WO2005055084A1

WO2005055084A1 - Device and method for controlling access to information in a database, and associated products and methods

Info

Publication number: WO2005055084A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/053139
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nadine Patry; David Bihanic; Thierry Viellard
Original assignee: Thomson Licensing
Priority date: 2003-12-01
Filing date: 2004-11-26
Publication date: 2005-06-16

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) and a method for controlling access to information in a database (5) using at least one master device (MAST) and at least one slave device (SLAV) which receives control commands from said master device. The inventive device comprises means (11) for representing in both the master and slave devices at least three hierarchical levels of information from the database, which are arranged in ascending order. The aforementioned means represent simultaneously at least two levels in the master and slave devices respectively. The invention also comprises: selection means (12) which can be used with the master device in order to select data from any level excluding the maximum level, means for the hierarchical determination (13) of the information to be represented for a current level as a function of the data selected with the master device from one or more lower order levels, and representation sharing means (14) which are used to represent an anticipation level with a higher order in the slave device than that of the highest order level represented in the master device. Said anticipation level can be of a lower order than that of the maximum level.

Description

Device and method for controlling access to information in a database, methods and associated products

The present invention relates to a device and a method for controlling access to information in a database by means of audiovisual apparatus, and to associated methods and products.

Within a home network, each user has multimedia tools allowing the interactive exploitation or manipulation of audio, video, graphics, etc. data. A television device, endowed with high level polymodal processing specificities (sound, visuals, graphics, etc.), can thus be linked to an information processing system (processor, network) and also be coupled to a personal digital assistant. or PDA (for “Personal Digital Assistant”). The latter offers a clearly higher quality of data display and processing (processor, memory) than that of the television device.

Such a home network, in particular when it uses the IP standard (for “Internet Protocol”), therefore makes it possible to transmit multimedia information inside the house. It is connected to the outside world (to the Internet) through a gateway, responsible for managing the transition between the internal network space and the Internet space by re-addressing IP frames from the outside to the interior and vice versa. The home network possibly has an access point allowing the attachment of devices, for example PDAs, by a wireless link (or more).

It is therefore particularly advantageous to have an interactive application architecture which is capable of bringing several devices into play simultaneously (as in the example above, at least one television and one PDA). More particularly, it carries be able to synchronize, or even merge, a traditionally individual interactive practice that is closed in on itself at the local level, even if it allows or encourages remote interactions (such as the use of a personal computer) and a collective viewing experience ( such as television).

Systems are thus known combining PDAs and televisions, in which a user of the PDA moves through different successive levels of information within the database, by viewing his operations on the PDA, for example by means of scrolling menus. on the screen. When the user reaches the desired information, he presses a selection key and the desired content is displayed on the television.

This technique is however limited in its possibilities, by the processing and storage capacities of the PDA. As a result, the representations made to access the desired information are generally quite succinct. Advances in the miniaturization of electronic circuits allow us to hope for an increase in these performances, so as to obtain more complete and better displays on the control device, without sacrificing display speed. In addition, it is possible to couple such a control device with systems providing additional capacities, for example a computer or a storage medium. Despite everything, the constraints of such control devices remain fairly restrictive in the possibilities offered, both in terms of display and of finesse of representation. To achieve significant improvements, it is therefore necessary to have substantial resources, both in terms of storage and processing and screen performance. The present invention relates to a device for controlling access to information in a database which makes possible a fruitful combination of several audiovisual devices, and which can be capable of significantly increasing the qualities of display and finesse of representation without requiring any substantial increase in storage and processing capacities. The access control device of the invention may be capable of being implemented autonomously or integrated into the devices, without requiring complex and costly implementations. In addition, it may be able to offer users, user-friendly representations and procedures that are easy to use. The access control device of the invention is also capable of increasing the possibilities for sharing information and selection decisions between several users, in particular for fun or operational purposes.

The invention also relates to an access control method having the advantages mentioned above, as well as a device and a method for the elective distribution of information and a device for the elective representation of information in an audiovisual apparatus, allowing obtain a system having the above advantages. It also relates to an audiovisual apparatus and computer programs.

The invention applies to the audiovisual field, it being understood that the audiovisual term refers to audio and / or video applications. It targets in particular devices such as television, PDA, personal computer and mobile phone.

The invention relates to the architecture of coupling of at least two audiovisual devices, capable of significantly improving the interface between a user and these devices, for accessing information. To this end, the invention relates to a device for controlling access to information in a database by means of at least two audiovisual devices, at least one of these devices, called the master device, being capable of sending messages. command instructions to at least one other of these devices, called slave device. The device comprises: - means of representation in devices of at least three hierarchical levels of information from the database, classified in ascending order from a floor level to a ceiling level, these means of representation being able to represent at least two of the distinct levels of the ceiling level in the master apparatus, - means of selection in each of the distinct levels of the ceiling level, allowing a user of the master apparatus to select data from this information, - means of hierarchical determination, capable of determining information intended for the representation means for one of the current levels as a function of the data selected by a user of the master device in at least another of the levels, of order lower than the order of the current level , whatever this current level distinct from the floor level, - and representation sharing means intended to cause r the representation in the slave apparatus of at least one of the levels, called the anticipation level, of order greater than the order of the highest order level represented in the master apparatus and distinct from the ceiling level, says level of control.

According to the invention: - the representation means are capable of representing at least two of the distinct levels of the floor level in the slave apparatus, and are provided for simultaneously representing at least two of the levels in the master apparatus and the apparatus respectively slave, - And the representation sharing means are provided to cause the representation of at least one level of anticipation of order lower than the order of the ceiling level. Thus, unexpectedly, the slave device is assigned a role of anticipation in the selections made for higher order levels. However, this slave device (or these slave devices) may have significantly more sophisticated representation capabilities than those of the master device (or of the master devices). Indeed, the master device is typically (without excluding other situations) a portable and individual device, easy to use and acting as a remote control, the slave device being endowed with more developed representation capacities and being accessible to several users. Thus, advantageously, the master device is a personal digital assistant or a personal computer (PC, for “Personal Computer”), while the slave device is a television set. Indeed, a PDA or a PC is generally more manageable than a television, the remote control not allowing to easily exploit the sensitive capacities of a user.

The slave device is therefore devolved from the functions traditionally assigned to the master device. Although the control operations always pass through the latter, the slave device offers in representation, and moreover in advance, the selection elements helping the user of the master device to make his choices.

The term “representation” here covers visual representations, such as in particular a screen display, and / or auditory representations, such as in particular the audio diffusion of information. The control device of the invention can make it possible in particular to operate two devices each with display capacities, with a view to accelerating navigation in an application and to pair these two devices without display redundancy. Thus, in an advantageous embodiment concerning video on demand or VOD (for “Video On Demand”), the following three levels of information are used: a first level of viewing a portion of a film base, a second level of visualizations of a film and of its vicinity, and a third level of information of details on one of the films. In tree navigation as known from the state of the art, it is necessary to pass from the first level to the second level, then from the second to the third, or even from the first to the third. In a system with a single display device, navigation is then done in this sequence and imposes back and forth between the first and second levels to navigate through the information. In contrast, with the device of the invention, the combined use of the various devices makes it possible to operate several of the levels simultaneously. To use the previous example concerning VOD, the master device (PDA or PC) accesses the first level of information, a global level of information exposing the set of films offered by the system. The slave device (TV) then gives visual feedback of the first level managed by the master device. When an operation for selecting a function of the first level is carried out, the master device can remain at the first level and keep the action capacities of this level available, while the slave device displays the results of the function performed. by the master device. When you continue to navigate in the application tree, the master device can be located at the second level of navigation. The TV can then adapt to this second reading level by presenting an extension to the navigation of the second level by coupling the second and the third levels. In this way, the master device controls overall navigation in the film database: when a film is selected, it does not exit from this navigation mode. Television is then responsible for displaying the additional information (second and third levels of information): the film's summary, the actors, the director, but also the neighborhood of the current film. Such a neighborhood can be constituted by a set of films, linked by links established for example by semantic analysis of the textual information on the films, while being inspired for example by the technique developed in document EP-A-1365583. Thus, each time the master device requests a detail of additional information, the slave device can extend the capacities of the master device, by using for the application a complementary screen. In known techniques, with regard to display constraints, it would be

> on the contrary, it is necessary to present another navigation screen on the PC or PDA.

Advantageously, the access control device is such that each of the slave devices is associated with several master devices. For example, in the case of TV as a second screen, the master device remains a single user (only one person can interact), while the TV provides a screen that can be shared visually with other people.

For the intervention of several users (configuration in which several master devices take control of the same slave device), the slave device can act in different ways depending on the applications. In the case of VOD, the last command received is, for example, used immediately, users having to orally negotiate the management of the second display. In the case of other applications built on the principle of the game, the slave device can simultaneously manage requests in order to produce a relevant result. For example, in the case of a television card game, the TV plays the role of a card deck. Each user, via his PDA, then has a "deal" that he can share with others through the television space. VOD and the deck of cards thus both offer hierarchical navigation systems operated in different viewing modes. In the first (VOD), each user can control the second display, which is itself shared according to a "timeline". In the second (deck of cards), each user adds their "personal" information to the second display and shares this information in a spatial system. It is thus possible in particular to mix a navigation system with a mode of representing films, giving indications to guide a user in his search. In an advantageous embodiment, the representation means are capable of presenting films extracted from the database in cartographic form. A card system coupled with traditional extraction systems from the database can then allow the user to take the route of his choice more quickly. According to several embodiments, the cards are random, profiled, frozen temporally and / or frozen lexically. The access control device thus allows the consolidation of a reading in a homogeneous database by a cartographic system. Preferably, the representation sharing means are capable of causing the representation in the slave apparatus of the level anticipation as soon as the representation means represent the level of control in the master apparatus, for at least one order of the anticipation level lower than the order of the ceiling level. Thus, the user immediately has an advance order with a view to selections, in relation to the information available in the master device.

According to a first form of representation of the anticipation levels, the representation sharing means are capable of causing the representation in the slave apparatus of the anticipation level by specifying the contents of this level of anticipation as a function of positioning of a user of the master device in the control level. Such positioning is not comparable to a selection, but can allow a user to browse the level of control in the master device while obtaining advance information on the next level, or the following levels, through the device. slave.

According to one . second form of representation of the anticipation levels, the representation sharing means are capable of causing the representation in the slave apparatus of the anticipation level by specifying default contents of this level of anticipation as a function of the level of control . This second form does not require any operation on the part of the user of the master device. It allows in particular to provide by default a representation of the anticipation level before any positioning of the user of the master device in the control level. It also authorizes the anticipation of several notches thanks to the slave device, making it possible to view several successive levels of orders higher than that of the level of control available in the master device. In an extreme case, all order levels higher than that of the control level are shown in the slave device. We can also foresee an anticipation of two orders for some of the information levels and not for others. The specification of the content as a function of the level of control can for example be derived from a central element in this level of control, or from an initial element, as if this element were actually selected to determine the level of anticipation. It can also be random, based on a user profile ("most likely choice") or result from an average between the different elements of the level of control.

These two forms of representation of the levels of anticipation are advantageously combined. We can thus always provide a default configuration, before a user actually positions himself in the level of control of his master device. In other embodiments, the default configuration of the order level higher than the control level is available by default in the slave device only for certain orders. The complementary orders of the control level then require at least one positioning of the user of the master device in the control level, so that the representation of the anticipation level becomes available in the slave device.

Advantageously, the representation sharing means are capable of causing the representation in the slave apparatus of at least the levels of immediately higher order and higher order of two units to the order of the level of control represented in the master device, for at least one order of the control level.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the representation means are provided for representing in the master apparatus, the current level of information formed by the information determined by the hierarchical determination means, as soon as the selection means are activated for the order level immediately below the current level, regardless of the current level separate from the ceiling level. We thus chain from one level to another of a higher order in the master apparatus.

Preferably, the representation means are capable of representing at least one of the information levels in the master apparatus and in the slave apparatus, with more details of representation in the slave apparatus than in the master apparatus.

According to particular embodiments, the access control device comprises: - means for receiving information from the database intended for the master and slave devices, - and means for filtering this information, capable of selecting for each of the devices among the information received, the information intended to form the current information levels represented. These complementary means allow at least partial integration of the access control device in one or more of the devices (or all those concerned).

The invention also relates to a device for the elective distribution of information from a database to at least two audiovisual devices, this information being intended to be represented in these devices. According to the invention, the elective distribution device comprises the hierarchical determination means and the representation sharing means of an access control device according to any one of the embodiments of the invention. Such a device authorizes the implementation of the access control device of the invention at least partially in the form of an autonomous entity, communicating with the devices. The invention also relates to a device for the elective representation of information from a database in an audiovisual device. According to the invention, this elective representation device comprises the reception, filtering and representation means associated with this device as well as the representation sharing means, of an access control device conforming to the embodiment with means reception and filtering. Such a device can be incorporated into one or more of the devices. The invention also applies to an audiovisual device, characterized in that it comprises an elective representation device according to the invention, this device being preferably chosen from a television set, a personal digital assistant and a personal computer. The invention further relates to a method of controlling access to information in a database by means of at least two audiovisual devices, at least one of these devices, called the master device, being capable of sending messages. command instructions to at least one other of these devices, called slave device. This process comprises the following stages: - representation in the apparatuses of at least three hierarchical levels of information of the database, classified in ascending order from a floor level to a ceiling level, at least two of the distinct levels of the level ceiling being represented in the master apparatus, - selection in each of the distinct levels of the ceiling level, allowing a user of the master device to select data from the information, - determination of the information intended to be represented for one of the current levels as a function of the data selected by a user of the master device in at least one other of the levels, of order lower than the order of the current level, whatever the current level separate from the floor level, - and sharing of representation, including the representation in the slave device of minus one of the levels, called the anticipation level, of a higher order than the order of the highest order level represented in the master apparatus and distinct from the ceiling level, called the control level.

According to the invention: the representation is applied in the slave device to at least two of the distinct levels of the floor level and comprises the simultaneous representation of at least two of the levels in the master device and the slave device respectively, - and the representation sharing includes the representation of at least one level of anticipation of order lower than the order of the ceiling level.

This access control method is preferably intended to be implemented by means of an access control device according to any one of the forms of the invention.

The invention also applies to a method of electively distributing information from a database to at least two audiovisual devices, this information being intended to be represented in the devices. According to the invention, the elective distribution method comprises the steps of hierarchical determination and representation sharing of an access control method according to the invention. This elective distribution method is preferably implemented by means of an elective distribution device according to the invention.

The invention also applies to computer program products comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the access control method according to the invention, and comprising program code instructions for setting using the means of one of the elective distribution and elective representation devices according to the invention, when these programs are executed on a computer. By "computer program product" is meant a computer program medium, which may consist not only of a storage space containing the program, such as a floppy disk or a cassette, but also of a signal, such as '' an electrical or optical signal.

The invention will be better understood and illustrated by means of the following examples of embodiment and implementation, in no way limiting, with reference to the appended figures in which:

- Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a device for controlling access to a database, according to the invention, in relation to a master device and a slave device; - Figure 2 develops in functional form the content of the access control device of Figure 1; - Figure 3 illustrates a first embodiment of the access control device of Figures 1 and 2, based on an autonomous system with respect to the master and slave devices; - Figure 4 illustrates a second embodiment of the access control device of Figures 1 and 2, based on a distribution of the functionality of the access control device in the master and slave devices, with functional preponderance of the device slave for determining representations in the latter; - Figure 5 illustrates a third embodiment of the access control device of Figures 1 and 2, based on a distribution of the functionality of the access control device in the master and slave devices, with functional preponderance of the device master for determining representations in the slave device; - Figure 6 is a block diagram of a VOD application architecture implementing a coupling architecture derived from the second embodiment of the access control device shown in Figure 5, for a television set and two digital assistants personal; - Figure 7 shows three levels of hierarchical information used in the coupling architecture of Figure 6; - Figure 8 shows a first step in using the coupling architecture of Figure 6, consisting of a level 1 deal for all devices; - Figure 9 shows a second step in using the coupling architecture of Figure 6, consisting of a selection of a film in level 1 by one of the PDAs in Figure 6; - Figure 10 shows a third step of using the coupling architecture of Figure 6, consisting of a selection of a film in level 1 by the other PDA of Figure 6 than that used in the step of Figure 9; - Figure 11 shows schematically an information extraction device in a database, usable in particular for the constitution of level 1 representations in the coupling architecture of Figure 6; - Figure 12 shows for a first form of construction of a navigation map associated with level 1, the initial display of this map on one of the PDAs in Figure 6, during the first step shown schematically in Figure 8; - Figure 13 shows a navigation table randomly selected for the navigation map of Figure 12, in the first form of construction of the map; - Figure 14 shows the navigation map corresponding to Figure 12, in its initial filling phase; - Figure 15 shows the full display of the navigation map on the PDA of Figure 12, during the first step shown schematically in Figure 8; - Figure 16 shows the display of levels 1 and 2 on the television set of Figure 6 after selection of one of the elements of the navigation map displayed on the PDA of Figure 15 by a user, during the second diagrammatic step in Figure 9; - Figure 17 shows the display of a neighborhood map associated with level 2 after selection of an element in the navigation map, on the PDA of Figure 15; - Figure 18 shows the display of levels 1, 2 and 3 on the television set in Figure 6, after selection of one of the elements of the neighborhood map displayed on the PDA of Figure 17 by a user; - Figure 19 shows for a second form of construction of a navigation map associated with level 1, the display of this map on one of the PDAs of Figure 6 during the drawing of form by a user, during the first step shown in Figure 8; - And Figure 20 shows a navigation table built for the navigation map of Figure 19 from the plot made by the user, in the second form of construction of the map. In Figures 1 to 6 and 11, the modules shown are functional units, which may or may not correspond to physically distinguishable units. For example, these modules or some of them can be grouped in a single component, or constitute functionalities of the same software. Conversely, some modules may possibly be composed of separate physical entities.

On the other hand, in Figures 12 and 15 to 19 showing examples of representations on PDA and television, the dimensions of the elements of the cards are not to scale, but are chosen so as to facilitate reading and to clarify the presentation.

An audiovisual device coupling architecture (Figure 1) involves a MAST master device and a SLAV slave device, the MAST master device being able to control functionalities of the SLAV slave device. An access control device 1 governs the access of these two MAST and SLAV devices to a database 5. Although this device 1 is represented outside of the MAST and SLAV devices, it may or may not be wholly or partially incorporated into one of these devices or in them. of them. Its separate representation is therefore based on a concern for clarity in the presentation, and must be interpreted in terms of functions either concentrated or more or less distributed.

The access control device 1 comprises in particular (FIG. 2) a module 11 for representing information from the database 5 in the MAST and SLAV devices. The module 11 is able to represent at least three hierarchical levels of information NU, NI2 and NI3 respectively of orders 1, 2 and 3 (the priority of the levels decreases with the order, the notation "NI" being adopted as generic) . This representation is made visually, by screen display and / or auditory, by sound diffusion. The representation of information from one of the levels is conditioned by a selection of data carried out in at least another of the lower order levels. For example, the representation of the NI2 level depends on the data selected at the NU level, while the representation of the NI3 level depends on the data selected at the NI2 level (and indirectly, of those previously selected at the NU level). A default representation is however possible for at least one of the order levels higher than 1, insofar as certain data can play a central role in the order level immediately higher than the current one. For example, it is possible that the information represented for the NI2 level contains data which by default conditions the information to be represented for the NI3 level. Only an explicit selection of data other than the latter then modifies the information of the NI3 level.

The representation module 11 is capable of simultaneously representing two distinct levels of information respectively in the MAST master and SLAV slave apparatuses. In combination with the other functionalities of the control device 1, it allows users to have a coupled representation between at least one level of lower order in the MAST master device and one level of higher order (relatively to the lower order) in the SLAV slave device. The access control device 1 also includes: - a selection module 12 allowing a user of the MAST master device to select data in the information levels, except in the highest order - so here in the NU and NI2 levels; a hierarchical determination module 13, capable of determining the information to be represented for any one of the levels information, except that of the lowest order (here, NU), as a function of data selected by a user of the master device MAST in at least the immediately lower order level; this module 13 thus makes it possible to establish for each of the levels NI2 and NI3 to be represented in one of the MAST or SLAV devices, the information actually selected to be disseminated to users; - And a representation sharing module 14, capable of causing a double representation in respectively the SLAV slave apparatus and the MAST master apparatus; a lower order information level being represented in the MAST master device, the sharing module 14 is provided to react to a selection of data by a user of this MAST master device in this lower order level, being able to immediately cause the representation of the next higher order information level in the SLAV slave device; the sharing module 14 can also cause the representation of levels of information of orders higher by more than one unit than that in which the selection is made in the master apparatus MAST, insofar as a default selection is possible; on the other hand, the representation in the SLV slave device of higher order levels in no way excludes the simultaneous and joint representation in this same SLAV slave device of lower order levels.

The access control device 1 can be implemented with respect to the MAST master and SLAV slave apparatuses in various ways, some of which will be explained below.

In a first implementation mode (Figure 3), for which the master and slave devices are respectively denoted MAST-A and SLAV-

A, an autonomous elective distribution device 2 includes the hierarchical determination module 13 and the representation sharing module 14 of the access control device 1, as well as an extraction module information 16 of the database 5. The information extraction module 16 is intended to extract the data suitable for representations in the MAST-A and SLAV-A apparatuses, according to the instructions produced by the modules 13 of hierarchical determination and 14 representation sharing. The representation module 11 of the device 1 is split between two representation sub-modules 11M and 11 S, respectively present in the master MAST-A and slave devices.

SLAV-A. The selection module 12 is integrated into the master device MAST-A.

In this embodiment, an essential part of the processing intelligence is thus concentrated in an autonomous system (the elective distribution device 2), which can for example be locally integrated in a user or be arranged at a remote server. The SLAV-A slave device is content with traditional representation functions based on the information communicated by the extraction module 16. The MAST-A master device, in addition to this representation function, also includes selection functions in the levels NI information is shown. According to a particular version, the extraction module 16 does not only send the appropriate data to the MAST-A and SLAV-A devices, but also sends them in the desired form for display and / or sound diffusion, by incorporating therein. in addition, interactivity data (for example according to the DVB-MHP standard - for “Digital Video Broadcasting - Multimedia Home Platform”) intended for selections in the master device MAST-A. The roles of SLAV-A and MAST-A devices with regard to access control are thus reduced, so that they can consist of products commonly available on the market, without requiring any particular adaptation. In a second mode of implementation of the access control device 1 (FIG. 4), the functionalities of the latter are entirely distributed in the master and slave devices, denoted respectively MAST-B and SLAV-B. The master device MAST-B integrates the modules 12 for selection and 13 for hierarchical determination, as well as a representation sub-module 11M similar to that of the first implementation mode. In addition, it comprises a reception sub-module 17M responsible for receiving the information coming from the database 5 with a view to selecting the relevant data for representation. The function of a filtering sub-module 18M is to select, from the data accessible in the database 5 via the receiving sub-module 17M, the information required for the representations. This filtering sub-module 18M is in particular conditioned in its actions by the hierarchical determination module 13. By “sub-modules”, we refer here as previously to functionalities dissociated between the two devices MAST-B and SLAV-B , and not to a physical subset of an entity. It is thus possible to define a reception module 17 and a filtering module 18,. these modules being understood as grouping the corresponding functionalities present respectively in the two devices MAST-B and SLAV-B. The SLAV-B slave device comprises, for its part, the representation sharing module 14, in communication with the filtering sub-module 18M of the master device MAST-B. It also includes representation sub-modules 11 S, reception 17S and filtering 18S, having functions similar to those of the corresponding sub-modules in the master device MAST-B. The representation sub-modules 11 S, reception 17S and filtering 18S form, with the representation sharing module 14, an elective representation device 3 specific to the slave device SLAV-B. This second embodiment can make it possible to avoid the use of a specific device, by means of adaptations of the MAST master and SLAV slave devices used. These adaptations are preferably based on software additions.

In a third implementation mode (FIG. 5), the functionalities of the access control device 1 are, as in the second mode, distributed between the master and slave devices, denoted respectively MAST-C and SLAV-C. However, the representation sharing module 14 is here integrated in the master device MAST-C, and not in the slave device SLAV-C. Thus, the SLAV-C slave device includes the representation sub-modules 11S, reception 17S and filtering 18S, while the master device MAST-C includes, in addition to the selection modules 12 and hierarchical determination 13, an elective representation device 4 specific to the master device MAST-C, which includes the representation sharing module 14, and the representation submodules 11 M, reception 17M and filtering 18M. In addition, the filtering sub-module 18S of the SLAV-C slave device receives instructions from the representation sharing module 14 of the MAST-C master device. In this embodiment, the software additions are essentially concentrated in the MAST master device and can be significantly reduced in the SLAV slave device. In a variant, the role of the SLAV slave device is further reduced, the MAST master device itself performing the filtering and representation preparation operations making it possible to determine the content and presentation of the data to be represented by the SLAV slave device. The result of these operations can be communicated in the form of instructions for accessing the database 5, for example in the form of interactive data in DVB-MHP format. It thus becomes possible to be satisfied with a standard device with interactive functions for the device. SLAV slave, the software additions being carried out exclusively in the MAST master device.

A VOD software architecture (Figure 6) uses XML (for “eXtendible Markup Language”) in terms of the representation of data and commands exchanged between different devices. These latter consist in the example shown, of a television set denoted TV and of two PDAs respectively designated by PDA1 and PDA2. These devices are respectively attached to processors 24, 26 and 28 responsible for interpreting the data and generating displays relating to the latter. They also have message handlers, respectively rated 23, 25 and 27.

The application can use local data, internal to the home network, or remote, produced by an Internet server external to the home network or hosted by a service provider. In general, the data are thus available from a SERV server assembly comprising a server 21, as well as a session manager 22 capable of managing any application session involving the server 21 (local or remote).

The devices PDA1 and PDA2, called master devices, send commands to this server 21, which takes into account the requests and returns data accordingly. Any message sent to the server 21 or received from the latter passes through the message manager 23 attached to the TV, called a slave device. This manager 23 returns all the messages received from the server 21 or from the master devices PDA1 and PDA2 which are connected to it. Thus all the elements involved in the application receive all the actions and results launched on the network. In this way, each of the devices knows all the network activity of the application and configures itself according to the mode in which it must act. This form of embodiment therefore relates in substance rather to the second embodiment (Figure 4) described above.

By way of illustration (Figure 7), there are three NI levels of information: a first NU level allowing users to schematically view film indicators and make a selection; a second level NI2 showing, for each film selected, films neighboring the latter (according to the criteria explained below); and a third level NI3 giving various information on the selected film.

One of the master devices (PDA1 or PDA2) sends for example the request for a new “deal” of films. This message is transmitted to the slave device (step E1 in FIG. 6) which transmits it first to the server 21, then to the other PDAs possibly connected (step E2). Everyone is informed that there is going to be an event since an action has been launched. When the results are returned by the server 21 (step E3), they pass through the slave device (TV), which in turn sends them back to all the masters (PDAs, step E4). Each one is configured according to the application. In the case of VOD, the devices, including the TV there (in the first state of the interface it presents the NU level of the application), build the received VOD card.

When one of the PDAs requests a “zoom” on a film, it sends a corresponding command to the server 21. The response returned, the TV slave device decides to use the information of levels NI2 and NI3 (details of the film and neighborhood). The first master device that issued the action and the second master device also receive this information, but they do not process it, because it remains at NU level. For example, the three devices first receive a film deal according to the NU level (Figure 8). A user of the PDA1 device then selects a film, film 1 (Figure 9). Then a user of the PDA2 device selects another film, film 6 (Figure 10).

In particular embodiments, each of the PDAs incorporates a pointing device allowing a user to interact with displayed graphic elements, and the interfaces of the devices are based on the UPnP service (for “Universal Plug and Play”). For example, in this PDA, a Java language program acts as a UPnP checkpoint and communicates with a Flash-based player to govern the user interface. In addition, PDAs preferably incorporate video control capabilities according to the MPEG 4 standard (for “Moving Picture Experts Group”), which allows interactivity to be integrated into video.

The mode of navigation in the data will now be detailed in several exemplary embodiments. There are different types of cards that can be displayed on the screen, some of which correspond to several NI levels of information respectively. In the embodiments described below, it uses the three levels of UN information, NI 2 and NI3 described above, by combining the first level to NU _^ NAV navigation maps and the second level NI2 to maps of neighborhoods SEE .

A device 30 for extracting information from the database 5 (FIG. 11) which is particularly suitable for representations of the NU level can be incorporated into the representation module 11, extraction 16 and / or filtering 18 of the exhibits upper. This extraction device 30 essentially comprises a module 31 for selecting data from the base 5, and a module 32 for arranging the selected data for users, in a representation space 40. In the examples illustrated here, the representation is visual, so that the space 40 is spatial. In addition, it has two dimensions here, corresponding to a screen display. However, the space can also have three dimensions (relief), or possibly only one (line of visualization), although the interest in the latter case is then quite limited. In addition, a similar technique is applicable in particular to a hearing representation, the space then being sound (for example, sound diffusion of information in two dimensions, comprising a first dimension of note pitch and a second melodic dimension, with progressive evolution possible according to each. of these dimensions). A combination of several heterogeneous dimensions is also possible, for example a four-dimensional space comprising two spatial dimensions, a color dimension and a sound dimension. In any event, Tespace 40 is delimited so as to be fully accessible to a user, and is expressly provided for its attention. It includes a plurality of positions suitable for receiving elements representative of the data in the base 5. These positions correspond to a discretization of the space 40 according to its dimensions. The arrangement module 32 is therefore provided for positioning in certain of these positions, elements representative of the data selected by means of the selection module 31. The selection modules 31 and arrangement 32 comprise several units intended to act in cooperation during of each representation to a user. Thus, the arrangement module 32 comprises in particular a preliminary definition unit 33 of at least one related representation area within the space 40. This area or these areas (areas Z and Z ′ in the example illustrated) include positions activated among the positions of Tespace 40, intended to receive elements of data. They cover only part of Tespace 40: the rest forms at least one complementary zone (zone ZC in the example illustrated) of deactivated positions among the positions of Tespace 40, intended to receive no data element. The preliminary definition unit 33 can be produced in various ways, including random definition, drawing of zones by a user, selection of zones by a user from different available zones, etc. The selection modules 31 and arrangement 32 respectively comprise an initial specification unit 34 of at least one boot data element for each of the related zones Z and Z ', and a positioning unit 35 of these elements priming respectively in priming positions P and P 'of the connected zones Z and 71. These priming elements, for example obtained as a function of a user profile, constitute starting points for filling the connected zones Z and Z . The preliminary definition 33, initial specification 34 and positioning 35 units together form an initiation block 41. In the selection module 31, a successive determination unit 36 of new data elements is capable of extracting data from the base 5, from the elements already positioned in the connected zones Z and Z '. This unit 36 extracts the data in accordance with at least one proximity order relationship based on the contents of this data. A successive positioning unit 37 of the new data elements thus determined places these elements in positions not yet occupied by the connected zones Z and Z ′, in positions close to the positions occupied by the data elements already selected. One thus proceeds to a progressive filling of the connected zones step by step, with for engine the relation of order of proximity. This iterative process converges with the end of filling of all related areas (or possibly, in an uninteresting case, with data exhaustion). The successive determination units 36 and successive positioning units 37 together form a recursive block 42. Several examples mentioned below will make it possible to grasp different modalities of such an order relation. The latter is closely linked to the content of the data itself, and is applied iteratively. It allows to classify all the data elements in relation to any of them, several data elements being able to be assigned the same level of proximity. For example, if the data elements relate to music, the order relation with respect to a reference music (element already positioned) classifies the music according to the number of common notes, or common chords possibly transposed, or of common melodic sequences of at least three notes possibly transposed, with this reference music.

In a particular embodiment with two-dimensional visual representation, the system sets up NAV navigation maps, based on TAB tables which allow their graphic construction. According to a modality of this embodiment, the NAV navigation maps are previously constructed in the space, their contents being generated by the system being implemented and adapted to the request of a user. In a limited display space like the PDA, only twenty lines of text can be displayed. Using the card system based on a grid of 10 X 10 elements, one hundred films can be presented. Each NAV navigation map is coded using a TAB navigation table made up of “1” and “0” as in the example below:

0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1111100101 0001101111 0011111111 0001110111 0001111101 1 01110101 0011110101 0001110101 The "0" indicates that no element should appear at the associated place in the display grid, while the "1" indicates that an element can be there. Each element represents a film, materialized in the NAV navigation map associated with the TAB table in the form of a colored square indicating its genre.

Each navigation mode uses this type of NAV navigation map in the data. According to a random mode, N films are proposed to the user (N being equal to the number of "1" in the TAB table), selected randomly in the database but taking into account the constraints set out below. The user can at any time use a new random NAV navigation map, based on a new TAB table.

In addition, the system randomly chooses the TAB navigation table from a set of “pre-drawn” tables, for example 10 or 20. This TAB table serves as a support for the presentation of information. In the example described, it changes with each random request. Thus, the user can break with the previous data, because he immediately realizes that a new draw has taken place and that it is very different from the previous one.

The prior organization of the NAV navigation map by means of the TAB table makes it possible to consolidate the interface system in a consistent reading mode. The squares representing the films are not placed randomly on the screen. They favor, in the first place, a better distribution increasing the comfort of reading and interpretation. This representation also borrows an analogy from the game of scrabble or dominoes. The user thus believes that he is in a free, instinctive navigation of the database, when in reality this navigation depends on the pre-built NAV navigation maps.

The cartographic system is therefore used as a “path” for navigation in the film database. In a particular embodiment, each film is attached to eight neighbors. Neighborhood relationships are then set up in a cardinal orientation mode, in the form of VOIS neighborhood maps such as for example the following:

Neighbor 1 Neighbor 2 Neighbor 3 Neighbor δ Film Y Neighbor 4 Neighbor 7 Neighbor β Neighbor δ

These VOIS neighborhood maps, on the one hand, are used to fill the NAV navigation map and, on the other hand, are used for representations of the second level NI2.

The neighborhood relationships are based on an algorithm which makes it possible to classify all the films according to an analogy link with the film Y. According to several particular forms of implementation, the algorithm is based on a number of terms common in the titles of the films, a number of common actors, differences in the years of production and / or a semantic analogy of the summaries of the films (for example number of identical or similar terms, excluding common words to be excluded from the account). We thus establish an order relation in films other than film Y, determined with respect to this film Y and which may include several films at each level of analogy with Y. The eight neighbors Voisinl to Voisin à aim respectively the eight films having the strongest analogy with Y, classified in descending order according to the order relation used.

A particular case of algorithm making it possible to establish an order relation based on a semantic analysis is described in document EP-A-1365583.

The navigation map NAV can be used by the system on the basis of these neighborhood relationships to provide the user with a selection of films taken from preset paths, as described below. In this way, a cartography is progressing, progressively adding closer and closer to neighbors, building a very dense network of films "corresponding" to each other. For a given NAV navigation map to be completed (on the basis of a TAB table), the system first selects a film, randomly from the global database or from a set extracted according to the user profile. This film constitutes an entry point into the NAV map, and makes it possible to materialize one of the squares. From this initial film and following the; indications of the TAB navigation table with the “0” and the “1”, the user progressively chooses which neighbors are presented by means of the VOIS neighborhood maps. For example, if the TAB navigation table indicates that you must take the neighbor “EST” (on the left) of the film Y in the diagram above, the film “Neighbor” of the VOIS neighborhood map is selected and presented to the place where the table TAB Ta defined.

By way of illustration, the entry point of the TAB table is the first non-zero element of the upper line, going from left to right. The “Film Y” Telement position (bold and italics) is therefore a starting point, and the TAB navigation table indicates take exclusively the western, southwest and southern neighbors (underlined below): 0 f 1 0 0 0 ... 0 1 1 1 1 0 ...

The system then uses the VOIS neighborhood map centered on film Y, by extracting the neighbors concerned: Film Y Voisin4 Voisin6 Voisinδ

and positions them in the NAV navigation map.

Then, the system continues its action by continuing to read the TAB navigation table. He chooses one of the neighbors and repeats the same operation. It therefore begins by searching for the latter's neighbors and reads the TAB navigation table which indicates which ones are displayed (this cartographic system used to direct searches in the base). The path constructed by the TAB table "discriminates" the selection in the database according to a so-called "random" mode, which provides a sort of "nomadic" route (the user takes directions at random in neighborhood relationships).

As an example, the neighbor chosen after Y is Neighbor4. We then build a VOIS neighborhood map centered on Voisin4 and based on the chosen algorithm, excluding a priori from the available database, those already selected for the NAV navigation map (i.e. here Y, Voisinδ and Voisinβ). Then we position the films associated with "1", in this case only the neighbor to the southeast. This implementation allows to pass from a random extraction to a random path in a neighborhood system. Thus, the NAV navigation map obtains a predominantly local coloration, “Film Y” element often having, but not necessarily, neighbors of the same genre. The squares, representing the films and their genres, are therefore often the same color in a local vision of the map, but color changes can occur from one neighbor to another. If a neighbor is of another genre, he also sets up a neighborhood with this new genre as dominant, in his local space formed by the VOIS neighborhood map.

As indicated above, it is preferable to avoid the repetition of films on the NAV navigation map, by eliminating from the list of available films those already selected previously, as the filling of the map progresses.

Furthermore, in an advantageous embodiment, each VOIS neighborhood card except the first (associated with initial Telement) integrates not only Telement from which a neighborhood must be established (central element), but also the neighboring elements already known, previously used for the route in the TAB navigation table. These elements are then placed in their respective positions with regard to the NAV navigation map, the VOIS neighborhood map being represented in this form on the screen.

In the previous example, element Voisin4 already has its neighbors to the west (Y), to the southwest (Voisinβ) and to the south (Voisinδ), and therefore only its five other neighbors are missing, to obtain the VOIS neighborhood map. exploit and represent. Finally, only one of these neighbors (that of the south-east) is used to fill the NAV navigation map. The operations relating to the representations in a PDA (MAST master device) and a television (SLAV slave device) will now be detailed on implementation examples, involving NAV navigation maps (NU level) and VOIS neighborhood maps ( NI2 level), as well as specific INFO information on selected films (NI3 level). The representations of the cards on the PDA and on television are identified by the terms PDA and TV respectively in parentheses. The PDA user acting as the master device requires the drawing of a NAV navigation map. The NAVO infrastructure (PDA) of such a map (Figure 12) is then used on the PDA in the form of a square assembly of 8x7 elements, themselves in the form of small squares representative of films. The PDA then randomly draws a TAB1 navigation table (Figure 13) formed of "1" (presence of films) and "0" (not shown in Figure 13, absence of films), among various tables available.

To fill the NAV1 navigation map associated with the TAB1 table (Figure 14), the PDA first automatically selects an F1 film in the database, which it positions at the first "1" encountered by scanning the lines from top to bottom and from left to right (here, this is the second square of the first line). Then, the PDA constructs a neighborhood map VOIS1 of 3 × 3 elements centered on this film F1 by means of a neighborhood algorithm, and positions in the map NAV1 the films corresponding to the elements identified by “1” on the table TAB1. The PDA repeats these operations step by step, successively centering the VOIS1 neighborhood cards on different neighbors. It thus leads to a complete NAV1 navigation map (PDA) which is displayed on the PDA (Figure 15). -36-

Another illustrative example will make it possible to follow the types of complementary display represented on the PDA acting as master device, and on the TV acting as slave device. A NAV2 navigation map being displayed on the PDA in a similar way to the NAV1 map (in δ Figure 1δ), this NAV2 map is immediately shown on the TV, in an exploded NAV2 (TV) form (Figure 16). The TV display is not reduced to this NU level information, already present on the PDA, but also includes a NI2 level representation showing a VOIS2 (TV) neighborhood map. This VOIS2 map, determined similarly to the VOIS1 card mentioned above, is centered on a film Fi which is the one on which the user of the PDA is positioned. At this point, however, the user has not yet made any film selection in the NAV2 navigation map. The VOIS2 map also includes a film F (i-1) (called “father film”) δ positioned before the film Fi during the construction of the navigation map NAV2, and from which the film Fi was obtained by relation of neighborhood.

When the PDA user actually selects a film from the NAV2 neighborhood map (PDA), for example the Fi movie, the VOIS2 neighborhood map (PDA) is displayed on the PDA (Figure 17). The display on the TV is then automatically modified (Figure 18), to include not only the NAV2 navigation map (TV) and the VOIS2 neighborhood map (TV) associated with the selected Fi film, but also INFO information (Fi ) relating to the film Fi. This NI3 level INFO information is established by default, since it is directly derived from the choice of the PDA user at NU level. When the PDA user then positions himself on any of the films on the VOIS2 neighborhood map (PDA), the INFO information adapts to be representative of this film. In the system, other maps than NAV navigation and VOIS neighborhood maps are also useful. These maps have fixed shapes and offer a static mode of data interpretation. Thus, a “Past” card stores the extractions previously made by the user in the database and used by broadcasting the corresponding films - by way of illustration, this card has a pyramidal shape (for example of 8 elements at the base , 2 at the top and 4 at the top). A “Future” card, for its part, contains film indicators that the user wishes to see later - by way of illustration, it has a square shape (for example of 5 × 5 elements).

According to a particularly interesting embodiment, highlighting of the elements of these "Past" and "Future" cards is possible according to time indications required by the user. For example, a list of months of the year is displayed opposite these cards, and allows the user to select one of the months to see the films already watched ("Past" card) or to watch (" Future ”) during this month.

In this type of. separated, no “topological” relationship is established, the representative squares of the films being juxtaposed one beside the other (therefore grouped graphically) according to the actions of the user. The chosen representation is not based on "scrabble" type paths, but on rectangular or pyramidal structures, evoking a more stable and fixed construction.

In a second method of determining the TAB navigation table, this is chosen beforehand by the user, from various available maps - that is to say from various shapes drawn on the screen and then represented by "1". According to a third mode of determining the TAB navigation table, the user draws a shape on a screen, for example with a PDA using a stylus or by selecting boxes on a grid. This form, analyzed by the system and after possible conversion to recover the selected points, defines the NAV navigation map (the drawn parts being associated with "1", and the others with "0").

Thus, to use the example of a PDA as a master device (Figure 19), a user uses a stylus 50 to make a selection on a grid associated with the blank NAVO infrastructure (PDA) of the NAV navigation map. The system analyzes this route and converts the selected points, thus producing (Figure 20) a TAB3 navigation table comprising an area Z3 of "1" derived from the route, and intended to accommodate films. The system is more particularly suitable for operating NAV navigation maps based on a single related form of "1" in the associated TAB navigation table. However, in alternative embodiments, each NAV navigation map can have several related shapes, without contact with each other. In this case, a film is for example chosen at the start for each of the related forms of the TAB navigation table, then used to fill this connected form step by step, in the same manner as explained above. In a particular version, the data initially chosen for these starting points themselves have a link of analogy with each other. For example, they are linked together by a neighborhood relationship based on the same algorithm as that used to fill the related forms.

Although the above discussion has focused on the use of a SLAV slave device for one or more MAST master devices, other embodiments involve several slave devices (such as - o-

multiple TVs) for one or more master devices (e.g. PDAs).

Claims

1. Device for controlling access (1) to information in a δ database (δ) by means of at least two audiovisual devices (MAST, SLAV), at least one of said devices, called master device (MAST) , being capable of sending control instructions to at least one other of said devices, called slave device (SLAV), said device comprising: - representation means (11) in said devices 0 (MAST, SLAV) of at least three hierarchical levels (NU, NI2, NI3) of information in the database (δ), classified in ascending order from a floor level (NU) to a ceiling level (NI3), said means of representation (11) being suitable representing at least two of said levels (NU, NI2) distinct from said ceiling level (NI3) in said master device6 (MAST), - selection means (12) in each of said levels (NU, NI2) distinct from the ceiling level (NI3 ), allowing a user of said master device (MAST) to select data among said information, 0 - hierarchical determination means (13), capable of determining information intended for said representation means (11) for one of said current levels as a function of the data selected by a user of said master device (MAST) in at at least one other of said levels, of order lower than the order of said current level, whatever δ said current level distinct from said floor level (NU), - and representation sharing means (14) intended to cause representation in said slave device (SLAV) of at least one of said levels, said anticipation level, of order higher than the order of the highest order level represented in said master device (MAST) and 0 distinct from the ceiling level (NI3), said level control, characterized in that: - the representation means (11) are capable of representing at least two of said levels (NI2, NI3) distinct from said floor level (NU) in said slave device (SLAV), and are provided for simultaneously representing at least two of said levels (NI) in respectively said master device (MAST) and said slave device (SLAV), - and the representation sharing means (14) are provided to cause the representation of at least one anticipation level of order less than the order of the ceiling level (NI3) .0 2. Access control device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that said representation sharing means (14) are capable of causing representation in said apparatus slave (SLAV) of said anticipation level as soon as said representation means (11) δ represent said control level in said master device (MAST), for at least one order of said anticipation level lower than T order of the ceiling level (NI3).

3. Access control device * (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said representation sharing means (14) are capable of causing the representation in said slave device (SLAV) of said level of anticipation by specifying contents of said anticipation level as a function of positions of a user of said master device (MAST) in said control level. 6 4. Access control device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said representation sharing means (14) are capable of causing representation in said slave device (SLAV) of said level of anticipation by specifying default contents of said level of anticipation as a function of said level of control. δ. Access control device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said representation sharing means (14) are capable of causing the representation 5 in said slave device (SLAV) of at least the levels d 'immediately higher order and higher order of two units to the order of the level of control represented in said master apparatus (MAST), for at least one order of said level of control. 0 6. Access control device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said representation means (11) are provided for representing in said master device (MAST), said current level of information formed by the information determined by said hierarchical determination means (13), as soon as said selection means (12) are activated for the order level immediately below said current level, whatever said current level distinct from said ceiling level (NI3).

7. Access control device (1) “according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said representation means (11) are capable of representing at least one of said levels of information (NU, NI2) in said device master (MAST) and in said slave device (SLAV), with more details of representation in said slave device (SLAV) than in said master device (MAST). δ 8. Access control device (1) according to any previous claims, characterized in that it comprises: - means for receiving (17) information from said database (δ) intended for said master (MAST) and slave0 (SLAV) devices, - and filtering means (18) of said information, capable of selecting for each of said devices (MAST, SLAV) from said received information, the information intended to form said current levels of represented information, δ 9. Elective distribution device ( 2) information from a database (5) to at least two audiovisual devices (MAST, SLAV), said information being intended to be represented in said devices, 0 characterized in that said elective distribution device (2) comprises said hierarchical determination means (13) and said representation sharing means (14) of an access control device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 6 10. Elective representation device (3 , 4) information from a database (δ) in an audiovisual device (MAST, SLAV), characterized in that said elective representation device (3, 4) comprises said m associated reception (17), filtering (18) and representation (11) means; to said device (MAST, SLAV) as well as said representation sharing means (14), of an access control device (1) according to claim 8.

11. Audiovisual apparatus (MAST, SLAV), characterized in that it comprises an elective representation device (3, 4) in accordance with claim 6, said apparatus being preferably chosen from a television set, a personal digital assistant and a personal computer .

12. Method for controlling access to information in a database (δ) by means of at least two audiovisual devices 0 (MAST, SLAV), at least one of said devices, called master device (MAST), being capable of '' send order instructions to at least one other of said devices, called slave device (SLAV), said method comprising the following steps: - representation in said devices (MAST, SLAV) of at least three hierarchical levels (NU, NI2, NI3) of information from the database ( δ), classified in ascending order from a floor level (NU) to a ceiling level (NI3), at least two of said levels (NU, NI2) distinct from said ceiling level (NI3) being represented in said master device (MAST), - selection in each of said levels (NU, NI2) distinct from the ceiling level (NI3), allowing a user of said master device

(MAST) to select data from said information, - determination of the information intended to be represented for one of said current levels as a function of the data selected by a user of said master device (MAST) in at least one other of said levels, of lower order in order of said current level, whatever said current level distinct from said floor level (NU), - and representation sharing, including the representation in said slave device (SLAV) of at least one of said levels, called anticipation level, of order higher than the order of the highest order level represented in said master device (MAST) and distinct from the ceiling level (NI3), said control level, characterized in that: - said representation applies in said device slave (SLAV) at at least two of said levels (NI2, NI3) distinct from said floor level (NU) and includes the simultaneous representation of at least two of said levels (NI) in respectively said master device (MAST) and said slave device (SLAV), - and said representation sharing includes the representation of at least one anticipation level of order lower than the order of the ceiling level

(NI3) said access control method being preferably intended to be implemented by means of an access control device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8. δ 13. A method of elective distribution of information of '' a database (δ) with at least two audiovisual devices (MAST, SLAV), said information being intended to be represented in said devices, characterized in that said elective distribution method0 comprises said steps of hierarchical determination and sharing of Representation of an access control method according to claim 12, said elective distribution method being preferably implemented by means of an elective distribution device (2) according to claim 6.

14. Computer program product, characterized in that it comprises program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the access control method according to claim 12 when said program is executed on a computer.

1δ. Computer program product, characterized in that it includes program code instructions for implementing the means (11, 13, 14, 17, 18) of one of the devices (2, 3, 4) of claims 9 and 10 when said program is executed on a computer.