WO2008099428A1

WO2008099428A1 - A method for broadcasting multimedia contents

Info

Publication number: WO2008099428A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000091
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrea Bigiarini
Original assignee: Palm Dreams S.R.L.
Priority date: 2007-02-13
Filing date: 2007-02-13
Publication date: 2008-08-21
Also published as: EP2122873A1

Abstract

Method for broadcasting multimedia contents of the type in which a plurality of users is connected in a network of means for the processing/communication of data, bidirectionally and substantially in real time, to an entity for the broadcasting of said multimedia contents for the exchange of data between the plurality of users and the broadcasting entity, said method implementing in sequence the steps of: a) selecting and/or discarding one or more users from said plurality of users on the basis of their status; b) receiving said data from said one or more selected users; c) including in and/or associating with said multimedia contents the data, possibly previously selected, coming from said one or more selected users; d) broadcasting to said plurality of users said multimedia contents including and/or associated with said chosen data; the method providing the reiteration of said steps from a) to d) until the end of the broadcast and wherein the status of each of the users comprises individual information concerning the affinity of the user for one or more types of multimedia contents and/or the user psychological characteristics and/or the user behaviour and the user state of connection to said network. The step a) of selecting and/or rejecting at least one user is carried out substantially before and/or during the broadcasting of the multimedia contents, on the basis of the conformity of the status with one or more parameters predefined by the broadcasting entity and/or by the plurality of users.

Description

"A method for broadcasting multimedia contents"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a method for broadcasting multimedia contents of the type in which a plurality of users is connected in a network of means for the processing/communication of data, bidirectionally and substantially in real time, to an entity for the broadcasting of said multimedia contents, in order to allow the exchange of input and output data between the users and the broadcasting entity itself.

Note that, here and below, the term "data" is used to refer to any set of information, preferably in digital form, which, coming from a user or from the broadcasting entity, may univocally represent video, audio or alphanumeric contents, however they may be acquired and broadcast.

BACKGROUND ART

It is known in the art to realise broadcasts of multimedia contents between users reciprocally connected in a network of means for the processing/communication of data, such as for example a network of computers connected by means of the TCP/IP protocol, in which an entity for the broadcasting of said multimedia contents, comprising at least one central computer which acts as a server, manages the connections, bidirectional and in real time, of data coming from or going to the various users, suitably equipped with remote computers acting as clients, in order to include the data coming from one or more selected users in the multimedia contents broadcast to all the users of the network.

In this system, the broadcasting of multimedia contents may be managed in a substantially automatic way by software modules residing both in the central server and in the individual clients, and thus the selection of the users enabled to send their data, for example composed of audio-video streaming or of information in an alphanumeric or other form, is made before broadcasting the multimedia contents decided by the broadcasting entity and preferably manually by an operator.

For example the British Patent GB 2 428 529 to ERA DIGITAL MEDIA CO. Ltd., teaches how to carry out a similar system for broadcasting multimedia contents, in which a plurality of remote users, equipped with processing means comprising individual devices for acquiring audio and video data, such as for example a webcam with a microphone connected to a personal computer, are bidirectionally connected by means of the above-mentioned TCP/IP protocol, in a computer network, in order to exchange data with a central server, which broadcasts multimedia contents that combine suitably chosen data coming from one or more of the selected users.

The choice of the users enabled to supply data to be included in the broadcast contents, preferably in the form of audio-video streaming, is assigned to the arbitrary decisions of an operator who acts as the director of the broadcast itself. In fact there is no rule for selecting or rejecting the users, before or during the broadcast of the multimedia contents, on the basis of objective parameters.

Likewise, the International Patent Application WO 02/03698 to MUZAFFAR, describes a method of interactive broadcasting of multimedia contents, in which a plurality of users, connected by means of a telephone network or other wireless network, is able to send data, not necessary in alphanumeric form, to a broadcasting entity, preferably equipped with a central server, that decides which data to select and possibly integrate in the broadcast of the above-mentioned multimedia contents.

In that method too, the choice of the users from which the broadcasting entity accepts the data to be included in the broadcast itself is made by means of reservations and personal access codes, the management of which is apparently left to the arbitrary decision of an operator. Moreover, the method of the WO 02/03698 application does not contemplate any control of user accesses to the central server while broadcasting is taking place. In practice, the known prior art does not seem to consider the problem of the choice of the users from which to accept the input data to be included in the broadcast of multimedia contents, and so it does not even consider the problem of controlling access to broadcasting by the users, during the broadcast itself. An aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a method for broadcasting multimedia contents of the above type, in which it is possible to select or reject one or more users from which to acquire data to be incorporated in the broadcast of multimedia contents, before or during the broadcast itself, in a non arbitrary and potentially automatisable way, for example by means of a suitable computer program.

Another aim of the present invention is to carry out a method for broadcasting multimedia contents in which said possible selection is obtained in a simple, prompt and effective way. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and other aims are achieved by the method for broadcasting multimedia contents according to the first independent claim and the subsequent dependent claims.

According to the present invention, the method for broadcasting multimedia contents, of the type in which a plurality of users is connected, bidirectionαlly and substantially in real time, in a network of means for the processing/communication of data to an entity for broadcasting said multimedia contents, for the exchange of data between said plurality of users and said broadcasting entity, comprises in sequence the steps of: a) selecting and/or rejecting one or more users on the basis of their status; b) receiving said data from the selected users; c) including in and/or associating with said multimedia contents the data, previously selected, coming from the selected users; d) broadcasting to said plurality of users the multimedia contents including and/or associated with the chosen data coming from the selected users; which steps are reiterated until the end of the broadcast. Advantageously, the status of each of the users comprises individual information concerning the affinity of the user for one or more types of multimedia contents that the broadcasting entity intends to broadcast and/or concerning the psychological characteristics of the user and/or the behaviour - past and present - of the user and, obviously, the state of connection of the user to said network. The method also contemplates that the step a) of selecting and/or rejecting at least one user is carried out substantially before and/or during the broadcasting of multimedia contents, on the basis of the conformity of said status of each user with one or more parameters predefined by the broadcasting entity or by the plurality of users.

According to this method, therefore, the acquisition of data to be included in the multimedia contents broadcast by said broadcasting entity is subject to the choice, made by the same broadcasting entity or by the plurality of users, of which user should be authorised to send data, on the basis of individual characteristics (information) of each user, suitably structured in parameters, preferably numerical or alphanumerical, which are submitted to assessment (i.e. evaluation) even and above all during the broadcasting of said multimedia contents.

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, said individual information (constituting the status of each user) may be found, at least in part, by means of the preventive tests which each user of the network undergoes and, also in part, from assessments of the behaviour of each user, given for example by the other users and/or by the broadcasting entity, even during the broadcasting of the multimedia contents. This individual information may advantageously be stored at each user to which they refer and may be consulted and/or modified by the broadcasting entity and/or by the other users, before, during or after the broadcast.

This physical location of the individual information of each user at the latter, which may for example take place by storing a file on a processing means with which each user is provided, is particularly advantageous because it prevents the concentration of said information in a single storage medium, with obvious possible difficulties in management and risks linked to the reliability of said storage medium. Moreover, according to a particular aspect of the present invention, the choice of the users enabled to send data to be included in a certain broadcast of multimedia contents may be made only between users that have previously made a reservation to take part in that broadcast.

According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the broadcasting entity may choose the data coming from the selected users, also with the aid of an operator, and thus the method contemplates that there may be a time delay between the acquisition of the data and their inclusion in the multimedia contents to be broadcast, so as to allow a certain control of the acquired data. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Purely as an example without limitation, a particular embodiment of the method of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the enclosed figures in which: figure 1 is a general diagram of the operation of the method according to a particular aspect of the present invention; and figure 2 is a diagram of the interaction between software modules which can implement the method, according to another particular aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, the method herein described for broadcasting multimedia contents to a plurality of users contemplates that each user is connected to a network of means for the processing/communication of data, such as computers, telephone terminals, or other dedicated appliances for receiving and broadcasting audio and/or video data, or their combinations. To this network also belongs the entity for broadcasting said multimedia contents, which may moreover be composed of one or more particular users in said plurality of users. In the particular implementation of the method herein described, each user is provided with a processing device able to acquire, show (i.e. display), process, store and broadcast data in digital form, such as a personal computer or a new generation telephone terminal, connected in a network for broadcasting data, preferably in packets. Also as an example, each user may thus be equipped with a similar processing device connected to the other users in peer-to-peer mode, by means of a network with TCP/IP protocol (Internet). In such a layout, each user becomes a "client", while the broadcasting entity becomes a "server" to which the clients, belonging to a certain well defined group (the "network"), are connected bidirectionally and in real time.

Alternatively, however, any other network connection system of means able to process and/or communicate data coming from the same users of the network in bidirectional mode, and substantially in real time, may be used for the implementation of the method of the present invention, without departing from the scope of protection requested by the following claims.

Note that, preferably, the multimedia contents to which the method herein described refers may be chosen among: television broadcasts, streaming broadcasts on a computer network, radio broadcasts, broadcasts directed to telephone terminals, or their combinations. According to the method of the present invention, said multimedia contents are composed, at least in part, of data, for example audio- video streaming or alphanumeric strings, coming from one or more users selected before or during the same broadcast of the multimedia contents, data which are included in or associated with said multimedia contents broadcast to the entire plurality of users. In this way, the broadcasting of the multimedia contents is generated, or at least influenced and modified, by the contributions of the individual users, which thus become an active part in the realisation of the broadcast itself.

In greater detail, the particular method described here contemplates, in a network of the type mentioned above, the steps of:

1 ) prior acquisition of individual information on each user who wants to be enabled to broadcast personal data to the broadcasting entity, in order to obtain individual parameters that can define the user status (profile and state of connection) on the occasion of the broadcasting of a certain type of multimedia contents. This personal information, which at least in part may be acquired by prior tests, may comprise in particular:

• information concerning the user's affinity with regard to the different types of multimedia contents broadcast, that is whether the user is an expert, or has an affinity for one or more topics that make up the multimedia contents broadcast;

• information concerning the psychological characteristics of the same user;

• information concerning the user's behaviour in that broadcast or in other broadcasts of multimedia contents;

• state and mode of the user's connection;

2) optional reservation by one or more users of the network whose individual information has already been acquired in order to access the broadcasting of certain multimedia contents, contributing with their own personal data (contents);

3) selection of those users, possibly reserved and whose status is known, who are considered deserving of contributing with their own data (contents) to the broadcasting of a certain type of multimedia contents. This selection is made by comparing the user's individual information listed above (in brief, the status) with one or more predefined rules for access to broadcasting, for example the greater or lesser affinity of a certain user for the topic of the multimedia contents being broadcast and/or the correspondence of the user's psychology with certain desired psychological characteristics during the broadcasting of the multimedia contents and/or the behaviour, past or immediate, of the user during the broadcast and the state of connection of the same user. Among the selected users, this selection step may contemplate the assigning of priority levels to the users, so that the data sent by the selected users will consequently have a greater or lesser priority in the respective inclusion (or association) of the broadcast output data. Moreover, this selection of the users may alternatively be assigned to the entire plurality of connected users, by means of a majority vote on the basis of the status of the same connected users, and may be automatically implemented by means of a software module, preferably present in the central computer of the broadcasting entity.

4) assigning of a temporary broadcasting permit to the users selected in the previous step;

5) possible revocation of pre-existing temporary broadcasting permits to users rejected in step 3), on account of their change in status, even during the broadcasting of the above-mentioned multimedia contents; 6) reception of the data, for example of audio and/or video type in a digitalised format and/or alphanumeric strings, from the selected users in possession of a temporary broadcasting permit;

7) possible waiting for a predetermined time interval (delay);

8) in the possible delay in the previous step of the method, management:

• of the queuing of the data depending on the greater or lesser priority of the users from which the data come;

• of the possible checking of the correctness and congruity of the data received; • of the choice, and therefore of the eventual acceptance, delay or exclusion, of the data to be included in, or associated with, the multimedia contents concerned in the broadcast. In particular, if the data received do not conform with rules (also on user behaviour) predetermined at the start of the broadcast, these could be automatically excluded;

• of the selection and addressing of the data received and accepted, depending on their nature: for instance the selection of audio and video contributions rather than alphanumeric ones, for example in the case of a broadcast that contemplates audio and video contributions from some users and simple assessments, in alphanumeric format, from other users; 9) possible arbitrary choice, by an operator (director), of the acquired data to be rejected or to process in the next step of the method, and the possible arbitrary choice, still by an operator, to broadcast contents from users not previously selected in point 3);

1 (^inclusion, or association, of the data selected and chosen in the previous step of the method with the multimedia contents to be broadcast as output data to the plurality of users connected in the network. For example, one or more individual audio and video streamings, coming from one or more selected users, may be assembled together in a single streaming to form a broadcast of contents of the "talk-show" or "TV quiz show" type, while one or more alphanumeric strings, with comments or assessments of the broadcast, coming from other selected users, may be superimposed on the broadcast audio video streaming or they may form criteria for the assessment of the broadcast or even influence its execution;

I T ) possible transformation of the output data according to the formats compatible with the processing and/or communication means present in the network; 12) broadcasting of the output data, or of the multimedia contents determined or associated with the data chosen in point 7) or 8) above and coming from the users selected in points 3) and 4);

13) possible assessment, by the broadcasting entity or by one or more users in the plurality of users, of the behaviour or of other parameters of the selected users whose data have been broadcast at output by the broadcasting entity, with consequent modification of their status. In this step, it is possible to contemplate an automated procedure for assessing (i.e. evaluating) the behaviour of the users in the broadcast, for example by means of software, with an analysis of the conformity of the data sent by said users in the broadcast with a number of rules predefined by the broadcasting entity;

14) possible interactive survey (feedback) among the users connected to the broadcasting of multimedia contents, by receiving data assessing the same broadcast from a selected group or from all the connected users. On the basis of this assessment, it is possible to modify the rules for user behaviour and/or the status of the users, or even the criteria for choosing the users or the data they broadcast at input, as contemplated in points 3) and 8);

15)checking of the connection and of the availability of the selected users to broadcast further data, with possible modification of their status; 16) reiteration of steps 2) to 15) until the contemplated completion of the broadcast.

Note that this method refers to only one broadcast of a certain type of multimedia contents, but this method may be repeated, for every further broadcast, in the case where the broadcasting entity simultaneously broadcasts more than one multimedia broadcast. In this case, the users connected in network to the broadcasting entity can decide which broadcast to follow and possibly in which broadcast to take part. Moreover, even if the steps from 1 ) to 15) are preferably performed in sequential mode, it is obviously possible that some of them may be performed in a different chronological order from the one indicated (for example step 15) could be performed before step 3), or step 13) could be integrated with step 8), etc. Again, it will be clear to a person skilled in the art that not all the steps listed above are necessary in order to achieve the objective of the present method, the only steps necessary being:

• selecting and/or rejecting (i.e. discarding) one or more users among those connected to the network, on the basis of their status, previously acquired; • receiving input data from one or more selected users;

• including in and/or associating the previously chosen data with the multimedia contents being broadcast (even if it is possible "to choose" not to apply any filter on the input data), coming from the above-mentioned one or more selected users; • broadcasting to the users in the network output data composed of multimedia contents including and/or associated with the previously chosen input data;

• reiterating the above steps until the end of the broadcast.

In this simplified layout, it must however be stressed that the status of each of the users comprises individual information concerning the affinity of the user for one or more types of multimedia contents and/or the psychological characteristics of the user and/or the behaviour of the user and the state of the user connection. Moreover, as widely discussed, even in this simplified method the step consisting of the selection and/or rejection of at least one user is substantially carried out before and/or during the broadcast of the output data, on the basis of the conformity of the user status with one or more parameters predefined by the broadcasting entity and/or by all the users.

Advantageously, according to a preferred aspect of the method according to the present invention, the status of each user, containing the respective individual information as in point 1 ), and possibly the reservation as in point 2), described above, may be stored in the user to which it refers, in remote mode. In this case, step 3) for choosing the users may contemplate that the broadcasting entity, that is the respective server, or the connected users may access the status of the users contained in the local clients, in order to make that selection. As already stated, the choice to store the individual information of the users themselves in remote mode in each user prevents a centralised management of that information from becoming complex or even risky, if a fault should occur in the centralised storage medium. In a particularly advantageous form of implementation of the method according to the present invention, the various steps of the procedure listed above may be implemented on computers, or similar processing means, with software modules.

In particular, it is possible to contemplate the following software modules (as may be seen in figure 2). CLIENT: stored and executed in each user connected to the network of processing αnd/or communicating means, it substantially performs the function of user interface in the network and allows each user:

- possibly to supply individual information (as in point 1 ) of the layout described above), if not already supplied with other methods;

- possibly to make a reservation for a given broadcast of multimedia contents (point 2) of the above layout);

- to receive and send data of an audio/video and/or alphanumeric type, bidirectionally and substantially in real time (points 6) and 12) of the above layout);

- to take part in surveys, selections of other users or relative assessment of the latter (as in points 3), 13), and 14) described above);

- to select the desired broadcast, in the case of several simultaneous broadcasts;

SERVER: stored and executed preferably in the broadcasting entity, it performs the functions of:

- managing and defining the multimedia contents to be broadcast; - acquiring the information on the status of each user (point 3);

- acquiring the data coming from the selected users (point 6)), after possible verification of the connection status (point 15));

- managing the data queues (point 8));

- checking the compliance of the data with predetermined rules, even regarding behaviour (point 8) and point 13) of the above layout);

- managing the broadcasting of the output data, that is of the multimedia contents (point 12) of the above layout);

The SERVER module is controlled by a hierarchically superior module, here called the SWITCHER, described below.

Note that these CLIENT and SERVER software modules may be connected to each other - in particular in packet networks, using TCP/IP protocol - by means of a peer-to-peer system, in which, within a certain group of users (the "network" to which the users are connected), each user (and the broadcasting entity too) acts as a node in the network to which it is connected. In this way, it is possible to obtain "multicasting" data broadcasts, in which each node receives data packets and distributes them to the other users, acting as a "proxy server", and it is also possible to structure the network of connected users as a "grid-computing" system, in which the unused resources of each node may be allocated by the system to optimise the direct data flows within the network itself to other nodes. SWITCHER: stored and executed preferably in the entity for broadcasting multimedia contents, it performs the functions of:

- controlling the SERVER module, even overstepping the predetermined rules;

- including or associating the data coming from the selected users in the contemplated multimedia contents (point 10)), also following rules of priority (as described in point 3));

- possibly transforming the output data according to the formats supported by the clients (point H ));

- managing the users, as indicated in points 3); 4), 5) of the above layout; - controlling the data (contents) supplied by the user, as contemplated in point 8);

- possibly creating a homogeneous delay between the acquisition of the data coming from the selected users and their possible inclusion in the output data (point 7) of the layout described above);

- managing surveys and assessments as in points 13) and 14); and

- consequently possibly modifying the status of the users, as described in points 13) and 14), even during the broadcast. The SWITCHER module practically acts as a supervisor of the entire process and, possibly using techniques of artificial intelligence, it guarantees the regular execution of the broadcast of multimedia contents. The SERVER module and the SWITCHER module can also contemplate routines for storing all the data passing through (or in transit in) the system, so that the broadcasting of certain contents can be stored and used later by the various users, on demand. Moreover a further, optional software module may be contemplated, called a PRESENTER, having the same functions as the CLIENT module, but with the possibility for an operator (director or presenter) to control the whole broadcasting process directly, bypassing the SWITCHER module, for example to perform points 3) and 9) of the layout described above.

According to a preferred aspect of the method according to the present invention, the exchange of information between each CLIENT module and the SWITCHER module may take place according to the following procedure: a) the CLIENT module of each user sends, possibly on demand, the status of the same user, that is the user profile defined in point 1 ) and 2) of the layout described above; b) the SWITCHER module makes a selection of the users whose input data can be broadcast, according to point 3) of the layout described above, with the possible relative priority; c) if a certain user is selected, the SWITCHER module authorises the

SERVER module to open the bidirectional communication with that user, by generating a BOT (roBOT); d) the SERVER module generates the BOL composed of a set of data and code that can be executed by the CLIENT module, this BOT, which substantially constitutes an "intelligent" temporary broadcasting permit: o dialogues with the various software modules at cyclic intervals; o checks the state of the user connection; o checks the user status (profile) in the SERVER module (or the SWITCHER module); o transmits the information to the SWITCHER module; o puts the user with which it is associated on the air (that is, it broadcasts its data), possibly depending on the relative priority; e) if the SWITCHER module decides to broadcast the data sent by the CLIENT, it informs the respective BOT that the user's data are broadcast at output; f) if the user selection conditions are absent, for example due to a change in the user status (profile), and in particular for having violated rules of behaviour or in the absence of connection, then the SWITCHER module (or the SERVER module) may: o change the user status; and o destroy the BOT.

Claims

CLAIMS . Method for broadcasting multimedia contents of the type in which a plurality of users is connected, bidirectionally and substantially in real time, in a network of means for the processing and/or communication of data to an entity for the broadcasting of said multimedia contents, for the exchange of data between said plurality of users and said broadcasting entity, said method implementing in sequence the steps of: a) selecting and/or discarding one or more users from said plurality of users on the basis of their status; b) receiving said data from said one or more selected users; c) including in and/or associating with said multimedia contents the data, possibly previously selected, coming from said one or more selected users; d) broadcasting to said plurality of users said multimedia contents including and/or associated with said chosen data; the method providing the reiteration of said steps from a) to d) until the end of said broadcast and wherein said status of each of the users comprises individual information concerning the affinity of the user for one or more types of multimedia contents and/or the user psychological characteristics and/or the user behaviour and the user state of connection to said network; the method being characterised in that said step a) of selecting and/or rejecting at least one user is carried out substantially before and/or during said broadcasting of the multimedia contents, on the basis of the conformity of said status with one or more parameters predefined by said broadcasting entity and/or by said plurality of users.

2. Method according to claim 1 , characterised in that said status of each user is determined by a step of gathering said information comprising individual tests.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said status of each user is stored at each user to which it refers, said broadcasting entity and/or said plurality of users being able to access said status stored at each user.

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the status of one or more users is modified during or at the end of the broadcast of said multimedia contents by said broadcasting entity and/or by said plurality of users.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein said status of each user is modified by assessing data sent by said plurality of users to said broadcasting entity. ό. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said step c) of including and/or associating the data coming from said at least one selected user comprises a step of checking and selecting said data, said checking and selection being carried out, not exclusively, on the basis of one or more predetermined rules of user behaviour. 7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said step b) of receiving said data is preceded by a step of assigning of a temporary permit for broadcasting said data to said at least one user selected in said step a).

8. Method according to claims 6 and 7, characterised in that said checking and selection step provides the revocation of said temporary permit to said at least one user, if the data sent by said user do not comply with said one or more behaviour rules.

9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said step c) of including and/or associating said chosen data provides α step of queuing αnd/or pooling chosen data coming from two or more users selected simultaneously in said step a) of selecting and/or rejecting one or more users.

10. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said step c) of including and/or associating said chosen data provides that said data determine the broadcasting of selected multimedia contents.

11. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said step c) of including and/or associating said chosen data provides that said chosen data be broadcast simultaneously with said multimedia contents.

12. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said step d) of broadcasting said multimedia contents including and/or associated with said chosen data is carried out after a predetermined time interval by said step b) of receiving said data.

13. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises, before said step d), an optional step of arbitrary decision, by said broadcasting entity and/or by one or more users of said plurality of users, of the multimedia contents to be broadcast.

14. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the start of the broadcast of said multimedia contents is followed or preceded by a step of reservation by one or more users in said plurality of users, said step a) of selecting at- least one user being limited to the selection of at least one user among said one or more reserved users, said status of each user comprising said reservation.

15. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said multimedia contents are chosen among: television broadcasts, "streaming" broadcasts on a computer network, radio broadcasts, broadcasts directed to telephone terminals, or combinations thereof. 16. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said step a) of receiving said data takes place through a system

.chosen among: sending/receiving said data in a computer network, se₍nding/receiving said data in a telephone communication system, sending/receiving said data by means of dedicated appliances, or combinations thereof.

17. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said data comprise: audio data, video data, characters and/or alphanumeric strings, or combinations thereof.

18. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said plurality of users is connected to said broadcasting entity by processing means, said broadcasting entity in turn comprising at least one processing means.

19. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said steps are implemented on computers by means of software modules.

20. Method according to claim 19, wherein said individual information of each user is pooled in files stored in the processing means of the user to which they refer.

21. Method according to any of the claims from 19 to 20, wherein said plurality of users is connected to said broadcasting entity in peer-to-peer mode.