FR3116172A1 - Method for managing access to digital content - Google Patents

Abstract

Process for managing access to digital content The invention relates to a method for managing the selection of digital content, the content being able to be read by a reading terminal (STB) and to be played back on a main device (TV) connected to the reading terminal (STB), characterized in that it comprises the following steps storage of data (CI) representative of an interest for a type of content; identification (DT) of a content (CH) available for selection corresponding to said data, emission of a notification (NTF) by the reading terminal (STB) intended for a secondary device distinct from the main device, the secondary device being able to emit a signal linked to the identification, receipt of a response (OK) in return, followed by a issuance of a playback request (DISP(CH)) of the identified content on the main device Figure for the abstract: Fig 2

Description

Method for managing access to digital content

The field of the invention is that of digital multimedia content, namely digital audio and/or video content, also called audiovisual content. The invention relates most particularly to a method for managing the selection of digital content.

Digital content is particularly aimed at television channels. However, the invention more generally targets multimedia content capable of being restored and whose restoration may be subject to prior notification; such content targets, for example, content of the television-on-demand TVOD, video-on-demand VOD, etc. type.

State of the art

Today there are many audiovisual content playback terminals allowing a user to access multimedia content such as television channels, also called "live" content by those skilled in the art, or video content from Requirement.

The reading terminals are adapted to receive the digital content in the form of multimedia data and ensure a restitution of the content received on a restitution device, for example a screen of a television set connected to the reading terminal. In particular, when the content received is coded, the playback terminal takes care of decoding the content before it is played back on the playback terminal.

Such multimedia content playback terminals are most often controllable remotely by the user by means of remote control devices, and in particular connected remote controls implementing a wireless communication protocol such as the Bluetooth® protocol or a radio frequency communications.

Such remote controls include conventional physical remote controls but also software remote controls. Software remote controls require installation of a software application on a mobile device. Once the application is installed, its execution results in the display of a remote control on the screen of the mobile device. A software remote control can also be implemented using a voice assistant; in this case, the user transmits a voice message to the assistant who is responsible for issuing a command to the reading terminal. This type of assistant is for example the voice assistant named Djingo (Registered Trademark by the plaintiff).

The number of multimedia content available for selection is now reaching such limits that a selection of content becomes extremely laborious. In the case of so-called “live” content, hundreds of television channels are available for selection. Access to content requires a zapping phase which can be extremely time-consuming for a user, in the order of ten seconds or even a few minutes.

Certainly, on some Live stream playback terminals, there are program start callback functions. For example, the user can, from a program guide, select content that will be broadcast live in the future and request that the reading terminal notify on the TV screen connected to the reading terminal, by a reminder function, a few minutes before the program starts. The reading terminal will then display a notification on the television screen just before the start of the programme.

However, this notification on the TV screen requires both the TV to be turned on and the user to be close to the TV to perceive this notification. However, it is possible that the television is switched off when the reading terminal requires the display of the notification and/or that the user is not close to the television preventing him from receiving the notification.

The current notification system is therefore not satisfactory.

The invention offers a solution improving the state of the art.

The invention

To this end, according to a functional aspect, the subject of the invention is a method for managing the selection of a digital content, the content being able to be read by a reading terminal and to be restored on a main device connected to the reading, characterized in that it comprises the following steps

a step of storing data representative of an interest for a type of content;

identification of content available for selection corresponding to said data,

transmission of a notification by the reading terminal to a secondary device separate from the main device, the secondary device being capable of transmitting a signal linked to the identification,

receipt of a reply in return, followed by a

issuance of a request to restore the content identified on the main device.

The invention transfers the notification to a device other than the main playback device. In this configuration, the notification is carried out independently of the electrical state of the main device, whether it is in the standby state or even powered off. Upon receipt of a response from the secondary device, the reading terminal requests a return of the identified content. The restitution of the content requires, for the user, only a response message to the notification received. The user thus accesses the identified content more quickly.

It should be specified here that the main device has several possible electrical states, namely an active state and an inactive state.

An active state of a device refers to a state in which the device is powered on. Such a state includes for example a normal operating state in which the screen is ready to render content; this state also includes, for example, a standby state requiring the playback terminal to be woken up to play content; etc).

An idle state of a device refers to a state in which the device is powered off.

According to a first embodiment, the reading terminal performs the following steps:

detection of the electrical state of the main device;

transmission of the notification to the secondary device, and conditionally to the main device depending on the electrical state of the main device. For example, the notification is issued to the secondary device and is not issued to the primary device when the primary device is unable to render the notification for example because the primary device is in an idle state (power off ). Conversely, if the main device is in an active state and therefore is able to render the notification; in this case, the notification is transmitted to both the secondary device and the primary device. This first mode makes it possible to transmit the notification either to the secondary device alone, or to both the main device and the secondary device.

According to a second particular mode of implementation of the invention, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous modes, when several secondary devices, the reading terminal selects a secondary device according to its electrical state, in particular , the playback device selects an active secondary device. Knowledge of the electrical state makes it possible to be sure that the notification will be returned by the secondary device.

According to a material aspect, the invention relates to an entity for managing the selection of digital content, the content being able to be read by a reading terminal and to be restored on a main device connected to the reading terminal, characterized in what he understands

A storage module capable of storing data representative of an interest for a type of content;

An identification module capable of identifying content available for selection corresponding to said data,

A transmission module able to send a notification to a secondary device separate from the main device, the secondary device being able to send a signal linked to the identification,

A reception module capable of receiving a response in return,

A rendering module able to render the content identified on the main device.

According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a reading terminal, such as a decoder, comprising a management entity as defined above.

According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a computer program able to be implemented on a management entity as defined above, the program comprising code instructions which, when it is executed by a processor, carries out the steps of the selection method defined above.

Finally, according to another material aspect, the invention relates to 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. .

Such recording medium 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 else a magnetic recording means, for example a USB key or a hard disk.

On the other hand, such a recording medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means, so that the program computer it contains is executable remotely. The program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded onto a network, for example the Internet network.

Alternatively, the recording medium 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 aforementioned display control method.

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:

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

There illustrates a first embodiment.

There illustrates a second embodiment in which the playback terminal takes into account the electrical state of the main playback device, in this case the television set in our example.

There schematically illustrates the hardware structure of a real-time multimedia stream playback terminal incorporating a management entity according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

We now present, in relation to the , a general block diagram of all the equipment implemented according to one embodiment of the invention. In this example, it is assumed that a multimedia content reproduction device, referred to as the main device in the following, is connected to a content playback terminal referenced STB, for example an HDMI key. The main restitution device is for example a television set equipped with an ECR display screen for multimedia content.

In our example, the STB key allows the user to access digital content in download mode, for example. The download may be a progressive adaptive download for real-time (or Live) television content. The terminal is also capable of accessing video-on-demand type content. Such a reading terminal is, for example, the Chromecast® device developed by Google®, or the CléTV® from Orange®.

Such STB reading terminals are conventionally connected to the HDMI port of an ECR television set and communicate, by Wi-Fi® connection, with another device of the home communication network, for example a home gateway (not shown) connected to a wide-area communication network of the Internet type such as a residential gateway, in order to render, on the ECR television set, multimedia content received by a compatible software application.

It will be noted that the invention applies to all playback terminals that can be controlled from a connected remote control, such as a set-top box or a connected television for example. These devices will be referred to below under the generic designation of STB reading terminals.

It is assumed that the reading terminal STB is capable of entering into communication with a content server SRV represented in FIGS. 3 to 5, for example via the domestic gateway described above, to receive one or more digital contents which it then controls restitution on the ECR screen of the TV set.

In our example, the reading terminal STB is also configured to be able to communicate with a remote control device TCD, illustrated by means of a remote control, for example according to the Bluetooth® communication protocol. The embodiment example is based on wireless communication between the remote control and the STB reader terminal; however, the invention can also be implemented with wired communication.

The TCD remote includes control buttons. The keys are either physical keys or virtual keys displayed on a Man-Machine interface, present on the TCD remote control.

The remote control TCD is equipped with communication means so as to transmit to the reading terminal STB in particular content selection commands.

The contents chosen to illustrate a first embodiment will be television channels, also called “live” contents.

Each user or user groups may have an interest in content of a given type; for example one user may have an interest in cinema, another user in sports, etc. The user can specify a type of content; for example for sport, the user specifies Football, or swimming. For the cinema theme, the user can specify a genre of films, for example drama films.

According to the invention, a management entity MNG memorizes one or more centers of interest of a user, for example a center of interest for sports/football matches. Then, when the reading terminal identifies a content, in the process of being played or whose playing is planned by a television channel, in correspondence with this center of interest, the reading terminal sends a notification to a secondary device separate from the main ECR device.

The secondary device is chosen from among devices connected to the read terminal STB. In our example, the secondary device is the remote control. The invention is obviously not limited to this configuration; In general, the secondary device is a device capable of communicating with the main restitution device and of notifying an event. The secondary device could have been for example a mobile phone, a tablet, etc. instead of the TCD remote control.

Preferably, the secondary device TCD is active when the management module MNG notifies the event. To do this, in our example the STB reading terminal has a list of active secondary devices and selects one or more of them to notify the event.

When selecting the secondary device, the STB reader terminal can obtain the active or inactive status of the secondary devices and select a secondary device from the active secondary devices.

Alternatively, the secondary device can be chosen taking into account the distance between the secondary device and a user. The secondary device selected by the reading device STB can then be the active secondary device located as close as possible to the user.

Note that the form of the notification is irrelevant. Such a notification can be a vibration generated by the secondary device, a sound signal, a light signal, etc. The notification can also consist of a transmission by the restitution terminal of an SMS type message, or equivalent, intended for the secondary device.

There illustrates a first embodiment of the invention. This shows four axes illustrating exchanges of messages between the reading terminal STB, the content server SRV, the remote control TCD and the television set TV.

During a first step, the reading terminal STB stores data representative of a center of interest CI for a type of content. The center of interest, for a type of content, can be selected by a user using the TCD remote control, via a graphical interface displayed by the STB reader terminal on the ECR screen.

In our example, we assume that the user selects “sport/Football matches” as the center of interest. The reading terminal stores this choice.

During a second step, the reading terminal STB detects DT that a match is about to start on a CH channel. The detection can be carried out by means of a program guide to which the reading terminal STB has access.

During a third step, the STB reading terminal notifies the secondary device, namely the TCD remote control in our example. As mentioned earlier, the type of notification on the remote is irrelevant. The notification can take the form of a vibration, a display on a screen of the remote control if it is equipped with a screen, etc.

According to a variant, a connected voice assistant that can be controlled by voice can also be used instead of or in addition to the remote control. In this case, the voice assistant broadcasts information via a speaker informing that content corresponding to the center of interest is available.

The notification may be issued a few minutes before the start of playback of the content concerned.

The user receives the notification on the secondary device, the TCD remote control in our example, and validates this notification if he wishes. The form of the validation is arbitrary. For example, the user presses a button on the remote control; if a connected assistant is used, the user can confirm the restitution proposal vocally.

If the user validates, a message referenced OK is transmitted from the secondary device, the remote control and/or the voice assistant, to the STB reading terminal during a fourth step.

Upon receipt of the message OK, the reading terminal STB transmits a command for selecting the channel SEL(CH) intended for the content server SRV.

In return, the reading terminal STB receives the television channel CH. In our example, the channel CH received is coded and requires decoding carried out by the reading terminal STB.

After decoding of the channel CH, the reading terminal STB requests a restitution DISP(CH) of the television channel on the television set TV.

Note here that the OK message does not include a CH channel identifier; In other words, the reading terminal STB transmits a content selection request SEL(CH) without the user specifying a television channel CH on the remote control or the voice assistant. This embodiment reduces the number of interactions with the user and thereby reduces the access time to the requested content.

The process described above may be subject to variations.

According to a variant, if several television channels correspond to the center of interest, the reading terminal STB can restore all or part of the television channels concerned on the screen ECR.

According to another variant, the main device can be active or inactive. In this configuration, the method comprises a step of detecting the state of the main device TV. Then, the reading terminal conditions the transmission of the NTF notification intended for the main device to this state. In our example, with reference to the , if the television is active and therefore switched on TV(ON), in standby or in normal operation; the NTF notification is emitted both to the TCD remote and to the TV screen. If the television is inactive (case not shown in the figures), that is to say powered off, the NTF notification is sent only to the TCD remote control as described above.

There represents an architecture of a reading terminal, in our example an STB reading terminal according to one embodiment of the invention.

The read terminal STB conventionally comprises memories M associated with a processor CPU. The memories can be ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory) or Flash. The STB reading terminal communicates with a local area network LAN (Anglo-Saxon acronym for “Local Area Network”) via the WIFI module for local wireless communication with a residential gateway or another communication terminal of the local area network LAN.

The reading terminal STB comprises, in our example, an adaptive progressive downloading module HAS capable of requesting a progressive downloading of one of the contents at one of the qualities proposed in a description file MNF. This MNF description file can be saved for example in the memories M of the read terminal STB or can be located outside.

The reading terminal STB further comprises the management module MNG described above.

The STB reading terminal can also contain other modules such as a hard disk not shown for storing video segments of multimedia content, a content access control module, a module for processing commands received from the remote control TCD.

The STB reading terminal is connected to a television set, in our example via an HDMI link.

Finally, let us specify here that the term module or the term entity can correspond just as well to a software component as to a hardware component or a set of hardware and software components, a software component corresponding itself to one or more programs or sub-systems. computer programs or more generally to any element of a program capable of implementing 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 (7)

Method for managing the selection of a digital content, the content being able to be read by a reading terminal (STB) and to be reproduced on a main device (TV) connected to the reading terminal (STB), characterized in that it includes the following steps
storage of data (CI) representative of an interest for a type of content;
identification (DT) of a content (CH) available for selection corresponding to said datum;
emission of a notification (NTF) by the reading terminal (STB) intended for a secondary device distinct from the main device, the secondary device being capable of emitting a signal linked to the identification,
reception of a response (OK) in return; followed by a
transmission of a request for restitution (DISP(CH)) of the content identified on the main device. Management method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the main device has several electrical states, in that the method comprises the steps of
detection of the electrical state of the main device;
transmission of the notification to the secondary device, and conditionally to the main device depending on the electrical state of the main device. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that, when there are several secondary devices, the reading terminal selects a secondary device according to its electrical state. Entity for managing the selection of digital content, the content being able to be read by a reading terminal and to be played back on a main device connected to the reading terminal, characterized in that it comprises
A storage module capable of storing data representative of an interest for a type of content;
An identification module capable of identifying content available for selection corresponding to said datum;
A transmission module capable of transmitting a notification intended for a secondary device distinct from the main device, the secondary device being capable of transmitting a signal linked to the identification;
A reception module able to receive a response in return;
A rendering module able to render the content identified on the main device. Decoder comprising a management entity as defined in claim 4. Computer program adapted to be implemented on a management entity (MNG) as defined in claim 4, 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.