FR3131160A1 - Method for restoring multimedia content, corresponding computer program and multimedia stream player terminal. - Google Patents

Abstract

Process for restoring multimedia content, corresponding computer program and multimedia stream player terminal. The invention relates to a method for restoring (E1) a multimedia content, which implements:- a detection (E3) of a type of the restored content, among a real-time type content and a deferred type content; - a differentiated execution (E4, E7, E9) of a command received from a user interface, depending on the type of content detected. Figure for abstract: Fig 3

Description

Process for restoring multimedia content, corresponding computer program and multimedia stream player terminal.

The field of the invention is that of the restitution of digital multimedia content, such as video on demand content, television programs, content recorded on physical media such as DVDs (for English "Digital Versatile Disc », in French « polyvalent digital disc ») or Blu-Rays® discs for example. More precisely, the invention relates to the control of such a reproduction, by means of a user interface, which can take the form of an infrared or radio remote control, or of a voice control module, or even of a dedicated application on smartphone (in French, smart phone).

Prior art

The reproduction of digital audiovisual content, within the domestic environment, is no longer limited to “live” or real-time content, such as television programs. In fact, in addition to the content stored on physical media such as DVDs or Blu-rays® discs, the user now has access to a multitude of delinearized multimedia streams, thanks to the "replay" functionalities (in French, "catch-up television", an on-demand service that allows you to watch or review a television program after its first broadcast) or dematerialized personal network recording (nPVR for "network Personal Video Recording", digital content recording service, performed by the content provider itself rather than at the end user's home) for example.

Such delinearized content is most often accessible thanks to an adaptive downloading technology in progressive mode known as HAS (in English "http Adaptive Streaming"), which makes it possible to transport and consume data in real time, i.e. that the digital data is transmitted over the network and restored by the terminal as it arrives. The client terminal, i.e. the personal equipment, receives and stores part of the digital data in a buffer memory before restoring it.

The use of these services requires in particular the use of a digital multimedia stream player (also called a "player") to decode digital content such as a video and/or audio stream received from the service provider, and to a playback terminal associated with the digital multimedia stream player to display, for example, the decoded images and/or soundtracks of the video and/or audio stream . In one example, the multimedia stream player is integrated into the rendering terminal such as a tablet, a computer or a telephone of the “Smartphone” type. In another example, the multimedia stream player is integrated into a residential gateway which ensures the routing of the data within the local communication network and the decoding of the digital content, before allowing its reproduction on a reproduction terminal such as a TV. In yet another example, such a multimedia stream player is an HDMI key, such as the CléTV® from Orange®, which can be connected to a television set, or to a set-top box.

In the following, for the sake of simplification, we will assimilate the digital content to a video and the restitution by the client terminal, i.e. the personal equipment, or consumption by the user of the terminal, to a visualization on the screen of the client terminal. . The term rendering terminal will also be assimilated below to the association of the multimedia stream player and the client terminal.

Rendering terminals generally allow the customer access to a certain number of functionalities, such as a fast forward/backward function, allowing a user to navigate in an accelerated way in the digital content. Thus, when a user watches a video, he has the possibility of quickly accessing a specific location in it by accelerating its reproduction by activating the fast forward/backward function, for example via a button on a remote control associated with the return terminal. In another example, the activation of the fast forward/backward function is done via an application dedicated to managing the multimedia stream player when the latter is associated with a client terminal such as a tablet or a smart phone.

After activating the fast forward/backward function, for example when the user is ready to watch the rest of the video, he restarts the normal playback mode of the video, again via a button on the remote control or via the application dedicated. The media stream player then resumes processing the video stream from the current position in the content, selected by the user during accelerated navigation in the content.

Most often, to advance through the multimedia content with precision and speed, the user exerts a long press on the ">>" key, which corresponds to the fast forward key on his remote control, or, in the case of a voice command, says the words "fast forward", which causes the content playback cursor to move faster.

However, in the case of long-lasting content, for example a stream of several hours, it can take several seconds for the user to jump to the moment they want to view in the content.

There is therefore a need for a technique for restoring multimedia content which does not have these disadvantages of the prior art. There is in particular a need for such a technique which allows optimized browsing by the user in a multimedia content, in particular in a non-real-time content, from the current user interface of his rendering terminal.

The invention meets this need by proposing a method for restoring multimedia content, which implements:
- detection of a type of the content rendered, among a real-time type content and a deferred type content;
- differentiated execution of a command received from a user interface, depending on the type of content detected.

Thus, the invention is based on an entirely new and inventive approach to the reproduction of multimedia content, and its control by means of a control user interface. Indeed, the invention proposes to detect a type of content being played back, and to interpret the commands received from the remote control or the voice command interface, depending on the type of content detected. In particular, type of content means a distinction between real-time content, namely "live" television streams, and non-real-time or deferred content, of which the "player" knows, or has access to, the total duration.

Thanks to his classic remote control, the user can thus perform different actions on the reproduction of the multimedia content, by pressing the same keys, or by pronouncing the same voice command terms, depending on whether he is watching a "live" content, for example a live television broadcast, or deferred content, for example delinearized “replay” content.

According to a first characteristic of the invention, when the order received includes a numeric code, it is executed by rendering the content from a time position in the content associated with the digital code, when the detected type is a deferred type.

Thus, the digits of the remote control, or of the voice command module, are advantageously used to choose the reading position in the delinearized stream.

In other words, when the user presses a key on the remote control generating a digital code, the action performed by the content player in response to this command is different depending on whether the user is watching a "live" stream or a delinearized, or delayed stream: if the user watches content in real time, and generates, with his remote control, a command comprising the digital code "3", the content player switches the playback of the content to the channel "3" of television programming. On the other hand, if the user is watching delayed content, this same command including the numerical code "3" will cause a fast forward action in the delayed content.

Thus, in one embodiment , when the digital code is an integer N, between 0 and 9, the time position in the content corresponds to 10×N% of the content.

In the previous example, briefly pressing the "3" button on the remote control therefore generates a fast forward action in the deferred content, and the content player positions the playback cursor at 30% of the duration. total content. In this way, we gain in speed of navigation in the content, and the user can very easily move forward or backward in the content, according to his desires.

In other words, a brief press on the “1” key positions the playback tab at 10%; pressing the “5” key positions the playback tab at 50%; pressing the “9” key positions the playback tab at 90%.

According to another characteristic, in the event of reception, in a time interval less than a determined time limit, of two successive commands originating from the user interface respectively comprising a digital code N and a digital code M, N and M being integers between 0 and 9, the successive commands are executed by restoring the content from a time position in the content corresponding to NM% of the content, when the detected type is a deferred type.

Thus, if the user presses two successive numeric keys on the remote control in a short period of time, one obtains greater navigation finesse in the content, and the possibility of positioning oneself precisely at the moment of restitution of the content sought by the user. For example, if the user presses the "5" key on his remote control, then, within 500 milliseconds, the "4" key on his remote control, these two successive commands are interpreted by the media stream player as a command from the user to start rendering the content at a time instant located at 54% of its total duration. We thus obtain speed and finesse of navigation in the content in combined form.

Such characteristics advantageously apply to any deferred type content belonging to the group comprising:
- video on demand content;
- delinearized television content;
- content made available by a dematerialized personal network recorder (in English nPVR for “network Personal Video Recorder”);
- content recorded on a physical recording medium such as DVD or BluRay®.

Furthermore, such characteristics apply advantageously to any user interface belonging to the group comprising:
- an infrared remote control;
- a wireless remote control (radio wave or Bluetooth® remote control);
- a voice command interface.

The invention also relates to a multimedia content player terminal, which comprises:
- a module for detecting a type of content rendered, among real-time type content and deferred type content;
- A module for differentiated execution of a command received from a user interface, depending on the type of content detected.

Such a multimedia content player terminal comprises a processor configured to execute the steps of the restitution method as described previously.

The invention also relates to a computer program product comprising program code instructions for implementing a method as described previously, when it is executed by a processor.

The invention also relates to a recording medium readable by a computer on which is recorded a computer program comprising program code instructions for the execution of the steps of the method for restoring a multimedia content according to the invention such as described above.

Such recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or else a magnetic recording means, for example a USB key or a hard disk.

On the other hand, such a recording medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means, so that the program computer it contains is executable remotely. The program according to the invention can in particular be downloaded onto a network, for example the Internet network.

Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the aforementioned display control method.

The terminal and the aforementioned corresponding computer program have at least the same advantages as those conferred by the method for restoring multimedia content according to the present invention.

Presentation of figures

Other aims, characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description, given by way of a simple illustrative example, and not limiting, in relation to the figures, among which:

presents an environment for implementing the invention according to a particular embodiment;

illustrates a remote control forming an exemplary user interface in one embodiment of the invention;

presents a detailed flowchart of the steps implemented according to an embodiment of the method according to the invention;

presents the restitution of a content resulting from the execution of the steps of the flowchart of the ;

describes the hardware structure of a multimedia content player terminal according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

The general principle of the invention is based on the differentiated interpretation of commands received from a user command interface, depending on a type of content being played back by a multimedia stream player terminal. In particular, the general principle of the invention is based on the advantageous use of the digital codes accessible by such a user control interface to allow optimized, rapid and precise browsing, in non-real-time content.

There illustrates an environment for implementing the invention according to a particular embodiment. The environment shown in includes a DOM network of a user's multimedia equipment (telephone, Hi-Fi system, TV, decoder, tablet, personal computer, game console, etc.).

In the particular embodiment described here, the DOM network includes in particular:

a home gateway PAS configured to be connected to a communication network RES, for example an Internet network, and to act as a router for user terminals when they are connected to the gateway PAS. The gateway PAS is configured to establish a local area network to which the user's domestic equipment is able to connect, for example to communicate with each other, or to access the Internet network RES. In addition to access to the Internet, the PAS home gateway also provides the user with ancillary services such as IP telephony (for Internet Protocol in English), IP television, etc.

an audio-visual stream decoder DEC, for example IP television streams received via the gateway PAS, from the network RES. According to the particular embodiment described here, the DEC decoder is connected to the home gateway to receive television streams over IP, for example wired, or wireless (WIFI), or using PLC (Power Line Carrier) technology. .

- a TV connected to the decoder DEC, and suitable for displaying the decoded audio-visual streams. According to a particular embodiment, the television TV may be a television connected, for example via WIFI, to the PAS domestic gateway,

- A CLETV TV key suitable for broadcasting, for example, IP television streams received via the PAS gateway, from the RES network, multimedia content stored on user equipment (computer, storage memory - not shown); the TV key is connected to the PAS home gateway, for example via WIFI, and plugged into an HDMI port of a TVC television suitable for restoring decoded television streams or multimedia content.

The user's home equipment network may include other home equipment not shown, for example a tablet, a personal computer, a landline or mobile phone, Bluetooth speakers or capable of connecting to the PAS home gateway, etc. .

The user's home environment DOM also includes a remote control UI configured to remotely control at least part of the user's multimedia equipment. In a variant embodiment, all or part of the multimedia equipment can be controlled by means of a voice command interface. In this case, a voice recognition module, embedded in one of the multimedia devices, or in a remote server, analyzes the words spoken by the user and translates them into a command which is then routed to the multimedia device to be controlled.

There presents an example of a UI remote control that can be used in the context of the invention.

Such a remote control can be an infrared (IR) remote control, a radio wave remote control, or even a Bluetooth® remote control for example. It can be used to send commands to all multimedia equipment in the DOM home environment. We are more particularly interested here in the remote control UI making it possible to control the restitution by the multimedia stream player terminal of multimedia content, for example the DEC decoder or the CLETV TV key.

The UI remote can have different keys, such as an on/off key, navigation arrows in a context menu, etc. We are particularly interested here in the numeric keypad P.N., comprising ten keys numbered from 0 to 9. Pressing one of these keys, for example the "3" key, generates a numerical code "3", which is sent to the multimedia stream player terminal, or "player".

It is considered that a content is being reproduced by the multimedia stream player terminal (step E1 of the ).

According to one embodiment of the invention, illustrated in particular by the flowchart of the , when the user presses one of the keys of this numeric keypad, and the corresponding numeric code N is received by the "player" (step Rx_CMD_CN(N) E2), the latter first of all determines the type of content being played back on the television set TV or the connected television set TVC, during a step referenced E3. This detection step E3, implemented by the multimedia stream reader terminal (for example the decoder DEC), makes it possible to identify the type of content, namely a content of the "live" or real-time type, and a content of deferred type (for example a delinearized content). It is recalled that the delinearization of a content makes it possible to provide users with an audiovisual program already broadcast by a television channel or an operator, for example in “replay”, or by restitution from a digital network recorder.

In the case where the multimedia stream reader terminal downloads the HAS-type adaptive progressive download content from an operator's content server, it receives, even before retrieving the content description manifest file, the URL address ( for "Uniform Resource Locator") of the stream to be downloaded. The operator's server identifies each content channel as "real-time" or "delayed" type. Thus, most often, the "real time" or "delayed" type of content is determined by the construction of the distribution architecture of each operator.

This information is therefore directly accessible to the multimedia stream reader terminal.

In addition, the manifest files for “live” and “on demand” (or “deferred”) content are different, and also contain information making it possible to discriminate the type of multimedia stream. For example, for a stream obtained using a HAS download technique that complies with the MPEG-DASH standard, the manifest file will contain, in the MPD properties, a type field containing the value "static" for "deferred" type multimedia content and a type field containing the “dynamic” value for “real-time” type multimedia content.

More generally, the manifest file of a "live" content indicates that the content to be downloaded is not complete, whereas the manifest file of an "on demand" content indicates that the content to be downloaded is complete, or will be complete at some point in the future.

The identification of the type of content, "live" or "delayed", is therefore easily achievable by the multimedia stream player terminal.

If the content being played is identified as "live", the receipt of the digital code "N=3" is interpreted by the multimedia stream reader terminal as a command to zap to the television channel broadcast on channel "3 ". The display on the television therefore switches to the channel requested by the user, during a step referenced E4.

On the other hand, if the content being played back is identified as of the “deferred” type, the digital code “N=3” received by the multimedia stream reader terminal is interpreted as a command to fast forward or rewind the content . According to one embodiment of the invention, upon receipt of this command, the multimedia stream player terminal triggers a time delay, lasting 500 milliseconds for example, during an Init_Temp step referenced E5.

If, at the end of this time delay ( End_Temp E8), no other command is received from the UI remote control, the multimedia stream reader terminal then moves the content playback cursor to position it at 10xN%=30% of the total duration of the content, during a Rest_Cont_10xN% step referenced E9. Similarly, a command received containing a numerical code "7" causes the playback cursor to move to 70% of the total duration of the content, and the rendering of the content is launched from this time position.

On the other hand, if, before the end of the 500 millisecond timeout, the multimedia stream player terminal receives a new command (step Rx_CMD_CN(M) referenced E6) comprising a digital code M coming from the remote control UI, for example a code numerical “4”, it launches without waiting for the restitution of the content from a reading position corresponding to NM% (ie in this example 34%) of the total duration of the content (step Rest_Cont_NM% referenced E7). The action is then fast and precise.

This is illustrated by the example of the , on which the timeline (in French, time line) TL represents the total duration of the content being played back by the multimedia stream player terminal. Upon receipt of a command from the remote control of the , comprising a digital code N, or two close commands respectively containing a digital code N and a digital code M, the multimedia stream reader terminal moves the playback cursor Cr, to position it at a time corresponding to 10xN% of the duration duration of the content (first case), or at an instant corresponding to NM% of the total duration of the content (second case). In the example of the , the restitution of the content is launched from a position of the playback cursor Cr corresponding for example to 19% of the total duration of the content, the user having successively pressed the “1” and “9” keys of the numeric keypad PN of the UI remote control: the corresponding image I of the content is then displayed on the screen.

Note that the illustration of the TL timeline and the Cr playback slider on the are given for explanatory purposes only, and that their display on the screen of the restitution terminal, within the framework of the present invention, is not required: it suffices that after processing the commands received from the interface user, the restitution terminal displays on the screen the image I, which is the image of the content corresponding to the time position associated with the commands received.

Note that the UI remote control of the constitutes only one example of a user interface capable of being used to issue commands for restoring the content within the framework of the invention. In particular, such commands can, as a variant, be voice commands issued by the user. In this case, a voice recognition module, embedded for example in the multimedia stream reader terminal, in the PAS gateway, or in a remote server, analyzes the words spoken by the user, and translates them into a command.

For example, the user pronounces the words "zappe sur la 13". The voice recognition module analyzes these words and generates a command comprising a key code “13”, which is for example routed to the decoder DEC. The latter, as shown in the , then determines whether the content is of the real-time or deferred type, during step E3. If the content being reproduced is of the “live” type, it then switches to a reproduction of the content broadcast by the channel “13” (step ZAPP E4). On the other hand, if the content is of the "deferred" type, this command is interpreted as a desire by the user to position the playback cursor at 13% of the total duration of the content, and the decoder then controls the rendering of the content at from this position. It will be noted that, in this variant embodiment, the steps E5 to E8 of starting a time delay, and waiting for a possible additional command, are optional: at the end of the step E3, during which the decoder DC determines that the content being restored is of the “deferred” type, it can go directly to step E9 for restoring the content from 13%, according to the command received during step E2.

We now present, in relation to the , the hardware structure of a multimedia content player terminal TX according to one embodiment of the invention, comprising a module for detecting a type of content being played back, and a module for differentiated execution of a command received from a user interface, depending on the detected type of content.

The term module can correspond to a software component as well as to a hardware component or a set of hardware and software components, a software component itself corresponding to one or more computer programs or subroutines or more generally to any element of a program able to implement a function or a set of functions.

More generally, such a multimedia content player terminal comprises a random access memory 3 (for example a RAM memory), a processing unit 1 equipped for example with a processor, and controlled by a computer program, representative of the detection module a type of content and the differentiated command execution module, stored in a read only memory 2 (for example a ROM memory or a hard disk). On initialization, the code instructions of the computer program are for example loaded into the random access memory 3 before being executed by the processor of the processing unit 1. The random access memory 3 contains in particular information relating to the content being rendered, such as the URL address of the associated multimedia stream. The processor of the processing unit 1 controls the detection of the type of content being played back, for example by reading this URL address, and the execution of actions corresponding to the commands received, for example a zapping action if the content is "live", or a navigation action in the content if the content is of the deferred type, with, where applicable, the initiation of the time delays described above in relation to the .

There only illustrates one particular way, among several possible, of making the multimedia content player terminal, so that it performs the steps of the method detailed above, in relation to the (in any of the different embodiments, or in a combination of these embodiments). Indeed, these steps can be carried out either on a reprogrammable calculation machine (a PC computer, a DSP processor or a microcontroller) executing a program comprising a sequence of instructions, or on a dedicated calculation machine (for example a set of logic gates like an FPGA or an ASIC, or any other hardware module).

In the case where the multimedia content player terminal is produced with a reprogrammable calculation machine, the corresponding program (that is to say the sequence of instructions) can be stored in a removable storage medium (such as for example diskette, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM) or not, this storage medium being partially or totally readable by a computer or a processor.

The various embodiments have been described above in relation to a DEC decoder, but can more generally be implemented in all equipment which broadcasts video content capable of restoring delinearized content and controllable by an interface capable of providing digital codes (IR, RF, BT, Voice remote control).

Claims (9)

Restitution method (E1) of a multimedia content,
characterized in that it implements:
- a detection (E3) of a type of said restituted content, among a real-time type content and a deferred type content;
- a differentiated execution (E4, E9) of a command received from a user interface (UI), according to said type of content detected. A method of reproducing multimedia content according to claim 1,
characterized in that,said command received comprising a digital code, it is executed (E7, E9) by restoring said content from a time position in said content associated with said digital code, when said detected type is a deferred type. A method of reproducing multimedia content according to claim 2,
characterized in that, when said digital code is an integer N, between 0 and 9, said time position in said content corresponds to 10xN% of said content. Restitution method according to any one of Claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that , in the event of reception, in a time interval less than a determined time limit, of two successive commands originating from said user interface comprising respectively a digital code N and a digital code M, N and M being numbers integers between 0 and 9, said successive commands are executed by restoring (E9) said content from a time position in said content corresponding to NM% of said content, when said detected type is a deferred type. Restitution method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that said deferred type content belongs to the group comprising:
- video on demand content;
- delinearized television content;
- content made available by a dematerialized personal network recorder (in English nPVR for "network Personal Video Recorder");
- content recorded on a physical recording medium such as DVD or BluRay. Restitution method according to any one of Claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that said user interface belongs to the group comprising:
- an infrared remote control;
- a wireless remote control;
- a voice command interface. Computer program product comprising program code instructions for implementing a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, when executed by a processor. Multimedia content player terminal (TX),
characterized in that it comprises:
- a module for detecting a type of said rendered content, among real-time type content and deferred type content;
- A module for differentiated execution of a command received from a user interface, according to said type of content detected. Multimedia content player terminal according to claim 8,
characterized in that it comprises a processor configured to execute the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.