WO2007141241A1

WO2007141241A1 - Method for sharing control and device as well as system comprising said device

Info

Publication number: WO2007141241A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/055468
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bizhan Karimi-Cherkandi; Farrokh Mohammadzadeh Kouchri; Wayne Austin Moffett
Original assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2006-06-02
Filing date: 2007-06-04
Publication date: 2007-12-13

Abstract

A method for sharing control (over a first media device) is provided, wherein a first media device is connected with a second media device via at least one network. The method comprises the steps of (i) the first media device and/or the second media device are supplied by user data via the at least one network; (ii) an information is sent from the first media device via a control channel to the second media device; and (iii) wherein the information initiates an activity performed on the second media device. In addition a device and a system are provided.

Description

Method for sharing control and device as well as system comprising said device

The invention relates to a method for sharing control (over a media device) and to a (media) device as well as to a system comprising such a device.

One of the major tasks of telecommunication services is to eliminate distances between communicating partners.

Traditionally, communication was limited to voice, but with the introduction of (digital) video applications like video on demand (VOD) and digital video recorder (DVR) , distanced partners may now experience the same content while communicating with each other at the same time.

If the communicating partners are sharing the same publicly broadcasted transmission like, e.g., a sports event on television, they can at the same time share the same experience and talk, e.g., over a telephone line, about this event .

However, if these communicating partners want to simultaneously share, e.g., a video-on-demand event, this is simply not possible, because the respective events can be timely influenced by each user separately (e.g., by pausing a transmission) . Hence, the content of this video- on-demand event is different for each communication partner. A conversation between the partners cannot be related to the same content of the video-on-demand event.

The problem to be solved is to overcome the disadvantages as stated before and to allow communicating partners that are not at the same location to synchronously share the content of a transmitted event, i.e. in the same way they would have done in a theater.

This problem is solved according to the features of the independent claims. Further embodiments result from the depending claims.

In order to overcome this problem, a method for sharing control (over a first media device) is provided, wherein a first media device is connected with a second media device via at least one network. The method comprises the following steps:

- the first media device and/or the second media device are supplied by user data via the at least one network;

- an information is sent from the first media device via a control channel to the second media device;

- wherein the information initiates an activity performed on the second media device.

Hence, it is possible to share a control of the first media device with the second media device. For example, if distant communication partners synchronously want to watch the same movie (at the same time), e.g., via a video-on- demand service, one partner can access his or her media device to, e.g., pause the movie. This pause information can be propagated to the media device of the other communication partners and an activity, i.e. to pause the movie according to this example, is initiated. Accordingly, pursuant on the information sent via the control channel from one media device to the other media devices of (all) the communication partners, it can be ensured that all partners watch the same content at the same time.

Hence, there may be several second media devices that share the control initiated by the first media device. This, advantageously, has the same effect as sitting together in a movie or theater or sports event, although the different communications partner may be locally separated.

In an embodiment, the at least one network comprises at least one streaming device providing said user data.

Hence, the media devices may be supplied via the network, in particular via at least one streaming device that can be located and/or associated with the at least one network.

It is to be noted that said at least one network may comprise several networks of various kinds. Furthermore, the streaming device can be any kind of server providing video and/or audio information together with all kinds of user data (also maintenance and/or signaling data) .

It is to be further noted that there may be several media devices and the information sent by the first media device can be forwarded to all other media devices ensuring that the respective information initiates the activity on all other media devices. This allows several communication partners at several (distant) locations to watch and/or listen to the same content at the same time.

In another embodiment, the user data comprises audio and/or video data, in particular streaming video.

Such streaming video can be provided to the first media device and/or the second media device via xDSL or any other wired or wireless connections and/or protocol. However, as an alternative or in addition, other data may be provided, e.g., user data in general, signaling information or control data of various kinds. In a further embodiment, the at least one network comprises at least one provider network.

It is to be noted that at least one provider can be associated with the at least one network. Each provider may in particular supply video on demand services via streaming servers to the media devices.

The media device can be located at the user's premises, but it can also (at least partially and/or from a functional perspective) located and/or associated with the at least one network, in particular with a provider's network and/or streaming device.

In a next embodiment, the at least one network comprises an IP network, it in particular comprises an inter-switch communication .

Hence, several (e.g., at least two) servers acting as streaming devices can communicate with each other via such an IP network. Such streaming device may further provide the inter-switch communication (with one another) .

It is also an embodiment that the activity performed on the second media device (or on, e.g., several such second media devices if there are more than two media devices attached) comprises the following:

- manipulation of the user data;

- pause, rewind, forward, skip, stop, break, record, mute of said user data;

- changing programs and/or channels.

Hence a communication party may in particular via the first media device initiate such an activity (comparable to a command that can be executed on, e.g., a local set top box or on a local video recorder) which is forwarded to the other (second) media device (s) and executed there as well. This, however, ensures that all user interrupts to a media stream are synchronized with all the other communication partners. This leads to the effect that all partners watch the same content (at the same time) .

Pursuant to another embodiment, the information sent from the first media device via the control channel to the second media device is mapped within the at least one network and the result of such mapping is forwarded to the second media device.

According to an embodiment, the second media device (or several such second media devices) may be located within the at least one network.

According to another embodiment, the first media device and/or the second media device are (each) of the following type:

- a video on demand unit; - a video recorder;

- a set top box;

- a computer;

- a streamer;

- a server.

According to a further embodiment, the control channel can be a logical channel within a communication protocol or a separate channel. It is in particular an embodiment that the control channel may be provided by a different network, e.g., by a telephone network. In such case, the respective media device may be accessed via a telephone line, in particular via a telephone number (there can be a separate telephone number for the media device) .

As a subsequent embodiment, the respective media device comprises an identification, in particular for addressing purposes. Such an identification can in particular be a normalized ID. The identification can be further utilized for addressing the media device, e.g., the set top box via a telephone number of a communication partner, in particular with an additional sub-numbering for the media device.

The problem addressed supra is also solved by a device comprising a processor unit that is arranged and/or equipped such that the method as described herein is executable on said processor unit.

In an embodiment, said device is a communication device, in particular a media device.

In yet another embodiment, the device is a device of the following type:

- a video on demand unit;

- a video recorder;

- a set top box; - a computer;

- a streamer;

- a server.

According to a next embodiment, the device comprises a back channel .

It is also an embodiment that a first media device is connected with several second media devices, wherein an information and/or command sent from the first media device to the second media devices synchronizes a data stream for all media devices addressed, said data stream being provided by the at least one network.

Such a back channel can be advantageously used to convey said information. The back channel may comprise the control channel . The problem stated above is further solved by a system comprising the device as described herein.

Embodiments of the invention are shown and illustrated in the following figure:

Fig.l shows a scenario with two media devices (set top boxes) , wherein a command activated at the first media device is conveyed via a control channel and at least one network to the second media device thereby allowing users at different (distant) locations to watch the same content via the first and the second media devices.

With reference to Fig.l, a scenario of streaming information is shown comprising a set top box STP_1 as a first media device and a set top box STP_2 as a second media device. The set top box STP_1 can be accessed and/or controlled by a user via a remote control 111. The set top box STP_1 is connected to a display 112 and the set top box STP_2 is connected to a display 113 for, e.g., watching a movie .

The set top box STP_1 is connected to a network 114 ("Provider 1 Network") comprising a server 115

("Streamer"). A content (e.g., movie, audio data) is streamed from said server 115 towards the set top box STB_1 via connection 116 ("Stream") . The set top box STB_1 is further connected (physically and/or logically) to the server 115 via a control channel 117 (also referred to as back channel) .

The set top box STP_2 is connected to a network 118 ("Provider 2 Network") comprising a server 119 ("Streamer"). A content (e.g., movie, audio data) is streamed from said server 119 towards the set top box STB_2 via connection 120 ("Stream") . The set top box STB_2 is further connected (physically and/or logically) to the server 119 via a control channel 121 (also referred to as back channel) .

Both networks 114 and 118 are connected via an IP network 122, in particular are server 115 and server 119 connected via an inter switch communication 123 across said network 122.

As an example, the remote control 111 triggers a pause command (information) at the set top box STB_1; this pause command is conveyed via the control channel 117 to the server 115 and further via the network 122 to the server 119. From there, the pause command is transmitted via the control channel 121 to the set top box STB_2 thereby activating the pause function.

With the advent of digital video, it is possible to select the play time of the content and even a live content. Set top boxes (STB) in conjunction with a content provider system offer a high degree of freedom to control the media.

Utilizing set top boxes' back channel function, it is possible to: - signal and setup a shared session with one or more partner STBs;

- signal and select the content to be synchronously streamed to the partner STBs;

- signal and define a shared control to: play, forward, rewind, pause, stop, break, record, mute;

- additionally the display information may inform the participants of control events.

The DVR-like function inside the STBs can provide asynchronously streaming content. Utilizing the back channel of a set top box, to the provider it is possible for the provider system (e.g., the server 115 and/or the server 117) to receive signals required to fulfill the above function.

An inter-provider communication system and standard may enable the providers to facilitate the above function. In order to select shared STBs, the STBs can have a normalized identification (ID). Advantageously, the STBs can be associated with a phone number of the communication partners, in particular together with an additional sub- numbering for addressing purposes.

Further and in particular with regard to IP-Television (IPTV) there may arise new functions and applications. For example, a function of "STB shared control" may become a promising application for IPTV architecture.

An inter provider switch communication may be beneficial (see inter switch communication 123 via network 122 in Fig.l) .

However, it is also possible to realize the share-control function in an end-to-end manner (e.g., directly from one set top box STB_1 to the other set top box STB_2) .

It may also be an alternative that a set top box or both set top boxes are located within one of the networks.

Further, there may be a multitude of set top boxes participating at a scenario according to Fig.l. In such case, a command can be broadcasted from one set top box to all other set top boxes or a (pre-) selected group of set top boxes. This allows several users at different locations to synchronously share the same service, e.g. movie or show. Inter (provider) switch communication 123 may offer a preferable control over content and may advantageously utilize a normalized content selection.

In an STB-to-STB scenario, i.e. in case control is applied, then contents may be differently announced in each network. The same movie can be listed under different names by different providers. If one of the involved STBs happen to be lacking such a particular (end-to-end) functionality, then the inter-provider-switch may still provide the share control. Hence, it is an advantage to utilize such an approach comprising said inter switch communication 123 as shown in Fig.l as it enables an introduction of the share- control feature by a transition. There is or will in particular be no need for upgrading the set top boxes evolved in such a scenario.

Claims

Claims :

1. A method for sharing control, wherein a first media device is connected with a second media device via at least one network, wherein said method comprises the following steps:

- the first media device and/or the second media device are supplied by user data via the at least one network; - an information is sent from the first media device via a control channel to the second media device;

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one network comprises at least one streaming device providing said user data.

3. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said user data comprises audio and/or video data, in particular streaming video.

4. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one network comprises at least one provider network.

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one network comprises an IP network, it comprises in particular an inter-switch communication.

6. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the activity performed on the second media device comprises at least one of the following: - manipulation of the user data;

- pause, rewind, forward, skip, stop, break, record, mute of said user data; - changing programs and/or channels.

7. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the information sent from the first media device via the control channel to the second media device is mapped within the at least one network and the result of said mapping is forwarded to the second media device.

8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second media device is located within the at least one network.

9. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first media device and/or the second media device are of the following type:

- a video on demand unit;

- a video recorder;

- a set top box; - a computer;

- a streamer;

- a server.

10. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control channel is a logical channel or a separate channel.

11. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the respective media device is accessed via a telephone line.

12. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the respective media device comprises an identification .

13. A device comprising a processor unit that is arranged such that the method according of any of the preceding claims is executable on said processor.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said device is a communication device, in particular a media device .

15. The device according to any of claims 13 or 14, wherein the device is a device of the following type:

- a video on demand unit;

- a video recorder;

- a set top box;

- a computer; - a streamer;

- a server.

16. The device according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein the device comprises a back channel.

17. A system comprising the device according to any of claims 13 to 16.