EP1869885A1 - Apparatus and method for managing services received in a local area network - Google Patents

Apparatus and method for managing services received in a local area network

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Publication number
EP1869885A1
EP1869885A1 EP06725703A EP06725703A EP1869885A1 EP 1869885 A1 EP1869885 A1 EP 1869885A1 EP 06725703 A EP06725703 A EP 06725703A EP 06725703 A EP06725703 A EP 06725703A EP 1869885 A1 EP1869885 A1 EP 1869885A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
request
service
services
digital
distribution
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP06725703A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Jean-Baptiste Henry
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
THOMSON LICENSING
Original Assignee
Thomson Licensing SAS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thomson Licensing SAS filed Critical Thomson Licensing SAS
Publication of EP1869885A1 publication Critical patent/EP1869885A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/436—Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
    • H04N21/43615—Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/436—Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
    • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of digital television and more specifically to its distribution in the home.
  • the broadcasting of digital television services via satellite, cable or even the radio channel is now common, the distribution of these same services via a home network is in its infancy. Solutions for home distribution of these digital TV services over IP networks should be offered.
  • the architecture currently envisaged uses a broadcast gateway to receive broadcast multimedia services and their redistribution within the home via a home network.
  • This gateway will have one or more reception modules, called “tuner” in the jargon. It can be cable, satellite, radio or other receptions modules.
  • the broadcast gateway will be in charge of distributing these services on the home network. It can do this by using, for example, the DVB-IP ("Digital Video Broadcasting over IP Infrastructures") standard, documented in "DVB-IP Phase 1 Handbook Specifications" available from ETSI under the ETSI TS 102.034 v1.1.1 reference. ).
  • a receiving module may connect to a transport stream containing a multiplex and extract one or more services. Once one of the reception modules is configured to receive one of the multiplexes in view of the distribution of a service contained in this multiplex to one of the clients of the home network, it will no longer be possible, at least in using this receiving module, receive a service belonging to another of the available multiplexes without interrupting the reception of the current service.
  • the limited number of reception modules therefore entails constraints on the choice of services at a given moment, among all the services available, offered to a user according to the choices made by the other users of the system.
  • a mode of diffusion on the ADSL line makes it possible to overcome the problem of the multiplexes (namely each service is theoretically accessible at every moment) but imposes others, typically the bandwidth of the link which makes it possible to broadcast simultaneously a number of services.
  • a link at 15 Mbit / s may support three services at 4 Mbit / s or only one at 14 Mbit / s.
  • the aim of the invention is to define a method of managing the access to services available within a system comprising clients accessing services broadcast within multiplexes via a limited number of reception modules.
  • the invention also relates to an apparatus managing the reception of the services according to the proposed method.
  • the invention relates to a method for selecting digital services by a device called a client connected to a local network, said local network comprising an apparatus called a distribution gateway, said distribution gateway having digital service receiving means as well as means for distribution on the local network of the services received, comprising at least the following steps at the client level: - the reception of a list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway;
  • the priority level associated with the request is a priority level relative to the user at the origin of the request on the client.
  • the priority level associated with the request is a priority level relative to the device at the origin of the request on the client.
  • the method further comprises a step of displaying the list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway specifying for each service whether it can be selected according to the relative priority level to the customer's user.
  • the method further comprises a step of displaying the list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway specifying for each service whether it can be selected according to the relative priority level to the client device.
  • the request also comprises a reservation mode of the reception means.
  • the reservation mode comprises a mode in which access to a tuner is exclusive.
  • the reservation mode comprises a mode in which access to a service is exclusive or a mode in which access to a service is authorized for at least a second client of the services transported. on the same transport stream as well as the service reserved by the customer.
  • the invention also relates to a request service method by an apparatus called a distribution gateway connected to a local network, said distribution gateway having means for receiving digital services as well as distribution means for the digital services received on the local network.
  • an apparatus called a distribution gateway connected to a local network said distribution gateway having means for receiving digital services as well as distribution means for the digital services received on the local network.
  • devices called clients connected to the local network comprising at least the following steps:
  • the method further comprises, in case of inability of the gateway to serve the request due to the service of at least one preceding request, a step of choosing the request to be privileged between the received request and the at least one previous request, according to the priority level included in the request.
  • the requests furthermore comprise a reservation level of the reception means, the step of choosing the request to be privileged between the received request and the at least one preceding request is also done in according to this level of reservation.
  • the invention also relates to a client device connectable to a local area network comprising means for receiving a digital service list from a digital service distribution apparatus having digital service receiving means, reception means for receiving digital services.
  • digital services means for sending a request requesting the distribution of at least one digital service among the digital services of a list of received services, characterized in that the means for sending a request requesting the distribution at least one digital service among the digital services of a list of received services further comprises means for including in the request a priority level.
  • the apparatus further comprises means for including in the request a reservation mode of the receiving means of the dispensing apparatus.
  • the invention also relates to a device for distributing digital services on a local area network comprising means for receiving digital services, means for sending a client of the local network a list of digital services accessible by the device, means for receiving a request requesting the distribution of at least one of the accessible services, characterized in that, in case of the inability of the gateway to serve the request due to the service of at least one previous request, the device further has means for choosing the request to be preferred between the received request and the at least one previous request, depending on the priority level included in the request.
  • FIG. 1 represents the overall architecture of an exemplary embodiment of the invention in its operating environment.
  • FIG. 2 represents the hardware architecture of an apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 3 shows a block diagram of an apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 4 shows the architecture of services and customers in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • broadcast will be reserved for conventional broadcasting of digital services via satellite, cable or radio or other means, while the term distribution will be reserved for the distribution of services on an IP network.
  • the exemplary embodiment of the invention is based on an apparatus, called a distribution gateway, which makes it possible to receive a first traditional digital service broadcasting service and make it accessible on a local network, for example a network. IP.
  • This device is equipped with a receiving module called a tuner to receive a broadcast type satellite, cable, digital radio or other.
  • This device is also able to provide on the local network information on the services offered by the broadcast to bring to the attention of the user the service offering.
  • the distribution gateway transmits on the IP network the service broadcast in the same manner as an IP service distribution server. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the integration of this functionality can be done at various points of the local network and within various devices of this network.
  • Each service will be distributed by one or more servers using a multipoint distribution address.
  • a service provider There are many ways for a service provider to bring its offer to the attention of users.
  • the receiver In the user, the receiver must, first of all, become aware of the services and addresses to which they are distributed. He builds a list that he can then propose to the user who will select the service he wants to receive. The receiver will then send a subscription request to the distribution address used by the service. This subscription request goes cause the configuration of intermediate routing devices between the server and the receivers. These will route the data packets constituting the stream including the service from the server to the receiver.
  • the receiver When the user wants to stop receiving the service, the receiver will send an unsubscribe request to the address and will stop receiving the packets.
  • DVB-IP Digital Video Broadcasting over IP Infrastructures
  • DVB-IP Phase 1 Handbook Specifications available from ETSI under the ETSI TS 102.034 v1.1.1 reference.
  • Figure 1 illustrates the overall architecture of an exemplary embodiment of the invention in its operating environment. It shows a local network over IP, referenced 1.3, connecting on the one hand customers, referenced 1.4 to 1.6, to an IP service distribution network.
  • clients the device for receiving a digital data stream containing a service from an IP network.
  • This device is the device that will be able to receive and decode the stream over IP.
  • This device will generally be an IP decoder that will be equipped with an IP network interface and a demultiplexer for isolating the data packets corresponding to a service, then a decoder capable of decoding the different elementary streams constituting the service. and finally analog digital converters to create the analog signals that will be transmitted to a screen, speakers or other to restore the service.
  • This unit can also be a digital TV incorporating all these functions directly.
  • the distribution gateway is constructed as a device in itself, referenced 1.2, connected on the one hand to the local IP network and having a reception module connected to a satellite antenna, referenced 1.1.
  • This receiving module is a satellite module in the exemplary embodiment, but could be a cable, radio or other reception module insofar as it allows the reception of digital data streams, typically DVB ("Digital Video Broadcast" in English).
  • Figure 2 for its part illustrates the hardware architecture of the distribution gateway, referenced 2.2, of the exemplary embodiment.
  • This gateway is connected to the IP network, referenced 2.5, via a network interface, referenced 2.9. It has a receiving module, referenced 2.3 and generally called tuner in the jargon of the skilled person.
  • This tuner makes it possible to receive signals from the satellite and picked up by the satellite antenna referenced 2.1.
  • This tuner can be tuned to a given frequency, pick up the signal transmitted at that frequency and reconstruct the digital data packets contained in this signal.
  • These packets constituting the received digital data stream are then processed by a packet filter, referenced 2.8 and generally called demux in the jargon of those skilled in the art.
  • This filter or demux can be programmed to extract from the stream packets meeting certain criteria such as the value of certain fields in the header of the packets.
  • This demux is used, in particular, to extract a given service from the stream or to select information on the service offering that is contained in the stream. This offer information is generally referred to as service information by those skilled in the art.
  • modules interact under the control of software stored in the read-only memory, referenced 2.6, of the device. These services are loaded into the RAM, referenced 2.7, in view of an execution by the processor, referenced 2.4. The details of the main software programs used in the operation of the distribution gateway are described below.
  • FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention.
  • the gateway referenced 3.2, connected to the IP network, referenced 3.5, and to the satellite antenna referenced 3.1.
  • the interactions between the local network clients and the distribution gateway will be managed by a command interpreter, referenced 3.6.
  • This command interpreter will receive commands or requests from clients via the network interface, which is symbolized by the arrow referenced 3.11. For the execution of these commands, this interpreter will have to control the tuner, arrow 3.13. He will also have to control the demux, arrow 3.15 and the player of flow, referenced 3.4 arrow 3.18 which will redistribute on the IP network the previously selected service.
  • the tuner Under the direction of the command interpreter 3.6, the tuner will receive a stream of digital data packets that will be sent, arrow 3.16, to the demux. This one will filter, for example, packets belonging to to a service. These packets are sent to the stream player, arrow 3.17, which is responsible for sending this stream of data packets over the IP network. This sending, arrow 3.19, on the IP network can be done, for example, via the RTP protocol ("Real Time Transport Protocol" in English) as recommended by the DVB-IP standard.
  • the service manager referenced 3.7, will be in charge of managing the service information, that is to say, information on the accessible service offering. This management will be done under the control of the shell, for example.
  • the service manager will receive at the output of the demux, arrow 3.14, the signaling information contained in the stream and will be able to build the list of available services that it can provide on request, arrow 3.12, to the requesting client on the IP network, arrow 3.10.
  • the management of the available services is detailed below.
  • the distribution gateway performs the following tasks during its initialization.
  • the tuner is started and put in a state where it is ready to receive commands.
  • This tuner is a common tuner of the type found in satellite or cable or wireless decoders. It is therefore able to perform the usual tasks of a tuner. Among which we can mention the function of course of a range of frequencies in search of those used for the diffusion of a flow of service. The function of tuning to a given frequency using a given polarization, a given modulation, and all the current parameters.
  • the tuner will also be able to provide the stream of digital data packets transmitted on said frequency.
  • the list of services that can be received by the tuner is built.
  • a broadcast link is organized as follows. The link is generally shared by several broadcasters. Each broadcaster offers a set of digital services, for example audio and / or video in the form of a set of services. These sets are broadcast by one or more transport streams. As a first step, it is common to build the list of broadcasters who share the broadcast link. In a second step we build the list of transport flows used and finally we can build the list of services contained in these flows. Specifically, in DVB, each broadcaster is identified by a unique identifier, the network identifier ("network id") and the information about it can be found in a table, the network information table. or NIT (Network Information Table). This table is normally found in each transport stream and contains, among other things, the list of flows used by each broadcaster.
  • network id Network identifier
  • DVB triplet the list of elementary audio and video stream identifiers (PID for "Program Identifier").
  • Additional service information may be available in the stream according to the DVB-SI standard specification for "Service Information" in English.
  • One way to do this is to browse the range of frequencies potentially used to detect those used to send streams. Whenever a flow is detected, the relevant information is extracted to build the list of available services. This is a usual function of tuners. This procedure is long and monopolizes the tuner that can not be used for receiving services during this time. It is also possible to build the list of available services according to a configuration file stored in the distribution gateway for example or elsewhere on the local network. This file can be in XML or other format.
  • the XML format has the advantage of being the format retained by the DVB-IP standard for the coding of the service information during the distribution of DVB services over an IP network. This way of doing things is much faster, but presents the risk of the obsolescence of the information stored in relation to the reality of the services broadcast.
  • This standard proposes to consider the list of IP services as a collection of objects. Each of these objects has, among others, the following information: an identifier which can for example be the DVB triplet, a service name, the service identifiers (PID) of the elementary audio and video streams of the service, the multipoint distribution address to which the service is distributed.
  • This list will be made accessible to the customers via, for example an HTTP request ("Hyper Text Transport Protocol" in English).
  • FIG. 4 illustrates how services are distributed to clients.
  • the clients referenced 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6, are connected to a local network referenced 4.3.
  • a distribution gateway not shown with a tuner.
  • This tuner makes it possible to receive p transport stream, referenced M1, M2 and Mp. These are the available p streams.
  • M1, M2 and Mp are the available p streams.
  • Each of its streams is distributed, for example, by a satellite transponder on a given frequency.
  • the tuner is able to calibrate itself on a frequency allowing it to receive the transport stream transmitted at this frequency. At a given moment, the tuner can therefore receive only one transport stream among the available streams.
  • Each transport stream contains a number, say n, of services.
  • the distribution of an IP service is done using the RTP real-time transport protocol.
  • a customer wishes to receive a distributed RTP stream in multipoint distribution, it sends a subscription request called "join" in English on the multipoint distribution address. This request is interpreted by the routing devices between the server and the client to distribute the packets sent by the server to the client. This works well in a context where the server constantly plays the service.
  • DVB-IP proposes the use of a request RTSP ("Real Time Streaming Protocol" in English) to inform a server that one of its services is requested by a client.
  • This command is known as the command "connect"("setup” in English).
  • the use of this "connect” command is used to allow the distribution gateway to manage the distribution of services.
  • a "teardown" command will be sent when a customer stops being interested in receiving a service.
  • These commands include a reference that allows the gateway to identify the service involved in the command. Let's first describe the selection of a first service by a first client. The client requests and builds the list of all available services.
  • a "connects" command is sent to the gateway and is interpreted by the command interpreter to block the tuner on the stream containing the requested service.
  • the demux is programmed to filter within the stream the requested service, this service will therefore be played by the stream player on the network at the distribution address that has been assigned. The customer by subscribing to this distribution address will therefore be able to receive the requested service.
  • the gateway needs to know which customers have requested the reception of a service that it plays on the network so that it can interrupt the distribution of a service when no more customers are interested in its reception. .
  • One way to do this is to manage, for each service played, a list of customers who have received a command "connected" for this service. So on receipt of a command "connects" and provided that this command can be satisfied, we will see that this is not always the case, the customer at the origin of the order is added to the list of customers requesting the receipt of this service. The customer will be removed when the Distribution Gateway will receive a "stop" order from this customer regarding this service.
  • the tuner is set to the frequency transmitting the corresponding transport stream.
  • a second user requests a second service
  • It can be the same service, in which case the second user benefits from the distribution of the service.
  • It can also be a service transported within the same transport stream as the first service.
  • a simple programming of the demux makes it possible to extract the two services of the received stream and to distribute them on the internal network.
  • a conflict occurs when the second service is broadcast on a different transport stream than the first service.
  • the reception of the second service involves stalling the tuner on the frequency of the second transport stream. So we see that the reception of the second service is exclusive of the reception of the first.
  • a first mode determines an exclusive access of the tuner. In this mode, once the user has received the service, no other user can use the tuner. That is, no one will be able to receive a service even transported on the same transport stream using the tuner.
  • a second mode determines exclusive access to the service. In this mode, a second user will be allowed to receive another service carried by the same transport stream but not the first service reserved by the first user.
  • a third mode referred to as a "shared” mode, will allow access to a second user of the services transported on the same transport stream as well as the service reserved by the first user.
  • a fourth mode called “guest mode” will be the mode in which the second user can book a service carried by a transport stream already received by a first user in "my-service” mode or "shared” mode.
  • a fifth mode referred to as a "no reservation" mode, will be the mode in which no particular reservation is requested.
  • This reservation system allows the user to indicate in detail how a user wishes to share the service that he requests but does not prevent any conflict between users. It is therefore possible to mix the priority system already described and the reservation system so as to resolve conflicts that may occur in this system.
  • the tuner To enable the construction of a list of accessible service information and associated reservation status, the tuner must provide the following information:
  • the gateway does not keep the information of who booked what. In this case, it just checks that the reservation level and the selection action is valid to accept it. It will then be the responsibility of the application on the client to manage the priorities and modes of reservation. This way of doing things simplifies the development of the broadcast gateway.
  • a gateway containing several tuners will distinguish these different tuners and provide the customer several lists of accessible services. The client will decide whether to unify them or not at the level of the user interface that he offers. Another possibility is the gateway that manages a single list by gathering the information of each tuner.
  • Selecting a program will cause a command to be sent from the client to the gateway containing the service identifier, the reservation level if the reservation mechanism is used, and the priority level of the user.
  • the exemplary embodiment of the invention describes the situation of a tuner allowing the reception of a multiplex, but the invention can also be generalized in the case of a reception module of streams sent on an IP network where the The limit will no longer be the transmission frequency of the transport streams but the bandwidth between the broadcast gateway and the service broadcast servers.
  • physical limits generally constrain the number of services that can be received simultaneously in relation to all services. accessible. It is therefore possible to apply the invention to all types of service delivery mode.
  • priority levels and reservation modes described are examples and other policies for applying priority levels and other reservation modes can be defined without departing from the invention.
  • the policy applied to resolve a conflict between users with the same priority is free, it is possible to apply a rule of first come first served or on the contrary last arrived first served or any other policy without leaving the scope of the invention.
  • the exemplary embodiment describes the distribution of services via an IP network within the home, but it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention operates in the same way regardless of the service distribution network behind the gateway. of diffusion. It can be a home network according to the IEEE 1394 standard or any other type of network for distributing multimedia services.
  • the invention is generalized to all cases where a plurality of users use a resource for access to a plurality of accesses and where this access resource has limitations in the number of services that it can provide. users simultaneously among all the services to which it gives access.

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for managing access to reception services of a gateway distributing services within a local area network. The gateway comprises means for receiving digital services and the capacity to distribute over the local area network to clients the services received. It consists in using levels of priority among the users and modes for booking services to manage the conflicts.

Description

APPAREIL ET PROCEDE DE GESTION DES SERVICES REÇUS AU SEIN APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SERVICES RECEIVED IN THE BREAST
D'UN RESEAU LOCALA LOCAL NETWORK
1. Domaine de l'invention. La présente invention concerne le domaine de la télévision numérique et plus précisément sa distribution dans le domicile. La diffusion de services de télévision numérique via le satellite, le câble ou même le canal hertzien est maintenant courante, la distribution de ces mêmes services via un réseau domestique en est à ses débuts. Il convient de proposer des solutions permettant la distribution au sein du foyer de ces services de télévision numérique sur des réseaux IP.1. Field of the invention The present invention relates to the field of digital television and more specifically to its distribution in the home. The broadcasting of digital television services via satellite, cable or even the radio channel is now common, the distribution of these same services via a home network is in its infancy. Solutions for home distribution of these digital TV services over IP networks should be offered.
2. Arrière-plan technologique.2. Technological background.
L'architecture aujourd'hui envisagée fait appel à une passerelle de diffusion permettant la réception des services multimédia diffusés et leur redistribution au sein du foyer via un réseau domestique. Cette passerelle possédera un ou plusieurs modules de réceptions, appelés « tuner » dans le jargon. Il peut s'agir de modules de réceptions câble, satellite, hertziens ou autre. La passerelle de diffusion sera en charge de la distribution de ces services sur le réseau domestique. Elle pourra le faire en utilisant par exemple la norme DVB-IP (« Digital Video Broadcasting over IP Infrastructures »), documenté dans « DVB-IP Phase 1 Spécifications Handbook » disponible auprès de l'ETSI sous la référence ETSI TS 102.034 v1.1.1 ).The architecture currently envisaged uses a broadcast gateway to receive broadcast multimedia services and their redistribution within the home via a home network. This gateway will have one or more reception modules, called "tuner" in the jargon. It can be cable, satellite, radio or other receptions modules. The broadcast gateway will be in charge of distributing these services on the home network. It can do this by using, for example, the DVB-IP ("Digital Video Broadcasting over IP Infrastructures") standard, documented in "DVB-IP Phase 1 Handbook Specifications" available from ETSI under the ETSI TS 102.034 v1.1.1 reference. ).
Connectés au réseau domestique, se trouvent un certain nombre de clients pour ces services distribués. On peut y trouver des téléviseurs, des appareils d'enregistrement tels des magnétoscopes ou des PVR (« Personal Video Recorder » en anglais) ou autres.Connected to the home network, there are a number of clients for these distributed services. You can find TVs, recording devices such as VCRs or PVR ("Personal Video Recorder" in English) or others.
Les services sont généralement diffusés groupés et multiplexes au sein de flux de transport de données. Ces flux de transports sont organisés suivant la norme DVB, publiée par l'ETSI (« European Télécommunications Standards Institute »). Cette norme s'appuie sur MPEG, dont on peut trouver les spécifications, entre autres, dans les documents suivants : "MPEG-2 System : ISO/IEC, 1994. Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio : Systems, (MPEG-2 Systems Spécification), November, ISO/IEC 13818- 1" et "MPEG-2 Video : ISO/IEC, 1994. Généric Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio : Video, (MPEG-2 Video Spécification), May, ISO/IEC 13818- 2". En suivant ces normes, les services sont donc regroupés par multiplexe au sein d'un flux de transport. Un module de réception pourra se connecter sur un flux de transport contenant un multiplexe et en extraire un ou plusieurs services. Une fois que l'un des modules de réception sera configuré pour recevoir un des multiplexes en vu de la distribution d'un service contenu dans ce multiplexe à destination d'un des clients du réseau domestique, il ne sera plus possible, du moins à l'aide de ce module de réception, de recevoir un service appartenant à un autre des multiplexes disponibles sans interrompre la réception du service en cours. Le nombre limité de modules de réception entraîne donc des contraintes sur le choix des services à un instant donné, parmi tous les services disponibles, offerts à un utilisateur en fonction des choix effectués par les autres utilisateurs du système.Services are typically broadcast grouped and multiplexed within data transport streams. These transport flows are organized according to the DVB standard published by the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute). This standard is based on MPEG, the specifications of which can be found, inter alia, in the following documents: "MPEG-2 System: ISO / IEC, 1994. Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio: Systems, (MPEG-2 Systems Specification), November, ISO / IEC 13818- 1 "and" MPEG-2 Video: ISO / IEC, 1994. Generic Coding of Moving Pictures and Associated Audio: Video, (MPEG-2 Video Specification), May, ISO / IEC 13818- 2 ". By following these standards, the services are therefore grouped by multiplex within a transport stream. A receiving module may connect to a transport stream containing a multiplex and extract one or more services. Once one of the reception modules is configured to receive one of the multiplexes in view of the distribution of a service contained in this multiplex to one of the clients of the home network, it will no longer be possible, at least in using this receiving module, receive a service belonging to another of the available multiplexes without interrupting the reception of the current service. The limited number of reception modules therefore entails constraints on the choice of services at a given moment, among all the services available, offered to a user according to the choices made by the other users of the system.
D'autres modes de diffusion des services peuvent également apporter des contraintes de même nature sur le choix des services. Par exemple, un mode de diffusion sur la ligne ADSL permet de s'affranchir du problème des multiplexes (à savoir chaque service est théoriquement accessible à chaque instant) mais en impose d'autres, typiquement la largeur de bande du lien qui ne permet de diffuser simultanément qu'un certain nombre de services. Par exemple, un lien à 15 Mbit/s pourra supporter trois services à 4 Mbit/s ou un seul à 14 Mbit/s.Other modes of service diffusion can also bring similar constraints on the choice of services. For example, a mode of diffusion on the ADSL line makes it possible to overcome the problem of the multiplexes (namely each service is theoretically accessible at every moment) but imposes others, typically the bandwidth of the link which makes it possible to broadcast simultaneously a number of services. For example, a link at 15 Mbit / s may support three services at 4 Mbit / s or only one at 14 Mbit / s.
3. Résumé de l'invention.3. Summary of the invention.
L'invention vise à définir une méthode de gestion de l'accès aux services disponibles au sein d'un système comprenant des clients accédant à des services diffusés au sein de multiplexes via un nombre limité de modules de réceptions. L'invention concerne également un appareil gérant la réception des services selon la méthode proposée.The aim of the invention is to define a method of managing the access to services available within a system comprising clients accessing services broadcast within multiplexes via a limited number of reception modules. The invention also relates to an apparatus managing the reception of the services according to the proposed method.
L'invention concerne un procédé de sélection de services numériques par un appareil appelé client connecté à un réseau local, ledit réseau local comprenant un appareil appelé passerelle de distribution, ladite passerelle de distribution possédant des moyens de réception de services numériques ainsi que des moyens de distribution sur le réseau local des services reçus, comprenant au moins les étapes suivantes au niveau du client : - la réception d'une liste de services numériques accessibles par la passerelle de distribution ;The invention relates to a method for selecting digital services by a device called a client connected to a local network, said local network comprising an apparatus called a distribution gateway, said distribution gateway having digital service receiving means as well as means for distribution on the local network of the services received, comprising at least the following steps at the client level: - the reception of a list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway;
- l'envoi d'une requête demandant la réception d'un service de cette liste ; caractérisé en ce que la requête comprend un niveau de priorité associé à la requête.- sending a request to receive a service from this list; characterized in that the request includes a priority level associated with the request.
Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention le niveau de priorité associé à la requête est un niveau de priorité relatif à l'utilisateur à l'origine de la requête sur le client.According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the priority level associated with the request is a priority level relative to the user at the origin of the request on the client.
Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, le niveau de priorité associé à la requête est un niveau de priorité relatif à l'appareil à l'origine de la requête sur le client.According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the priority level associated with the request is a priority level relative to the device at the origin of the request on the client.
Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, le procédé comprend en outre une étape d'affichage de la liste de services numériques accessibles par la passerelle de distribution précisant pour chaque service s'il peut être sélectionné en fonction du niveau de priorité relatif à l'utilisateur du client.According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises a step of displaying the list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway specifying for each service whether it can be selected according to the relative priority level to the customer's user.
Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, le procédé comprend en outre une étape d'affichage de la liste de services numériques accessibles par la passerelle de distribution précisant pour chaque service s'il peut être sélectionné en fonction du niveau de priorité relatif à l'appareil client.According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises a step of displaying the list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway specifying for each service whether it can be selected according to the relative priority level to the client device.
Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, la requête comprend également un mode de réservation des moyens de réception. Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, le mode de réservation comprend un mode dans lequel l'accès à un tuner est exclusif.According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the request also comprises a reservation mode of the reception means. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the reservation mode comprises a mode in which access to a tuner is exclusive.
Selon des modes particuliers de réalisation de l'invention, le mode de réservation comprend un mode dans lequel l'accès à un service est exclusif ou un mode dans lequel l'accès à un service est autorisé pour au moins un second client des services transportés sur le même flux de transport ainsi que du service réservé par le client.According to particular embodiments of the invention, the reservation mode comprises a mode in which access to a service is exclusive or a mode in which access to a service is authorized for at least a second client of the services transported. on the same transport stream as well as the service reserved by the customer.
L'invention concerne également un procédé de service de requêtes par un appareil appelé passerelle de distribution connecté à un réseau local, ladite passerelle de distribution possédant des moyens de réception de services numériques ainsi que des moyens de distribution des services numériques reçus sur le réseau local à destination d'appareils appelés clients connectés au réseau local comprenant au moins les étapes suivantes :The invention also relates to a request service method by an apparatus called a distribution gateway connected to a local network, said distribution gateway having means for receiving digital services as well as distribution means for the digital services received on the local network. to devices called clients connected to the local network comprising at least the following steps:
- envoi de la liste des services numériques disponibles ;- sending the list of available digital services;
- réception d'une requête pour un service numérique comprenant un niveau de priorité ;receiving a request for a digital service comprising a priority level;
- détermination la capacité de la passerelle à servir la requête ; caractérisé en ce que le procédé comprend en outre, en cas d'incapacité de la passerelle à servir la requête due au service d'au moins une requête précédente, une étape de choix de la requête à privilégier entre la requête reçue et la au moins une requête précédente, en fonction du niveau de priorité compris dans la requête.- determining the ability of the gateway to serve the request; characterized in that the method further comprises, in case of inability of the gateway to serve the request due to the service of at least one preceding request, a step of choosing the request to be privileged between the received request and the at least one previous request, according to the priority level included in the request.
Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, les requêtes comprennent en outre un niveau de réservation des moyens de réception, l'étape de choix de la requête à privilégier entre la requête reçue et la au moins une requête précédente se fait également en fonction de ce niveau de réservation.According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the requests furthermore comprise a reservation level of the reception means, the step of choosing the request to be privileged between the received request and the at least one preceding request is also done in according to this level of reservation.
L'invention concerne également un appareil client connectable à un réseau local comprenant des moyens de réception d'une liste de services numérique en provenance d'un appareil de distribution de services numériques possédant des moyens de réception de services numériques, des moyens de réception de services numériques, des moyens d'envoi d'une requête demandant la distribution d'au moins un service numérique parmi les services numériques d'une liste de services reçus, caractérisé en ce que les moyens d'envoi d'une requête demandant la distribution d'au moins un service numérique parmi les services numériques d'une liste de services reçus comprennent en outre des moyens d'inclure dans la requête un niveau de priorité. Selon un mode particulier de réalisation de l'invention, l'appareil comprend en outre des moyens d'inclure dans la requête un mode de réservation des moyens de réception de l'appareil de distribution.The invention also relates to a client device connectable to a local area network comprising means for receiving a digital service list from a digital service distribution apparatus having digital service receiving means, reception means for receiving digital services. digital services, means for sending a request requesting the distribution of at least one digital service among the digital services of a list of received services, characterized in that the means for sending a request requesting the distribution at least one digital service among the digital services of a list of received services further comprises means for including in the request a priority level. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the apparatus further comprises means for including in the request a reservation mode of the receiving means of the dispensing apparatus.
L'invention concerne également un appareil de distribution de services numériques sur un réseau local comprenant des moyens de réception de services numériques, des moyens d'envoi à un client du réseau local d'une liste de services numériques accessibles par l'appareil, des moyens de réception de requête demandant la distribution d'au moins un service parmi les services accessibles, caractérisé en ce que, en cas d'incapacité de la passerelle à servir la requête due au service d'au moins une requête précédente, l'appareil possède en outre des moyens de choix de la requête à privilégier entre la requête reçue et la au moins une requête précédente, en fonction du niveau de priorité compris dans la requête.The invention also relates to a device for distributing digital services on a local area network comprising means for receiving digital services, means for sending a client of the local network a list of digital services accessible by the device, means for receiving a request requesting the distribution of at least one of the accessible services, characterized in that, in case of the inability of the gateway to serve the request due to the service of at least one previous request, the device further has means for choosing the request to be preferred between the received request and the at least one previous request, depending on the priority level included in the request.
4. Liste des figures.4. List of figures.
L'invention sera mieux comprise, et d'autres particularités et avantages apparaîtront à la lecture de la description qui va suivre, la description faisant référence aux dessins annexés parmi lesquels : La figure 1 représente l'architecture globale d'un exemple de réalisation de l'invention dans son environnement de fonctionnement.The invention will be better understood, and other features and advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, the description referring to the appended drawings among which: FIG. 1 represents the overall architecture of an exemplary embodiment of the invention in its operating environment.
La figure 2 représente l'architecture matérielle d'un appareil selon l'exemple de réalisation de l'invention.FIG. 2 represents the hardware architecture of an apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention.
La figure 3 représente un schéma fonctionnel d'un appareil selon l'exemple de réalisation de l'invention.Figure 3 shows a block diagram of an apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention.
La figure 4 représente l'architecture des services et des clients dans un exemple de réalisation de l'invention.Figure 4 shows the architecture of services and customers in an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
5. Description détaillée de l'invention.5. Detailed description of the invention.
Dans ce document, le terme diffusion sera réservée à la diffusion classique de services numérique via satellite, câble ou voie hertzienne ou autre, tandis que le terme distribution sera réservé à la distribution de services sur un réseau IP.In this document, the term broadcast will be reserved for conventional broadcasting of digital services via satellite, cable or radio or other means, while the term distribution will be reserved for the distribution of services on an IP network.
L'exemple de réalisation de l'invention repose sur un appareil, que l'on appelle passerelle de distribution, qui permet de recevoir une première offre traditionnelle de diffusion de services numériques et de la rendre accessible sur un réseau local, par exemple un réseau IP. Cet appareil est équipé d'un module de réception appelé tuner pour recevoir une diffusion de type satellite, câble, numérique hertzien ou autre. Cet appareil est en outre en mesure de fournir sur le réseau local les informations sur les services offerts par la diffusion pour porter à la connaissance de l'utilisateur l'offre de services. Quand l'utilisateur choisit un service issu de l'offre de diffusion, la passerelle de distribution transmet sur le réseau IP le service diffusé de la même manière qu'un serveur de distribution de services sur IP. Il est évident pour l'homme du métier que l'intégration de cette fonctionnalité peut être faite à divers endroits du réseau local et au sein de divers appareils de ce réseau.The exemplary embodiment of the invention is based on an apparatus, called a distribution gateway, which makes it possible to receive a first traditional digital service broadcasting service and make it accessible on a local network, for example a network. IP. This device is equipped with a receiving module called a tuner to receive a broadcast type satellite, cable, digital radio or other. This device is also able to provide on the local network information on the services offered by the broadcast to bring to the attention of the user the service offering. When the user chooses a service resulting from the broadcast offer, the distribution gateway transmits on the IP network the service broadcast in the same manner as an IP service distribution server. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the integration of this functionality can be done at various points of the local network and within various devices of this network.
Le fonctionnement traditionnel de distribution de services sur un réseau IP implique un fournisseur de services qui va distribuer ces services.The traditional operation of distributing services over an IP network involves a service provider who will distribute these services.
Chaque service va être distribué par un ou plusieurs serveurs utilisant une adresse de distribution multipoint. Il existe plusieurs façons pour un fournisseur de services de porter son offre à la connaissance des utilisateurs. Chez l'utilisateur, le récepteur doit, dans un premier temps prendre connaissance des services et des adresses auxquelles ils sont distribués. Il en construit une liste qu'il peut ensuite proposer à l'utilisateur qui va sélectionner le service qu'il désire recevoir. Le récepteur va alors envoyer une requête d'abonnement à l'adresse de distribution utilisée par le service. Cette requête d'abonnement va entraîner la configuration des appareils de routages intermédiaires entre le serveur et les récepteurs. Ceux-ci vont acheminer les paquets de données constituant le flux comprenant le service depuis le serveur jusqu'au récepteur. Quand l'utilisateur veut cesser de recevoir le service, le récepteur va envoyer une requête de désabonnement sur l'adresse et va cesser de recevoir les paquets.Each service will be distributed by one or more servers using a multipoint distribution address. There are many ways for a service provider to bring its offer to the attention of users. In the user, the receiver must, first of all, become aware of the services and addresses to which they are distributed. He builds a list that he can then propose to the user who will select the service he wants to receive. The receiver will then send a subscription request to the distribution address used by the service. This subscription request goes cause the configuration of intermediate routing devices between the server and the receivers. These will route the data packets constituting the stream including the service from the server to the receiver. When the user wants to stop receiving the service, the receiver will send an unsubscribe request to the address and will stop receiving the packets.
Ce processus complet est généralement appelé découverte et sélection de service, soit SD&S (pour « Service Discovery and Sélection » en anglais). Il existe un standard couvrant ce processus appelé DVB-IP (« Digital Video Broadcasting over IP Infrastructures »), documenté dans « DVB-IP Phase 1 Spécifications Handbook » disponible auprès de l'ETSI sous la référence ETSI TS 102.034 v1.1.1 ).This complete process is commonly referred to as Service Discovery and Selection (SD & S). There is a standard covering this process called DVB-IP ("Digital Video Broadcasting over IP Infrastructures"), documented in "DVB-IP Phase 1 Handbook Specifications" available from ETSI under the ETSI TS 102.034 v1.1.1 reference).
Un exemple de réalisation de l'invention va maintenant être décrite. Cet exemple de réalisation n'est pas limitatif et l'homme du métier pourra en adapter certains aspects sans sortir du cadre de l'invention.An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described. This embodiment is not limiting and the skilled person can adapt certain aspects without departing from the scope of the invention.
La figure 1 illustre l'architecture globale d'un exemple de réalisation de l'invention dans son environnement de fonctionnement. On y voit un réseau local sur IP, référencé 1.3, reliant d'une part des clients, référencés 1.4 à 1.6, à un réseau de distribution de services sur IP. Nous appelons clients, l'appareil permettant de recevoir un flux de données numérique contenant un service en provenance d'un réseau IP. Cet appareil est donc l'appareil qui va être en mesure de recevoir et de décoder le flux sur IP. Cet appareil va généralement être un décodeur IP qui sera équipé d'une interface réseau IP et d'un démultiplexeur permettant d'isoler les paquets de données correspondant à un service, puis d'un décodeur capable de décoder les différents flux élémentaires constituant le service et enfin des convertisseurs numériques analogiques permettant de créer les signaux analogiques qui seront émis à destination d'un écran, de haut-parleurs ou autre pour restituer le service. Cet appareil peut également être un téléviseur numérique intégrant directement toutes ces fonctions.Figure 1 illustrates the overall architecture of an exemplary embodiment of the invention in its operating environment. It shows a local network over IP, referenced 1.3, connecting on the one hand customers, referenced 1.4 to 1.6, to an IP service distribution network. We call clients the device for receiving a digital data stream containing a service from an IP network. This device is the device that will be able to receive and decode the stream over IP. This device will generally be an IP decoder that will be equipped with an IP network interface and a demultiplexer for isolating the data packets corresponding to a service, then a decoder capable of decoding the different elementary streams constituting the service. and finally analog digital converters to create the analog signals that will be transmitted to a screen, speakers or other to restore the service. This unit can also be a digital TV incorporating all these functions directly.
Dans l'exemple de réalisation de la figure 1 , la passerelle de distribution est construite comme un appareil en lui-même, référencé 1.2, connecté d'une part au réseau local IP et possédant un module de réception connecté à une antenne satellite, référencé 1.1. Ce module de réception est un module satellite dans l'exemple de réalisation, mais pourrait être un module de réception câble, hertzien ou autre dans la mesure où il permet la réception de flux de données numériques, typiquement DVB (« Digital Video Broadcast » en anglais). La figure 2 quant à elle illustre l'architecture matérielle de la passerelle de distribution, référencée 2.2, de l'exemple de réalisation. Cette passerelle est connectée au réseau IP, référencé 2.5, via une interface réseau, référencée 2.9. Elle possède un module de réception, référencé 2.3 et généralement appelé tuner dans le jargon de l'homme du métier. Ce tuner permet la réception des signaux issus du satellite et captés par l'antenne satellite référencée 2.1. Ce tuner peut se régler sur une fréquence donnée, capter le signal émis à cette fréquence et reconstruire les paquets de données numériques contenus dans ce signal. Ces paquets constituant le flux de données numériques reçu est ensuite traité par un filtre de paquets, référencé 2.8 et généralement appelé démux dans le jargon de l'homme du métier. Ce filtre ou démux peut être programmé pour extraire du flux les paquets répondant à certains critères comme la valeur de certains champs dans l'entête des paquets. Ce démux est utilisé, en particulier, pour extraire un service donné du flux ou pour sélectionner les informations sur l'offre de services qui sont contenues dans le flux. Ces informations sur l'offre sont généralement appelées informations de services par l'homme du métier.In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the distribution gateway is constructed as a device in itself, referenced 1.2, connected on the one hand to the local IP network and having a reception module connected to a satellite antenna, referenced 1.1. This receiving module is a satellite module in the exemplary embodiment, but could be a cable, radio or other reception module insofar as it allows the reception of digital data streams, typically DVB ("Digital Video Broadcast" in English). Figure 2 for its part illustrates the hardware architecture of the distribution gateway, referenced 2.2, of the exemplary embodiment. This gateway is connected to the IP network, referenced 2.5, via a network interface, referenced 2.9. It has a receiving module, referenced 2.3 and generally called tuner in the jargon of the skilled person. This tuner makes it possible to receive signals from the satellite and picked up by the satellite antenna referenced 2.1. This tuner can be tuned to a given frequency, pick up the signal transmitted at that frequency and reconstruct the digital data packets contained in this signal. These packets constituting the received digital data stream are then processed by a packet filter, referenced 2.8 and generally called demux in the jargon of those skilled in the art. This filter or demux can be programmed to extract from the stream packets meeting certain criteria such as the value of certain fields in the header of the packets. This demux is used, in particular, to extract a given service from the stream or to select information on the service offering that is contained in the stream. This offer information is generally referred to as service information by those skilled in the art.
Ces modules interagissent sous le contrôle de logiciels stockés dans la mémoire morte, référencée 2.6, de l'appareil. Ces services sont chargés dans la mémoire vive, référencée 2.7, en vu d'une exécution par le processeur, référencé 2.4. Le détail des principaux programmes logiciels entrant dans le fonctionnement de la passerelle de distribution est décrit ci -dessous.These modules interact under the control of software stored in the read-only memory, referenced 2.6, of the device. These services are loaded into the RAM, referenced 2.7, in view of an execution by the processor, referenced 2.4. The details of the main software programs used in the operation of the distribution gateway are described below.
La figure 3 représente un schéma fonctionnel d'un appareil selon l'exemple de réalisation de l'invention. On retrouve la passerelle, référencée 3.2, connectée au réseau IP, référencé 3.5, et à l'antenne satellite référencée 3.1. On retrouve les modules interface réseau, référencé 3.9, tuner, référencé 3.3 et le démux, référencé 3.8, vu sous leur aspect fonctionnel. Les interactions entre les clients du réseau local et la passerelle de distribution vont être gérées par un interpréteur de commandes, référencé 3.6. Cet interpréteur de commandes va recevoir des commandes ou requêtes en provenance des clients via l'interface réseau, ce qui est symbolisé par la flèche référencée 3.11. Pour l'exécution de ces commandes, cet interpréteur va devoir piloter le tuner, flèche 3.13. Il va devoir également piloter le démux, flèche 3.15 et le joueur de flux, référencé 3.4 flèche 3.18 qui va redistribuer sur le réseau IP le service préalablement sélectionné.Figure 3 shows a block diagram of an apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention. We find the gateway, referenced 3.2, connected to the IP network, referenced 3.5, and to the satellite antenna referenced 3.1. We find the network interface modules, referenced 3.9, tuner, referenced 3.3 and the demux, referenced 3.8, seen in their functional aspect. The interactions between the local network clients and the distribution gateway will be managed by a command interpreter, referenced 3.6. This command interpreter will receive commands or requests from clients via the network interface, which is symbolized by the arrow referenced 3.11. For the execution of these commands, this interpreter will have to control the tuner, arrow 3.13. He will also have to control the demux, arrow 3.15 and the player of flow, referenced 3.4 arrow 3.18 which will redistribute on the IP network the previously selected service.
Sous la direction de l'interpréteur de commande 3.6, le tuner va recevoir un flux de paquets de données numériques qui vont être envoyés, flèche 3.16, au démux. Celui ci va filtrer, par exemple, les paquets appartenant à un service. Ces paquets sont envoyés au joueur de flux, flèche 3.17, qui est lui chargé de l'envoi de ce flux de paquets de données sur le réseau IP. Cet envoi, flèche 3.19, sur le réseau IP peut se faire, par exemple, via le protocole RTP (« Real Time Transport Protocol » en anglais) comme préconisé par le standard DVB-IP. Le gestionnaire de services, référencé 3.7, va lui être en charge de la gestion des informations de services, c'est-à-dire des informations sur l'offre de service accessible. Cette gestion va se faire sous le contrôle de l'interpréteur de commandes, par exemple. Le gestionnaire de services va recevoir en sortie du démux, flèche 3.14, les informations de signalisation contenues dans le flux et va pouvoir construire la liste des services disponibles qu'il pourra fournir sur requête, flèche 3.12, au client demandeur sur le réseau IP, flèche 3.10. La gestion des services disponibles est détaillée plus loin.Under the direction of the command interpreter 3.6, the tuner will receive a stream of digital data packets that will be sent, arrow 3.16, to the demux. This one will filter, for example, packets belonging to to a service. These packets are sent to the stream player, arrow 3.17, which is responsible for sending this stream of data packets over the IP network. This sending, arrow 3.19, on the IP network can be done, for example, via the RTP protocol ("Real Time Transport Protocol" in English) as recommended by the DVB-IP standard. The service manager, referenced 3.7, will be in charge of managing the service information, that is to say, information on the accessible service offering. This management will be done under the control of the shell, for example. The service manager will receive at the output of the demux, arrow 3.14, the signaling information contained in the stream and will be able to build the list of available services that it can provide on request, arrow 3.12, to the requesting client on the IP network, arrow 3.10. The management of the available services is detailed below.
Dans l'exemple de réalisation de l'invention, la passerelle de distribution effectue les tâches suivantes lors de son initialisation. Le tuner est démarré et mis dans un état où il est prêt à recevoir des commandes. Ce tuner est un tuner courant du type de ceux que l'on trouve dans les décodeurs satellite ou câble ou hertzien. Il est donc capable d'effectuer les tâches habituelles d'un tuner. Parmi lesquelles nous pouvons mentionner la fonction de parcours d'une gamme de fréquences à la recherche de celles utilisées pour la diffusion d'un flux de service. La fonction de se caler sur une fréquence donnée en utilisant une polarisation donnée, une modulation donnée, et tous les paramètres courants. Le tuner va également être capable de fournir le flux de paquets de données numériques transmis sur ladite fréquence. La liste des services pouvant être reçus par le tuner est construite.In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the distribution gateway performs the following tasks during its initialization. The tuner is started and put in a state where it is ready to receive commands. This tuner is a common tuner of the type found in satellite or cable or wireless decoders. It is therefore able to perform the usual tasks of a tuner. Among which we can mention the function of course of a range of frequencies in search of those used for the diffusion of a flow of service. The function of tuning to a given frequency using a given polarization, a given modulation, and all the current parameters. The tuner will also be able to provide the stream of digital data packets transmitted on said frequency. The list of services that can be received by the tuner is built.
On appellera cette liste la liste des services DVB, un service de cette liste étant appelé un service DVB. Un lien de diffusion est organisé de la manière suivante. Le lien est partagé généralement par plusieurs diffuseurs. Chaque diffuseur offre un ensemble de services numériques par exemple audio et/ou vidéo sous la forme d'un ensemble de services. Ces ensembles sont diffusés par un ou plusieurs flux de transport. Dans un premier temps, il est courant de construire la liste des diffuseurs qui partagent le lien de diffusion. Dans un second temps on construit la liste des flux de transport utilisés et finalement on peut construire la liste des services contenus dans ces flux. Plus précisément, dans DVB, chaque diffuseur est identifié par un identificateur unique, l'identificateur de réseau (« network Id » en anglais) et l'information à son sujet peut être trouvée dans une table, la table d'information sur le réseau ou NIT (« Network Information Table » en anglais). Cette table se trouve normalement dans chaque flux de transport et contient entre autre la liste des flux utilisés par chaque diffuseur.This list will be called the list of DVB services, a service of this list being called a DVB service. A broadcast link is organized as follows. The link is generally shared by several broadcasters. Each broadcaster offers a set of digital services, for example audio and / or video in the form of a set of services. These sets are broadcast by one or more transport streams. As a first step, it is common to build the list of broadcasters who share the broadcast link. In a second step we build the list of transport flows used and finally we can build the list of services contained in these flows. Specifically, in DVB, each broadcaster is identified by a unique identifier, the network identifier ("network id") and the information about it can be found in a table, the network information table. or NIT (Network Information Table). This table is normally found in each transport stream and contains, among other things, the list of flows used by each broadcaster.
Pour chaque flux, on va trouver la liste des paramètres, comme la fréquence, la modulation, la polarisation et autre indispensables au tuner pour se caler et recevoir le flux. On y trouve également la liste des services diffusés dans le flux.For each stream, we will find the list of parameters, such as frequency, modulation, polarization and other essential to the tuner to stall and receive the stream. There is also a list of services broadcast in the feed.
Pour chaque service, on va trouver un certain nombre d'informations comme le nom du service, un identificateur appelé triplet DVB, la liste des identificateurs de flux élémentaires audio et vidéo (PID pour « Program Identifier » en anglais).For each service, we will find a certain amount of information such as the name of the service, an identifier called DVB triplet, the list of elementary audio and video stream identifiers (PID for "Program Identifier").
Des informations de service complémentaires peuvent être disponibles dans le flux suivant les spécifications du standard DVB-SI pour « Service Information » en anglais.Additional service information may be available in the stream according to the DVB-SI standard specification for "Service Information" in English.
Toutes ces informations permettent donc de construire une liste des services disponibles. Ces informations nécessitent de connaître les flux de transport diffusés afin de pouvoir se caler dessus et en extraire les informations utiles.All this information can be used to build a list of available services. This information requires knowledge of the broadcast transport flows in order to be able to stall and extract useful information.
Une première façon de faire est de parcourir la gamme des fréquences potentiellement utilisées de façon à détecter celles qui sont utilisées pour émettre des flux. Chaque fois qu'un flux est détecté, les informations pertinentes en sont extraites pour construire la liste des services disponibles. C'est une fonction habituelle des tuners. Cette procédure est longue et monopolise le tuner qui ne peut être utilisé en réception de services pendant ce temps là. II est également possible de construire la liste des services disponibles en fonction d'un fichier de configuration stockés dans la passerelle de distribution par exemple ou ailleurs sur le réseau local. Ce fichier pourra être au format XML ou autre. Le format XML ayant l'avantage d'être le format retenu par la norme DVB-IP pour le codage des informations de services lors de la distribution de services DVB sur réseau IP. Cette façon de faire est beaucoup plus rapide, mais présente le risque de l'obsolescence des informations stockées par rapport à la réalité des services diffusés.One way to do this is to browse the range of frequencies potentially used to detect those used to send streams. Whenever a flow is detected, the relevant information is extracted to build the list of available services. This is a usual function of tuners. This procedure is long and monopolizes the tuner that can not be used for receiving services during this time. It is also possible to build the list of available services according to a configuration file stored in the distribution gateway for example or elsewhere on the local network. This file can be in XML or other format. The XML format has the advantage of being the format retained by the DVB-IP standard for the coding of the service information during the distribution of DVB services over an IP network. This way of doing things is much faster, but presents the risk of the obsolescence of the information stored in relation to the reality of the services broadcast.
Il est également possible de mixer les deux techniques en stockant dans un fichier la liste des services mais en autorisant la mise à jour de ce fichier par une opération de parcours des fréquences, régulière ou à la demande pour son actualisation.It is also possible to mix the two techniques by storing in a file the list of services but by authorizing the updating of this file by a frequency routing operation, regular or on demand for its update.
Une fois que l'on a construit la liste des services disponibles sur le lien de diffusion, il faut rendre cette liste disponible sur le réseau local. Pour ce faire une possibilité consiste à utiliser la solution préconisée par le standard DVB-IP. Ce standard propose de considérer la liste des services IP comme une collection d'objets. Chacun de ces objets possède, entre autre les informations suivantes : un identificateur qui peut par exemple être le triplet DVB, un nom de service, les identificateurs de services (PID) des flux élémentaires audio et vidéo du service, l'adresse de distribution multipoint à laquelle est distribué le service. Cette liste sera rendu accessible aux clients via, par exemple une requête HTTP (« Hyper Text Transport Protocol » en anglais).Once you have built the list of services available on the broadcast link, you have to make this list available on the local network. For this One possibility is to use the solution recommended by the DVB-IP standard. This standard proposes to consider the list of IP services as a collection of objects. Each of these objects has, among others, the following information: an identifier which can for example be the DVB triplet, a service name, the service identifiers (PID) of the elementary audio and video streams of the service, the multipoint distribution address to which the service is distributed. This list will be made accessible to the customers via, for example an HTTP request ("Hyper Text Transport Protocol" in English).
La figure 4 i I lustre la façon dont les services sont distribués aux clients. Les clients, référencés 4.4, 4.5 et 4.6, sont connectés à un réseau local référencé 4.3. Sur ce réseau local est également connecté une passerelle de distribution non représentée dotée d'un tuner. Ce tuner permet de recevoir p flux de transport, référencé M1 , M2 et Mp. Ce sont les p flux disponibles. Chacun de ses flux est distribué, par exemple, par un transpondeur satellite sur une fréquence donnée. Le tuner est en mesure de se caler sur une fréquence lui permettant de recevoir le flux de transport émis à cette fréquence. A un instant donné, le tuner ne peut donc recevoir qu'un seul flux de transport parmi les flux disponibles. Chaque flux de transport contient un certain nombre, disons n, de services. Ces services sont référencés Pij, i représentant la référence du flux de transport de 1 à P et j la référence du service au sein du flux de 1 à n. Dans le cas, non représenté, d'une passerelle comportant plusieurs tuners, chaque tuner peut se caler sur sa propre fréquence et recevoir le flux correspondant. La passerelle est donc à même de recevoir le nombre de flux de transport correspondant au nombre de tuner qu'elle contient. La solution permettant la sélection d'un service va maintenant être décrite. Ici un problème particulier se pose. En effet, le standard suppose que tous les services offerts sont joués sur le réseau en permanence. Tous ces services sont donc accessibles à tout instant et ce de manière totalement indépendante les uns des autres. Au contraire de cette situation, dans le cas de la passerelle de distribution, il est clair que tous les services disponibles ne peuvent pas être joués en même temps. Ceci est du au fait que, à un instant donné, seul un flux de transport parmi les flux disponibles peut être reçu par le tuner. Il sera donc toujours impossible de jouer simultanément deux services appartenant à deux flux différents sauf à doter la passerelle de distribution de deux ou plus tuners. Mais même en dotant la passerelle de plusieurs tuners, il y aura toujours une limitation dès que le nombre de flux disponibles va dépasser le nombre de tuners. La distribution d'un service sur IP se fait en utilisant le protocole de transport temps réel RTP. Classiquement, lorsqu'un client désire recevoir un flux RTP distribué en distribution multipoint, il envoie une requête d'abonnement appelée « join » en anglais sur l'adresse de distribution multipoint. Cette requête est interprétée par les appareils de routage entre le serveur et le client pour distribuer les paquets émis par le serveur jusqu'au client. Ceci fonctionne bien dans un contexte où le serveur joue en permanence le service. Dans notre cas où le serveur ne joue le service qu'à la demande ce mécanisme n'est pas suffisant. Pour résoudre ce problème, DVB-IP propose l'utilisation d'une requête RTSP (« Real Time Streaming Protocol » en anglais) permettant d'informer un serveur qu'un de ses services est demandé par un client. Cette commande est connue sous le nom de commande « connecte » (« setup » en anglais). L'utilisation de cette commande « connecte » est utilisée pour permettre à la passerelle de distribution de gérer la distribution des services. Parallèlement une commande « stop » ( « teardown » en anglais) sera envoyée quand un client cesse d'être intéressé par la réception d'un service. Ces commandes comprennent une référence permettant à la passerelle d'identifier le service concerné par la commande. Décrivons tout d'abord la sélection d'un premier service par un premier client. Le client demande et construit la liste de tous les services disponibles. Parmi tous ces services il en sélectionne un. Une commande « connecte » est envoyée à la passerelle et est interprétée par l'interpréteur de commandes afin de caler le tuner sur le flux contenant le service demandé. Le démux est programmé pour filtrer au sein du flux le service demandé, ce service sera donc joué par le joueur de flux sur le réseau à l'adresse de distribution qui lui a été attribué. Le client en s'abonnant à cette adresse de distribution va donc être en mesure de recevoir le service demandé.Figure 4 illustrates how services are distributed to clients. The clients, referenced 4.4, 4.5 and 4.6, are connected to a local network referenced 4.3. On this local network is also connected a distribution gateway not shown with a tuner. This tuner makes it possible to receive p transport stream, referenced M1, M2 and Mp. These are the available p streams. Each of its streams is distributed, for example, by a satellite transponder on a given frequency. The tuner is able to calibrate itself on a frequency allowing it to receive the transport stream transmitted at this frequency. At a given moment, the tuner can therefore receive only one transport stream among the available streams. Each transport stream contains a number, say n, of services. These services are referenced Pij, i representing the reference of the transport stream from 1 to P and the reference of the service within the stream from 1 to n. In the case, not shown, of a gateway with several tuners, each tuner can lock on its own frequency and receive the corresponding stream. The gateway is therefore able to receive the number of transport streams corresponding to the number of tuners it contains. The solution for selecting a service will now be described. Here a particular problem arises. Indeed, the standard assumes that all services offered are played on the network permanently. All these services are therefore accessible at all times and in a completely independent way from each other. Unlike this situation, in the case of the distribution gateway, it is clear that not all available services can be played at the same time. This is because at a given moment only one transport stream among the available streams can be received by the tuner. It will therefore always be impossible to simultaneously play two services belonging to two different streams except to provide the gateway with two or more tuners. But even giving the gateway several tuners, there will always be a limitation as soon as the number of available streams will exceed the number of tuners. The distribution of an IP service is done using the RTP real-time transport protocol. Conventionally, when a customer wishes to receive a distributed RTP stream in multipoint distribution, it sends a subscription request called "join" in English on the multipoint distribution address. This request is interpreted by the routing devices between the server and the client to distribute the packets sent by the server to the client. This works well in a context where the server constantly plays the service. In our case where the server only plays the service on demand this mechanism is not enough. To solve this problem, DVB-IP proposes the use of a request RTSP ("Real Time Streaming Protocol" in English) to inform a server that one of its services is requested by a client. This command is known as the command "connect"("setup" in English). The use of this "connect" command is used to allow the distribution gateway to manage the distribution of services. In parallel, a "teardown" command will be sent when a customer stops being interested in receiving a service. These commands include a reference that allows the gateway to identify the service involved in the command. Let's first describe the selection of a first service by a first client. The client requests and builds the list of all available services. Among all these services he selects one. A "connects" command is sent to the gateway and is interpreted by the command interpreter to block the tuner on the stream containing the requested service. The demux is programmed to filter within the stream the requested service, this service will therefore be played by the stream player on the network at the distribution address that has been assigned. The customer by subscribing to this distribution address will therefore be able to receive the requested service.
En outre, la passerelle se doit de savoir quels sont les clients ayant demandé la réception d'un service qu'elle joue sur le réseau de façon à pouvoir interrompre la distribution d'un service lorsque plus aucun client n'est intéressé par sa réception. Une façon de le faire est de gérer, pour chaque service joué, une liste des clients dont on a reçu une commande « connecte » pour ce service. Donc sur réception d'une commande « connecte » et à condition que cette commande puisse être satisfaite, on va voir que ce n'est pas toujours le cas, le client à l'origine de la commande est ajouté à la liste des clients demandant la réception de ce service. Le client en sera retirer quand la passerelle de distribution recevra une commande « stop » de la part de ce client concernant ce service.In addition, the gateway needs to know which customers have requested the reception of a service that it plays on the network so that it can interrupt the distribution of a service when no more customers are interested in its reception. . One way to do this is to manage, for each service played, a list of customers who have received a command "connected" for this service. So on receipt of a command "connects" and provided that this command can be satisfied, we will see that this is not always the case, the customer at the origin of the order is added to the list of customers requesting the receipt of this service. The customer will be removed when the Distribution Gateway will receive a "stop" order from this customer regarding this service.
Pour gérer l'accès aux services pour les différents utilisateurs du système au sein, par exemple, d'un foyer mais le même type de mécanisme peut être utilisé dans une entreprise, il est possible de définir des niveaux de priorité entre les utilisateurs. Pour ce faire, il est nécessaire que chaque utilisateur du système s'identifie. Cette identification peut se faire de plusieurs manières. Il est par exemple possible, dans un contexte familial, de se contenter de d'offrir à l'utilisateur le choix entre plusieurs profils et de sélectionner le profil pertinent. Dans un contexte plus sensible, où si l'on veut mettre en oeuvre du contrôle parental, on pourra exiger de l'utilisateur l'entrée d'un mot de passe, permettant son identification. Bien sûr, toute autre solution peut ici être envisagée, par exemple une carte d'identification ou une reconnaissance de paramètres biométriques. L'application de ce niveau de priorité permet de gérer les conflits se produisant entre les utilisateurs. En effet, une fois qu'un utilisateur a demandé la réception d'un service, le tuner est calé sur la fréquence transmettant le flux de transport correspondant. Lorsqu'un second utilisateur demande un second service, plusieurs cas de figure peuvent se produire. Il peut s'agir du même service, dans ce cas, le second utilisateur bénéficie de la distribution du service. Il peut également s'agir d'un service transporté au sein du même flux de transport que le premier service. Dans ce cas, une simple programmation du démux permet d'extraire les deux services du flux reçu et de les distribuer sur le réseau interne. Un conflit se produit lorsque le second service est diffusé sur un flux de transport différent du premier service. Dans ce cas la réception du second service implique de caler le tuner sur la fréquence du second flux de transport. On voit donc que la réception du second service est exclusive de la réception du premier. Il faut donc choisir quel utilisateur on privilégie. On va se servir des niveaux de priorité pour ce choix. Dans le cas où la passerelle de distribution contient plusieurs tuners, le problème est finalement le même. Il est possible de satisfaire toutes les requêtes jusqu'à ce que tous les tuners soient calés en réception d'un flux de transport et qu'un utilisateur demande un service transporté au sein d'un flux non encore reçu. On voit donc que cette affectation d'un niveau de priorité permet de résoudre les conflits. Mais il peut également être utile de permettre à l'utilisateur de spécifier plusieurs niveaux de réservation quand il demande un service. En effet, il peut arriver qu'un utilisateur souhaite recevoir un service de manière exclusive ou souhaite même utiliser les ressources du tuner de manière exclusive.To manage access to services for different system users within, for example, a household but the same type of mechanism can be used in a business, it is possible to set priority levels between users. To do this, it is necessary that each user of the system identifies himself. This identification can be done in several ways. It is for example possible, in a family context, to simply offer the user the choice between several profiles and select the relevant profile. In a more sensitive context, where if we want to implement parental control, we can require the user to enter a password, allowing its identification. Of course, any other solution can be considered here, for example an identification card or a recognition of biometric parameters. Applying this priority level helps to manage conflicts that occur between users. Indeed, once a user has requested the reception of a service, the tuner is set to the frequency transmitting the corresponding transport stream. When a second user requests a second service, several scenarios may occur. It can be the same service, in which case the second user benefits from the distribution of the service. It can also be a service transported within the same transport stream as the first service. In this case, a simple programming of the demux makes it possible to extract the two services of the received stream and to distribute them on the internal network. A conflict occurs when the second service is broadcast on a different transport stream than the first service. In this case the reception of the second service involves stalling the tuner on the frequency of the second transport stream. So we see that the reception of the second service is exclusive of the reception of the first. It is therefore necessary to choose which user is preferred. We will use the priority levels for this choice. In the case where the distribution gateway contains several tuners, the problem is finally the same. It is possible to satisfy all requests until all tuners are stalled when receiving a transport stream and a user requests a transported service within a stream not yet received. It can be seen that this assignment of a priority level makes it possible to resolve the conflicts. But it can also be useful to allow the user to specify multiple levels of reservation when requesting a service. Indeed, it can happen that a user wishes to receive a service of exclusive way or even wants to use the tuner's resources exclusively.
On peut, par exemple, envisager de définir trois niveaux de priorité au sein d'un foyer, un niveau administrateur de priorité la plus élevée pour la personne en charge de la configuration du système, un niveau moyen, qualifié de « parents », pour l'accès aux services par les adultes dans le foyer et un niveau inférieur de priorité, qualifié de « enfants », pour les enfants du foyer.For example, consider defining three levels of priority within a household, a higher priority administrator level for the person in charge of setting up the system, and an average level, referred to as "parents", for access to services by adults in the household and a lower priority level, termed "children", for the children of the household.
Bien évidemment cet exemple est non limitatif et l'on peut définir autant de niveau de priorité que de personnes dans le foyer où imaginer toute politique d'attribution de ces niveaux.Obviously this example is not limiting and we can define as much level of priority as people in the home where to imagine any policy of attribution of these levels.
Il est également possible d'attribuer les niveaux de priorité en fonction de l'appareil client et non plus de l'utilisateur. Cela, outre le fait qu'il n'est plus nécessaire d'avoir une étape d'identification de l'utilisateur, permet de privilégier certains appareils par rapport à d'autres. Il est ainsi possible de privilégier par exemple les appareils d'enregistrements où un téléviseur principal dans le salon par rapport à un téléviseur considéré comme secondaire dans la cuisine.It is also possible to assign priority levels based on the client device instead of the user. This, besides the fact that it is no longer necessary to have a user identification step, allows to privilege some devices over others. It is thus possible to prefer, for example, recorders where a main television in the living room compared to a television considered secondary in the kitchen.
On pourra également permettre à l'utilisateur, lors de la sélection d'un service, d'utiliser plusieurs modes de réservation des moyens de réception de la passerelle.It will also be possible for the user, when selecting a service, to use several modes of reservation of the reception means of the gateway.
Un premier mode, qualifié de mode « mon-tuner » détermine un accès exclusif du tuner. Dans ce mode, une fois que l'utilisateur a obtenu la réception de son service, aucun autre utilisateur ne peut utiliser le tuner. C'est à dire que personne ne pourra recevoir un service même transporté sur le même flux de transport à l'aide du tuner.A first mode, called "tuner mode" determines an exclusive access of the tuner. In this mode, once the user has received the service, no other user can use the tuner. That is, no one will be able to receive a service even transported on the same transport stream using the tuner.
Un second mode, qualifié de mode « mon-service » détermine un accès exclusif au service. Dans ce mode, un second utilisateur sera autorisé à recevoir un autre service transporté par le même flux de transport mais pas le premier service réservé par le premier utilisateur. Un troisième mode, qualifié de mode « partagé » autorisera l'accès à un second utilisateur des services transportés sur le même flux de transport ainsi que du service réservé par le premier utilisateur.A second mode, called "my-service" mode, determines exclusive access to the service. In this mode, a second user will be allowed to receive another service carried by the same transport stream but not the first service reserved by the first user. A third mode, referred to as a "shared" mode, will allow access to a second user of the services transported on the same transport stream as well as the service reserved by the first user.
Un quatrième mode, qualifié de mode « invité » sera le mode dans lequel le second utilisateur peut réservé un service transporté par un flux de transport déjà reçu par un premier utilisateur en mode « mon-service » ou en mode « partagé ».A fourth mode, called "guest mode" will be the mode in which the second user can book a service carried by a transport stream already received by a first user in "my-service" mode or "shared" mode.
Un cinquième mode, qualifié de mode « sans réservation » sera le mode dans lequel aucune réservation particulière n'est demandée. Ce système de réservation, permet à l'utilisateur d'indiquer finement la façon dont un utilisateur souhaite partager le service qu'il demande mais ne permet pas d'éviter tout conflit entre utilisateur. Il est donc possible de mixer le système de priorité déjà décrit et le système de réservation de manière à régler les conflits pouvant arriver dans ce système.A fifth mode, referred to as a "no reservation" mode, will be the mode in which no particular reservation is requested. This reservation system allows the user to indicate in detail how a user wishes to share the service that he requests but does not prevent any conflict between users. It is therefore possible to mix the priority system already described and the reservation system so as to resolve conflicts that may occur in this system.
Pour permettre la construction d'une liste contenant l'information sur les services accessibles et le statut de réservation associé, le tuner doit fournir les informations suivantes :To enable the construction of a list of accessible service information and associated reservation status, the tuner must provide the following information:
• au niveau du tuner, son statut de réservation • au niveau du service, son accessibilité ainsi que le mode de réservation du service.• at the tuner level, its reservation status • at the service level, its accessibility as well as the mode of reservation of the service.
Il est possible d'envisager que la passerelle ne conserve pas l'information de qui a réservé quoi. Dans ce cas, il vérifie juste que le niveau de réservation et l'action de sélection est valide pour l'accepter. Il sera alors du ressort de l'application sur le client de gérer les priorités et les modes de réservation. Cette façon de faire simplifie le développement de la passerelle de diffusion.It is possible to consider that the gateway does not keep the information of who booked what. In this case, it just checks that the reservation level and the selection action is valid to accept it. It will then be the responsibility of the application on the client to manage the priorities and modes of reservation. This way of doing things simplifies the development of the broadcast gateway.
De plus, une passerelle contenant plusieurs tuners, devra distinguer ces différents tuners et fournira au client plusieurs listes de services accessibles. Le client décidera s'il doit les réunir ou pas au niveau de l'interface utilisateur qu'il offre. Une autre possibilité, c'est la passerelle qui gère une seule liste en réunissant les informations de chaque tuner.In addition, a gateway containing several tuners, will distinguish these different tuners and provide the customer several lists of accessible services. The client will decide whether to unify them or not at the level of the user interface that he offers. Another possibility is the gateway that manages a single list by gathering the information of each tuner.
Il est donc possible de fournir à l'utilisateur, à tout moment, une liste à jour des services disponibles indiquant l'état accessible ou non de chaque service. Cette liste peut être mise à jour dès qu'une action de sélection est utilisée par un mécanisme de gestion d'événements.It is therefore possible to provide the user, at any time, with an up-to-date list of available services indicating the accessible status of each service. This list can be updated as soon as a selection action is used by an event management mechanism.
La sélection d'un programme entraînera l'envoi d'une commande depuis le client vers la passerelle contenant l'identifiant du service, le niveau de réservation si le mécanisme de réservation est utilisé ainsi que le niveau de priorité de l'utilisateur.Selecting a program will cause a command to be sent from the client to the gateway containing the service identifier, the reservation level if the reservation mechanism is used, and the priority level of the user.
L'exemple de réalisation de l'invention décrit la situation d'un tuner permettant la réception d'un multiplexe, mais l'invention peut se généralisée également dans le cas d'un module de réception de flux envoyés sur un réseau IP où la limite ne sera plus la fréquence d'émission des flux de transport mais la bande passante entre la passerelle de diffusion et les serveurs de diffusion des services. Quel que soit la technique employée pour la diffusion des services, des limites physiques contraignent généralement le nombre de services pouvant être reçus simultanément par rapport à la totalité des services accessibles. Il est donc possible d'appliquer l'invention à tous type de mode de diffusion des services.The exemplary embodiment of the invention describes the situation of a tuner allowing the reception of a multiplex, but the invention can also be generalized in the case of a reception module of streams sent on an IP network where the The limit will no longer be the transmission frequency of the transport streams but the bandwidth between the broadcast gateway and the service broadcast servers. Whatever the technique used for the dissemination of services, physical limits generally constrain the number of services that can be received simultaneously in relation to all services. accessible. It is therefore possible to apply the invention to all types of service delivery mode.
De même, les niveaux de priorités ainsi que les modes de réservation décris le sont à titre d'exemple et l'on peut définir d'autres politiques d'application des niveaux de priorité et d'autres modes de réservation sans sortir du cadre de l'invention. De même, la politique appliquée pour résoudre un conflit entre utilisateurs ayant la même priorité est libre, il est possible d'appliquer une règle de premier arrivé premier servi ou au contraire dernier arrivé premier servi ou toute autre politique sans sortir du cadre de l'invention.Similarly, the priority levels and reservation modes described are examples and other policies for applying priority levels and other reservation modes can be defined without departing from the the invention. Similarly, the policy applied to resolve a conflict between users with the same priority is free, it is possible to apply a rule of first come first served or on the contrary last arrived first served or any other policy without leaving the scope of the invention.
L'exemple de réalisation décrit la distribution des services via un réseau IP au sein du foyer, mais il est évident pour l'homme du métier que l'invention fonctionne de la même manière quel que soit le réseau de distribution des services derrière la passerelle de diffusion. Il peut s'agir d'un réseau domestique selon la norme IEEE 1394 ou de tout autre type de réseau permettant de distribuer des services multimédia.The exemplary embodiment describes the distribution of services via an IP network within the home, but it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention operates in the same way regardless of the service distribution network behind the gateway. of diffusion. It can be a home network according to the IEEE 1394 standard or any other type of network for distributing multimedia services.
De fait, l'invention se généralise à tous les cas où une pluralité d'utilisateur utilise une ressource d'accès à une pluralité d'accès et où cette ressource d'accès possède des limitations dans le nombre de services qu'elle peut fournir aux utilisateurs simultanément parmi tous les services auxquels elle donne accès. In fact, the invention is generalized to all cases where a plurality of users use a resource for access to a plurality of accesses and where this access resource has limitations in the number of services that it can provide. users simultaneously among all the services to which it gives access.

Claims

REVENDICATIONS
1. Procédé de sélection de services numériques par un appareil appelé client connecté à un réseau local, ledit réseau local comprenant un appareil appelé passerelle de distribution, ladite passerelle de distribution possédant des moyens de réception de services numériques ainsi que des moyens de distribution sur le réseau local des services reçus, comprenant au moins les étapes suivantes au niveau du client :A method of selecting digital services by a device called a client connected to a local area network, said local area network comprising an apparatus called a distribution gateway, said distribution gateway having digital service receiving means as well as distribution means on the network. Local network of services received, including at least the following steps at the client level:
- la réception d'une liste de services numériques accessibles par la passerelle de distribution ;- receiving a list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway;
- l'envoi d'une requête demandant la réception d'un service de cette liste ; caractérisé en ce que la requête comprend un niveau de priorité associé à la requête.- sending a request to receive a service from this list; characterized in that the request includes a priority level associated with the request.
2. Procédé selon la revendication 1 où le niveau de priorité associé à la requête est un niveau de priorité relatif à l'utilisateur à l'origine de la requête sur le client.The method of claim 1 wherein the priority level associated with the request is a priority level relative to the user initiating the request on the client.
3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 où le niveau de priorité associé à la requête est un niveau de priorité relatif à l'appareil à l'origine de la requête sur le client.3. The method of claim 1 wherein the priority level associated with the request is a priority level relative to the device at the origin of the request on the client.
4. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3 comprenant en outre une étape d'affichage de la liste de services numériques accessibles par la passerelle de distribution précisant pour chaque service s'il peut être sélectionné en fonction du niveau de priorité relatif à l'utilisateur du client.4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising a step of displaying the list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway specifying for each service whether it can be selected according to the priority level relative to the customer's user.
5. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 1 à 3 comprenant en outre une étape d'affichage de la liste de services numériques accessibles par la passerelle de distribution précisant pour chaque service s'il peut être sélectionné en fonction du niveau de priorité relatif à l'appareil client.5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising a step of displaying the list of digital services accessible by the distribution gateway specifying for each service whether it can be selected according to the priority level relative to the client device.
6. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 1 à 5 où la requête comprend également un mode de réservation des moyens de réception. 6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the request also comprises a reservation mode of the receiving means.
7. Procédé selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que le mode de réservation comprend un mode dans lequel l'accès à un tuner est exclusif.7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the reservation mode comprises a mode in which access to a tuner is exclusive.
8. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 6 et 7, caractérisé en ce que le mode de réservation comprend un mode dans lequel l'accès à un service est exclusif.8. Method according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the reservation mode comprises a mode in which access to a service is exclusive.
9. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 6 et 7, caractérisé en ce que le mode de réservation comprend un mode dans lequel l'accès à un service est autoriser pour au moins un second client des services transportés sur le même flux de transport ainsi que du service réservé par le client.9. Method according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the reservation mode comprises a mode in which the access to a service is authorized for at least a second client services transported on the same transport stream as well as the service reserved by the customer.
10. Procédé de service de requêtes par un appareil appelé passerelle de distribution connecté à un réseau local, ladite passerelle de distribution possédant des moyens de réception de services numériques ainsi que des moyens de distribution des services numériques reçus sur le réseau local à destination d'appareils appelés clients connectés au réseau local comprenant au moins les étapes suivantes : - envoi de la liste des services numériques disponibles ;10. A request service method by a device called a distribution gateway connected to a local network, said distribution gateway having means for receiving digital services as well as distribution means of the digital services received on the local network to destination. devices called clients connected to the local network comprising at least the following steps: - sending the list of available digital services;
- réception d'une requête pour un service numérique comprenant un niveau de priorité ;receiving a request for a digital service comprising a priority level;
- détermination la capacité de la passerelle à servir la requête ; caractérisé en ce que le procédé comprend en outre, en cas d'incapacité de la passerelle à servir la requête due au service d'au moins une requête précédente, une étape de choix de la requête à privilégier entre la requête reçue et la au moins une requête précédente, en fonction du niveau de priorité compris dans la requête.- determining the ability of the gateway to serve the request; characterized in that the method further comprises, in case of inability of the gateway to serve the request due to the service of at least one previous request, a step of choosing the request to be preferred between the received request and the at least one a previous request, depending on the priority level included in the request.
11. Procédé selon la revendication 7 où, les requêtes comprenant en outre un niveau de réservation des moyens de réception, l'étape de choix de la requête à privilégier entre la requête reçue et la au moins une requête précédente se fait également en fonction de ce niveau de réservation.11. The method of claim 7 wherein, the requests further comprising a reservation level of the reception means, the step of choosing the request to be preferred between the received request and the at least one previous request is also done according to this level of reservation.
12. Appareil client connectable à un réseau local comprenant des moyens de réception d'une liste de services numérique en provenance d'un appareil de distribution de services numériques possédant des moyens de réception de services numériques, des moyens de réception de services numériques, des moyens d'envoi d'une requête demandant la distribution d'au moins un service numérique parmi les services numériques d'une liste de services reçus, caractérisé en ce que les moyens d'envoi d'une requête demandant la distribution d'au moins un service numérique parmi les services numériques d'une liste de services reçus comprennent en outre des moyens d'inclure dans la requête un niveau de priorité.12. Client device connectable to a local area network comprising means for receiving a digital service list from a digital service distribution apparatus having digital service receiving means, means for receiving services digital means for sending a request requesting the distribution of at least one digital service among the digital services of a list of received services, characterized in that the means for sending a request requesting the distribution of at least one digital service among the digital services of a list of received services further comprises means for including in the request a priority level.
13. Appareil selon la revendication 12 où le niveau de priorité est relatif à l'utilisateur de l'appareil.Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the priority level is relative to the user of the apparatus.
14. Appareil selon la revendication 12 où le niveau de priorité est relatif à l'appareil lui-même.Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the priority level is relative to the apparatus itself.
15. Appareil selon l'une des revendications 12 à 14 comprenant en outre des moyens d'inclure dans la requête un mode de réservation des moyens de réception de l'appareil de distribution.15. Apparatus according to one of claims 12 to 14 further comprising means for including in the request a reservation mode receiving means of the dispensing apparatus.
16. Appareil de distribution de services numériques sur un réseau local comprenant des moyens de réception de services numériques, des moyens d'envoi à un client du réseau local d'une liste de services numériques accessibles par l'appareil, des moyens de réception de requête demandant la distribution d'au moins un service parmi les services accessibles, caractérisé en ce que, en cas d'incapacité de la passerelle à servir la requête due au service d'au moins une requête précédente, l'appareil possède en outre des moyens de choix de la requête à privilégier entre la requête reçue et la au moins une requête précédente, en fonction du niveau de priorité compris dans la requête.16. Device for distributing digital services on a local area network comprising means for receiving digital services, means for sending a client of the local network a list of digital services accessible by the apparatus, means for receiving digital services. a request for the distribution of at least one of the accessible services, characterized in that, in the case of the inability of the gateway to serve the request due to the service of at least one previous request, the apparatus furthermore has means for selecting the request to be prioritized between the received request and the at least one preceding request, according to the priority level included in the request.
17. Appareil selon la revendication 16, les requêtes comprenant en outre un niveau de réservation des moyens de réception, les moyens de choix fassent en outre ce choix en fonction du mode de réservation contenu dans les requêtes reçues et précédentes. Apparatus according to claim 16, the requests further comprising a reservation level of the receiving means, the means of choice further making this choice depending on the reservation mode contained in the received and previous requests.
EP06725703A 2005-04-15 2006-04-11 Apparatus and method for managing services received in a local area network Withdrawn EP1869885A1 (en)

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FR0550970A FR2884669A1 (en) 2005-04-15 2005-04-15 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SERVICES RECEIVED IN A LOCAL NETWORK
PCT/EP2006/061512 WO2006108838A1 (en) 2005-04-15 2006-04-11 Apparatus and method for managing services received in a local area network

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