terminal 10a, 10b can be a smartphone, a touch pad, a laptop, a set of a multimedia box (STB, ie "Set Top Box") and a screen, etc.

Said multimedia content can for example be video content (television program, series, etc.), but also audio content, video game data, etc.

It will be understood that the present multimedia contents are contents of the network 20 as opposed to purely local contents. As such, their consultation by a user implies a transfer of data from a server of the network 20 to the terminal 10, 10b via the gateway 1a, 1b.

According to a first example, the multimedia content can be a video stream corresponding to a television program broadcast (in streaming) from a server of the television channel. In a second example, the multimedia content can consist of data from an online video game.

In general, it will be said in the following description that the user "consults" the multimedia content from the network 20 to signify that the user has activity on his terminal 10a, 10b implying the transfer of the data of the multimedia content from network 20 via its gateway 1a, 1b.

Furthermore, a network server 2 is said to be placed on the network 20, known as a “matching server”, for implementing the present method of linking users.

The location of server 2 is arbitrary. The server 2 is preferably arranged in the network 20 as in the example shown, and can be a server of the operator of the gateways 1a, 1b. Alternatively, the server 2 can be located in a gateway 1a, 1b. In all cases, it is connected to each of the (other) gateways 1a, 1b via the network 20. This server 2 comprises a data processing module 21 (of processor type) and a data storage module 22 (a memory, such as a hard drive).

A profile of each of said users is stored on the data storage module 22. More precisely, a database associates with each referenced user (preferably identified by a unique identifier anonymized for privacy reasons) its gateway 1a, 1b (for example identified by its IP address or its MAC address) and its profile.

The profiles allow, as will be seen below, to identify multimedia content “compatible” with a user, in particular by defining at least one descriptive parameter of a “context” of multimedia content, for example a type of multimedia content, a multimedia content theme, etc. More precisely, for each descriptive parameter, the user's profile can list one or more values that they have entered. For example, for a "type" parameter, the user can enter the values "TV program", "series", and for a "theme" parameter, the user can enter the values "cooking", "sport". It will be understood that the parameters allow the user to express his tastes, and to define the content that he likes and that he would agree to consult with a friend. Note that the user can leave empty parameters (i.e. do not enter a value), if this parameter does not matter to him.

Profiles can also include a list of friends, as well as a list of tracked content.

Preferably and as we will see, the profiles can also be associated with locations (value of a geographic parameter), making it possible to identify "neighborhoods". Thus, the value of this parameter is for example the city of the user, or his district. Note that users can themselves propose values for this parameter to create local groups. For example, a user can propose the name of their street as a geographic parameter value.

The profile of a user can be created / modified locally via his terminal 10a, 10b in a prior step (aO) and sent to the server 2 via the gateway 1a, 1b.

Process

The present method is a method of bringing users together to combat social isolation. More specifically, this process is not opposed to the user in the sense that he can consult all the content he wishes without restriction (the process is in no way a parental control process), but identifies users who can be connected through the content they consult.

In this way it can be offered to users who have been put in contact via the process of visiting each other to consult their content together (which they would otherwise have done all by themselves), so as to strengthen the social bond and get users out of social isolation. More specifically, we transform "solo" activities into group activity without upsetting the habits of users.

Indirectly, energy is saved and the use of equipment is reduced if the people linked together consult the content on the same terminal (instead of each using their terminal 10a, 10b).

The present method is implemented by the data processing module of the server 2.

It begins with a step (a) of receiving from the gateways 1a, 1b information relating to multimedia contents of the network 20 consulted by the users via their gateway 1a, 1b. For this, each time a multimedia content is consulted, the gateway 1a, 1b notifies the server 2. Note that the notification can alternatively be made periodically (for example once a day). Furthermore, the gateway 1a, 1b can store a list of multimedia content for which the user agrees to publish the consultation information, so as to protect his privacy. In general, it will be understood that the gateways 1a, 1b transmit usage data.

Note that several users can be associated with the same gateway 1a, 1b (for example several members of the same family). As such, the step may include the identification of the user (if there are several users associated with the same gateway 1a, 1b) or by the gateway 1a, 1b itself (in this case in the notification identifies for a content consulted the corresponding user, for example via his unique identifier) or by the server 2. For this the database can for example also include additional information to distinguish the users (identifier of their terminals, typical times , typical contents, etc.) Such methods of identifying the user according to the uses are well known to those skilled in the art.

In a step (b), the server 2 identifies a first user and a second user from among the users from said information received and from the profiles associated with the users. In the example of FIG. 1, the first user is connected to the network 20 via the first gateway 1a, and the second user is connected to the network 20 via the second gateway 1b.

The idea is to find users with a "match" between the content they are viewing and their profiles.

In other words the first and second users are such as:

o The first user and the second user viewed common multimedia content (for example, they watched the same TV show);

o Said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user.

Indeed, it is not desirable to put users in contact only because they would have viewed the same content, since very basic content such as the television news and the weather are viewed by many people without them have the wish to share it.

As explained, the notion of "compatibility" of content with a profile is assessed by comparing the parameters entered by the user with the common content. As such, the content can be “tagged” by (ie associated with) one or more values of the parameters (preferably of each parameter). For example, a football match could be associated with the values "TV show", "sport", "entertainment".

More specifically, each parameter can have one or more values in a profile, and content is considered compatible with a profile if it has all or part of the parameters (and preferably for each parameter) one of the values defined by the profile. In other words, multimedia content is compatible with a profile if for the descriptive parameter (s) there is a value for this parameter which is associated with both multimedia content and the profile.

For example, if the user has entered the type “television program” and the themes “sport” and “cuisine”, a football match will be considered compatible content (as long as the tag “sport” promises it "Theme" is shared by both content and profile). Note that the user can leave a parameter empty, that is to say that it is not associated with any value for this parameter, and we will consider that this parameter is not restrictive (ie that all content have the correct value for this parameter).

In summary, the first and second users viewed the same multimedia content coinciding with their two respective profiles. We can therefore deduce that they have common interests and the same habits, so they can be linked.

Advantageously, the first and second users are not identified among all the users, but only among those sharing the same geographic parameter value, i.e. those in the same neighborhood. The goal is for the first and second identified users to visit each other, which can only be done if they live nearby.

Furthermore, preferably, the first and second users are also such that:

o The first user belongs to a list of friends associated with the profile of the second user; and o the second user belongs to a list of friends associated with the profile of the first user.

It is indeed desirable that they are mutually friends, even if alternatively it is possible on the contrary to deactivate this condition so that you can meet strangers in their neighborhood with the same tastes.

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Note that step (b) can be implemented permanently (updated each time information relating to the content consulted is received), or for example once a day. In the latter case, all "possible pairs" of first and second users are determined at the same time. It is entirely possible that the same user is identified as belonging to several pairs (for example if he consults a lot of content.

As such, more than two users can be identified as a result of a single implementation of step (b) (a third, a fourth etc.) if they have all consulted common multimedia content, and if said common multimedia content is compatible with each other's profiles. Those skilled in the art will know how to make such a comparison.

Finally, in a step (c), a notification is sent to the gateway 1a of the first user and / or of the gateway 1b of the second user, so as to put them in relation. These notifications are received on the terminals 10a, 10b of the users.

According to a first embodiment, the same notification is sent to the first and to the second user, and only informs them of the correspondence (i.e. indicating that they are consulting the same content and have the same tastes). They are then free to organize a meeting at the next opportunity.

According to a second preferred mode, a first notification signaling the correspondence is sent only to one of them (arbitrarily the first), this notification suggesting to the first user to invite the second user to join him to consult a next similar content.

The first user can decide whether to accept this invitation or not. Its response is returned to the server 2, and if it is positive, a second notification signaling the correspondence is sent to the second user (this second notification being an invitation from the second user by the first user). If there are more than two identified users (a third, etc.), the first user responds to the first notification with respect to each, and the second notification is sent to everyone to whom they have responded positively.

Connection server and system

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to the server 2 for the implementation of the method according to the first aspect.

As explained, this “matching” server 2 is connected to the network 20 and it is preferably arranged in the latter, and comprises:

a data storage module 22 storing a database of profiles associated with each of the users, and a data processing module 21.

The latter is more precisely configured for:

o Receive from the gateways 1a, 1b information relating to multimedia contents of the network 20 consulted by the users via their gateway 1a, 1b;

o Identify a first user and a second user among the users on the basis of said information received and said profiles, such as:

The first user and the second user viewed common multimedia content;

Said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user.

o Send a notification to gateway 1a of the first user and / or gateway 1b of the second user.

Also proposed is the system comprising the security server 2, and the gateways 1a, 1b (configured to transmit to the server 2 the information for viewing multimedia contents).

Computer program product

According to a fourth and a fifth aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution (in particular on the data processing module 21 of the server 2) of a method according to the first aspect of the invention of connecting users each associated with a gateway 1a, 1b for accessing a wide area network 20, as well as storage means readable by computer equipment (the data storage module 22 of the server 2 ) on which we find this computer program product.

Claims (14)

1. Method for connecting users respectively associated with gateways (1a, 1b) for accessing a wide area network (20), the method being characterized in that it includes implementation by a processing module data (21) of a server (2) of steps of: (a) Reception from gateways (1a, 1b) of information relating to multimedia contents of the network (20) consulted by the users via their gateway (1a, 1b); (b) Identification of a first user and of a second user among the users from said information received and from profiles associated with each of the users and stored in a data storage module (22) of the server (2) such as : o The first user and the second user have viewed common multimedia content; o Said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user. (c) Transmission to the gateway (1a) of the first user and / or the gateway (1b) of the second user of a notification. 2. Method according to claim 1, in which step (a) comprises beforehand, the identification of the user having consulted content via a gateway (1a, 1b). 3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein said multimedia content is viewed by users on terminals (10a, 10b) locally connected to the gateways (1a, 1b). 4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the profile is associated with at least one value of at least one descriptive parameter, and each content is associated with at least one value of said at least one descriptive parameter, a multimedia content being compatible with a profile if for all or part of the descriptive parameters there is a value of this parameter which is associated with both the multimedia content and the profile. 5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said descriptive parameters include a type and / or a theme of multimedia content. 6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the multimedia content and audio or video content. 7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the profiles are also respectively associated with values of a geographical parameter, the first user and the second user being identified in step (b) among the users with the same value of the geographic parameter in their profile. 8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which the profiles are also respectively associated with lists of friends, the first user and second user are also such that: o The first user belongs to a list of friends associated with the profile of the second user; and o the second user belongs to a list of friends associated with the profile of the first user. 9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the notification sent in step in step (c) is only sent to the gateway (1a) of the first user, and is a first notification suggesting that the first user invite the second user. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein step (c) comprises receiving from the gateway (1a) of the first user a response to the first notification, and sending to the gateway (1b) of the second user of a second invitation notification of the second user by the first user if said response to the first notification is positive. 11. Server (2) for connecting users respectively associated with gateways (1a, 1b) for access to a wide area network (20), comprising: a data storage module (22) storing a database of profiles associated with each of the users, and a data processing module (21) configured for; o Receive from gateways (1a, 1b) information relating to multimedia content on the network (20) viewed by users via their gateway (1a, 1b); o Identify a first user and a second user among the users on the basis of said information received and said profiles, such as: The first user and the second user viewed common multimedia content; Said common multimedia content is compatible with the profiles of the first user and the second user. o Send a notification to the gateway (1a) of the first user and / or to the gateway (1b) of the second user. 12. System comprising the server according to claim 11 and a plurality of gateways (1a, 1b). 13. Product computer program comprising code instructions for the execution of a method according to one of claims 1 to 10 for connecting users respectively associated with gateways (1a, 1b) for accessing a wide area network (20), when said program is executed by a computer. 14. Storage means readable by computer equipment on which a computer program product comprises code instructions for the execution of a method according to one of claims 1 to 10 for connecting users respectively associated with gateways (1a, 1b) for accessing a wide area network (20).