WO2010010280A2

WO2010010280A2 - Upnp method and device for tagging multimedia content

Info

Publication number: WO2010010280A2
Application number: PCT/FR2009/051433
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincent Murphy; Roberto Agro
Original assignee: France Telecom
Priority date: 2008-07-21
Filing date: 2009-07-17
Publication date: 2010-01-28
Also published as: WO2010010280A3; EP2310942A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a UPnP monitoring device (DMC) for a local area network (UN), including: a means (34) for receiving a command (PC) to associate a tag (BK) with a piece of multimedia content (MC) accessible from a remote network server (CS) and referenced by a UPnP content server (DMS) of the local area network; a means (36) for obtaining metadata (MD) related to said piece of multimedia content (MC) from data provided by the UPnP content server; and means (31, 32, 33) for creating said tag (BK) from the obtained metadata (MD).

Description

UPnP process and device for labeling multimedia contents

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of telecommunication networks in which the terminals communicate via the UPnP protocol defined by I ¹ UPnP Forum II may be for example a home network, or a home network. a local network, of the Intranet or other type

In a known manner, this protocol aims at enabling the interoperability and the interconnection of multimedia equipment, without configuration by the user.

In the following description, we will speak of UPnP network to designate a set of equipment interconnected by network and using the UPnP protocol to communicate with each other through this network

A device is said UPnP device if it complies with the UPnP standard or with another equivalent or derivative standard, especially if it uses a control protocol conforming to such a standard

In UPnP architectures, different types of UPnP devices are generally distinguished from Digital Media Controller (DMC) control devices, Digital Media Server (DMS) content servers, and Digital Media Renderer (DMA) content rendering devices (DMA). Digital Media Adapter) or DMP (Digital Media Player) content playback devices

In a UPnP network, the DMC control device has a central role in discovering the other UPnP devices in the network, the services offered by these devices, and connecting a DMS server with a device. DMR, DMA or DMP rendering for this device to render multimedia content identified at the DMS server

Historically, the multimedia content handled in UPnP networks was local content in the home network

Recently, industry players provide mechanisms for manipulating online content, for example audio streams broadcast from the Web, known to those skilled in the art as "Web radio streams"

The invention aims to facilitate the manipulation of these contents by the user, and more particularly the manipulation of content accessed online

Obiet and summary of the invention

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a UPnP control device of a local network, comprising means for receiving a command for associating a tag with multimedia content accessible from a server of a remote network and referenced by a UPnP content server of the local network;

means for obtaining metadata relating to said multimedia content from data provided by the UPnP content server; and

means for creating said label from the metadata obtained.

In a preferred manner, the local network mentioned above is a home network, more particularly a mobile telecommunication network, for example using WiFi technology. The remote network is for example the Internet network.

In this document, the concept of label or labeling is to be compared to the concept known as "bookmark" or "bookmarking".

According to the invention, the label is created strictly speaking by a UPnP control device.

The invention provides a new service for the user to label, via UPnP entities of a local area network, multimedia contents made available by a server of a remote network. The content server of the local network is a UPnP content server as defined in the UPnP standard. This UPnP content server also serves as an interface between the UPnP local network and the remote network, both for referencing the content made available by the remote servers and for obtaining from these remote servers the data necessary to the creation of labels.

Correlatively, the invention also relates to a labeling method implemented by a UPnP control device of a local network, comprising:

a step of receiving a command for associating a tag with multimedia content accessible from a server of a remote network and referenced by a UPnP content server of the local network;

a step of obtaining metadata relating to said multimedia content from data provided by said UPnP content server; and

a step of creating said label from the obtained metadata.

According to the invention, a label (or bookmark) of a multimedia content is a subset of the metadata associated with this multimedia content.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the metadata necessary for the creation of these tags are collected by a UPnP content server adapted to implement this label creation service. In this first variant, the data provided by the UPnP content server comprises metadata of said multimedia content, the means for obtaining the UPnP control device are able to obtain said metadata by querying the UPnP content server by means of a command UPnP

According to a second variant embodiment of the invention, the metadata necessary for the creation of these tags are collected directly by the control device according to the invention.

In this second variant, the data provided by the UPnP content server comprises an address, the means for obtaining the UPnP control device are able to obtain said metadata by querying a server identified by said address.

According to a second aspect, the invention is directed to a UPnP content server of a local network, this server comprising

means for obtaining and storing metadata associated with at least one multimedia content accessible from at least one server of a remote network, and

means for sending metadata associated with said multimedia content to a UPnP control device, in response to a UPnP command received from said UPnP control device

Correlatively, the invention relates to a collection method that can be implemented by a content server UPnP of a first network called local network, this method comprising at least one step of obtaining and storing metadata associated with at least one multimedia content accessible from at least one server of a second network, said remote network, and a step of sending metadata associated with said multimedia content to a UPnP control device of the local network, in response to a UPnP command received from this UPnP control device

In one embodiment, the content server according to the invention obtains the metadata directly from the servers of the second network.

However, in another embodiment, the invention proposes the implementation of an intermediation platform between the servers of the second network and the home network, this implementation platform being the privileged interlocutor of the UPnP DMS content server. with this second network This intermediation platform can also act as a cache for online multimedia content rendered on the UPnP network

Thus, according to a third aspect, the invention also aims at an intermediation platform comprising

means for obtaining metadata of at least one multimedia content accessible via a server in a first network, and

means for sending this metadata and a link to the content to a UPnP content server of a second network, via a gateway between the first network and this second network

Correlatively, the invention relates to an aggregation process that can be implemented by an intermediation platform, this method comprising

a step of obtaining metadata of at least one multimedia content accessible via a server in a first network, and

a step of sending this metadata and a link to this content to a UPnP content server of a second network, via a gateway between the first network and this second network

The invention makes it possible, in particular, to label online multimedia content, for example content broadcast via Web TV or Web radio streams, during their playback by a DMR DMA DMP device of the UPnP network.

To label a particular content streamed via such a stream, for example a particular song in a web radio feed, or a particular TV program in a Web TV feed, it is necessary to enrich the metadata to qualify that particular content.

Accordingly, the content server according to the invention comprises, in a particular embodiment, means for obtaining metadata associated with multimedia stream broadcast by said remote server, the metadata associated with said multimedia content being obtained during the broadcast via this stream multimedia of this multimedia content

Correlatively, the control device according to the invention is suitable, when the multimedia content to be labeled is a content that is broadcast via a continuous stream, obtain metadata made available for said multimedia content during said broadcast

The labels created by the control device are stored in a storage area of the control device according to the invention. The latter then comprises means for presenting at least part of the contents of this storage area to a user, for example. example via a web page This embodiment is interesting in that the DMC control device is potentially accessible at any time (generally running in a home gateway type device operating permanently), which is not necessarily the case of the server of DMS content that may not be running In addition, the DMC control device being the central point for controlling the UPnP entities of a network, it is more efficient to centralize the information at its level because it is able to to trigger UPnP command sends to any UPnP entity as needed "browse" command to obtain additional information from a content server, "play" command to trigger a return of particular content on a particular device, etc. The applications of the invention in connection with the creation of labels are thus multiple

In a particular embodiment, the various steps of the labeling method, the collection method, and the aggregation method are determined by computer program instructions.

Accordingly, the invention is also directed

a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented in a UPnP control device or more generally in a computer, this program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation of the steps of the labeling process as mentioned above,

a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented in a UPnP content server or more generally in a computer, this program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation of the steps of the collection process as mentioned above, and

a computer program on an information medium, this program being capable of being implemented in an intermediation platform or more generally in a computer, this program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation of the steps of the aggregation process as mentioned above

Each of these programs can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any form what other form desirable The invention also relates to a computer readable information medium, and comprising at least instructions of a computer program as mentioned above.

The information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may include storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or still a magnetic recording means, for example a floppy disk or a hard disk

On the other hand, the information 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 link or by other means. The program according to the invention can be downloaded in particular on an Internet-type network

Alternatively, the information carrier 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 method in question

Brief description of the drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment having no limiting character.

FIG. 1 represents a terminal, a proxy device, a control device, a content server and an intermediation platform in a particular example of implementation of the invention, and

FIG. 2 represents the main steps of the methods according to the invention, in a first embodiment

Detailed description of an embodiment

FIG. 1 shows a local home network constituted, in this example, by a wireless WN network, for example WIFI, not UPnP, and a UPnP network UN, this home network being interconnected with an IPN Internet network by means of a network. intermediary of a home gateway bearing the reference IGD

The IGD home gateway between the UPnP UN and the Internet has no special features

The reference R in FIG. 1 represents a router of the IPN network. This router serves as a routing module for CS servers of the IPN network and an intermediation platform IMP. MT Terminal

In the embodiment described in ICI, the terminal MT has the hardware architecture of a computer II comprising a processor 11, a random access memory 12, a read-only memory ROM 13 and WIFI communication means 14

The read-only memory 13 comprises a computer program P1 for executing the method implemented by this terminal and whose main steps E10 to E40 will be described later with reference to FIG.

A user interface is made available to the user of the MT terminal so that the user can select the multimedia content to tag and send commands to the proxy device

This user interface may be constituted by a Web page hosted by the DMCP proxy device and transmitted to the user terminal during a communication session established with the DMCP proxy device, the user terminal and the DMCP proxy device communicating for example by means of the protocol HTTP This user interface can also be included in software, embedded on the terminal and communicating with the DMCP proxy device via the HTTP protocol

In the embodiment described in ICI, the communication means 14 of the mobile terminal MT are able to download a web page hosted on the proxy device DMCP, this web page comprising a human-machine interface allowing the user to choose a content The invention is also applicable to the labeling of content being restored through a stream broadcast continuously by a content broadcasting service (radio station or television channel typically).

When the user makes this choice, the communication means 14 of the WIFI MT terminal send a command to the DMCP proxy device according to the invention to ask him to associate a label with the multimedia content chosen by the user.

In the embodiment described in ICI, the communication means 14 of the mobile terminal MT are able to download a web page hosted on the proxy device DMCP, this web page comprising a human-machine interface allowing the user to trigger the restitution multimedia content

When the user makes this choice, the communication means 14 of the WIFI MT terminal send a command to the DMCP proxy device according to the invention to ask it to render this multimedia content on a device chosen by the user.

DMPC proxy device The interface between the WN WiFi network and the UPnP UN network is done through a proxy device referenced DMCP.

This DMCP proxy device allows a mobile terminal MT, not accessing the network UN, to send requests and commands to a UPnP device of the network UN, for example to a UPnP control device, referenced DMC, this device UPnP control itself being able to dialogue in accordance with the UPnP standard with UPnP entities UPnP UN network.

When the DMCP proxy device receives a command from the Wifi terminal MT, it interprets and translates this command so that it is adapted for sending to the DMC control device and sends a translated command to the DMC control device according to the invention. .

In the exemplary embodiment described here, the DMCP proxy device has the hardware architecture of a computer. It comprises in particular a processor 21, a random access memory 22, a read-only memory ROM 23 and communication means 24 compliant with the WiFi standard for communicating on the WiFi network WN with the mobile terminal MT according to the invention.

ROM ROM 22 includes a computer program P2 for executing the method implemented by the DMCP proxy and whose main steps F10 to F80 are shown in FIG. 2.

The DMCP proxy device also comprises communication means 26 for communicating with a DMC control device according to the invention. The communication technology used between the DMCP proxy device and the DMC control device is for example a "Web service" technology or any other method of sending a request, for example using the HTTP protocol, or procedure call method. remote (RPC, Remote Procedure CaII), or even local procedure call when the DMCP proxy device and the control device are co-located in the same physical equipment and run in the same runtime environment.

When the DMCP proxy device receives, from the Wifi terminal MT, a UC tag command transmitted by WiFi connection, it interprets this command and sends a PC command to the DMC control device according to the invention.

DMC control device

In the embodiment described here, the DMC control device according to the invention has the hardware architecture of a computer. It includes a processor 31, a random access memory 32, a ROM ROM 33 and communication means 34 on the UPnP network.

The read ROM ROM 33 comprises a computer program P3, this program comprising instructions for implementing the labeling method according to the invention and whose main steps G10 to G70 are shown in FIG. 2.

When the DMC controller receives from the DMCP proxy device a UPnP-compliant PC command for tagging media content, it sends a UPnP ATTB command, named "Browse", to a UPnP DMS content server according to the invention to obtain MD metadata of this content and create a BK tag from the metadata obtained.

Creating a label involves saving all or part of the metadata of a content in a dedicated storage area, in this case in the SZ storage area, so that this metadata is treated as data from a label , that is, an object for marking content and intended to be presented in a user interface in relation to that content. A tag is also a means for storing information about a content.

Preferably, all the metadata giving information on the labeled content interpretable by a user (title, author, etc.) or usable as a search criterion for searching and retrieving this content are retained to constitute the label as well as any identifier or address to access a server through which this content is accessible.

The DMC control device is thus designed to store, in the tag, in the metadata constituting the tag or in association with this metadata, a content identifier assigned by the UPnP DMS content server and an identifier (in the form of a tag). eg hypertext link or address) of a server from which access to this content is possible. Such a server is for example a content download server, a content broadcast server, a content search server, a content purchase server, etc. Such a label is also a means of accessing the labeled content.

The server thus identified may be distinct from the CS server providing the content in question. But it can also be the CS server. In the case where the CS server is a streaming content server, the identified server will generally be distinct and able to provide content to download regardless of any broadcast performed by the CS server.

The identifier of the remote server stored in the tag is either provided by the UPnP DMS content server in the metadata of the content under consideration, or generated by the DMC control device: thus, when no content server identifier is available for the content in question (this is the case of ephemeral content having been broadcast during a time interval elapsed by a server of broadcasting content), the DMC control device is designed to store in the metadata defining the label created for this content, an identifier of a server providing a content search service.

The storage area SZ is also used to store a WP file, for example as an HTML page or XML file, used to generate a user interface page to present the labels to the user via an interface user of a terminal.

The storage area is thus used by the control device DMC as a data source for the generation of a user interface page, intended to be sent to a terminal of a user and displayed on this terminal, so that to present to a user the different labels created and stored in this storage area.

This user interface page is designed so that when a user clicks on a UI element representing or associated with a tag, an HTTP request is sent to the server whose identifier is stored with the user. label and through which access to this content is possible. This request optionally includes a subset of the content metadata constituting the label. The request is formed for example from a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) address comprising a server identifier and optionally a subset of the metadata (title, artist, etc.) of the tagged content used to trigger a search or identification of the content. using this subset of metadata as the search criteria:

http: //mymusicst.ore. com / search? artist = title = xxxx zzzz

where "mymusicstore.com" is the server identifier

"artist = xxxx & title = zzzz" are content metadata used as search criteria.

In addition or alternatively, the WP file defines an RSS feed that is established when this interface element is clicked: the user of the MT terminal, provided that this terminal is equipped with an RSS reader, is then linked to the server whose identifier is stored and / or displays information on the content and / or access to an interface for accessing the content with which the label is associated.

When the remote server identified in the tag is a content search server, the user interface page generated by the DMC control device is in this case designed so that when a user clicks on an interface element user, representative or associated with a tag, a link, with a search interface of a search engine of the identified content search server, is established to automatically trigger a search for content. This makes it possible to search for content having the same metadata as those constituting the tag or having at least some metadata common with this tag (same author for example).

DMS Content Server

In the exemplary embodiment described here, the content server DMS according to the invention has the hardware architecture of a computer. It comprises a processor 41, a random access memory 42, a ROM ROM 43 and communication means 44 on the UPnP network.

The read-only memory 43 constitutes a support in which a computer program P4 is recorded, this program comprising instructions for implementing the collection method according to the invention, the main steps H10 to H50 of this method being represented in FIG. 2.

The DMS Content Server is a UPnP content server. It conforms to the UPnP standard and is particularly suitable for being detected as a UPnP content server during a discovery procedure defined in the UPnP standard. The content server DMS further comprises means 46 for communicating, via the home gateway IGD, with equipment of the IPN Internet network.

These means 46 allow it in particular to retrieve metadata associated with one or more multimedia content MC online, for example a content of the CS server IPN network. By online content is meant here content that is not stored by a content server of the local network UN, but is stored by a remote server, accessible via the IPN network for example.

In a known manner, each of the CS servers of the IPN network associates, with an online multimedia content MC, MD metadata.

According to the invention, the content server DMS is designed to obtain the metadata of the multimedia contents accessible via a server CS of the IPN network, either directly from this server CS, or indirectly via a intermediation platform according to the invention, which serves as a communication intermediary for a set of CS servers IPN network.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the DMS content server is able to regularly poll the CS servers to obtain the MD metadata content hosted by these servers.

But, preferentially, the content server DMS according to the invention obtains these metadata by regularly probing the intermediation platform IMP according to the invention.

Such a survey technique is known to those skilled in the art under the name "polling". Other techniques, in particular technique called "push" would also be appropriate for obtaining this metadata.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the content server DMS is capable of regularly probing the remote servers CS to obtain MD service metadata relating to one or more services offered by these remote servers CS. Such a service is for example a content broadcasting service, such as a radio station or a television channel. The service metadata includes a name or identifier of the service in question. In the case of a content broadcasting service, it is planned to insert in the service metadata, an identifier of a server able to provide content metadata broadcast by this service. This identifier is in the form of public name, public IP address, hypertext link or URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and is used to establish a connection with such a server.

In the exemplary embodiment described here, the content server of DMS includes a database BDD in which it stores the metadata relating to contents or services of the CS servers of the IPN network. Each set of metadata includes an address or identifier of the CS server via which this content / service is accessible. Each set of metadata is stored in association with an identifier of that content / service assigned by the content server DMS to the content / service.

This database is named CDS or "Content Directory Service" in the UPnP standard. It makes it possible to generate a list of contents or services accessible from one or more remote servers CS.

The content server DMS can thus be qualified as a virtual content server in that it references contents stored physically on non-UPnP CS servers or CS servers of another network or services offered by non-UPnP CS servers or CS servers from another network. The content server of DMS stores indeed content or service metadata for these content and services and is able to provide UPnP devices of the network ONE such metadata, in particular in response to a command UPnP "Browse".

The DMS content server also serves as an intermediary in the communication between the UPnP entities of the UN network and the remote servers CS. In particular, requests for access to the data of a content pass through the content server DMS, which serves as a communication relay between the UPnP entities of the network UN and the remote servers CS.

The DMS content server thus serves as a representative or proxy, vis-à-vis UPnP entities of the UN network, non-UPnP servers or servers of another network.

According to the invention, the content server DMS is also able to send, in response to a UPnP "Browse" command relating to a content or service, through its communication means 44, MD metadata to the DMC control device. so that they can create a label for that content or service.

IMP intermediation platform

In the embodiment described here, the platform IMP according to the invention has the hardware architecture of a computer. It comprises a processor 11, a random access memory 52, a ROM-type read only memory 53 and means 54 of communication on the IPN Internet network. The read-only memory 53 constitutes a support for a computer program P5, which comprises instructions of an aggregation method according to the invention and whose main steps J10 to J20 are represented in FIG. 2.

The intermediation platform IMP obtains the metadata of a multimedia content from the CS servers of the IPN network. It is able to send, to the DMS content server according to the invention, the MD metadata and a link or LK identifier (in the form of a URI or address or URL identifier) of this content and / or the CS server which will be stored in association with the metadata of this content by the DMS content server.

In the embodiment described here, the intermediation platform IMP has a BDI database in which it stores the MD metadata and the LK links to the MC contents.

With reference to FIG. 2, we will now describe a labeling session that can be implemented thanks to the invention. In this figure: steps E10 to E40 are steps of a method according to the invention implemented by the WIFI terminal MT

the steps F10 to F80 are steps of a method according to the invention implemented by the DMCP proxy device,

the steps G10 to G70 are steps of a labeling method according to the invention implemented by the DMC control device,

the steps H10 to H50 are steps of a collection method according to the invention implemented by the content server DMS, and

the steps J10 and J20 are steps of an aggregation method according to the invention implemented by the intermediation platform according to the invention

Steps J10 to J20 and H10 to H20 correspond to a metadata collection phase

In the embodiment described in ICI, the intermediation platform IMP periodically probes, during a step J10, the servers CS of the IPN network to obtain the MD metadata of the contents hosted by these servers.

In the embodiment described in ICI, the UPnP DMS content server conforming to the information regularly probes, during a step H10, the platform IMP according to the invention. This platform IMP receives these polling requests during a poll. step J20, during which it returns to the content server UPnP DMS according to the invention, the metadata it obtained from the servers CS of the Internet network IPN

Alternatively or additionally, the content server DMS according to the invention can, during a step H20, obtain MD metadata directly from the CS servers of the IPN Internet network, for example by polling

Steps E10 to E20, F10 to F40 and G10 to G50 and H30 to H40 correspond to a content labeling phase

We will assume that a user of the mobile terminal MT wishes to label a multimedia content MC In practice, the mobile terminal MT includes a user interface allowing it to read all the content references by the content server DMS in its database. BDD data for this purpose, at the request of a user, transmitted to the DMC control device via the DMCP proxy device, a UPnP request named "Browse" is sent by the DMC control device to the UPnP content server DMS, the latter returning in response data contained in this database BDD, a list of contents and metadata associated with these contents When the user chooses to label a multimedia content of this list of contents, the mobile terminal MT emits, during a step E10, a command to associate a label with this multimedia content, this command being sent to the proxy device DMCP According to the invention This command comprises an identifier of the content to be labeled and an identifier of the UPnP content server referencing this content.

The DMCP proxy device receives this command, transmitted by WIFI link, during a step F10 and sends, during a step F20, a PC command to the DMC control device according to the invention so that it creates the Requested label The PC command also includes an identifier of the content to be labeled

This PC command is received by the DMC control device according to the invention during a step G10

During a step G20, the DMC control device according to the invention sends a GIS signal according to the invention to the UPnP server DMS, this signal comprising a UPnP command ATTB, named "Browse" in the UPnP standard, identifying the multimedia content, in order to obtain metadata relating to the multimedia content that the user wishes to label This signal GIS is received by the content server DMS during a step H30

The server DMS then consults its database BDD and sends the metadata requested to the control device DMC according to the invention during a step H40

This metadata is received by the DMC controller during a step G30

During a step G40, the control device DMC according to the invention creates the label BK by storing all or part of these metadata in the storage area SZ in association with a label name

The content identifier, assigned to the content by the content server DMS and present in the metadata provided by the content server DMS, is also stored so that the control device DMC can send commands to the content server DMS. to this content (for example a UPnP "Browse" command)

Once the BK label has been created, the DMC control device according to the invention sends to the DMCP proxy according to the invention an acknowledgment message ACK, during a step G50.

This acknowledgment message ACK is received by the proxy device DMCP during a step F30 II can in turn, during a step F40, send an acknowledgment message ACK to the terminal according to the invention, this message being received by this terminal during a step E20 Information is displayed on the terminal MT on receipt of this acknowledgment to warn the user of the end of the execution of the labeling

The steps E30 to E40, F50 to F80, G60 to G70 and H50 correspond to a phase of triggering a restitution of a content

According to the invention, the terminal MT can also be used to control the UPnP devices of the network UN

We assume that the user sends, during a step E30, a control request UCR to trigger the return of a content

In this example, we assume that the UCR control request contains instructions for the content of a CS server to be restored by a DMR rendering device of the network UN.

This request UCR is received by the proxy according to the invention during a step F50 via a WIFI connection

During a step F60, the DMCP proxy according to the invention sends a command CR to the DMC control device according to the invention so that the latter puts the target DMR rendering device in relation with the remote server CS via the server. DMS content

In accordance with the UPnP standard, the DMC controller then sends a UPnP request, named "Play", to the DMR rendering device containing the content identifier and the DMS content server so that an FX data stream can be established. between the DMR rendering device and the concerned CS server

On receipt of this command UPnP "Play", the rendering device DMR sends (step K50) a request, of type HTTP GET, to the content server DMS it retransmits (step H50) this request to the remote content server CS The content data is then sent back to the DMR rendering device, via the DMS content server, by means of data packets sent in accordance with the HTTP protocol

When the restitution has started, that is to say when an FX data stream is actually established, via the content server DMS, between the CS server concerned and the target DMR rendering device, the DMC control device sends during a step G70, an acknowledgment message to the DMCP proxy according to the invention The proxy according to the invention receives this acknowledgment message during a step F70 and in turn sends an acknowledgment message ACK, during a step F80, to the terminal according to the invention The terminal according to the invention receives this ACK message during a step E40 It should be noted that the labeling and triggering phases of a reproduction can be reversed, the triggering phase of a refund then preceding the labeling phase. In this case, labeling may occur during the return of content.

In this case, when, in step G10, the control device receives a UC labeling command for a content being restored (for which it has previously received a restitution request), the control device DMC is designed to query the DMS content server for metadata currently available for that content in the database BDD.

The control device DMC then updates in the storage area SZ the metadata associated with this content with the metadata newly provided by the server CS.

When the content for which a rendition has been requested is content identified as a streaming stream by a remote CS server (ie defined in the UPnP standard by means of an object belonging to a class named " broadcast item ") the metadata of content being broadcast is potentially richer or more detailed than the metadata that may be collected from the same server during a metadata collection phase prior to this broadcast.

Indeed, in particular when the remote content server CS is a server broadcasting a continuous FX stream - corresponding for example to a streaming service of contents for a radio station or a television channel - the metadata provided by the associated metadata server to this service during the broadcast of a content are metadata specific to this content (for example the song currently broadcast on the radio or the program currently broadcast on the television channel). While the metadata provided prior to this broadcast is just continuous stream metadata, that is broadcast service metadata, giving information about that service (radio name, radio frequency, or name of the broadcast service). channel, etc.) and, optionally, a mailing list (called a program guide, or EPG in the case of a television channel) relative to a given period of time (for a day for example).

Accordingly, the DMC control device is designed to determine whether the content for which labeling has been requested is content identified as being a streaming stream, and, if so, to query the DMS content server for they get metadata specific to the content commonly distributed via this stream An enrichment of the metadata is thus possible when the user requires a labeling during a restitution, since the metadata thus obtained are specific to the content commonly broadcast and not specific to the stream broadcast, considered as a whole, without taking into account. different content broadcast via this stream

In a variant embodiment, the steps H10 and H20 of the metadata collection phase are executed by the control device DMC and not by the content server UPnP DMS. In this variant embodiment, the control device DMC also stores the collected tags. in a metadata directory, in association with files to generate user interface pages The steps G20, H30, H40 and G30 for obtaining metadata are then no longer necessary for the labeling of a content the control device DMC is able to obtain the metadata associated with one of the contents referenced by the local content server DMS from a remote server of the IPN network. This remote server is either a metadata server associated with the remote content server CS broadcasting, storing or storing at the disposal of the content considered, either directly the remote content server CS broadcasting, storing or making available the content considered

In this variant embodiment, the control device DMC is able to obtain from the content server DMS, not directly the metadata of a content to be labeled, but an identifier (in the form of an address or a URL, Uniform Resource Locator a remote metadata server This identifier is for example present in the metadata of a service provided by the remote server CS considered, these metadata being obtained via the local content server DMS by interrogation, via the platform d intermediation or not, different CS remote content servers These service metadata are stored in the database BDD

When this identifier is likely to vary over time, it suffices for the DMC control device to interrogate the DMS content server at periodic time intervals (for example once a day, or once an hour) to obtain the identifier current The local DMS content server interrogates, via the intermediation platform or not, the various remote content servers CS

In this variant embodiment, the DMC control device is designed to determine whether the content for which labeling has been requested is identified as a streaming stream, and if so, to obtain, without going through the UPnP DMS Content Server, metadata available for content that is commonly delivered through this feed.

Thus, thanks to the invention, a user can easily find multimedia contents that have been labeled, in other words "favorite" contents, for subsequent manipulation.

The invention allows the labeling of contents, whether these contents are being restored or not, provided via a continuous stream or not.

Claims

1 UPnP control device (DMC) of a local area network (UN), characterized in that it comprises

means (34) for receiving a command (PC) for associating a tag (BK) with a multimedia content (MC) accessible from a server (CS) of a remote network and referenced by a content server UPnP (DMS) of the local network,

means (36) for obtaining metadata (MD) relating to said multimedia content (MC) from data provided by the UPnP content server, and

means (31, 32, 33) for creating said label (BK) from the metadata (MD) obtained

2 UPnP control device (DMC) according to claim 1, characterized in that said data provided comprise metadata of said multimedia content, the obtaining means (36) being able to obtain said metadata by querying the UPnP content server by means of a UPnP command

3 UPnP control device (DMC) according to claim 1, characterized in that said data provided comprise an address, the means (36) of obtaining being able to obtain said metadata by querying a server identified by said address

4 UPnP control device (DMC) according to claim 1, said device being adapted, when the multimedia content to be labeled is a content being broadcast via a continuous stream, obtain metadata made available for said multimedia content at the time of said broadcast

UPnP control device (DMC) according to claim 1, wherein the tag comprises an identifier of a server able to provide access to said content

UPnP control device (DMC) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a storage area (SZ) for storing said label (BK) and means (WP) for presenting at least a part content of said storage area (SZ) to a user UPnP content server (DMS) of a local network, characterized in that it comprises

means for obtaining (46) and memorizing metadata (MD) associated with at least one multimedia content (MC) accessible from at least one server (CS) of a remote network, and

means for sending metadata (MD) associated with said multimedia content to a UPnP control device (DMC), in response to a UPnP command (ATTB) received from said UPnP control device (DMC)

8 UPnP content server (DMS) according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises means (41, 42, 43) for transmitting to a said remote server a request for obtaining data of a said content originating from a UPnP rendering device (DMS) of the local network

9 Labeling method implemented by a UPnP control device (DMC) of a local network, characterized in that it comprises

a step (G10) for receiving a command (PC) for associating a tag (BK) with a multimedia content (MC) accessible from a server (CS) of a remote network and referenced by a content server UPnP (DMS) of the local network,

a step (G20) for obtaining (G30) metadata (MD) relating to said multimedia content (MC) from data provided by said UPnP content server, and

a step of creating (G40) said tag (BK) from the obtained metadata (MD)

10 A collection method implemented by a UPnP content server (DMS) comprising at least one step (H20) for obtaining and storing metadata (MD) associated with at least one multimedia content (MC) accessible from the least one server (CS) of a remote network, and a step (H40) of sending metadata (MD) associated with said multimedia content to a UPnP control device (DMC) of the local network, in response to a command UPnP (ATTB) received (H30) from this UPnP control device

(DMC)

Computer program (P4) comprising instructions for performing the steps of the method according to claim 9 or 10