Patent Application
20080072270
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear after reading the description given below and the appended drawing, on which the single figure very diagrammatically illustrates an example embodiment of a content transmission system according to the invention, coupled to a broadcasting network and a mobile network. The appended drawing may be used firstly to complete the invention, but also to contribute to its definition, if necessary.
The purpose of the invention is to enable persons who are looking at and/or listening to a content broadcast through a broadcasting network and associated with additional contents accessible in interactive mode, to access these contents using the same (primary) communication terminal, without reducing the comfort of other persons and if possible when they really need or want them (in other words not necessarily during the broadcast) and/or if possible in a customised manner.
Note that the invention can also be used by a customer (user) to access an additional interactive content off-line (in other words after it is broadcast) when he saved the definitions of the associated content and address.
The following description is given with reference to a non-limitative example in which the broadcasting network is a fixed communication network such as a network comprising medium or high speed data transmission lines, for example such as XSDL (“x Digital Subscriber Line”) type lines or cables or optical fibres (for example of the FTTH (“Fiber To The Home”) type). But the invention is not limited to this type of broadcasting network. It applies to any type of fixed or mobile communication network capable of broadcasting contents to communication terminals. Therefore it could also be a land broadcasting network (particularly DVB-T or DVB-H) or a satellite or a hybrid (in other words a land (for example DVB-H) and satellite network).
Furthermore, the following description is made with reference to a non-limitative example in which the contents broadcast by the broadcasting network are television programs. But the invention is not limited to this type of content. It concerns any type of content that might be broadcast, and particularly video or audio programs (voice or musical) or games or multimedia or computer files (or “data”).
Furthermore, the following the description is made with reference to a non-limitative example in which primary communication terminals that are connected to the broadcasting network (in this case of the fixed type), consist of “Set-top box” type television program reception equipment. But the invention is not limited to this type of communication terminal. It concerns any type of equipment that can be connected to a broadcasting network, and particularly equipment for reception of video or music programs or games, fixed or portable computers, television or encrypted video program decoders, onboard equipment on a vehicle (car, truck, bus, train, and similar), or even mobile telephones (or cellular phones) or personal digital assistants (PDAs).
As shown diagrammatically and functionally in the single figure, the invention proposes a content transmission system comprising at least one processing equipment ST coupled to at least one broadcasting network R1 and at least one two-directional communication network R2, primary communication terminals TPi connected to the broadcasting network R1, and secondary communication terminals TSij connected to the two-directional communication network R2.
The system according to the invention may possibly and also include content server(s) SC that is (are) required to broadcast contents CP through the broadcasting network R1, to primary communication terminals TPi, and to provide additional contents CA associated with these contents CP and that can be accessed in interactive mode. For example, the content server SC comprises a first memory (or database) B1 storing data forming the contents CP to be broadcast, and a second memory (or database) B2 storing data forming the additional contents CA associated with the contents CP.
In particular, the additional contents CA include interactive services (hypertext links, videos, music, ringtones, animations, detailed descriptions of objects to be sold, lists (and summaries) of films, videos or music work to be downloaded, press articles, scientific articles, references of articles or books, Internet site addresses, addresses of hotels or cultural locations, all types of information, for example), that content broadcasters (or any other interested person, for example such as the operator of the two-directional communication network R2 or an advertiser) have associated with their television programs to complement the information contained in them and/or enable customers to make purchases or give their opinion about a program.
It will be noted that the content server SC and the processing equipment ST may possibly be in the same location, or even form part of the same equipment.
In the following, we will consider a preferred but non-limitative example in which the two-directional communication network R2 is a mobile (or cellular) network, for example such as a UMTS (3G) network. But the invention is not limited to this type of two-directional communication network. It concerns any type of communication network that can exchange data (in other words transmit and receive it) with communication terminals adapted to this purpose. Therefore, it could be a fixed, satellite or hybrid communication network.
Considering the preferred choice mentioned above of the network type R2, the secondary communication terminals TSij are of the mobile (or cellular) type, for example such as mobile (or cellular) telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or portable computers, or portable video players and/or MP3 type players equipped with an appropriate communication interface. For example, in the following it is considered that the secondary communication terminals TSij are mobile telephones.
In the following description given as a non-limitative example, we will only consider Set-top box TPi type reception equipment installed in living rooms with a connection to the broadcasting network R1, and that are coupled to a TV device to display images of received contents and to broadcast sounds possibly associated with these images, for example such as a monitor or television set. Note that instead of being installed in living rooms, the reception equipment TPi may for example be installed in waiting rooms, restaurants, meeting rooms or conference rooms, or in any other public or private place.
Furthermore, at least one of the persons looking at a content (in this case a television program) broadcast by a TV device has a mobile telephone TSij that can be connected to the mobile network R2.
In this description, the index i is used to reference a reception equipment TPi installed in a room. For example, in the example illustrated, the values are equal to 1 and 2. The index j refers to a mobile telephone TSij used by a person (or customer) installed in a room containing reception equipment TPi and that is therefore close to this reception equipment. In the example illustrated, the values are equal to 1 to 3.
The processing equipment ST is preferably a server. Its first function is to associate a data set ES with each additional content CA originating from the content server SC (through a direct connection as illustrated or through the broadcasting network R1), the data set including a content definition, an address (or link) used to access said additional content CA, and a broadcast date that defines the instant at which said additional content CA is to be provided to customers looking at the associated content CP, as a function of the programming information PI.
For example, the processing equipment ST comprises a first memory (or database) B3 in which it stores data forming the received additional content CA, and a second memory (or database) B4 in which it stores data forming the sets ES that it created. Furthermore, for example it comprises a module MCE required to create the sets ES from the data CA stored in the first memory B3 and programming information PI. Such a module MCE may for example be in the form of special purpose software, possibly “intelligent” software such as software that uses new scene description technologies such as MPEG-7.
For example, the programming information Pi forms the broadcast Electronic Programme Guide EPG. In particular, it contains a precise timetable for broadcasting television programs CP and texts summarising these programs.
A content definition (or “tag”) is intended to give a summary description of an interactive service defined by an additional content CA. For example, it is composed of a category that represents an additional content CA (for example composed of “Information”, “Purchase”, “Video”, “Music”, “Photos”, or “Games”) and/or a phrase describing this additional content CA and/or a list of at least one word related to this additional content CA.
When the additional contents CA are stored by the processing equipment ST (for example in its first memory B3), a part of each address (or link) associated with a content definition refers to the communication address of this processing equipment ST.
The processing equipment ST is also required to transmit each set ES that it created before the broadcast date contained in it has expired, to reception equipment TPi through the broadcasting network R1. For example, it transmits them on the day before the programs CP with which they are associated are broadcast.
According to the invention, each reception equipment TPi is firstly required to store each set ES transmitted by the broadcasting network R1, for example in a first memory (or database) B5 contained in it. Another function is to enable loading of the definition and the address contained in each set ES stored during a time interval including the broadcast date contained in it, by neighbouring mobile telephones TSij (in other words close to it, for example in the same room). For example, it does this using a processing module MT1 that is required to analyse broadcast dates contained in the stored sets ES, in the memory B5, so as to assign a loading time interval including the corresponding broadcast date to each of them.
For example, each reception equipment TPi comprises a second memory B6 in which its processing module MT temporarily (in other words during the time interval associated with it), stores each definition and the associated address ready to be downloaded by neighbouring mobile telephones TSij.
Loading can be done in two different ways.
The first is at the initiative of each reception equipment TPi. In this case, each reception equipment TPi is required to automatically transmit all definitions and associated addresses to neighbouring mobile telephones TSij and stores them temporarily in its second memory B6. For example, this transmission can be done by broadcasting through radio waves using a Bluetooth or WiFi type interface (quite suitable for transmission over short distances).
The second manner is at the initiative of each mobile telephone TSij. In this case, each mobile telephone TSij is required to retrieve definitions and associated addresses from the neighbouring reception equipment TPi, and temporarily stores them in its second memory B6. As in the first manner, retrieval may for example be done by radio, by exchange of request and response message, using a Bluetooth or WiFi type interface.
As soon as the loading time interval of a content definition has expired, the processing module MT1 of a reception equipment TPi deletes this definition from its first memory B5 and its second memory B6. To achieve this, the first memory B5 and the second memory B6 may for example be in the form of buffer memories.
In one variant, it would be possible for the processing module MT1 of a reception equipment TPi to store content definitions and associated addresses with associated time intervals, in the first memory B5. In this case, the content definitions and associated addresses may be loaded directly from the first memory B5 during their corresponding loading time intervals, and then deleted once their loading time intervals have elapsed. The second memory B6 can then be used to store all content definitions and associated addresses once they have been deleted from the first memory B5, so that a user can view them off line.
Furthermore, each reception equipment TPi may comprise a clock that is synchronised with the clock that the broadcasting network R1 uses to precisely broadcast the contents CP in accordance with the programming information PI. For example, this clock synchronisation may be done by periodic transmission of synchronisation information from the broadcasting network R1 (or the processing equipment MT) to the reception equipment TPi. This means that the additional contents CA can be provided to customers at precise instants defined by the processing equipment MT.
Note that each reception equipment TPi may possibly also transmit each content definition to the TV display device to which it is connected, and temporarily stores this definition in its second memory B6 (or its first memory B5 depending on the chosen embodiment), at the same time as the content CP with which it is associated, so that they can be displayed and/or broadcast simultaneously.
Apart from its function to load “active” content definitions (in other words for which the time interval includes the current instant), each mobile telephone TSij is also required to immediately display and/or broadcast at least some loaded content definitions to enable its user to select one of them to request transmission of the additional content CA associated with it to the associated address (in this case from the processing equipment MT).
Note that each loaded content definition is not necessarily and systematically displayed and/or broadcast through a mobile telephone TSij. It would be possible to envisage that each mobile telephone TSij is provided with a processing module MT2 to analyse each loaded content definition so as to only authorise its display and/or broadcasting if it satisfies a profile corresponding to its user. This is intended to enable customisation of interactive services depending on the users.
For example, the processing module MT2 classifies each loaded content definition as a function of the category that it contains, and then it applies a filter that depends on the user profile.
For example, each mobile telephone TSij may store at least one profile that was defined manually by its user using the keyboard by means of menus that can offer choice lists. For example, as a variant or in addition, each mobile telephone TSij may store at least one profile related to its user and defined by the operator of the mobile network R2 to which he is a subscriber. In this case, the profile may be adapted by the operator over time, depending on his understanding of the user's needs and wishes, reflected by additional contents (or interactive services) CA that he uses most frequently.
Preferably, each mobile telephone TSij comprises a memory MY in which its processing module MT2 stores at least some of the loaded content definitions and the associated addresses (in other words all loaded addresses, or only those that were selected during filtering). This function is particularly useful because it means that each user can select a content definition, and therefore request the associated additional content CA, after it has been displayed and/or broadcast on/by his mobile telephone TSij after it has been loaded (and possibly filtered) and therefore when he wants it. To achieve this, the mobile telephone TSij may include menus that the user can use to view content definitions stored in the memory MY so as to possibly select one of them when he wishes.
When a content definition has been selected (directly or off line), the mobile telephone TSij transmits a request to the equipment (in this case ST), referred to by the associated address (or link), to obtain the associated additional content CA. This transmission takes place through the mobile network R2.
When this request is received, the equipment (in this case ST) transmits it to a control module MC included in it. This control module then accesses the (first) memory B3 in which the additional contents CA are stored, so as to extract data that define the additional content CA referred in the received request. The equipment (in this case ST) then transmits these extracted data to the mobile telephone TSij that required them, through the mobile network R2, so that it displays them on its screen and/or broadcasts them on its speaker, under the control of its user. The user can then use them as he wishes. For example, he can thus carry out actions such as a purchase or access to an Internet site, based on data in the received additional content CA, using his mobile telephone TSij.
Note that the equipment (in this case MT) that is required to receive requests related to additional contents CA, may for example comprise a billing module (or “accounting” module) MF coupled to its control module MC and that is required to count each additional content CA transmitted to a mobile telephone TSij, for billing purposes depending on his subscription type.
The different modules described above, and particularly processing modules MT1 and MT2, the control module MC, the set creation module MCE and the billing module MF, are preferably implemented in the form of software (or computer) modules. But they may also be in the form of electronic circuits or a combination of circuits and software.
The invention is not limited to the embodiments of a transmission system described above as examples only, but it comprises all variants that those skilled in the art might consider within the framework of the claims described below.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0653775 | Sep 2006 | FR | national |
