FR3036908A1 - METHODS FOR BROADCASTING A MULTIMEDIA STREAM - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for broadcasting a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments from a content server (2) to devices (1a, 1b), a method being characterized in that it comprises steps of: (a) receiving from the first device (1a) a time marking request of said multimedia stream, said request comprising an identifier of the stream and a temporal information making it possible to identify a reading point of the stream by the first equipment (1a); (b) Generating a time stamp in the form of a unique alphanumeric code according to the identifier of the stream and the time information, and transmission to said first equipment (1a) of said time marker. a method being characterized in that it comprises the implementation of steps of: (α) receiving from the second device (1b) a request for decryption of a time marker comprising an alphanumeric code; (β) Determining an identifier of the flow and a temporal information corresponding to said alphanumeric code, and transmission to said second equipment (1b) of said time marker of said flow identifier and temporal information. (γ) Reading by the second device (1b) of the stream identified by said stream identifier from a reading point identified by the time information.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to methods for broadcasting a streaming multimedia stream.

More precisely, it concerns the generation and use of time markers of multimedia streams. STATE OF THE ART The "streaming" (in French "streaming"), refers to a technique of reading an audio or video stream "on the fly", that is to say as and when it is retrieved from the Internet by a client equipment. It is opposed to downloading, which requires the recovery of all data from the audio or video content before you can read it.

The major media that are radio and television are now available in streaming called "Live", that is to say, live in the same way that one would have by lighting his post, but on any which terminal connected to the internet such as a smartphone. Compared to a conventional wireless stream, streaming makes it easy to read "delayed", for example to watch a few days late a show that we would have missed, where sharing with other users moments that have enjoyed. For this, there are three techniques to consult and, if necessary, share, audiovisual content in deferred time.

It is first possible for the user to directly record the stream on the consultation terminal in the form of a file, as a video recorder would have allowed. This record is bounded by a start date and an end date. The file resulting from this recording can be shared with one or more people subject to a transfer of all the data for example on a physical storage medium (USB key, DVD, etc.). This technique is very restrictive (we must anticipate that we want to consult a delayed content, and it consumes storage), but particularly flexible in terms of sharing. Alternatively, broadcasters today often set up a service called "replay": it is a catalog of audiovisual files 3036908 2 representing all the programs that the holder of the audiovisual stream makes available for consultation in delayed streaming. This technique is more commonly known as "Podcast" in the field of Radio and "VOD" (Video on Demand) in the field of Television. The sharing of these 5 contents between users is greatly simplified because it is possible to just send an access link to the file representing the beginning of the program, but much less flexible because we can only share a program and not a fragment or a precise moment. Finally, some broadcasters also offer a so-called "Timeshifting" service. The idea is to keep at disposal a certain number of "past" segments of the audiovisual stream so as to allow a break or even a "back in time". This technique is very practical but currently limited in depth (on average 2h) because its main application is for the return function at the beginning of the program being broadcast. It would be possible to lengthen this depth to make it possible to access programs several days before, but this would be particularly laborious since there is no alternative but to "rewind" until finding the beginning. from the program. In addition, this technique does not allow sharing. It would be interesting to have a past 20-page content consulting solution that presents the advantages of each of the above three techniques without the disadvantages. The present invention improves the situation by proposing an innovative streaming solution which makes it possible: to have easy and instantaneous access to any past fragment of the stream with a great depth; - To index and share these fragments without constraint; - Do without the need for any heavy storage of data. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION The present invention thus relates, according to a first aspect, to a method of broadcasting a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments from a content server to a first piece of equipment, said sequence of segments being set to day at regular intervals so that each update 35 the first segment of the sequence is deleted and a new segment is added 3036908 3 at the end of the sequence, the first equipment, the content server and a platform being connected via a network, the method being characterized in that it comprises the implementation by data processing means of the platform of steps of: (a) Reception from the first equipment of a time marking request of said multimedia stream, said request comprising an identifier of the stream and temporal information making it possible to identify a point of reading of the stream by the first piece of equipment; (b) Generating a time stamp in the form of a unique alphanumeric code according to the identifier of the stream and the time information, and transmitting to said first piece of said time marker. According to other advantageous and nonlimiting features: The method comprises the implementation by the first equipment of a step (c) of transmission to a second equipment connected to the network of a message containing said time marker; the first and second devices are mobile terminals connected via a mobile communication network, the message of step (c) being an SMS; The message of step (c) is a publication of a social network transmitted via the network; said message is a QR code type barcode; said stream identifier comprises an address of the content server; said time marker is an address interpretable by the flow reader of the second equipment and containing said alphanumeric code. According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method of broadcasting a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments from a content server to a second piece of equipment, said sequence of segments being updated at regular intervals so that at each update the first segment of the sequence is deleted, and a new segment is added at the end of the sequence, the second equipment, the content server and a platform being connected via a network, the method being characterized in it comprises the implementation of steps of: (a) Reception by data processing means of the platform from the second equipment of a request for decryption of a time stamp comprising an alphanumeric code; ([3) Determination by the data processing means of the platform 5 of an identifier of the flow and a temporal information corresponding to said alphanumeric code, and transmission to said second equipment of said time marker of said flow identifier and time information. (y) reading by the second equipment of the stream identified by said stream identifier from a reading point identified by the time information.

According to other advantageous and nonlimiting features: the platform comprises data storage means storing a database of alphanumeric codes each associated with a flow identifier and a time information, step ([3) comprising interrogation of said database; the method comprises beforehand the implementation of the method according to the first aspect for the generation of said time marker; the first equipment and the second equipment are one and the same equipment; The equipment is configured to automatically trigger the implementation of step (a) of the method according to the first aspect during a reading interruption of said flow; - The equipment is further configured to automatically propose to trigger the implementation of step (a) when starting a flow reader; the method according to the first aspect for the generation of said time marker comprises the implementation by the first equipment of a step (c) of transmission to a second equipment connected to the network of a message containing said time marker so said time marker is transmitted from the first equipment to the second equipment before step (a); said stream identifier comprises an address of the content server; said time marker is an address interpretable by the flow reader of the second equipment and containing said alphanumeric code.

According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a platform connected via a network to at least a first equipment and a content server broadcasting at least one multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments updated at regular intervals so that at each update the first segment 5 of the sequence is deleted and a new segment is added at the end of the sequence, the platform being characterized in that it comprises data processing means configured to implement: A reception module from the first equipment of a time marking request of said multimedia stream, said request comprising an identifier of the stream and a temporal information making it possible to identify a reading point of the stream by the first equipment; A module for generating a time marker in the form of a unique alphanumeric code as a function of the identifier of the flow and the temporal information; A transmission module to said first equipment of said time marker. According to other advantageous and nonlimiting features: the platform is connected via the network to a second device, in which the data processing means are furthermore configured to implement: a reception module since the second equipping a request for decrypting a time marker comprising an alphanumeric code; A module for determining, by the data processing means of the platform, an identifier of the stream and a temporal information corresponding to said alphanumeric code; A transmission module to said second equipment of said time marker of said flow identifier and temporal information.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention relates to a system comprising a platform according to the third aspect, at least one content server, a first equipment and a second equipment, interconnected via a network.

According to a fifth and sixth aspect, the invention relates respectively to a computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution of a method according to the first aspect or the second aspect of the broadcast disclosure invention. a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of 5 segments; and computer-readable storage means on which a computer program product comprises code instructions for executing a method according to the first aspect or the second aspect of the invention of broadcasting a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment.

This description will be given with reference to the appended figures of which: FIG. 1 represents an architecture for implementing the methods according to the invention; FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the implementation of the methods according to the invention in the architecture of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a logic diagram illustrating a sequential implementation of a preferred embodiment of the two methods according to the invention. FIGS. 4a-4d represent views of equipment interfaces involved in the implementation of the methods according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Architecture With reference to FIG. 1, the invention proposes two methods of broadcasting (streaming) a multimedia stream in a network 20 as shown. The network 20 is here a large-scale telecommunications network and in particular the Internet. It connects a server 2 providing the stream to a plurality of devices 1a, 1b, each typically being personal computer equipment such as a smartphone, a PC, a tablet, etc., having data processing means 10a, 10b such as a processor, data storage means 12a, 12b such as a memory (for example flash), an interface (screen, speakers, etc.) for reading the stream. The multimedia stream is thus an audio and / or video stream consisting of a sequence of segments (called a "playlist") stored on data storage means of the server 2. The segments a predetermined length, typically one or two seconds of the content, but it can range from a fraction of a second to ten seconds. All segments of a given stream have the same length. The multimedia stream corresponds to content said to be "live", that is to say that said sequence of segments dynamically evolves: it is updated at regular intervals so that each update the first segment of the sequence (ie the oldest) is deleted, and a new segment is added at the end of the sequence. All others shift according to a rolling mechanism that can be related to a FIFO list.

The broadcast is advantageously live, that is to say that the last segment (the most recent) corresponds (with a technical shift, typically less than a minute or even less than twenty seconds) to "the instant of direct ", ie the real time. The other segments are "past" segments. The present multimedia stream is thus typically a radio or television stream.

The broadcaster is then a radio channel or a television channel, the content corresponding (with the technical offset) to that which one would have by lighting up his station. In the context of this method, the server 2 is configured to accept "timeshifting", in other words the shifted reading (and no longer in real time). That is, the user can shift the playback point so that the current segment (i.e. read live) is not continually called for, but segments are passed. For this purpose, the server 2 stores, for example, a segment manifest updated at the same time as the list of segments, the manifest indicating for each segment the time at which it was made available (ie "the time of the live" Associated with this segment). The number of segments kept with the server 2 is a function of the accepted depth, that is to say the capacity of return in time: the more the number of available segments is large, the more one can go back far (ie more one can read the stream with delay). Preferably, in the case of radio the depth limit is at least 24 hours, or even days. Server 2 is a content server. In other words, it is one (or more) servers of the network 20 providing the segments of one or more streams in accordance with a given streaming protocol. For example, the example of HLS ("HTTP Live Streaming"), in which the segments are "ts" files, listed in a "m3u8" playlist file. We note that the streaming can be direct, that is to say that the segments are recovered directly from the server 2, evening "peer-to-peer" (peer to peer, 10 or P2P), that is to say that is, the equipment 1 is adapted to propagate the segments that it receives by sending them back to other equipment 1. The segments then always come from the server 2, but possibly via one or more equipments 1. In addition to the servers 2, the Network 20 comprises a platform 3 for carrying out the present methods which will now be described. The platform 3 comprises data processing means 31 such as a processor and data storage means 32 such as a memory, and is connected to the equipment 1. In the remainder of the present description, reference will be made to a first equipment la and second equipment 1 b. It will be understood that this is only a question of designation, and that each equipment connected to the platform 3 can be in turn a first or a second equipment, or even both.

Diffusion Methods The present invention provides two aspects of two complementary media streaming methods. The first method is a method that will lead to the creation (and possibly sharing) of a "time stamp" consisting of a code called BIP code which will now be described. The second method is a method which will give rise to the use of a time marker. These two methods are intended to operate in symbiosis, as can be seen in Figure 2 which illustrates them. FIG. 3 also represents a sequence in which the two processes are implemented consecutively.

The first equipment is the generator / transmitter equipment of a time marker (involved in the first method), and the second equipment is the receiver / user equipment of the time marker (involved in the second method). Each equipment 1a, 1b involved implements a reading of the stream at a given time. The evoked time marker is used to create a link between real time and deferred time. As will be seen, it allows to take back all the advantages of the preceding techniques without their disadvantages, while adding a social dimension by introducing a motion of instantaneous and simplified sharing of "audiovisual moments". Generation of a marker 15 The method according to the first aspect ("generation of a marker" version) is initiated by a step (a) of receiving from the first device la a time stamping request of said multimedia stream, said request comprising an identifier of the stream and a temporal information making it possible to identify a reading point of the stream by the user.

More specifically, while the first device is reading (live or delayed) the multimedia stream, for example using an interface of the type of Figure 4a, which illustrates an example in which the flow is an audio stream of a radio (in this case delayed by 29 minutes), the user spots a moment of interest.

He then presses the "bipper" button which appears to the left of FIG. 4a and which triggers the transmission by data processing means 1a of the equipment 1a of the time stamping request. These means 1 determine the identifier of the stream and the time information to identify a reading point of the stream by the user. In particular, the identifier of the stream comprises (or is associated in a database with) an address of the original server 2. It should be noted that the same server 2 can send several streams, the address must be sufficiently precise to avoid any ambiguity (for example, be of the form "http: // [addressofcomserver] / [stream1]").

Referring to Figure 4b which shows a window that can be presented to the user after pressing the button, a summary of the two information listed above appears: - the identifier of the flow -) represented by "France Inter" ; 5 - time information -) represented by "10:49". Figure 2 also illustrates these two parameters. In a second step (b), the data processing means 31 of the platform 2 generate the time marker in the form of a unique alphanumeric code (the BIP code mentioned before) according to the identifier of the flow and the temporal information. This BIP code synthesizes in a short and practical form the information characterizing the marker, for example by converting the concatenated query information into hexadecimal.

It should be noted that it may be an arbitrary (ie meaningless) string of characters, for example a hash (in French, a fingerprint) of the information of the request, and in this case it is not possible to return to the information since the code. For this, the platform 3 stores a database of the BIP codes that it has generated, each associated with the flow identifier and the associated time information. It is then transmitted back to said first equipment the said time stamp either directly as such, or in the form of a URL type address ("Uniform Resource Locator"), ie a link interpretable by the flow reader implemented by equipment and / or equipment lb. The link is for example of the bipleode form BIP] or again of the form beep: flow identifier] / [BIP code] to be more meaningful. As can be seen in FIG. 4b, the time marker can be either generated for the user himself or for sharing with a second equipment item 1b.

In the first case, the time marker is a kind of bookmark (then stored in the data storage means 12a of the equipment 1a) that the user can use thanks to the second method which will be described later. In a particularly preferred manner, the interruption of reading of the stream by the user on the first equipment automatically leads to the generation of a time marker in order to achieve a "continuity of reading". As we will see further, this allows the user to resume reading the stream at the instant left. In the second case, the method comprises a step (c) of transmission to the second device 1b connected to the network 20 of a message containing said time stamp, for example as shown in FIG. 4c. It should be noted that the transmission between the equipment 1a, 1b can be carried out via the network 20 (the message can be for example an e-mail or a share to a social network so as to propose the marker to a large number of users of equipment lb at once), but also via another communication network 10 such as a mobile network if the equipment 1a, 1b are mobile terminals. Thus the message may for example be an SMS. Alternatively, it is possible to transfer it directly from the first equipment or the second equipment lb for example by displaying a QR code type barcode on a screen of the first equipment I a, and its acquisition by a camera of the second equipment I b. Use of a Marker The method according to the second aspect ("use of a marker" version) is initiated by a step (a) of receiving from the second device lb a request for decryption of a time marker comprising a alphanumeric code Here, the marker has been previously generated by the method according to the first aspect previously described. Either it is the user himself who generated it (ie the first and second equipment la, lb are one and the same equipment), possibly without action on his part if one is in one embodiment implementing the listening continuity, or it is another user who has shared it (case of implementation of the step (c) of transmission to the second equipment lb of a message containing said time marker), as in the case of FIG. 2. FIG. 4d illustrates the continuity of reading: at 8:17 the user has interrupted the use which has automatically generated a marker, which it is proposed to use during the next opening of the radio stream playback application. The method continues with a second (3) determination by the data processing means 31 of the platform 3 of an identifier of the stream 3036908 12 (typically the address of the stream) and a temporal information (typically a information designating the position of a stream reading point) according to said alphanumeric code, and transmission to said second equipment lb of said flow identifier and time information. This step is the counterpart of step 5 (b) of the method according to the first: in the same way that the alphanumeric code has been generated, it is thus decrypted to find the flow identifier and the temporal information from which it was created. As explained, either the generation function is reversible, and therefore it is possible by an algorithm to retrieve the parameters, ie the platform 3 comprises data storage means 10 storing a database of alphanumeric codes each associated with an identifier of flow and temporal information, the step ([3) then comprising the interrogation of said database. The extracted information is then returned to the second device lb that issued the decryption request.

In a step (y), the second device lb then reads the stream identified by said stream identifier from a reading point identified by the time information. In other words, the reading of the stream is delayed as much as the temporal information requires. Specifically, the equipment lb calculates a number of shift segments with respect to the live segment, and successively requires the segments from this offset point. It should be noted, however, that this is possible provided that the "limit depth" of the flow (in other words the maximum delay) is not reached. Beyond this limit depth (which is advantageously several days), the BIP codes expire and are no longer searchable because the associated segments are too old and are no longer available from the server 2. In the case where the platform 3 holds a database of time markers, the expired ones are deleted. Platform and System According to a third aspect, the invention relates to platform 3 for carrying out the carefully described methods. As explained, the platform 3 is connected via a network 20 to at least a first device 1a and / or a second device 1b, and a content server 2 broadcasting at least one multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of 3036908 13 segments updated at regular intervals so that each update the first segment of the sequence is deleted and a new segment is added at the end of the sequence. Platform 3 includes data processing means 31 (such as a processor) and data storage means 32 (a memory such as a hard disk). For the generation of BIP codes, the data processing means 31 are configured to implement: a reception module from the first device la of a request for temporal marking of said multimedia stream, said request comprising an identifier of the stream and temporal information making it possible to identify a point of reading of the stream by the first device 1a; A module for generating a time marker in the form of a unique alphanumeric code according to the identifier of the flow and the temporal information; - A transmission module to said first equipment la said time marker. For the use of BIP codes, the data processing means 31 are configured to implement: a module for receiving from the second equipment item lb a request for decryption of a time marker comprising an alphanumeric code; A module for determining by the data processing means 31 of the platform 3 an identifier of the stream and a temporal information corresponding to said alphanumeric code; A transmission module to said second device lb of said time marker of said flow identifier and time information.

The second device lb is configured to read then the stream identified by said stream identifier from a readpoint identified by the time information. According to a fourth aspect, the system comprising platform 3, at least one content server 2 and a plurality of equipment 1 a, 35 b interconnected via network 20 is proposed.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product comprising code instructions for execution (on data processing means 31, in particular those of the platform). 3) a method according to the first or second aspect of the invention for broadcasting a multimedia stream, and storage means readable by a computer equipment (for example data storage means of this platform 31 ) on which we find this product computer program.

Claims (19)

REVENDICATIONS1. A method of broadcasting a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments from a content server (2) to a first device (1a), said sequence of segments being updated at regular intervals so that each the first segment of the sequence is deleted and a new segment is added at the end of the sequence, the first equipment (1a), the content server (2) and a platform (3) being connected via a network (20) , the method being characterized in that it comprises the implementation by data processing means (31) of the platform (3) of steps of: (a) Reception from the first equipment (1a) of a temporal marking request of said multimedia stream, said request comprising an identifier of the stream and a temporal information making it possible to identify a reading point of the stream by the first piece of equipment (1a); (b) Generating a time stamp in the form of a unique alphanumeric code according to the identifier of the stream and the time information, and transmission to said first equipment (1a) of said time marker. 2. Method according to claim 1, comprising the implementation by the first equipment (1a) of a step (c) of transmission to a second equipment (1b) connected to the network (20) of a message containing said time marker. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second devices (1a, 1b) are mobile terminals connected via a mobile communication network (10), the message of step (c) being an SMS. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the message of step (c) is a publication of a social network transmitted via the network (20). 5. The method of claim 2, wherein said message is a QR code type barcode. 3036908 16 A method of broadcasting a media stream consisting of a sequence of segments from a content server (2) to a second equipment (1b), said segment sequence being updated at regular intervals so that at each update the first segment of the sequence is deleted, and a new segment is added at the end of the sequence, the second equipment (lb), the content server (2) and a platform (3) being connected via a network (20), the method being characterized in that it comprises the implementation of steps of: (a) Reception by data processing means (31) of the platform (3) from the second equipment (Ib) a request for decryption of a time stamp comprising an alphanumeric code; ([3) Determination by the data processing means (31) of the platform (3) of an identifier of the stream and a temporal information corresponding to said alphanumeric code, and transmission to said second equipment (1 b) of said marker time of said flow identifier and time information. (y) Reading by the second device (lb) of the stream identified by said stream identifier from a reading point identified by the time information. 20 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the platform (3) comprises data storage means storing a database of alphanumeric codes each associated with a flow identifier and a time information, the step (3) comprising interrogating said database. 8. Method according to one of claims 6 and 7, comprising previously implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 5 for the generation of said time marker. 30 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first equipment (1a) and the second equipment (1b) are one and the same equipment. 3036908 17 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the equipment (1a, 1b) is configured to automatically trigger the implementation of step (a) during a reading interruption of said stream. 5 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the equipment (1a, 1b) is further configured to automatically propose to trigger the implementation of step (a) when starting a flow reader. The method of claim 8, wherein the prior method for generating said time stamp is according to one of claims 2 to 4 so that said time stamp is transmitted from the first equipment (1a) to the second equipment. (1b) before step (a). 13. The method according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein said stream identifier comprises an address of the content server (2). 14. Method according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein said time marker is an address interpretable by the flow reader of the second equipment (1 b) and containing said alphanumeric code. 20 15. Platform (3) connected via a network (20) to at least a first device (1a) and a content server (2) broadcasting at least one multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments updated at regular intervals. so that at each update the first segment of the sequence is deleted and a new segment is added at the end of the sequence, the platform (3) being characterized in that it comprises data processing means ( 31) configured to implement: a reception module from the first equipment (1a) of a time marking request of said multimedia stream, said request comprising an identifier of the stream and a temporal information making it possible to identify a point of reading the stream by the first equipment (1a); A module for generating a time marker in the form of a unique alphanumeric code as a function of the identifier of the flow and the temporal information; A transmission module to said first equipment (1a) of said time marker. 16. Platform according to claim 15, being connected via the network (20) to a second device (1b), in which the data processing means (31) are further configured to implement: a reception module by since the second equipment (lb) of a request for decryption of a time marker comprising an alphanumeric code; - A module for determining by the data processing means (31) of the platform (3) an identifier of the stream and a temporal information corresponding to said alphanumeric code; - A transmission module to said second equipment (lb) of said time stamp of said flow identifier and time information. 15 17. System comprising a platform (3) according to claim 16, at least one content server (2), a first equipment (1a) and a second equipment (Ib) interconnected via a network (20). 20 18. Computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution of a method according to one of claims 1 to 14 for broadcasting a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments, when said program is executed by data processing means (31). 25 19. Storage medium readable by a computer equipment on which a computer program product comprises code instructions for the execution of a method according to one of claims 1 to 14 for broadcasting a multimedia stream consisting of a sequence of segments.