WO2018172693A1

WO2018172693A1 - Method for broadcasting data using a device for transmitting data by light modulation producing a light beam

Info

Publication number: WO2018172693A1
Application number: PCT/FR2018/050676
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christophe Cutullic; Micheline Perrufel; Philippe Dussaume
Original assignee: Orange
Priority date: 2017-03-24
Filing date: 2018-03-20
Publication date: 2018-09-27
Also published as: FR3064434A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for broadcasting data (DT), implemented by a processor, by light modulation producing a light beam with a colour (CL) chosen from a set of colours, characterised in that the colour (CL) of the beam produced is chosen according to the data (DT) broadcast.

Description

Method of broadcasting data by means of a light modulation data transmission device producing a light beam

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to the field of data communications transmitted by modulation of light producing a light beam.

State of the art

Significant progress has been made for several years in the field of wireless communications. In particular, connection standards such as 4G, Wifi, Wimax or Bluetooth allow users to access all kinds of online services with a very good quality of service. These technologies rely on the use of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit the data.

Today we are seeing the emergence of technologies; in particular, transmission devices make it possible to transmit high-speed data by modulation of the visible or invisible light emitted by luminaires such as, for example, LED (light emitting diode) or light emitting diode (LED) lamps. Li Fi (Light Fidelity) is an example of a wireless communication standard based on the use of visible or near-visible light.

These transmission technologies have many advantages. They make it possible, by taking advantage of the many lighting points installed in homes, offices, transport or public places, to multiply the network access points without the risk of frequency saturation in the electromagnetic spectrum. They are also of interest for safety because the coverage area is visible to the naked eye and limited to the lighting zone. Thus, such lamps installed for example above offices in an open space ("open space") ensure in particular that only equipment directly illuminated by these lamps will benefit from the connection.

Today, it is possible to broadcast data dynamically in Li Fi through an LED lamp, to terminals such as personal computer, mobile phone, tablet. In addition, these LED lamps can be colored or color-change (called "RGB") to broadcast Li Fi data in a cone of colored light. The color is selected manually or via a remote control able to communicate with the lamp.

These lamps can be used everywhere, for example in a room of a house to broadcast music, in public places, etc. In a museum for example, a person equipped with a mobile terminal receives along the way in the museum, information data from the lamps.

However, it happens that the data transmitted at a moment by a lamp evolve over time. For example, at a given moment, the LED lamps broadcast data relating to a given theme, for example the theme of optics; and at a later time, the same data lamps broadcast data on another theme, for example data relating to a game. The number of lamps associated with a theme is sometimes substantial; it is imaginable to order a change of colors of the lamps one by one to make appear a new course on a new theme, the theme of the game in our example.

One solution is to use the same color regardless of the theme of the course. In this configuration, a user can not know that the topic related to the data being disseminated has changed and that data related to a new theme is being disseminated.

The invention

The invention improves the situation.

For this purpose, according to a functional aspect, the subject of the invention is a data diffusion method, implemented by a processor, by light modulation producing a light beam with a selected color in a set of colors, characterized in that the color of the produced beam is selected according to the scattered data.

Thus, the invention proposes to couple the scattered data and the color of the light beam. The color of the product beam indicates a type of data being broadcast. The invention thus makes it possible, by selecting a light color according to the scattered data, to automate the change of color of light emitted by a set of transmission devices. Users viewing the light beams are then aware of this change through the change of color. It will be seen later that the change in question is related inter alia to the type of data and / or type of users, etc.

According to a particular mode of implementation of the invention, a synchronization is ensured between the diffusion of the data and the production of the beam with the chosen color. This allows to broadcast the data with a color simultaneously. This mode makes it possible in particular to start and / or close the broadcast of the data and the broadcast color at the same time.

According to another particular mode of implementation of the invention, which can be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous one, the data can be associated with a given type (text type document, a MPEG type image, a content video type, etc.). In this configuration, the color is determined based on the data type. In this way, a user knows what type of data is broadcast by the transmission device by the color used for the broadcast; moreover, if the color changes, the user infers that the data type has changed. The user knows if the data is related to a video, text, etc. In the case of music, the color chosen may give an indication of the musical style (also called musical genre) such as classical music, rock music, etc. The chosen color can also be linked to the author of the work being broadcast (eg Mozart); if the music is interspersed with commercials, a specific broadcast color may be broadcast accordingly. According to another particular embodiment of the invention, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous ones, the data may also be associated with a type of user (adult, hearing impaired, etc.); in this configuration, the color is determined according to the type of users. In this way, a user, whether adult, hearing-impaired, etc., knows how to direct the transmission device (s), especially when there are several transmission devices in the same space.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous ones, the correspondence is obtained by semantic analysis of the data to be broadcast; and by determining, on the basis of the result of the analysis, a color identifier to be used for the light scattering. This mode automates the determination of the color to use. According to a material aspect, the invention relates to a data broadcasting system by means of a light modulation data transmission device producing a light beam with a color chosen from a set of colors, characterized in that it comprises a module able to control the production of a beam with a color chosen according to the data to be broadcast.

According to one embodiment, the broadcasting system comprises a synchronization module able to synchronize the data diffusion and the production of a beam with a color linked to the data.

According to another particular mode of implementation of the invention, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous ones, the system comprises a database storing correspondences between data capable of being broadcast and respective light colors. to use for dissemination.

According to another particular mode of implementation of the invention, which can be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous, includes a database storing matches between given user types and respective light colors to be used for the broadcast.

According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a light modulation data transmission device producing a light beam with a color chosen from a set of colors, characterized in that it comprises a synchronization module able to require broadcasting with a chosen color according to the data to be broadcast.

According to another material aspect, the invention also relates to a computer program comprising code instructions which, when the program is executed by a processor, performs the process steps defined above. Such a program can use any programming language. It can be downloaded from a communication network and / or saved on a computer-readable medium. According to yet another material aspect, the invention relates to a recording medium readable by a data processor on which is recorded a program comprising program code instructions for performing the steps of the method defined above.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The figures: FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a broadcasting system according to one embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 represents an example of steps implemented in the context of a method within the meaning of the invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a device adapted for implementing the broadcasting method according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of an exemplary embodiment illustrating the invention Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a SYS system including a light modulated DI SP data transmission device for broadcasting DT data. Such a device DI SP is equipped with a digital encoder MOD which allows it to receive DT data and modulate them. Specifically, electrical pulses from a power source SRC (shown in Figure 2) are received by the DI SP device and are converted into light pulses. A transmission device DI SP generally comprises an LP lamp including LEDs that simultaneously emit the same light beam by switching off and on (changing intensity) at a very high frequency (beyond the retinal persistence).

MOB and PC terminals placed under the light beam can then decode the data thus received. For this, the terminals are equipped for example with a photodetector coupled to an integrated digital demodulator. The DI SP transmission device includes a color controller

CC associated with the LP lamp; this DC controller makes it possible to control a selected light scattering color in a set of available colors.

In our example, the modulator MOD is of type LiFi.

Also, some LED lamps, for example an LED type RGB (Red Green Blue), offers a choice of colors for the diffusion of light. This type of LED lamps, compatible with the LiFi standard (see LiFi standard), is composed of three types of LEDs: red / green / blue. The variation of the intensity of these three types of LEDs independently of each other will make it possible to control the diffusion color offering a wide range of colors.

The invention is not limited to the type of LiFi modulator and LED lamps mentioned above, but extends to any type of lamp capable of broadcasting data and offering multiple colors possible for the dissemination of data. According to the invention, a correlation, or association, is made between the data broadcast by the lamp and the color of the data broadcast.

According to one embodiment, with reference to FIG. 1, the solution implements a reference database REF and a control device Dsync called synchronization device.

The database called data / color REF repository (DT / CL) comprising a list of data that can be broadcast, with for each data type the associated color. This list can be stored in a database, a file, an application; its storage location may be local to the transmission device DI SP or out of the latter for example in a device of a communication network (not shown) with which the transmission device DI SP can communicate. This REF repository can be created beforehand by data analysis or on the fly by semantic analysis.

The function of the synchronization device Dsync is to control the diffusion of a color and to synchronize the production of a beam with the selected color CL (via the color controller) with the data DT 0 to broadcast in Li Fi (via the module Lifi). Or, if the lamp is already broadcasting data with a given color, the synchronization device Dsync synchronizes the color change, if necessary, with the new data to be broadcast. In this case, a user sees that the color has changed and therefore deduces that the data (the type of data, the type of users to whom the data are intended, etc.) have changed.

In FIG. 1, it has been chosen to place the reference frame REF and the synchronization device DSync outside the device DI SP; however, the invention is not limited to this configuration; other configurations are possible. For example, the repository and / or the synchronization device may be placed in the transmission device DI SP.

The system also includes a GST event handler that will trigger the sending of a pair (data / color identifier) to the device synchronization. The color identifier can be any; it can be a binary data interpretable by the color controller CC.

The location of this GST event handler is also arbitrary. In our example, with reference to FIG. 1, the GST event handler is located in the REF repository.

Figure 2 shows a sequence of steps illustrating one embodiment.

With reference to FIG. 2, the GST event handler transmits a DT / CL pair during a first step E1. The DT data is for example a multimedia content.

Then, the synchronization device Dsync receives the torque during a second step E2.

In a third step E3, the synchronization device DSync then transmits the data DT to the modem MOD and an identifier of the color CL to be used for the broadcast of this data DT to the color controller CC. The synchronization device DSync further functions to synchronize the restitution of the data with the desired color light scattering. According to one possible variant, the synchronization device synchronizes the start and / or end time of the transmission of the data with the production of colored light so that the start / end time of the data broadcast coincide with the moment of beginning / end of the diffusion of the colored light.

In a fourth step E4, the LP lamp broadcasts DT data with the associated CL color.

At this point, a user viewing the LP lamp can derive information about the data with the color of the light.

The possible applications of the invention are multiple.

The invention can for example be implemented in a museum in which several DI SP transmission devices are installed. So, depending data (type, nature) or target (user type), a color will be selected accordingly. A target is for example an age category, a child category or an adult category, hearing impaired, etc. The color of the lamps will vary over time depending on the data broadcast. For example, during a day, a game can be provided spontaneously on a transmission device DI SP. A color can be dedicated to the game so that users see the color change; suppose this color is the green color. At a time t, the game is broadcast by a transmission device DI SP and the color turns green. The visitors see this color of diffusion, approaches the transmission device and can at that moment play the game (for example a quiz) in relation with the diffused data.

In the case of music, the chosen color can give an indication of the musical style (also called musical genre) such as classical music, rock music, etc. The chosen color can also be linked to the author of the work being broadcast (eg Mozart); if the music is interspersed with commercials, a specific color may be broadcast accordingly.

The invention can also be implemented in a shop. To do this, items in the shop are linked to a transmission device. Special events (flash sales, sales, etc.) can be planned; in this configuration, at the scheduled time, data is transmitted to one or more transmission devices that will broadcast a light associated with the data related to a particular event. A customer viewing the transmission device DI SP, notes the change of color; the latter can at this time approach the device and receive the broadcast data; for example, they inform a flash sale of a given duration on the product concerned.

The data representative of the color, hereinafter referred to as color identifier, may have several origins. In the example described above, this color identifier is stored in the repository in association with a given, multimedia content for example. This color identifier can be determined before the data is broadcast or in real time at the time of the broadcast. For example, synchronization device selects a color based on keywords included in the data to be broadcast. These can contain one or more keywords such as "flash sale". Having identified the key word (s), the synchronization device Dsync is able to define a color identifier and to request a diffusion with the color concerned.

If the data is representative of a radio program; semantic analysis can be done in real time.

FIG. 3 illustrates a transmission device DI SP adapted for the implementation of another embodiment than that described with reference to FIG. 1. This other mode illustrates a configuration in which the transmission device DI SP includes the synchronization device Dsync. The transmission device DI SP notably comprises a memory

MEM, a processing unit UT, equipped for example with a PFD processor, and driven by the computer program PG stored in MEM memory. The PG computer program includes instructions for implementing the steps of the management method and the broadcast method as described above, when the program is executed by the PFIC processor.

At initialization, the code instructions of the computer program PG are for example loaded into a memory FiAM (not shown in the diagram) before being executed by the processor PROC. The processor PROC of the processing unit UT implements, in particular, the steps of the broadcasting method described with reference to FIG. 3 according to the instructions of the computer program PG.

For this purpose, the transmission device DI SP comprises a communication interface COM adapted to send or receive notifications to or from the reference frame REF according to the instructions of the computer program PG. In Alternatively, the reference REF can of course be included in the transmission device DI SP.

The device further comprises the DC color controller and the Li Fi type modulator. Finally the DI SP device is electrically powered via a SRC power source.

In the present text, the term module may correspond to a software component as well as a hardware component or a set of hardware and software components, a software component corresponding to one or more computer programs or subprograms. 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 set (or hardware) able to implement a function or a set of functions for the module concerned (integrated circuit, smart card, memory card, etc. .).

Claims

claims

A method of data diffusion (DT), implemented by a processor, by modulation of light producing a light beam with a color (CL) selected from a set of colors, characterized in that the color (CL) of the beam product is chosen based on the disseminated data (DT).

2. Broadcast method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a synchronization of the data diffusion and the beam production with the chosen color.

3. Broadcasting method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data are associated with a given type, and in that the color (CL) is determined according to the type of data.

4. Broadcasting method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the data are associated with a type of users, and in that the color is determined according to the type of users.

5. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the correspondence is obtained by semantic analysis of the data, and by determining, on the basis of the result of the analysis, a color identifier to be used for the light scattering.

Data transmission system (SYS) by means of a light-modulation data transmission device (DI SP) producing a light beam with a color chosen from a set of colors, characterized in that it comprises a module (Dsync) capable of controlling the production of a beam with a color chosen according to the data to be broadcast.

7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the module (Dsync) is adapted to synchronize the dissemination of data and the production of the beam with the chosen color.

. System according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a database (REF) storing matches between respective data types and light colors to be used for broadcasting.

. System according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a database storing matches between given user types and respective light colors to be used for broadcasting.

0. Data transmission device (DI SP) by modulation of light producing a light beam with a chosen color in a set of colors, characterized in that it comprises a module (Dsync) able to control the production of a beam with a color chosen according to the data to be broadcast.

1. a computer program (PG) capable of being implemented in a system (SYS) as defined in claim 6, said program comprising code instructions which, when the program is executed by a processor (PRO), realize the steps of the process defined in claim 1.