EP2449773A1

EP2449773A1 - Method and system for distributing personalized digital content

Info

Publication number: EP2449773A1
Application number: EP10745368A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gaël FROMENTOUX; Frédéric FIEAU; Pierre-Yves Le Lann
Original assignee: France Telecom SA
Current assignee: Orange SA
Priority date: 2009-06-30
Filing date: 2010-06-29
Publication date: 2012-05-09
Also published as: WO2011001102A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for activating personalized digital content distribution in the form of a data stream in a network for distributing data using packets, the method being implemented by an activation device that is connected to said network, and, during the distribution of digital content, to at least one user terminal connected to said network. The method comprises identifying (204), for a given event, personalized digital content and user terminals that form a target group, and transmitting (206) a personalized digital content distribution request associated with said event to said user terminals that form the target group.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

DIGITAL CUSTOMIZED

The present invention relates to the distribution of data streams in a packet distribution network and more particularly, the replacement or insertion, under particular conditions, of certain data streams by other data flows to particular terminals.

Several types of telecommunication networks make it possible to transmit continuously digital contents, 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.

Networks offering a 'content on demand' service (CoD such as

VoD for 'Video on Demand') that allows a subscriber to request a specific video and receive this video on a network terminal are known. 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.

The telecommunication networks that offer such services (TV, for TV and VoD for 'Video on Demand' or other) to their subscribers may consist of distribution networks based on IP type protocols (for 'Internet Protocol'). In this case, the subscribers of the television channels can receive these services via their telephone line by using in particular the ADSL protocol, for 'Asymmetry Digital Subscriber One'. In some networks, it is possible to substitute one content for another in the context of a geographical segmentation. Thus, patent document FR2695829 provides for the substitution of a multicast type stream with another stream of the same nature for certain geographical zones at a given instant. This substitution is implemented by the headend which incorporates fixed criteria that trigger this substitution.

Such customization is however not optimal and can be improved, especially in terms of flexibility and customization. However, the heterogeneous and evolving nature of packet distribution networks makes it difficult to apply existing solutions.

There is therefore a need for content delivery enabling content providers to target their listeners more precisely and users to receive more specific content.

One of the objects of the present invention is to improve this situation. To this end, the present invention relates to a method for triggering the broadcast of personalized digital content in the form of a data stream in a packet data distribution network, the method being implemented by a triggering device connected to said network and during the broadcast of digital content to at least one user terminal connected to said network. The method includes identifying, for a given event, personalized digital content and user terminals forming a target group and sending a broadcast request of personalized digital content associated with said event to said user terminals. forming the target group.

The invention also relates to a digital content broadcast triggering equipment in the form of a data stream connected to a packet data distribution network, the equipment comprising means configured to carry out the steps of the method mentioned above.

In addition, the invention generally relates to a method for broadcasting personalized digital content in the form of a data stream in a packet data distribution network, the method comprising an identification of a digital content associated with an event and one or more user terminals connected to the network and forming a target group, a transmission of a broadcast request comprising information relating to the determined event, to the terminals of the target group and the associated digital content and a broadcast of said identified digital content to the terminals of the target group during the realization of said event.

The invention also relates to a system for broadcasting personalized digital contents in the form of a data stream in a packet data distribution network, the system comprising, connected to said network, user terminals, sources of digital contents, and equipment. triggering the broadcast and a control platform, the various entities of the system being configured to perform the steps of the aforementioned method.

Thus, thanks to the information collected and retransmitted by the triggering equipment, it is possible to obtain a greater personalization of the contents and a better match between contents and users.

In a particular embodiment, said identification includes selecting a personalized digital content from a set of digital contents and terminals to form the target group from event information and a database of correlation between the digital contents and selected parameters in the group consisting of:

- parameters relating to the capabilities of the user terminals; settings relating to user preferences;

user authorization settings;

network related parameters;

content parameters; and

- fixed parameters.

These different parameters are examples of parameters on the basis of which the match between a content and users is established. In a particular embodiment, the broadcast request includes instructions for triggering a broadcast in a broadcast mode selected from the group consisting of:

a substitution broadcast of digital content sources; - a download broadcast required by the terminals of the target group; and

a download broadcast imposed by a network entity.

These various diffusions have distinct advantages. The substitution can be done without fundamentally modifying the operation of the network equipment conventionally involved in the broadcasting of digital content. The download allows the terminals to better control the exchanges before the broadcast in particular at the level of the management of the bandwidth. Imposed downloading (or PUSH) allows other entities in the network to ensure the instant download and broadcast.

In a particular embodiment, said broadcast, the identification and the transmission of the request are performed prior to the detection of the event. Thus, the broadcast can be undertaken quickly after the detection of the event considered giving the system greater responsiveness.

In a particular embodiment, the invention comprises transmitting the request to terminals of the network, a verification by each terminal of the parameters of the request and a download by the terminals of the target group of the content to be broadcast. This embodiment makes it possible to maintain communications between the sources and the terminals in multicast mode by transmitting parameters enabling each terminal individually to decide whether it is part of the target group and act accordingly. Part of the identification is thus deported in the terminals which eliminates the need for identification of each terminal by the sources.

In one embodiment, the invention furthermore comprises a condition conditioning the diffusion and relating to at least one parameter selected in the group consisting of:

authorization parameters associated with the user terminals;

network parameters; and

- parameters related to the capabilities of the terminals of the target group.

These different parameters make it possible to ensure the legitimacy of a diffusion. This element is particularly important in the context of TV and VoD because of the great diversity of offers and different user rights.

In one embodiment, the broadcast control includes information enabling advanced customization of the content for the terminals of the target group during the broadcast. Such advanced customization makes it possible to further increase the match between the content and the users by using information only available at user terminals for example.

In one embodiment, the invention further includes feedback from the control platform to other network entities to inform them of the status of the broadcast. This feedback allows other network entities to be informed of the progress of the dissemination of personalized content and to act accordingly.

For example, in one embodiment, said feedback triggers a suspension of another broadcast of digital content during the delivery of the personalized digital content to the terminals of the target group.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to a computer program comprising code instructions configured for the implementation of methods as described above, when these instructions are executed by microcontroller or equipment microprocessors of a broadcast network. digital content.

The various embodiments mentioned above can be combined with each other.

Other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the description of various embodiments of the present invention. invention and with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the architecture of a system embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a flowchart of the method of the invention; and FIGS. 3 to 6 are detailed representations of information exchanges in different embodiments of the 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.

FIG. 1 represents the global architecture of such a digital content broadcasting network configured to implement the invention.

Thus, the system comprises a first network 100 comprising a source 102 of digital content such as a conventional television program broadcast device (or headend).

A broadcast device 104, or NM server, hosted on a network node makes it possible to connect the first network to a second network 106 and to broadcast digital content to user terminals.

TE 108 via routers 110 and multiplexers 112 or DSLAM (Digital

Subscriber An Access Mutliplexer).

Moreover, the system comprises a second source of digital contents 120 connected to the broadcasting device 104. This source is connected to a database 122 containing personalized contents as well as a database 124 including correlation criteria between events. and contents of the base 120. The nature of digital content is very varied and includes video-on-demand programs, advertising, news programs and the like. These contents can be generated by other entities of the system not represented. Generally speaking, we are talking about personalized content broadcast to target terminals. This implies that content associated with the terminals is broadcast ("Set based content customized placing"). In the case where the content is modifiable to be specifically adapted to a terminal, it is customizable content.

The system also includes triggering equipment 126

(TRIGGER) controlling the delivery of personalized content to user terminals forming a target group. In the schematic representation of FIG. 1, this equipment 126 is connected to the broadcasting device 104. However, according to the embodiment, the triggering equipment 126 can be connected to other entities of the system in order to detect realized events. indifferently on the user terminals, on the intermediate elements or even on the digital content source 102 and to interact with various equipment of the network to determine the target group.

In particular, the equipment 126 comprises computer programs with code instructions and is configured to associate contents with terminals according to at least one of the following parameters:

the geographical location of the user terminals, in particular from addresses used in the network 106;

- the nature of the contents according to a predefined classification (music, films, ...);

- the type of service used (VoD, streaming ...);

- broadcasting rules based on static criteria (time, geographical area, language ...);

- declared or evaluated preferences relating to the users of the terminals;

- user authorizations, and in particular subscriptions;

- terminal and network capabilities; and

- events relating to the user terminal (change of channel, sound stop ...).

The equipment 126 is also configured to send a broadcast request containing the necessary information such as identifiers of the contents to be broadcast, identifiers of the terminals of the target group and broadcast settings.

Finally, the system includes a control platform 130 (CONTROL) connected to the broadcasting device 104 as well as to the second source of digital contents 120 and the triggering equipment 126. In the embodiment described, this platform is a server comprising computer programs with code instructions allowing, when these instructions are executed, to control the broadcast of an identified content to the terminals of the target group.

The links between the entities 120, 122, 124, 126, 130 and the network 106 as well as the broadcasting equipment 104 are shown schematically in FIG. 1 and can be implemented differently according to the chosen embodiment as indicated below. with reference to Figures 3 to 6.

Figure 2 generally shows the flowchart of the method of the invention in a particular embodiment.

The method occurs during the broadcast of digital content. In a conventional manner, the source 102 continuously transmits N television programs denoted TV 1, i, with i ranging between 1 and N. Each program TV1, i, among the N programs, can be identified by a pair of IP addresses on the network 100. Such a pair of addresses comprises, on the one hand, a source IP address corresponding to an address of the source transmitting the program TV1, i, denoted @ S1 i, 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 @ G1 i. Thus, the pair of addresses defining a television program TV1, i can therefore be written in the following form: (@ S1 i, @ G1 i).

Then, preferably, on the basis of an address mapping table or addressing plan, the broadcasting device 104 broadcasts in the network 106 the various television programs received from the source 102 in the form of distribution channels respective Ci. Each of these channels Ci relates to a specific TV program TV1, i. The transfer entities 110 and 112 of the network 106 allow the routing of the digital content to the terminals 108. In general, 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 104 and the destination address @Gi corresponding to a broadcast multicast address of the TV program TV1, i.

The broadcasting device 104 thus receives several streams of data from the source 102, each corresponding to a television program TV1, i. The data packets of the stream relating to the program TV1, i comprise a destination address @ G1 i and a source address @ S1 i. On the basis of the addressing scheme, the device 104 orients the various data streams received, replacing in the data stream packets TV1, i, the source address @ S1 i by the source address @Si and the destination address @ G1 i by the destination address @Gi.

Such diffusion is conventional and will not be described in more detail here.

In the embodiment described, the method comprises a correlation

200 precedes between personalized and / or customizable digital contents and events or situations. Thus, the database 124 is constituted. This operation can be automated according to certain rules and / or performed manually by an operator. At the end of this step 200, the database 124 makes it possible to associate the contents of the database 122 with situations represented by events and user terminals.

The method continues with event detection 202 during broadcast to user terminals of digital content by source 102.

As indicated above, the detection 202 relates to an event linked to one or more user terminals, a network or source event or to a fixed event (time, date or other).

The method then comprises an identification 204 of one or more contents corresponding to the detected event and to user terminals forming the target group. According to the embodiments, this identification includes access by the triggering equipment 126 to the database 124 or a more complex exchange with the other elements of the network. In the case where several contents are identified, we speak fluently of playlist. It is possible that the final choice of the content to be broadcast is made by one or other of the entities of the system and in particular by each terminal of the target group.

The method then comprises a transmission 206 of a broadcast request including information relating to this identification to the platform 130. This information includes in particular the nature of the event as well as an identification of the user terminals concerned forming the target group for the purpose. distribution of personalized content. This target group may include a variable number of user terminals. In some embodiments, the query also includes broadcast related parameters.

Advantageously, the method comprises a verification 208. According to the embodiments, this verification can relate to the authorizations necessary for the various entities to carry out the operations in progress as well as the available hardware resources and networks. For example, step 208 makes it possible to check the adequacy between the nature of the content and the retrieval capabilities of the terminals of users concerned or the bandwidth available on the network.

At the end of step 206, the platform 130 has information concerning the detected event, the target group and the content to be broadcast.

With this information, the platform 130 controls the distribution of the identified content to the user terminals of the target group during a step 210. This command is implemented in various ways.

In a particular embodiment, the command 210 is associated with an advanced personalization 212 of the content to be broadcast. For example, some information explicitly referring to the target group, such as location information, personalized information, local specific content, or the like, is introduced into the digital content to be broadcast as text, synthesized sounds 'pictures or other.

The identified and possibly modified personalized content is then broadcast in a step 214 by the source 120 to the user terminals of the target group. Once again, this diffusion can be realized in various ways.

Finally, as the broadcast of the personalized digital content is completed, the method returns to a conventional digital content broadcast during a step 216.

Thus, the invention makes it possible to broadcast a dynamically selected content according to the event and the target group by means of an exchange of information between the triggering entity responsible for associating a content with terminals for an event and the control platform as well as other network entities.

With reference to FIGS. 3 to 6 are described the details of the information exchanges making it possible to carry out the method of the invention in several variant embodiments.

In these figures, the steps are indicated with the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 and an index corresponding to the different embodiments. Some steps can however be done in a different order. In particular, the request can be issued before the detection so that the system is ready to broadcast when the event occurs.

In the embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3, a multicast stream, such as a television channel, is transmitted from source 102 to a set of TE user terminals 108.

The event is a time such as 20:00 detected in step 202-1.

The detection of this event is coupled to the correlation database 124 to verify that the conditions for the broadcast of personalized content are met and to identify the content to be broadcast and the terminals of the target group during the step 204-1.

This identification is followed by the issuing of the request 206-1 to the control platform including geographic location information of the target group of terminals with the address @PoP. In in addition, AdcontentlD information relating to the digital content to be broadcast is also provided, as well as a multicast broadcast mode and a token user right.

The information relating to the token as well as the capabilities of the network are verified as well as the network resources available during a step 208-1 by different modules of the control platform 130.

A broadcast management module of the platform 130 then issues a command 210-1 for broadcasting the identified content to the broadcast equipment 104 upstream of the terminals of the target group.

The control causes the content to be broadcast by the source 120 using the address of the source 102. The PIM-SSM broadcast protocol causes the broadcast equipment 104 to receive the streams from the source 120 considered closer so that the initial flow to the terminals of the target group is replaced by the personalized flow in a step 214-1.

The platform informs the other entities of the network of the progress of the broadcast of the personalized content and, at the end of this broadcast, the broadcast equipment 106 automatically switches to the source 102 and resumes the broadcast of the initial content during the broadcast. step 216-1.

Thus, in this embodiment, the triggering equipment realizes the association between the event, the content and the target group. The control platform 130 receives directly an identifier of the content to be broadcast, an identifier of the target group and broadcast parameters. However, although the triggering event is a static event such as a time event, the transmission of information between the triggering equipment and the control platform allows for greater flexibility and adaptability than in static systems with Automatic substitution of content.

These exchanges of information allow a better match between the content, the terminals of the target group (capabilities, resolution, user rights) and the situation (bandwidth available or otherwise).

A second embodiment is described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the content is downloaded by the terminal itself twisted by a particular event performed on the terminal itself. Thus, steps 204 to 210 consist in preparing the diffusion and are carried out before the detection step 202. The event whose detection is monitored is a chain change on a TE108 user terminal. However, this event must also be associated with certain characteristics and in particular with a location geographically translated by the address of a particular distributor (DSLAM).

Thus, the method begins with the identification 204-2 of the content to be broadcast and terminals of the target group according to the characteristics of the event (time slot, original string and target string). As before, this identification requires access to databases 122 and 124.

This information is transmitted by request 206-2. In the embodiment described, this request is not transmitted directly to the control platform but to the broadcast source to be retransmitted to several terminals in multicast mode during a step 400. Each terminal then decides whether it is concerned or not by the query for example by analyzing the location parameters.

The target group terminals then download the content to be broadcast. This download is made in known manner and includes one or more requests 402.

The information as well as the resources available are verified during steps 208-2.

If the verification is valid, the platform 130 identifies the content to be broadcast as well as the broadcast parameters and in particular the type of broadcast, the addresses of the speakers and other.

It follows the issuance of a 210-2 broadcast command corresponding to the download transmission of the content to each terminal of the target group.

Such downloading before the triggering event is performed improves the responsiveness of the system. This is particularly effective in situations where the content needs to be broadcast multiple times or if its download significantly reduces bandwidth during another activity.

In the subsequent step 202-2, the event considered is detected by the terminal which then undertakes to broadcast, in step 214-2, the downloaded content.

At the end of this broadcast of the downloaded content, the broadcasting of digital content resumes from the source 102 in a conventional manner.

As a variant of this embodiment, it is possible to replace the active download by the terminal with a forced transmission system called "PUSH". In this case, it is necessary for the command 210 to allow the opening of a port of the terminal to be able to trigger the download from the control platform or another entity of the network during the realization of the event.

The embodiment shown with reference to FIG. 5 is similar in its first part to the embodiment shown with reference to FIG. 4. However, in this embodiment, the monitored event is the activation of a service of Video on demand VoD.

The method begins with the identification 204-4 of a content, a target group and an event with a request 206-4 containing this information. A transmission in multicast mode 500 similar to step 400 described above makes it possible to forward this information to the terminals.

The method then proceeds in a manner similar to the embodiment described in FIG. 4 up to step 210-3 of issuing a command.

After receiving the command 210-3, the method includes activating the video-on-demand service at a step 504.

Subsequently, the video on demand service read event is enabled and is detected in step 202-3. This event is further associated with a time slot so that, in the described embodiment, every 30 minutes, personalized content is broadcast on the TE terminal 108 in step 214-3.

Another embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the detection takes place before the identification and the control of the broadcast.

Thus, the method starts with an activation 600 of a VoD service followed by the detection 202-4 of the event corresponding to the read request of the VoD. This event results in a VoD request 602 sent to the control platform.

The control platform requires from the equipment 126 information on the content to be broadcast. Accordingly, the method then comprises identifying 204-4 the content to be broadcast and terminals of the target group for the detected event. In the embodiment described, this identification requires several exchanges between the different entities to take into account parameters such as for example:

geographical location;

the simultaneous use of telecom services and TV services;

the characteristics and capabilities of the terminal;

- user-specific preferences and settings:

the subscriptions and permissions associated with the current session;

the content required and viewed.

At the end of this identification a list (playlist) of contents is determined.

When all the information is cross-checked, it is transmitted to the control platform during step 206-4.

If all 208-4 checks are valid, the platform issues a 210-4 broadcast command.

This broadcast command further includes customizable parameters for advanced customization 212-4 during broadcast 214-4. As indicated above, this advanced customization results for example in the display in the broadcast content information available only on the terminal.

Moreover, in the embodiment described, the broadcast of the selected content in VoD is suspended during the broadcast of the customizable content 214-4. For this purpose, the method comprises a step 604 of Feedback to the platform to inform the various sources of the progress of the broadcast. This makes it possible to interrupt a conventional broadcast during the duration of the personalized broadcast.

This feedback also helps to pilot the implementation of certain functions. For example, fast-forwarding or grouping content may be disabled during the delivery of custom content.

Naturally variants of the described embodiments can be made and these embodiments can be combined. In particular, the various detection solutions (on the network, on the terminal or fixed event) and broadcast (download, substitution, push) can be switched in each embodiment and the various embodiments can be combined with one another ..

In a variant, the identification of the digital content to be broadcast is carried out directly by the control platform which integrates the functions of the triggering equipment.

Claims

A method of triggering the broadcast of personalized digital content as a data stream in a packet data distribution network (106), the method being implemented by a triggering device (126) connected to said network and for broadcasting digital content to at least one user terminal (TE 108) connected to said network (106), characterized in that the method comprises:

identifying (204), for a given event, personalized digital content and user terminals (108) forming a target group; and

transmitting (206) a broadcast request of the personalized digital content associated with said event to said user terminals (108) forming the target group.

The method according to claim 1, wherein said identification

(204) includes selecting a personalized digital content from a set of digital contents (122) and terminals to form the target group from event information and a correlation database between them. digital contents and parameters selected from the group consisting of:

parameters relating to the capabilities of the user terminals;

settings relating to user preferences; user authorization settings; - parameters relating to the network;

content parameters; and

fixed parameters.

The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast request includes instructions for initiating a broadcast in a broadcast mode selected from the group consisting of:

a substitution broadcast of digital content sources;

a download broadcast required by the target group terminals; and

a download broadcast imposed by a network entity.

A computer program comprising code instructions configured for the implementation of a method according to claim 1, when these instructions are executed by digital content broadcast triggering equipment (126) connected to a distribution network. packet data (106).

5. Digital content broadcasting triggering equipment (126) in the form of a data stream connected to a packet data distribution network (106), the equipment comprising means configured to:

A method of broadcasting custom digital content as a data stream in a packet data distribution network (106), the method comprising: identifying (204) digital content associated with an event and one or more user terminals (108) connected to the network and forming a target group;

a broadcast request broadcast (206) comprising information relating to the determined event, to the terminals of the target group and to the associated digital content; and

broadcasting (214) said identified digital content to the terminals of the target group when performing said event.

The method of claim 6, wherein said identification

parameters relating to the capabilities of the user terminals;

content parameters; and

fixed parameters.

The method of claim 6, wherein the broadcast request includes instructions for initiating a broadcast in a broadcast mode selected from the group consisting of:

a substitution broadcast of digital content sources;

a download broadcast required by the target group terminals; and

a download broadcast imposed by a network entity.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said broadcast, the identification and the transmission of the request are performed prior to the detection of the event.

10. The method of claim 6, comprising a transmission (400) of the request to network terminals, a verification by each terminal of the parameters of the request and a download by the terminals of the target group of the content to be broadcast.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising a condition conditioning the diffusion and relating to at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of:

authorization parameters associated with the user terminals;

network parameters; and

parameters related to the capabilities of the terminals of the target group.

The method of claim 6, wherein the broadcast control (210) includes information enabling advanced personalization (212) of the content for the target group terminals during broadcast (214).

The method of claim 6, further comprising feedback from the control platform (604) to other network entities to inform them of the status of the broadcast.

The method of claim 13, wherein said feedback triggers a suspension of another broadcast of digital content during the broadcast of the personalized digital content to the terminals of the target group.

15. System for broadcasting personalized digital content as a data stream in a packet data distribution network (106), the system comprising, connected to said network, user terminals (108), digital content sources (102, 120) broadcast triggering equipment (126) and a control platform (130), the different entities of the system being configured to:

identifying (204) digital content associated with an event and one or more user terminals (108) connected to the network and forming a target group;

transmitting (206) a broadcast request including information relating to that event, target group terminals, and associated digital content; and

controlling (210) broadcasting (214) the personalized digital content to terminals forming said target group.