EP1964402A1

EP1964402A1 - Method and device for distributing digital contents

Info

Publication number: EP1964402A1
Application number: EP06841976A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pierre-Yves Le Lann; Jean-Louis Le Roux
Original assignee: France Telecom SA
Current assignee: Orange SA
Priority date: 2005-12-22
Filing date: 2006-12-18
Publication date: 2008-09-03
Also published as: FR2895629A1; JP4903220B2; WO2007077310A1; CN101346991A; CN101346991B; JP2009521156A

Abstract

The inventive method consists in injecting digital contents into a data distribution network in the form of packet data flows according to an IP-type protocol, in adapting a connection function for receiving at least one first and second data flows from first and second digital content sources, respectively, and for injecting one of the received data flows into said network, wherein, said method also consists in injecting (1) the first data flow received from the first digital source into the network in the connection function, in subsequently terminating (2) the first data flow injection, in injecting (3) the second data flow received from the second source into the network, in terminating (2) the second data flow injection according to said alternative criteria and in reinjecting (1) the first data flow into the network.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING DIGITAL CONTENTS

The present invention relates to the distribution of data streams in a packet distribution network and more particularly to the replacement, under particular conditions, of certain data streams by other data streams. Several types of telecommunication network make it possible to transmit digital content continuously, in particular corresponding to audiovisual contents such as videos or television channel programs, from a source of digital content to at least one terminal in the network. There are thus known networks offering a 'video on demand' service.

(VoD, for Video on Demand ') that allows a subscriber to request a specific video and receive this video on a network terminal. Such a video is then transmitted continuously as a data stream from the digital content source to the terminal via the telecommunication network.

In some networks are broadcast digital content corresponding to programs of television channels. In such networks, the terminals that have selected a given channel receive the data stream corresponding to the program of the selected television channel.

Telecommunication networks that offer such service offerings (TV, for TV and VoD for 'Video on Demand') to their subscribers may consist of distribution networks based on IP type protocols (for 'Internet Protocol'). In this case, it is possible to deliver to subscribers television channels via their telephone line, in particular using the ADSL protocol, for 'Asymmetry Digital Subscriber One'.

In these digital content distribution networks, when an interruption occurs in the distribution of the data stream from the source digital content to a terminal network, it is possible that the terminal displays a black screen or at least frozen. The quality of the service offered to the subscriber is degraded.

The present invention aims to overcome these problems. A first aspect of the present invention provides a method of distributing digital content in the form of a data stream in a packet data distribution network according to an IP protocol (for 'Internet Protocol'), according to which a connection function is adapted to, on the one hand, receive at least a first and a second stream of data, respectively from a first and a second source of digital contents, and, on the other hand, inject into said network one of said received data streams .

The method comprises, at the connection function, the following steps: / a / injecting into the network said first stream of data received from the first source of digital contents;

/ b / based on replacement criteria, stop injecting the first data stream and inject into the network the second data stream received from the second source; Here according to said replacement criteria, stop injecting the second data stream and inject into the network again the first data stream.

With these provisions, the distribution of digital content in the form of a streaming data stream can be flexibly managed by the network. Advantageously, such a distribution does not require any specific operation at the level of the terminals, nor even any intervention on the sources of content. Indeed, on the basis of replacement criteria, which may be of various types, it is ordered to replace or not a data stream, which may be a television program selected by a subscriber for example, at the connection function . This management flexibility improves the quality of content distribution services IP-based digital subscribers, such as television broadcasting services.

The connection function can advantageously collect the data streams, process them, in particular by replacing addresses in the packets of the streams received as described below, and inject the streams thus processed into a distribution network. Such a function can be located at any place within the considered network.

The replacement criteria may include features relating to the first and / or second received data stream. In this case, it is possible, for example, to detect the reception bit rate of the digital streams and to replace the data stream being distributed in order to avoid a bad reception of this stream at a subscriber terminal. These replacement criteria may also include, in addition to the data flow criteria or without the data flow criteria, temporal information.

When the characteristics relating to the first and / or second data streams comprise a first and a second rate threshold value, the connection function may, for example, inject the second stream in step / b / when the flow rate of the first stream in the connection function is less than the first throughput threshold value, and the connection function can inject the first data stream again at the step Here when the first data flow rate is higher than at said second rate threshold value.

The method may include a supervisory function that provides the connection function with a first value indicative of the rate of the first receive data stream at the connection function and / or a second value indicative of the rate of the second connection stream. receive data at the connection function.

When the connection function has a clock, the time information can indicate a first and a second clock threshold value. Then, when the clock of the connection function indicates a value corresponding to the first threshold value of clock, the function of connection can command to inject the second data stream in step Ib /, and when the clock of the connection function indicates a value corresponding to the second threshold value of clock, the connection function can command to inject again the first data stream in the Here step. When the second source transmits a plurality of second data streams to the connection function, the step IBI may then further comprise a step of selecting a second data stream to be injected from among said plurality of second data streams. received.

This step of selecting a second data stream may be based on reception characteristics of the different second data streams at the connection function and / or a comparison of the respective thematic characteristics of the digital contents of the different second streams of data. received data with a thematic feature of the digital content of the first data stream to be replaced. When the splice function receives and injects a plurality of first data streams, the method may further include a data flow replication function that replicates the second received data stream to replace said first plurality of data streams, at least one of the plurality of data streams. step IBI, if the connection function commands to stop injecting several first data streams.

The first data stream, respectively the second data stream, can be injected into the distribution network by the connection function and then delivered using an xDSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) type protocol on the network segment. access of receiving terminals. A second aspect of the present invention proposes a data flow distribution device in a packet data distribution network according to an IP protocol (for 'Internet Protocol'), comprising: a first reception interface, respectively a second receiving interface, adapted to receive at least a first digital content in the form of a first data stream from a first source of digital content, respectively at least a second digital content under forming a second data stream from a second source of digital content; a transmission interface adapted to inject into the distribution network the first or the second stream of data respectively received from the first and the second source; a decision unit adapted to control, according to replacement criteria, when the transmission interface injects the first data stream, to stop injecting the first data stream into the network and to inject into the network the second stream of data received from the second source.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a data flow distribution system in a packet data distribution network according to an IP type protocol, comprising: a first source of digital content; - a second source of digital content; a dispensing device comprising:

A first reception interface, respectively a second reception interface, adapted to receive at least a first digital content in the form of a first data stream from a first digital content source, respectively at least a second digital content in the form of a first a second data stream from a second source of digital content;

A transmission interface adapted to inject into the distribution network the first or the second stream of data respectively received from the first and the second source;

A decision unit adapted to control, according to replacement criteria, when the transmission interface injects the first data stream, to stop injecting the first data stream into the network and injecting into the network the second stream of data received from the second source.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer program for a dispensing device, comprising instructions capable of implementing the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, when executing the program by processing means. of the dispensing device.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description of one of its embodiments. The invention will also be better understood with the aid of the following description of various embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the drawings, in which: FIGS. 1-A and 1-B illustrate a telecommunication network according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates the main steps of a method according to any embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 details steps of a method according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Figures 4-A and 4-B illustrate a telecommunication network according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 details steps of a method according to the second embodiment of the present invention corresponding to that illustrated in Figures 4-A and 4-B; Figure 6 illustrates a dispensing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The invention is described below in its application to systems in which digital contents are transmitted on the basis of an xDSL type protocol. This description is not limiting and it should be noted that it can find a simple and effective application in any other type of telecommunication network, especially in a packet data distribution network, such as a network based on a IP protocol adapted to transmit digital contents in a network. The present invention makes it possible to control a distribution of digital contents in a network based on an IP type protocol, and, where appropriate, to replace the transmitted digital content so as to improve the quality of service at a content receiver. digital, advantageously without requiring any particular procedure on the receiver terminals. For various reasons, such as in the event of a technical incident, or cancellation or interruption of a digital content distribution, digital content may not be properly delivered to a receiver in the network. To avoid that in such a case a receiver displays a black screen or a frozen image, other replacement digital content is then advantageously transmitted to the receiver so as to replace the distribution of the failed digital content.

Such replacement of digital content can also be advantageously implemented in a programmed manner. This may be the case, in a context of broadcasting national and regional television channels, for example. In fact, at certain times, a regional dropping out of the national television program can be programmed, ie on a television channel selected by a subscriber, a regional program is transmitted in place of the national program, the regional program and the national program being issued in general by different sources of digital content.

Thus, a method according to an embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to replace the distribution of a digital content being distributed by another digital content, automatically on the basis of specific replacement criteria.

However, it may be noted that a replacement of data streams according to the present invention can also be done manually by an operator.

In the context of the present invention, a digital content distribution may correspond to a distribution of data flows in a network to a terminal, or 'unicast' distribution. In this case, in general, the digital contents are transmitted to a receiving terminal on request of this terminal, as is done in services of the type of 'Video on demand' or in English 'VoD' for 'Video on Demand'. In this context, a distribution can also be performed in the form of a tree broadcast, or 'multicast' distribution. In the following, the present invention is described, by way of illustration, in its application to the broadcast of television programs on an IP type protocol, therefore in the 'multicast' distribution framework.

For the sake of clarity, FIGS. 1-A and 1-B illustrate a network according to the present invention in a simple configuration comprising a first source of nominal digital contents, that is corresponding to the television programs that can be selected by the different terminals of the network, and a second source of digital content that can advantageously replace the data streams of television programs being distributed, in some cases. These sources of digital content are adapted to transmit the digital contents in the form of a streaming data stream. The first source of digital content may be a conventional device for broadcasting television programs in a network.

Figures 1-A and 1-B illustrate a distribution network 100, based on an IP type protocol, according to an embodiment of the present invention. A data flow connection function 106 is adapted to receive streams of data from digital content sources 103 and 104 and to inject into the network 100 one of the received data streams.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the connection function 106 is implemented by a distribution device having a first and a second input port P1 and P2 for receiving data streams respectively from the two sources 103 and 104, and an output port P3 for injecting at least one data stream into the network 100. The present invention covers all the network architectures for implementing a method according to one embodiment. Thus, the connection function 106 can be centralized on a single device or be a shared function in the network 100 on different devices of the network. In one embodiment of the present invention, the first source 103 continuously transmits N television programs denoted TV1, i, for i ranging from 1 to N. Each program TV1, i, among the N programs, can be identified by a a pair of IP addresses on a network 120 comprising the two sources 103 and 104 as well as the connection function 106. Such a pair of addresses comprises, on the one hand, a source IP address corresponding to an address of the transmitting source of the TV1 program, i, denoted @ S1i, and a destination IP address. In the context of broadcasting television programs, the latter destination address is an IP group address, or multicast address, or multicast address, denoted @ G1i. Thus, the pair of addresses defining a television program TV1, i can therefore be written in the following form:

(@ S1i, @ G1i) Then, preferably, on the basis of an address mapping or addressing scheme, the connection function 106 is adapted to inject the various television programs received on the port P1 in the form of respective distribution channels Ci in the network 100 to the network equipment 112, each of these channels Ci relating to a specific TV program TV1, i. A network entity 112 may be a digital subscriber line access multiplexer equipment, or in English DSLAM for 'Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer'. A single network equipment 112 is shown in Figures 1-A and 1-B to simplify the description. However, it should be noted that the network 100 generally comprises several network equipment 112 to which a TV program TV1, i can be transmitted, as well as several intermediate devices, such as routers for example, upstream of the network equipment. 112.

A distribution channel Ci of the television program TV1, i can be defined in the network 100 by a source address @Si and a destination address @Gi, the source address @Si corresponding to the distribution source of the data stream TV1 , i of the distribution device implementing the connection function 106 and the destination address @Gi corresponding to a broadcast multicast address of the TV program TV1, i.

The connection function 106 thus receives several streams of data from the first source 103 on the port P1, each corresponding to a TV program TV1, i. The data packets of the stream relating to the program TV1, i comprise a destination address @ G1i and a source address @ S1i. On the basis of the addressing plan, this function 106 orients the various data streams received, replacing in the data stream packets TV1, i, the source address @ S1i by the source address @Si and the address destination @ G1 i by the destination address @Gi.

Then, the data streams are transmitted in the network 100 from the port

P3 of the distribution device implementing the connection function.

Thus, the data streams received are injected into the distribution network

For example, the network equipment 112 receives on the channel C1 the data stream corresponding to the program TV1, 1 and on the channel C2 the data stream corresponding to the program TV1, 2. Terminals, or 'Set Top

Box ', 101 and 102 being active and having selected the program TV1.2, therefore receive on the C2 channel the program TV1, 2 selected. A terminal

111 having selected the program TV1,1 receives this program on channel C1. Preferably, an off terminal 110 does not receive a data stream.

The connection function 106 is therefore able to receive a plurality of television programs on the port P1 from the first source 103 and to manage a plurality of respective channels Ci, according to an address plan, each of the channels Ci being adapted to inject the data stream respectively corresponding to the selected TV program TV1, i.

FIGS. 1-A and 1-B illustrate a first variant of the present invention, in which the data flow connection function 106 cooperates with a supervision unit 105. This supervision unit provides information on the basis of which the function The connection may control a replacement of a data stream being distributed by another data stream. This unit 105 can advantageously be adapted for controlling a rate of reception of a data stream on at least the first port P1. Thus, the connection function 106 may make the decision to replace a data stream being distributed by another data stream based on a replacement criterion relating to the rate at which the data stream being dispensed is received.

It can be considered that a threshold value of the rate at which a data stream is received is a criterion for replacing the data stream to be transmitted.

The supervision unit 105 regularly checks and measures the rate of the traffic associated with each of the data streams received at least at the level of the port P1 and preferably at the two ports P1 and P2.

When, at the port P1, the supervision unit 105 detects that for a given flow, or given program, the flow rate falls below a first threshold value, it informs the connection function 106. The latter can then trigger the replacement mechanism of the program being broadcast by a digital content received from the second source 104. Such a replacement criterion can take into account the fact that the measured value of the flow rate at the port P1 is less than a value. Flow threshold during a specified time interval. For example, a 100Kbit / s rate threshold value and a 5 second measurement time may trigger the replacement of the program that is received under such conditions.

A decrease in reception bit rate can be linked to technical distribution problems occurring upstream of the distribution network, in particular problems arising in the generation of content related to live image taking on an outdoor location, such as a tennis court for example.

When, under such conditions, the connection function 106 decides and commands to replace the distribution of the TV1.2 program data stream, for example, it selects a replacement digital content received from the second source 104. digital content is selected from the data streams received on the P2 port, the connection function may then ignore the receipt of the data relating to the program TV1, 2 to inject into the channel C2 instead of the program TV1, 2, the digital content thus selected.

FIG. 1-B illustrates such a case of replacing a stream of data received from the first source being broadcast in the network 100. While in FIG. 1-A, a data stream received on P1 is routed to At port P3 as indicated by an arrow 121, in FIG. 1-B an arrow 122 indicates that a second data stream is routed from port P2 to port P3. The second source corresponds to a network equipment that is adapted to transmit at least one digital content in the form of at least one continuous stream of data Fj. Such equipment may be a data stream server such as those used in the Video-on-Demand VoD services. It may also correspond to equipment suitable for broadcasting a television program such as the equipment used as the first source 103. Subsequently, the second source 104 corresponds to a streaming data server, or streaming server. However, it is easy to deduce an application implementing a second source 104 in the form of equipment similar to that of the first source 103 and adapted for broadcasting television program. The different data streams Fj sent by the server 104 to the device implementing the connection function 106 can be defined for example by a source address @ S2j and N group addresses @ G2j. Note that in the case where the source 104 is a network entity similar to that of the first source 103, the destination address is a multicast group address.

Thus, when the management function 106 operates relative to the TVi program in a nominal mode, that is to say when the TVi program is injected into the network 100 on the channel Ci, the data stream or streams received on the port P2 are ignored. Of course, if the connection function manages the replacement of another program, for example the program TV1, k, it does not ignore the data streams received from the second source. Indeed, in this case, it advantageously replaces the program TV1, k with one of the streams of data received from this second source.

When the connection function 106 operates in an alternative mode for the program TV1, i, after having selected a stream of data among the streams received on the port P2, it ignores the data stream of the program TV1, i on the port P1 and processes received packets in the selected stream on port P2. Thus, in the channel Ci are injected the packets of the selected data stream on the port P2.

For this purpose, the connection function replaces in the packets received from the selected stream, the source address @ S2j by the source address @Si. It also replaces the destination address @ G2, j by the destination address @Gi, which corresponds to the destination address 'multicast' of the channel

This.

The present invention covers all the methods that would make it possible to select a replacement stream among the streams received on the port P2. It may in particular make such a selection on the basis of information provided by the supervision unit 105 in the case where this unit also provides reception flow supervision on the port P2, or in any other case. Thus, it can then advantageously select the replacement data stream having the best reception rate at an entry point of the distribution network. It can also provide for matching a TV program TV1, i to a replacement data stream Fj on the basis of respective themes treated in the replacement data stream and in the program TV1, i to replace. For example, a sports program can be replaced by another sports program.

In the case, where the supervision unit 105 informs that the measured values of the reception rate on the port P1 of the television programs TV1, 1 and TV1, 2 are below a threshold value of the considered flow rate, the function of connection 106 can then command to replace both the stream of data being distributed on the channel C1 and that being distributed on the channel C2. In the case where the second source 104 continuously supplies a single data stream to the connection function or else in the case where the connection function selects the same data stream to replace the program TV1.1 and TV1,2, it It is advantageous to provide that this data stream is replicated in order to be broadcast on the two channels C1 and C2, in order to replace the two television programs.

More generally, the number of television programs transmitted by the first source and the number of data streams transmitted by the second source can advantageously be independent. In one embodiment of the present invention, in the case where it is necessary to replace a number of television programs being broadcast larger than the number of data streams received on the P2 port, the replication function replicates the replacement data flow. Thus, a very flexible management of program replacements can be implemented by the connection function 106.

When a program TVI, i is replaced by a data flow Fj, it can be provided that, as long as the supervision unit 105 does not detect an increase in the measured value of the flow rate at the port P1, the connection function 106 continues to operate in a 'replacement' mode, that is to say that it replaces the stream of data being distributed on the channel Ci by the stream Fj received on the port P2.

When the supervision unit 105 detects an increase in the measured value of the flow rate at the port P1 above a threshold value of the flow rate, it informs the connection function 106 of this. It can then advantageously trigger a switchover of the operating mode. to operate again in a 'nominal' mode as described above, that is to say corresponding to the case where the program TV1, i received from the source 103 is again injected into the channel Ci. the rate threshold value triggering a switch from the nominal mode to the replacement mode may be different from the flow rate threshold threshold triggering a reverse switchover. In addition, before operating this reverse toggle the supervision unit can do reception rate measurements over a given time interval as described above.

FIG. 2 illustrates the main steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention in the form of a state-change machine, these steps being notably implemented in the embodiment as illustrated in FIG. Figures 1-A and 1-B, as well as in the embodiment as illustrated in Figures 4-A and 4-B.

In a nominal state 1, the connection function 106 injects into the network 100 a first data stream received from the first source 103. In a replacement state 3, the connection function injects a second data stream, replacement flow, instead of the first data stream. To decide to operate in the nominal state 1 or in the replacement state 3, the connection function advantageously takes into account replacement criteria. This state machine is relative to a given program TV1, i, the connection function can operate in the nominal mode for a given program and in the replacement mode for another program.

FIG. 3 illustrates steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention which corresponds to an embodiment such as that illustrated in FIGS. 1-A and 1-B, these steps being implemented by the function of FIG. connection 106 and the supervisory unit 105. In a step 301, the connection function collects N continuous data stream on the one hand, and M collection stream of continuous replacement data on the other hand.

The following steps can be performed for all received TV1, i television programs, i being between 1 and N. In a step 303, a measured bit rate value relative to a data stream corresponding to the TV1, i program is compared to a threshold value of flow. If the measured flow value is greater than the threshold value (arrow o), the flow packets

(@ S1, i; @ G1, i) are routed, at a step 311, from the port P1 on which they are received to the port P3 from which they are sent to a part of the network, in particular to the destination entity type network entities 112 as previously described. Then, in step 309, the packets are injected into the channel Ci defined by the address pair (@Si; @Gi). In the particular example of the description, this channel is materialized in the access network, which corresponds to a lower part of the distribution network, by a telephone line supporting an xDSL type protocol. However, it should be noted that such a channel may correspond to access of any other technology, such as for example cable access technology, or WiFi, or fiber access technology.

If, in step 303, a measured flow rate value lower than the threshold value is detected, for a time greater than a time threshold value, step 304, then a selection of the replacement flow is made among the data streams received. on the P2 port. It is verified in step 306 that a measured flow value relative to the reception of this selected replacement flow is greater than a flow threshold value. If this is not the case (arrow n), we reiterate a new selection. If this is the case, in step 307, the data flow to be replaced which is received on the port P1 is ignored. In step 308, packets of the selected replacement stream are routed to port P3. Then the distribution is performed in the network 100 at step 309.

In step 312, which follows step 309, it is checked whether the program that has just been processed is the last of the programs to be processed. This step is to verify that all programs received on port P1 have been processed. If this is not the case, the other programs are then treated in the same way by the same steps.

However, the order of the steps set out above is only illustrative and not limiting. The present invention covers all possible orders of these steps.

FIGS. 4-A and 4-B illustrate a second variant embodiment of the present invention, in which the entity 105, which cooperates with the connection function, is a configuration unit which includes replacement criteria on the basis of which the connection function decides to modify the program transmitted in the network 100 or not. In this second variant, the invention is described in its application to the management of change of national television programs into regional programs.

In the example illustrated here, the first source 103 supplies the connection function 106 N television programs TV1, i, for i between 1 and N. These N television programs are broadcast programs.

Three digital subscriber line access multiplexers 112 are represented to serve three different regions connected to the network 100 for which the regional programs are different. For this purpose, the second source 104 provides three regional television programs TV2.1,

TV2.2 and TV2, 3 to the connection function 106.

FIG. 4-A illustrates the connection function operating in nominal mode, by transmitting in the network 100 to the various multiplexers 112, a national program TV1, 1 on different channels C31, C32 and C33 respectively to the three multiplexers.

On the other hand, in the configuration unit, time information is introduced to determine when the national TV1.1 program is replaced by a regional program. Thus, when the replacement time is detected on the basis of the configuration time information, the connection function changes operation mode from the nominal mode to the replacement mode, as described in the previous sections with reference to the first variant .

The configuration unit may also include information that further enables the connection function to select a regional program for a given channel Ci.

Figure 4-B describes such an operation mode in the context of broadcasting regional programs. Thus, regional TV2.1 programs; TV2.2 and TV2.3 received on the P2 port from the second source are respectively injected on the C31, C32 and C33 channels instead of the TV1.1 program. The injection of these programs is carried out in the same way as that previously described with reference to the first variant, that is to say that the connection function replaces the source and destination addresses. packets received in the three data streams from the second source 104, by the addresses corresponding to the respective channels C31 to C33. Thus, for example for the channel C31, the source address, or the destination address, of the packets of the data stream corresponding to the program TV2,1 is replaced by the address @ S31, respectively by the address @ G31, the pair of addresses (@ S31, @ G31) defining the channel C31.

FIG. 5 illustrates, like FIG. 3, steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention corresponding to that illustrated in FIGS. 4-A and 4-B, these steps being implemented by the function 106 and the configuration unit 105. The steps with the same reference as those illustrated in FIG. 3 are analogous. After step 301, in step 501, for a given national program TV1, i, the configuration parameters are checked. At this stage, more precisely, the configuration time information is compared with a clock to determine if it is time to get from the national program to the regional program. If it is not the moment (arrow n) we continue to direct the packets of the television program TV1, i. In the opposite case, the connection function selects a regional stream at step 305. In fact, in such a context, the connection function selects several regional programs to replace the same national program TV1, 1.

In one embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that the configuration unit 105 is also able to implement the measurements of the supervision unit as previously described in the first variant. In such a case, in step 306, before proceeding with program replacement, it is advantageous to control the quality of reception of this data stream of the selected regional program. To do this, reference will be made to the details given above for setting up such a control on the basis of threshold values of flow. If the reception quality is detected as unsatisfactory (arrow n), proceed to steps 311, 309 and 312. In the case, contrary to the national program TV1, i is replaced on the channel or channels corresponding to the regional broadcast of the program. selected region, steps 307, 308, 309 and 312 being performed. It is possible that the quality of reception by the connection function of a single regional TV2.1 program is considered unsatisfactory. In this case, it can be decided that only TV2,2 and

TV2,3 are respectively injected into the channels C32 and C33, the national program TV1, 1 being always injected into the channel C31.

The referral of the different regional programs to replace the national program may be based on pre-set configuration data which ensures a correspondence between these regional programs and the dissemination channels. A third variant of the present invention may be an association of the first and second variants previously described thus allowing a supervision of the quality of the reception of the data streams received from the first source and / or of the data streams received since the second source, as well as national and regional programming according to predetermined schedules.

In a fourth variant, it is possible to trigger the replacement of a program manually, for example for a program change related to the thematic content of the program being broadcast. Other application variants of the present invention can easily be deduced from the foregoing descriptions.

Figure 6 illustrates a dispensing device 600 implementing a dispensing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such a data flow distribution device, here in a packet data distribution network, comprises a first reception interface 601, respectively a second reception interface 602, adapted to receive at least a first data stream from a first source, respectively at least one second stream of data from a second source. It also comprises a transmission interface 611 adapted to inject into the network the first data stream received from the first source or the second data stream received from the second source. A unit Decision 606 is further adapted to control, based on replacement criteria, to stop injecting the first data stream into the network and to inject into the network the second data stream received from the second source. When the transmission interface injects the first received data stream into the network for distribution to a part of the distribution network characterized by a subset of receiving equipment, the transmission interface can then inject the second data stream to the distribution network. the same subset of receiving equipment in the distribution network. The first data stream, respectively the second data stream, comprises data packets having a destination address indicating at least one address relating to the first receiving interface 601, respectively the second receiving interface 602.

The replacement criteria include features relating to the first and / or second received data stream and / or time information.

The device may further include a supervisory unit 603 adapted to perform quality level measurements upon reception of the first and / or second data stream and to provide these measurements to the decision unit 606.

The device may also comprise a configuration unit 604 adapted to provide the decision unit 606 either flow information indicating a first and a second threshold value or time information indicating a first and a second clock threshold value, or still any other type of parameters, and allowing the decision unit to command on the one hand to inject the second data stream when a clock of the connection function corresponds to the first threshold value of clock, and d on the other hand to inject the first data stream again when the clock of the connection function corresponds to the second clock threshold value.

The device 600 may also include a selection unit 607 adapted to select a data stream from those received on the interface 602 according to selection criteria such as those previously mentioned in the examples described above.

This selection unit 607 may advantageously comprise a replication unit adapted to replicate the replacement data stream in order to be able to replace several nominal programs, that is to say received on the reception interface 601, by the same program or digital content received on the reception interface 602.

The distribution device 600 may also include a routing unit 608 adapted to manage the replacement of the source and destination addresses of the packets of the data streams to be transmitted, on the basis of a determined addressing plan. It also preferably comprises a network resource management unit 610 which is adapted to manage a network path in which the data stream to be injected into the network is transported to subscribers' xDSL lines. An application of the present invention makes it possible to partition the responsibility for distributing digital content between digital content providers and digital content distributors. Such a division of responsibilities may be particularly advantageous when the content providers and the distributors respectively correspond to different operators.

Claims

A method of distributing digital content as a data stream in a packet data distribution network, wherein a connection function (106) is adapted to receive at least a first and a second data streams, respectively from a first and a second source of digital contents, and, on the other hand, injecting into said network one of said received data streams; said method comprising, at the connection function, the following steps:

/ a / injecting (1) into the network said first stream of data received from the first source of digital contents;

/ b / according to replacement criteria, stopping (2) injecting the first data stream and injecting (3) into the network the second data stream received from the second source; Here according to said replacement criteria, stop (2) injecting the second data stream and injecting (1) into the network again the first data stream.

The method of claim 1, wherein the replacement criteria comprises at least one of the features of the group comprising characteristics relating to the first received data stream, characteristics relating to the second received data stream, and time information.

The method of claim 2, wherein the characteristics relating to the first and / or second data streams comprise a first and a second rate threshold value; and according to which the connection function controls to inject the second stream at step IbI when the first data stream rate at reception at level of the connection function is less than said first rate threshold value, and the connection function controls to inject the first data stream again at the law step when the rate of the first data stream is greater than said second data rate threshold value of flow.

The method according to claim 3, wherein a supervisory function provides the connection function with at least one of the elements of the group comprising a first value indicating the rate of the first receive data stream at the function level. a second value indicating the rate of the second data stream on reception at the connection function.

The method of any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein, when the connection function has a clock, the time information indicates a first and a second clock threshold value; and wherein, when the clock of the connection function indicates a value corresponding to the first clock threshold value, the connection function commands to inject the second data stream in step IbI, and when the clock of the connection function indicates a value corresponding to the second clock threshold value, the connection function command to inject the first data stream again in the step Here.

The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein step IbI, when the second source transmits a plurality of second data streams to the connection function, further comprises a step of selecting a second data stream to be injected from among said plurality of second received data streams.

The method of claim 6, wherein the step of selecting a second data stream is based on at least one of the elements of the group comprising reception characteristics of the different second data streams at the connection function and a comparison of the respective thematic characteristics of the digital contents of the different second data streams received with a thematic characteristic of the digital content of the first data stream to be replaced .

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, when the splice function receives and injects a plurality of first data streams, a data flow replication function replicates the second received data stream to replace said first data stream. several first data streams, in step / b /, if the connection function commands to stop injecting several first data streams.

Data flow distribution device (600) in a data distribution network, said device comprising: a first receiving interface (601), respectively a second receiving interface (602), adapted to receive at least a first digital content in the form of a first data stream from a first source of digital content, respectively at least a second digital content in the form of a second data stream from a second source of digital content; a transmission interface (611) adapted to inject into the network the first or the second stream of data respectively received from the first or second source; a decision unit (606) adapted to control, based on replacement criteria, when the transmission interface injects the first data stream, to stop injecting the first data stream into the network and to inject into the network the second stream of data received from the second source.

The dispensing device (600) according to claim 9, further comprising a supervisory unit (603) adapted to provide, at the decision unit (606), at least one of the elements of the group comprising a first value indicating the measured bit rate of the first receive data stream on the first interface and a second value indicating the measured bit rate of the second receive data stream on the second interface.

The dispensing device (600) according to claim 9 or 10, further comprising, when the decision unit (606) has a clock, a configuration unit (604) adapted to provide the decision unit with information which indicate a first and a second clock threshold value, wherein, when the clock of the decision unit indicates a value corresponding to the first clock threshold value, the decision unit commands to inject the second data stream, and when the clock of the decision unit indicates a value corresponding to the second clock threshold value, the decision unit commands to inject the first data stream again.

The apparatus of any one of claims 9 to 11, further comprising, when the second receiving interface receives a plurality of second data streams, a selection unit (607) adapted to select a second data stream to be injected. by the transmission interface among said plurality of second received data streams.

A data flow distribution system in a data distribution network, said system comprising: a first source of digital content (103); a second source of digital contents (104) a dispensing device comprising: A first reception interface (601), respectively a second reception interface (602), adapted to receive at least a first digital content in the form of a first data stream from a first source of digital contents, respectively at least one second digital content in the form of a second data stream from a second source of digital content;

A transmission interface (611) adapted to inject into the network the first or the second stream of data respectively received from the first source and the second source;

A decision unit (606) adapted to control, based on replacement criteria, when the transmission interface injects the first data stream, to stop injecting the first data stream into the network and to inject into the network. network the second stream of data received from the second source.

14. Computer program for a dispensing device (600), comprising instructions able to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, during execution of the program by device processing means of distribution.