Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
  • H04M3/4872—Non-interactive information services
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/56—Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M2242/00—Special services or facilities
  • H04M2242/22—Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
  • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
  • H04M3/42025—Calling or Called party identification service
  • H04M3/42034—Calling party identification service
  • H04M3/42059—Making use of the calling party identifier

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and a system for exchanging media streams between a terminal used by a user and a connection termination during the same inter-personal communication session.
• the present invention also relates to a device for personalizing said media streams and a computer program implementing the steps of said method.
• the field of interest of the present invention is the field of interpersonal communications which take place in a communication network of the type, for example, switched telephone network (PSTN), integrated services digital network (ISDN), packet network ( Internet network, ATM network, etc.) or wireless network.
• PSTN switched telephone network
• ISDN integrated services digital network
• packet network Internet network, ATM network, etc.
• Interpersonal communication includes any point-to-point communication, that is, with respect to FIG. the direct communication C (1, 2) between two terminals T 1 and T 2 .
• a termination connection E such 'as, for example a conference bridge or a multi-point control unit (Multi-Point Control Unit) responsible for the mixing and broadcasting the media streams exchanged during the same inter-personal communication session
• the present invention relating to the point-to-point connection C (i, E) may be applied to any point-to-point communication and thus also to any multi-point communication
• Such a connection C (i, E) is generically represented in Fig. Ic which involves a terminal T 1 ,
• the consumer audio conferencing system AGP Consumer Conference Audio
• PSTN switched telephone network
• video-telephony systems and other cats also called chat rooms.
• Internet is used to exchange media streams.
• inter-personal communication systems offer a service of personalization of the media streams exchanged during the same established session of inter-personal communication.
• This service implemented during a so-called step of personalization of media stream, allows a user to enhance the communication with other users by inserting for example sound effects or audio jingles thus making the exchange of flow between users more attractive.
• Fig. 2 represents a diagram of a SYSl system for exchanging media streams during a session S of interpersonal communication according to the state of the art, in this case the known audio conference system on the PSTN network. called "3621 Appointment by telephone" of France Telecom.
• the SYSl system comprises a connection termination E, in this case a conference bridge to which three terminals T 1 , T 2 and T 3 are connected, in this case telephones.
• a user i exchanges an audio stream F 1 with the other users through the terminal Ti which sends this stream to a communication unit CU of the connection termination E responsible for broadcasting this stream to the terminals T 2 and T 3 .
• the user i selects an activation command A (k) by composing a sequence of digits DTMF from the keyboard of the terminal T1.
• the terminal T1 then sends the activation command A (k) at the connection termination E.
• the personalization step implemented by the communication unit CU starts with the determination of the jingle audio J (m) corresponding to the activation command A (k).
• a program execution unit PU compares the activation command A (k) with each of the activation commands of a personalization table defining at least one association between at least one activation command A (k). ) and an audio jingle J (m).
• the customization table is stored in an AM memory that includes the connection termination E.
• the jingle J (m) associated with the activation command A (k) is recovered from a memory DM of the connection termination E via the program execution unit PU which then mixes the jingle J (m) with the stream F 1 being broadcast.
• the flow F 1 ! The resultant is then sent to the terminals T 2 and T 3 so that the other users participating in the audio conference session S can hear the flow ⁇ ⁇ thus personalized.
• Such a step of customizing media streams exchanged during the same inter-personal communication session is generally implemented on the connection termination E (conference bridge or multipoint control unit).
• connection termination E As a result, the setting up or updating of the personalization service requires modifications of the connection termination E so that it supports the personalization service or an update of this service, modifications which are the more often very expensive financially due to the material and important hardware means implemented by this connection termination to support the flow broadcast.
• Such a media stream personalization step does not allow a user to be able to define his own activation commands nor his own personalization programs.
• the associations connecting an activation command to a personalization program are determined by the service provider and are therefore identical for all users of the same inter-personal communication session.
• Such a personalization service which would be much more attractive for a user, would be to allow each user to determine his own activation commands and his own programs.
• the purpose of the present invention is therefore to provide a method of exchanging media streams between a terminal and a connection termination during the same an inter-personal communication session that makes it possible to avoid having to modify said connection termination for the implementation of a personalization process and that allows a user to customize a stream being broadcast from a connection table; customization that he defined himself beforehand.
• the present invention provides a method of exchanging media streams between a terminal used by a user and a connection termination during the same inter-personal communication session.
• Said method comprising a personalization step of performing, following the selection by said user of an activation command, a personalization program identified as being associated with said activation command by a personalization table for personalization purposes exchanged media streams, is characterized in that it comprises a step of transmitting exchanged media streams that are likely to be customized to at least one relay address previously defined for the customization of said streams.
• said method comprises a step of retransmission, from said relay address, said flows to said termination, customized or not depending on whether said personalization step has been implemented or not.
• the media stream exchange method includes a step of establishing said session, said establishing step further comprising:
• the description of the media stream types is defined by the Session Description Protocol (SDP) defined by the IETF Request for Comments RFC 2327.
• SDP Session Description Protocol
• said types of media streams that can be exchanged during said session are only the types of media stream that said terminal can receive and present to said user.
• said activation commands, personalization programs and associations between said activation commands and said customization programs constituting said personalization table are created by said user.
• the identification of said personalization program is followed by a validation step of the execution of said personalization program thus identified.
• This feature is particularly advantageous in the case where several personalization programs are executed simultaneously with a streaming media stream because it prevents the combination of personalization programs from degrading the quality of this broadcast media stream by making it Inaudible example.
• the step of establishing said session further comprises a step of verifying, from an identification information of said user, that said user has subscribed a subscription. This feature is advantageous for a service provider who can thus limit access to the media stream personalization service to the users contractually associated with him.
• said description of each type of media stream likely to be exchanged during said session is extracted from a message conveyed by a first signaling signal.
• each activation command is conveyed by a second signaling signal.
• said identification information of said user is extracted from a message conveyed by a third signaling signal.
• said first, second and third signaling signal are in accordance with the SIP protocol.
• a flow personalization program consists in mixing said media stream with audio and / or visual data, or in applying a sound and / or visual effect to said media stream.
• the present invention also relates to a device for personalization of media streams exchanged between a terminal used by a user and a connection termination during the same inter-personal communication session, said device comprising personalization means for executing, following the selection by said user of an activation command, a personalization program associated with said activation command by a personalization table for the purpose of personalization of the exchanged media streams, said device being characterized in that it includes means for receiving at least one previously defined relay address said media streams that said device is capable of customizing and means for retransmitting, from said relay address, said flows to said connection termination (E), personalized or not according to whether said personalization means have been implemented re or not.
• E connection termination
• the present invention relates to a system for sharing media streams between a terminal used by a user and a connection termination during the same inter-personal communication session, said terminal being connected to the connection termination by a user.
• first communication network characterized in that it comprises a personalization device according to the invention, associated on the one hand with said terminal and connected on the other hand to said connection termination by a second communication network.
• said terminal and said personalization device are associated by a third communication network.
• said personalization device is a home gateway
• said third communication network is a local area network
• said first and second communication networks are an IP type network.
• said personalization device is a network device
• said first, second and third communication networks are IP type networks.
• the present invention relates to a computer program for exchanging media flows between a terminal used by a user and a connection termination during the same inter-personal communication session, characterized in that it implements implement the steps of the exchange method according to one of the embodiments of the present invention above.
• Fig. Ib represents a diagram of a multi-point communication.
• Fig. Ic represents a generic scheme of interpersonal communication.
• Fig. 2 represents a block diagram of a media flow exchange system during an interpersonal communication session according to the state of the art.
• Fig. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system for exchanging flows exchanged during the same inter-personal communication session according to the present invention.
• Fig. 4 is a diagram of the steps of the media stream exchange method according to the present invention.
• Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a personalization device for flows exchanged during the same inter-personal communication session according to the present invention.
• Fig. 6 is a block diagram of another exemplary embodiment of a personalization device for flows exchanged during the same inter-personal communication session according to the present invention.
• An inter-personal communication session describes all the parameters related to each connection between a terminal Tj and a connection termination E involved in the communication, and all the information related to the media streams that are exchanged, in particular their type. , their coding format, etc.
• Media flow is understood to mean any type of digital stream such as, for example, audio, video, audio visual streams or applications such as computer programs.
• Fig. 3 represents a block diagram of a SYS2 media flow exchange system during the same inter-personal communication session according to the present invention.
• This SYS2 exchange system comprises a terminal Tj, used by a user i who wishes to access the personalization service, a personalization device D described in relation with FIG. 5 and a connection termination E.
• the personalization device D is connected to the terminal Tj by a communication network NET1 and to the connection termination E by a communication network NET2.
• the terminal Tj is also connected to the connection termination E by a communication network NET3.
• the personalization device D is, without limitation, a home gateway or network equipment.
• the communication network NET1 is a local area network.
• the communication networks NET2 and NET3 are then of type IP (Internet Protocol) for example.
• IP Internet Protocol
• the communication networks NET1, NET2 and NET3 are IP type, for example.
• the terminal Tj is, without limitation, a desktop computer or a digital telephone which can also be analog in the case where the personalization device D is a home gateway.
• the home gateway then comprises means for converting the analog data into digital and vice versa.
• the user terminal Ti is connected to the connection termination E by a reliable connection (without loss of data) CF (i, E), and, as will be seen later in the description of the exchange method given opposite with FIG. 4, by an unreliable connection (but allowing a real-time routing of the data) CNFl (i, E).
• the terminal Ti is also connected to the personalization device D by one or more unreliable connections CNF21 (i, j) established between the terminal Tj and an address subsequently called the relay address j of the personalization device D.
• the device customization D is connected to the connection termination E by one or more unreliable connections CNF22 (j, E) established between each relay address j of the personalization device D and the connection termination E.
• connection CF i, E
• TCP Transmission Control Protocol
• the connection CNF1 (i, E) and / or the connections CNF21 (i, j) and CNF22 (j, E) are performed by the untrusted transport protocol UDP (User Datagram Protocol) associated with the transport protocol.
• UDP User Datagram Protocol
• RTP real-time transport protocol
• RTCP Real Time Control Protocol
• the media streams are exchanged between the terminal T 1 and the connection termination E either via the connection CNF1 (i, E) or via the connections CNF21 (i, j) and CNF22 (j, E ), as will be seen in detail during the exchange process described in connection with FIG. 4.
• the signals used to carry data other than the media streams are carried by signals called signaling signals. These signaling signals are routed over the CF (i, E) connection.
• Fig. 4 is a diagram of the steps of the media stream exchange method according to the present invention.
• This exchange method comprises a step 100 of establishing an inter-personal communication session S and a personalization step 200.
• the establishment step 100 further comprises sub-steps
• step 110 a description of each of the types of media streams that can be exchanged during session S is retrieved.
• These types of media streams may, for example, have been determined according to the hardware resources of the terminal T 1 (resources determining the types of media streams that the terminal T 1 is able to receive and present to the user i) and / or according to the capabilities of a communication network (for example the NET2 communication network) and / or have been specified by the user i himself.
• each type of media stream is described using the SDP format.
• the SDP descriptions of the type of media stream are carried by a 'INVITE' or '180 RINGING' message of the SIP protocol, which message is conveyed by a signaling signal called the first signaling signal.
• Step 110 is then followed by a step 120 of obtaining the personalization table.
• the personalization table is obtained from a memory and, according to a variant of this embodiment, from a communication network such as for example the NET2 communication network. .
• the personalization table obtained is a personalization table Pr, previously defined by the user i.
• a personalization table P ⁇ is associated prior to the implementation of the personalization step to each user i who can modify it as he sees fit by adding / removing an association between an activation command and a program of activation. customizing the personalization table and / or adding new activation commands and / or new customization programs to an already existing association and / or creating new associations.
• the personalization table Pr defines at least one association between an activation command A (i, k), for example a command originating from a human / machine interface such as a sequence of DTMF digits (Dual Tone Multiple Frequencies).
• a stream customization program T which may optionally require a data called personalization data D (n), for example of the audio and / or video type.
• the index i of the command A (i, k) recalls to which user i is associated this command, and the second index k refers to the k th command of the personalization table of this user.
• a user can also define a deactivation command which is then associated with the cancellation of the execution of a personalization program of a stream type being broadcast.
• the personalization table Pr 1 is composed of two associations.
• the first association is defined by an activation command A (I 5 I), a program T (I) for personalization of streams of audio type or of audio-visual type which requires data of audio type D (I).
• the program T (I) consists of mixing an audio-type stream or the audio part of a stream of audio-visual type being broadcast with an audio-type data D (I) which may be for example a music atmosphere.
• the second association is defined by an activation command A (1, 2) and a program T (2) for customizing streams of the audio type or of the audio visual type, which consists, for example, in creating a sound effect such as an echo.
• the personalization table Pr 2 is composed of a single association which is defined by an activation command A (2, l), and a program T (3) for personalization of video or audiovisual type video streams that requires a personalization data item D (2).
• the program T (3) consists in adding a border (defined by the data D (2)) to each image of a stream of video type or audio visual type.
• the step 120 of obtaining the personalization table is then followed by a step 130 during which it is identified, among the types of media streams that may be exchanged during the session S, those that are likely to be customized according to one of the personalization programs T (m) defined by the personalization table thus obtained.
• the personalization table obtained has been previously defined by a user and where a terminal T 1 is capable of exchanging audio type, audiovisual type and application type streams during the session S, and where a second terminal T 2 is capable of exchanging video-type and audiovisual-type streams during the same session S.
• the terminal T 1 is used by a user 1 and the user terminal T 2 is used by another user 2
• These two users have a flow personalization table associated with them, in this case the personalization table Pr 1 and the personalization table Pr 2; already defined above.
• the audio and audio-visual type streams are identified as being capable of being personalized according to one of the programs defined by the personalization table Pr 1
• the streams of Audio visual and video type types are identified as being capable of being customized according to one of the programs defined by the personalization table Pr 2 .
• the application type flows are not likely to be customized during the session S because the personalization table Pr 1 does not define an association between an activation command and a program for customizing media streams of this type.
• Step 130 is followed by a step 140 during which at least one relay address j and possibly a port are associated with the types of media flows thus identified.
• a relay address is for example an IP (Internet Protocol) address or a memory address of the personalization device D.
• the step 140 is finally followed by a step 150 of obtaining by the terminal Tj an information defining the or each relay address j thus associated, address to which the terminal Ti will send to the personalization device D via at least one connection CNF21 (ij) media streams whose type is likely to be customized by at least one customization program defined by the personalization table. It should be noted that, in the case where media stream types are not identified as being susceptible to being personalized by one of these personalization programs, these types of media streams will be sent directly to the termination.
• connection E via the connection CNF1 (i, E) without passing through a relay address of the personalization device D.
• step 100 is followed by a step 200 of customization of a media stream.
• the personalization step 200 furthermore comprises steps 210 to 240.
• steps 210 to 240 one of the media streams that can be personalized is transmitted to the relay address j that has been associated with it during the step 100 of establishment of the session S described previously.
• step 210 is then followed by the step
• the identification of the personalization program T (m) is carried out on the basis of the activation command thus transmitted and the personalization table Pr, of the user i.
• a signaling signal called a second signaling signal
• the second signaling signal carries an "INFO" message of the SIP protocol, which contains the activation command.
• This message contains for example a sequence of DTMF digits or another command of a human / machine interface of the user terminal Ti such as a voice command, which defines the activation command.
• step 220 is followed by a step 230 of validation of the execution of the personalization program T (m) thus identified.
• step 230 it is verified that the media stream transmitted to the relay address j is not subject to the effect of at least one personalization program being executed.
• step 230 is followed by the execution of the personalization program of the transmitted media stream.
• the execution of the program is preceded by the recovery of this personalization data from, for example, a memory or a communication network.
• the execution of a program is limited in time, for example by the duration of the session S, and that the effect of a program on a type of stream being broadcast can be stopped by a user i following the sending by the user terminal Tj of a deactivation command defined by the personalization table Pn.
• the overlay of the effect of the personalization program T (m) with the effect of this program of customization running is not harmful to the semantic content carried by the streaming media stream.
• These effects overlays may for example be defined a priori by a personalization service operator or by a stream customization program provider. Indeed, it can happen that two user terminals send an activation command for two different personalization programs or that a terminal sends a first activation command and then a succession of activation commands before the execution of the first customization program does not end.
• a user i may have requested the introduction (first program) of background music (personalization data) to a stream of audio-visual type being broadcast and want to apply an echo effect (second program ). As the result is not very audible, such a combination is considered harmful and the execution of the second program creating the echo effect is not validated.
• step 230 is followed by a step 240 during which the non-personalized media stream is transmitted to the connection termination E by via a connection CNF22u, E).
• the step 230 is followed by a step 240 during which the personalized media stream is transmitted to the connection termination E via a CNF22 connection (j, E).
• the personalization service is not accessible to any user of an inter-personal communication session but is reserved for subscribers, that is to say users who have subscribed a subscription in advance with, for example, an Internet service provider.
• a default customization table is associated with the subscriber who can modify it as he sees fit.
• the step 100 it is verified that a user ia subscribes to the personalization service from information of the user i. In the case where the user i is determined not to have subscribed to the personalization service, the step 100 of establishing the session S ends.
• the identification information of the user i is conveyed by an 'INVITE' or '180 RTNGING' message of the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) defined by the RFC 3261 established by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force).
• SIP Session Initiation Protocol
• This message is conveyed by a signaling signal called third signaling signal.
• Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a personalization device D of media streams exchanged during inter-personal communication according to the present invention.
• the personalization device D is, without limitation, a desktop computer, a telephone or a mobile terminal.
• the personalization device D comprises a communication bus B to which are connected a processor PROC, a non-volatile memory ROM, a random access memory RAM, a database DM, a database PR and an IR network interface connected on the one hand the NETl communication network and the NET2 communication network.
• the non-volatile memory ROM stores the programs and the digital data allowing, among other things, the implementation of the steps of the personalization method in accordance with those described above in relation to FIG. 4.
• this memory includes programs for encoding / decoding media streams and personalization programs for these streams.
• the ROM is readable by the processor PROC, integrated or not to the personalization device D, and can be removable.
• the personalization programs and / or the programs for encoding / decoding media streams are retrieved through the IR interface connected, for example, to a server of programs through the NET2 communication network or connected to the terminal Ti through the NET1 communication network.
• These programs are respectively routed either through a reliable connection CF (E D 5) or via the reliable connection CF (i, D) shown in Fig. 5. These connections are established only for the transfer of these programs.
• the database DM stores audio and / or video personalization data D (n), for example audio data D (I) and video data D (2). More generally, the database DM is readable by the processor PROC, integrated or not to the personalization device D, and can be removable. According to one embodiment of the personalization device D, the personalization data D (n) is retrieved from the network interface IR connected, for example, to a visual audio data server via the communication network NET2 or connected at the terminal T 1 through the communication network NET1 via respectively the connections CF (E 3 D) and CF (i, D).
• the database PR stores at least one personalization table, for example the personalization tables Pr 1 and Pr 2 described above. More generally, the database PR is readable by the processor PROC, integrated or not to the personalization device D, and can be removable. According to one embodiment of the personalization device D, the personalization tables are retrieved through the IR network interface connected, for example, to a personalization table server through the communication network NET2 or connected to the terminal Ti at through the communication network NET1 through the connections respectively CF (E 5 D) and CF (i, D).
• the personalization device D also includes means for establishing and managing reliable and unreliable connections.
• Each CNF21 (i, j) or CNF22 (j, E) connection is used for the real-time exchange of different types of media streams exchanged once the session S has been established.
• the communication networks NET1 and NET2 are IP type
• the UDP unreliable transport protocol associated with the RTP real-time transport protocol and possibly with the RTCP real-time transport control protocol is used.
• the personalization device D 5 some components of D personalization device such as the DM database and / or the database PR and / or the ROM are resources of the terminal T 1 to which the personalization device D accesses via the communication network NET1 via the connection CF (i, D).
• the signaling signals are conveyed between the user terminal T 1 and the connection termination E via the connection CF (i, E) (shown in FIG. 3), for example made reliable by the use of a TCP / IP type protocol.
• IP in the case where the NET2 communication network is IP type.
• the programs according to the present invention are transferred into the random access memory RAM which then contains the executable code of the invention as well as the data necessary for the implementation of the invention.
• Fig. 6 is a block diagram of another embodiment of an exchange system according to the present invention.
• the SYS3 exchange system comprises a terminal T1 and a connection termination E connected by a communication network NET.
• the terminal T 1 comprises the means implemented by the personalization device D described in relation to FIG. 5.
• the CNF21 (i, j) connections are no longer needed. Only the connections CNF22 (j, E), CNF1 (i, E) and CF (i, E) previously described remain.

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• Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

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• 2005
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  • 2006-08-01 US US11/997,592 patent/US7805534B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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