FR2954641A1 - Method for obtaining audience for e.g. personality interview program, broadcasted on broadcast channel of Internet type network, involves executing command for reproduction of program at moment by reception device of part of listeners - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves receiving a program by a listener of the program when a reception device of the listener reproduces the program broadcasted on a broadcast channel of the program. Another set of programs broadcasted on broadcast channels of a broadcast network is identified. A command e.g. communication matrix command, for reproduction of the program is executed at the preset moment by a reception device of a part of listeners of other programs, where the part of the listeners of the programs do not include all the listeners of the programs. An independent claim is also included for a device for controlling the broadcast of a set of programs.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for obtaining an audience for a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network. Multiple providers of programs such as radios exist to date. These radios use broadcast networks such as the wireless network, wired or Internet type. Many radios, called local, are aimed at a small audience, for example of the order of a few hundred to a few thousand listeners. Some programs intended for a large audience are not broadcast by local radio because they are not intended for a broad audience. Nevertheless, these programs are likely to interest the listeners of these local radios. The present invention aims to solve the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a method that allows a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network to reach the largest number of listeners possible.

To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a method for obtaining an audience for a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network from a predetermined time, a program being received by a listener of a program when a reception device of the listener reproduces said program broadcast on the broadcast channel of said program, characterized in that the method comprises the steps executed by a broadcasting management device of a plurality programs of: - identification of a plurality of other programs broadcast respectively on broadcasting channels of the broadcast network, - execution of a command for reproducing the program at the predetermined time by each reception device of a part of the auditors of the other programs, the part of the auditors of the other programs not including all the auditors of the other programs. Correlatively, the present invention relates to a device for managing the broadcasting of a plurality of programs capable of obtaining an audience for a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network from a predetermined time, a program being received by a listener of a program when a reception device of the listener reproduces said program broadcast on the broadcast channel of said program, characterized in that the device for managing the broadcast of a plurality of programs comprises: means for identifying a plurality of other programs broadcast respectively on broadcasting channels of the broadcast network; means for executing a command for reproducing the program at the predetermined time by each reception device; part of the auditors of the other programs, the part of the auditors of the other programs not including all the auditors of the other programs rams. Thus, the program is followed by a large number of listeners. Even if the listeners are listeners of local broadcasters, the program can be followed by these listeners.

This is particularly interesting when the program is an interview of a personality or program whose broadcast rights are high or a warning program of part of the population. According to one particular embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the steps of transferring to the listeners of the other programs an invitation to follow the program, the invitation being transferred to or with the program reproduced by each reception device of the program. part of the listeners of the other programs, obtaining messages of acceptance to follow the program, and the command for the reproduction of the program at the predetermined time is executed for each listener of the other programs having agreed to follow the program.

Thus, only the listeners can decide freely whether they wish to receive the program. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the command for reproducing the program at the predetermined time is a command of the receiver of each listener or a command of a program communication matrix to which the listeners of the other programs are connected. Thus, program failover is performed automatically. When the control is a switch matrix control, the receivers do not need to be modified. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the programs are audio or audiovisual programs and the invitation to follow the program is an audio or audiovisual invitation. Thus, the receivers of the listeners do not need to be modified. The present invention can thus be implemented quickly. In addition, the invitation can be a sample of the program.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises, prior to the step of controlling the receiver of each listener of the other programs having agreed to follow the program, the steps of creating a broadcast channel of the program on the information broadcast and storage network identifying the broadcast channel of the program reproduced by the receiver. Thus, the broadcaster of the program previously followed by the listener is known. It is then possible to return to the end of the broadcast of the program to the program broadcast by the broadcaster or even to pay the broadcaster of the program previously followed by the listener. It is also possible to charge the service provided by the present invention to the broadcaster of the program, for example, depending on the number of listeners. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the method also comprises the step of executing a command for the reproduction by the receiver of each listener of the part of the listeners of the other programs having agreed to follow the program, d. a program broadcast on the broadcast channel whose identifier has been stored. Thus, at the end of the broadcast of the program, the listener returns to a program broadcast by the broadcaster of the previous program.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the broadcast network is an Internet type network. According to one particular embodiment of the invention, each other program is identified from a theme associated with the broadcaster of said other program or from the location of the listeners targeted by said other program or from the audience profile of said other program . Thus, it is possible to precisely target the potential listeners of said program. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, a listener is located from information that the listener has previously declared or from an IP address allocated to the receiver of the listener. Thus, it is possible to precisely target the potential listeners of said program. The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in connection with the attached drawings, among which: FIG. . 1a is a program broadcasting system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. lb represents a program broadcasting system according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 represents an algorithm for obtaining an audience for a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network according to the present invention; FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the listeners of a plurality of broadcast programs. Fig. 1a shows a program broadcasting system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The program broadcasting system comprises a transmission platform 10a which transmits programs P1-PN through a broadcast network 50 to at least one receiver 20. In FIG. 1a, a single receiver 20 is shown for the sake of simplification, but in practice a large number of receivers 20 receive the programs. The programs are for example audio or audiovisual programs.

The broadcast network is for example a cable broadcast network or Internet type or wireless type. The broadcasting platform 10 receives programs Pl and PN and broadcasts these programs according to a predetermined schedule and accessible to the users of the receivers 20.

The broadcast platform 10a comprises a broadcaster 120a which broadcasts the program or programs P1 to PN on respective broadcast channels 301 to 30N of the broadcast network 50 and a program broadcast management device 100a which manages, according to invention, the transfer of program listeners to a program PX for example for a wide audience. The program broadcast management device 100a executes the algorithm which will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The program broadcast management device 100a is able to create and delete a 30X broadcast channel for broadcasting the PX program. The receiver 20 comprises a tuner 210, a control interface 205 and a programmer 200.

The tuner 210 is capable of receiving the different channels of the broadcast network 50 and of decoding the program transmitted on a selected channel for a reproduction thereof by the receiver 20. The control interface 205 allows the listener or viewer to control the tuner 210 to change broadcast channel or to accept or decline an invitation to follow a new program. The programmer 200, when it receives an invitation message to reproduce a different program from the one being reproduced, notifies the user of the receiver 20 the possibility of following the different program. For example, the broadcast channel of the different program is identified in the invitation message. The programmer 200 notifies the tuner 210 which channel to connect to if the user of the receiver accepts the program or when the programmer 200 receives from the program delivery management device 100a a failover control message. on a broadcast channel. This message is for example transmitted on the broadcast network or through another communication network not shown in FIG. the. The programmer 200 comprises means for transmitting a response message to an invitation on the broadcast network or via another communication network not shown in FIG. the. Fig. lb represents a program broadcasting system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the second embodiment, the program delivery system includes a transmitting platform 10b which transmits programs P1-PN through a broadcast network to a plurality of listeners' receivers. In FIG. lb, only the auditors Audl of the program Pl are represented for the sake of simplification. The programs are for example audio or audiovisual programs. The broadcast network is for example a cable or Internet broadcast network. The broadcast platform 10b has a switching matrix 120b which broadcasts the program or programs P1 to PN on respective broadcast channels 301 to 30N and a program broadcast management device 100b which manages, according to the invention. , the transfer of program listeners to the PX program. The program broadcast management device 100b executes the algorithm which will be described with reference to FIG. 2.

The program broadcast management device 100b is able to create and delete a 30X broadcast channel for broadcasting the PX program. The auditors Audl of the program Pl are connected to a plurality of ports of the switching matrix. When the PX program is to be transmitted to an AudX1 part of the auditors Audl of the program P1, the switching matrix switches the port or the ports to which the auditors AudX1 are connected from the program P1 to the program PX. From zero to all of the auditors Audl of the program P1 can continue to receive the program P1 or according to a particular mode of the present invention from one to the whole, minus one of the auditors Aud1 of the program P1 can continue to receive the program P1. . 2 represents an algorithm for obtaining an audience for a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network according to the present invention.

In step E200, the program broadcast management device 100a or 100b is notified of the availability of a program PX. The PX program is for example and without limitation a speech or an interview of a personality such as a politician, an artist, or a broadcast of a sports event or a warning message. Obtaining listeners from other broadcasters is for example a paid service. In the next step E201, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b obtains the theme of the program PX. The theme is, for example, the subject of the PX program. In the next step E202, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b identifies the broadcasters and / or the programs being broadcast and / or the listeners that are related to the subject matter of the program PX. A diffuser is identified for example according to characteristics that singularize the diffuser. For example, if the broadcaster is a radio broadcasting programs in Breton, the broadcaster's theme is Brittany. For example, a program is identified by its theme. The listeners are identified according to their profile which they have previously registered with the program delivery management device 100a or 100b or by a history of the programs they have followed or by the IP address of their receiver which can be representative of their location.

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of the listeners of a plurality of broadcast programs. In FIG. 3, the listeners of five programs are represented. The ellipses of black color represent the listeners of programs P1, P2, P3, P4 and PN.

The ellipse Audl represents the listeners of the program Pl, the ellipse Aud2 represents the listeners of the program P2, the ellipse Aud3 represents the listeners of the program P3, the ellipse Aud4 represents the listeners of the program P4 and the ellipse AudN represents the listeners of the PN program. The programs P1 to PN are, for example, programs of different radios which are or will be transmitted at least in part at the same time as the program PX. For example, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b identifies the listeners of programs P1, P2, P3 and PN as listeners likely to be interested in the program PX. In the next step E203, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b checks whether the program PX is representative of an alert message. If the PX program is an alert message, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b proceeds to step E206. Otherwise, the program broadcast management device 100a or 100b proceeds to step E204. In step E204, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b controls the transfer of an invitation message to follow the program PX broadcast on a broadcast channel from a predetermined time. The invitation message is included in each program identified in step E202 or is transmitted in parallel to the identified programs for example via another communication network. The message is for example a text message, audio or audiovisual that summarizes for example the theme of the PX program or presents at least one of the speakers of the PX program. The invitation message is alternatively sent only to a part of the listeners of the identified programs, these listeners having been identified from their profile.

In the next step E205, the response messages sent by listeners who have agreed to follow the PX program are received. The messages are transferred via the broadcast network when the broadcast network is a wired or Internet-like network or via another communication network. A response message is transferred following an action of a listener on the control interface 205 of its receiver 20. Each message comprises information identifying the receiver 20. Each message comprises, according to a particular embodiment of the invention, a piece of information identifying the program reproduced by the receiver 20.

The listeners of the PX program are represented by gray ellipses in FIG. 3. The PX program auditors are the AudXl auditors of the Pl program who have agreed to follow the PX program, the AudX2 auditors of the P2 program who have agreed to follow the PX program, the AudX3 auditors of the P3 program who have agreed to follow the PX program. PX program and AudXN PN Program Auditors who have agreed to follow the PX program. In the next step E206, the program broadcast management device 100a or 100b stores each piece of information identifying a receiver 20 that has sent an acceptance message or has been identified as the recipient of the PX program in the event of an alert, as well as information identifying the program being reproduced by the receiver 20. In the next step E207, the program delivery management device 100a commands the broadcaster 120a to create a new broadcast channel on the broadcast network . For example, if the broadcast network is the Internet, a channel is created from an Internet address and a port number on which is instantiated a broadcast server transmitting the PX program to the receivers 20 connecting to the address. and the port number in question. In the next step E208, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the program broadcast management device 100a controls the transfer of a message to the receivers whose identifier has been stored in step E206 to reproduce the PX program at the time corresponding to the beginning of the PX program. For example, if the broadcast network is the Internet, the message includes the Internet address and the port number of the channel created in step E207. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the program diffusion management device 100b controls the switching matrix 120b so that the receivers whose identifier has been stored in the step E206 receive and reproduce the program PX. the time corresponding to the beginning of the PX program.

In the next step E209, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b controls the transfer of the profile of at least a portion of the AudX1, AudX2, AudX3 and AudXN listeners to the broadcaster of the PX program. These profiles make it possible, for example, to adapt the content of the PX program in real time according to the profiles of the auditors. In the next step E210, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b checks whether the program PX is finished. If the PX program terminates, the program delivery management device 100a or 100b proceeds to step E211. If not, the program broadcast management device 100a returns to the beginning of step E210. In step E211, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the program broadcast management device 100a controls the transfer of a message to the receivers whose identifier has been stored in step E206 to reproduce the program P1, P2, P3 or PN whose identifier has been stored in step E206 or to reproduce the program transmitted on the same broadcast channel as that of program P1, P2, P3 or PN whose identifier was stored in step E206. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the program broadcast management device 100b controls the switching matrix 120b so that each receiver whose identifier has been stored in step E206 receives and reproduces the program P1, P2, P3 or PN whose identifier has been memorized in step E206 or receives and reproduces the program transmitted on the same broadcast channel as that of the program P1, P2, P3 or PN whose identifier has been stored in memory. step E206.

In the next step E212, the program broadcast management device 100a or 100b controls the deletion of the broadcast channel created in step E207. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, but encompasses, on the contrary, any variant within the scope of those skilled in the art and particularly the combination of different embodiments of the present invention.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS1) A method of obtaining an audience for a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network from a predetermined time, a program being received by a listener of a program when a receiving device of the listener reproduces said program broadcast on the broadcast channel of said program, characterized in that the method comprises the steps performed by a device for managing the broadcasting of a plurality of programs of: - identification of a plurality of other programs broadcast respectively on broadcast channels of the broadcast network, - execution of a command for the reproduction of the program at the predetermined time by each reception device of a part of the listeners of the other programs, the part of the listeners of the other programs that do not include all the listeners of the other programs. 2) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method further comprises the steps of transferring to the listeners of other programs an invitation to follow the program, the invitation being transferred to or with the program reproduced by each device of receiving the part of the listeners of the other programs, obtaining acceptance messages to follow the program, and in that the command for reproducing the program at the predetermined time is executed for each listener of the other programs having accepted to follow the program. 3) Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the command for reproducing the program at the predetermined time is a control of the receiver of each listener or a command of a program communication matrix to which the listeners of other programs are related. 4) Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the programs are audio or audiovisual programs and the invitation to follow the program is an audio or audiovisual invitation. 5) Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the method further comprises, prior to the step of controlling the receiver of each listener other programs that have agreed to follow the program, the steps of creating a channel broadcasting the program on the broadcast network and memorizing information identifying the broadcast channel of the program reproduced by the receiver. 6) Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the method further comprises the step of executing a command for the reproduction by the receiver of each auditor of the part of the listeners of the other programs having agreed to follow the program, a program broadcast on the broadcast channel whose identifier has been stored. 7) Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the broadcast network is an Internet type network. 8) Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each other program is identified from a theme associated with the broadcaster of said other program or from the location of the listeners targeted by said other program or to from the audience profile of said other program. 9) A method according to claim 8, characterized in that a listener is located from information that the listener has previously declared or from an IP address allocated to the receiver of the listener. 10) Broadcast management device of a plurality of programs capable of obtaining an audience for a program broadcast on a broadcast channel of a broadcast network from a predetermined time, a program being received by a listener. a program when a reception device of the listener reproduces said program broadcast on the broadcast channel of said program, characterized in that the device for managing the broadcasting of a plurality of programs comprises: identification means a plurality of other programs broadcast respectively on broadcasting channels of the broadcast network, means for executing a command for reproducing the program at the predetermined time by each reception device of a part of auditors of other programs, the portion of the auditors of the other programs not including all the listeners of the other programs.