FR3079097A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANAGING DISPLAY OF INTERFACE DATA OF AUDIO-VISUAL SERVICE ON IP - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP. The method is implemented by a processor and comprising in particular the reception (E21) of a control signal for controlling a functionality of said audio-visual service, coming from an interaction device, the identification (E22) of said interaction device having sent the control signal, and obtaining (E23) the interface data to be displayed, said interface data being determined according to the identified device.

Description

Method and device for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP.

1. Field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of user interfaces of multimedia systems, in particular user interfaces for audio-visual services provided via a communication network, such as an IP network.

2. Prior Art

Human-machine interfaces (HMI) allowing users to interact on an audio-visual service are generally defined by the supplier of the audio-visual service according to the functionalities of the device used to interact with the service, such a device being general also provided by the service provider.

By audio-visual service is meant here any type of service providing one or more multimedia contents to a user via a communication network, for example a TV (Television) service over IP (Internet Protocol in English) provided by a communication network or by a service provider called OTT (for Over The Top in English), or a VOD service (Video on demand), an online games service, etc ...

In general, an audio-visual service on IP is provided to a user via a decoder, connected to a communication network, and connected to a screen, for example a television. A remote control, often having basic functionalities, is also provided to the user to enable him to control the audio-visual service, via a human-machine interface (HMI) displayed on the screen.

The decoder can for example be an STB (for Set Top Box in English) connected to a domestic gateway or else an HDMI multimedia key connected to the television and connected by WIFI to the domestic gateway for example.

In order to control an audio-visual service, the service provider can sometimes offer an application for remote control of the service to be installed on a mobile device, for example a tablet or a smartphone (for smart phone in English). The control of the audio-visual service is then done via a virtual remote control which is displayed on the screen of the mobile device, and no longer via the remote control of the decoder.

However, in this case, the human-machine interfaces displayed to the user on the television are identical regardless of the device (remote control, mobile device) used to control the audio-visual service.

3. Statement of the invention

The invention improves the state of the art. To this end, it relates to a method for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP. Such a method is implemented by a processor and comprises in particular the reception of a control signal to control a functionality of said audio-visual service, coming from an interaction device, the identification of said interaction device having emitted the control signal, and obtaining the interface data to be displayed, said interface data being determined as a function of the device identified.

Thus, according to the invention, ΓΙΗΜ of the audio-visual service displayed to a user depends on the interaction device used by the user to control the audio-visual service. The user experience is thus adapted according to the interaction device it uses. Advantageously, access via the interface data displayed to the functionalities of the audio-visual service, for example access to menus of the service, or to actions to be applied to audio-visual content being viewed, is optimized. depending on the interaction device used and its functionality.

For example, when displaying on a display device, for example a television, an HMI of a Video on demand service, the interface data displayed on the display device can include lists videos ordered by theme or other criteria, to help the user browse the catalog of videos available when the user uses a basic remote control to control the audio-visual service. When the user uses an interaction device provided with an alphanumeric keyboard to control the audio-visual service, the interface data can include a search bar in which the user can directly enter search criteria to search for a video in the video catalog.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the management method further comprises the detection of at least one interaction device capable of controlling the audiovisual service.

According to this particular embodiment of the invention, an interaction device capable of being used by the user to control the audio-visual service is detected by the processor. For example, it can be a remote control that pairs with the decoder using Bluetooth or other technology.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the interaction device that sent the control signal is identified from a communication mode according to which the control signal is received. According to this particular embodiment of the invention, the device having sent the control signal is easily identified by the means of communication used. Indeed, in general, when interaction devices of different types are available to control the audio-visual service, these use different modes of communication. For example, a smartphone will rather use a wifi connection via the home gateway to control the audio-visual service, while a remote control will rather use a short distance connection, for example infrared. Other devices, such as a Bluetooth keyboard, a joystick, etc., may use Bluetooth wireless technology, ....

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the control signal further comprises an identifier of the interaction device having sent the control signal.

This particular embodiment of the invention is advantageous when several interaction devices of the same type or using the same mode of communication are likely to be used to interact with the audio-visual service.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, when at least two control signals are received in a predetermined time interval, the interaction device is identified as the interaction device having emitted the control signal received in first of the at least two control signals received.

This particular embodiment of the invention makes it possible to manage the cases where several users interact on the audio-visual service at the same time. According to this variant, it is the interaction device which interacts first which has priority.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, when at least two control signals are received in a predetermined time interval, the interaction device is identified from a predefined priority order according to the type of interaction device. This particular embodiment of the invention makes it possible to manage the cases where several users interact on the audio-visual service at the same time. According to this variant, an order of priority according to the type of interaction devices likely to be used is defined beforehand and used to determine the interaction device which temporarily has control over the audio-visual service when several users wish to interact. at the same time on the audio-visual service.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, obtaining the interface data to be displayed comprises determining, as a function of the identified device, an address allowing access to the interface data. According to this particular embodiment of the invention, the interface data to be displayed is obtained by sending a request to an address, for example of the URL type. For example, several groups of interface data are defined beforehand according to the types of possible interaction devices and stored on a server, each group being associated with a separate URL. Thus, access to the interface data according to the interaction device previously identified is easy by selecting the address corresponding to the interaction device previously identified.

According to a variant of this particular embodiment of the invention, the address is associated with a profile of interaction devices. According to this particular embodiment of the invention, several addresses are stored, each address being associated with an interaction device profile. The address is determined by selecting the address associated with the profile of the identified interaction device, for example smartphone / tablet, remote control, Bluetooth keyboard, gamepad, etc.

For example, profiles of interaction devices can be defined according to the functionalities available on the interaction devices, such as the presence or not of a keyboard, the presence or not of a numeric keypad, the presence or not a screen on the interaction device, etc ... For example, a profile could be defined for interaction devices with only basic keys +, -, up / down / left / right arrows, to interact on the audio-visual service. Another profile can be defined for interaction devices comprising a keyboard and / or a numeric keypad. Another profile can be defined for interaction devices comprising a touch screen on which a keyboard and / or a numeric keypad can be displayed, or other data. Separate interface data can be associated with each profile. Such interface data may be defined so as to allow easy navigation in the audio-visual service as a function of the functionalities available on the interaction devices of the corresponding profile.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, when the interaction device is able to display interface data, the display management method comprises the transmission to said interaction device of at least part said interface data obtained.

This particular embodiment of the invention makes it possible to shift the display of at least part of audio from the audio-visual service to the interaction device. For example, in the case of a smartphone or tablet, when the control signal relates to an action on the audio-visual content or on the audio-visual service requiring other interactions on the HMI data, the subsequent interactions via the smartphone or tablet screen are easier for the user. In addition, the display device on which the display data was initially displayed, for example the television screen, is then made available to display the audio-visual content, or other audiovisual content.

For example, in the case of a video on demand service, ΓΙΗΜ to select a video can be displayed on the screen of the smartphone or tablet, while a trailer or advertisement is displayed on the screen of television.

The invention also relates to a device for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP. Such a device comprises in particular a processor and a memory configured to receive a control signal to control a functionality of said audio-visual service, coming from an interaction device, identifying said interaction device having emitted the control signal, obtaining interface data to be displayed, said interface data being determined as a function of the identified device. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, such a display management device is included in a digital decoding terminal or a digital decoding key, or even a domestic gateway. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the display management device is included in the cloud (cloud network) or the communication network when the home gateway is virtualized, ie the functions of the home gateway are put implemented by communication network equipment. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the display management device is included in a television, for example a television of the smart TV type for intelligent television, or connected television.

The invention also relates to a system for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP comprising a management device according to any one of the particular modes described above, at least one interaction device. able to send a control signal to said management device, and at least one display device able to display the interface data.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the interaction device is capable of displaying interface data received from the display management device or from a server of a communication network.

The invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the above methods according to any one of the particular embodiments described above, when said program is executed by a processor. The methods can be implemented in various ways, in particular in wired form or in software form.

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 other desirable form.

The invention also relates to a recording medium or information medium readable by a computer, and comprising instructions of a computer program as mentioned above. The recording media mentioned above can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may include a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or else a magnetic recording means, for example a floppy disk or a Hard disk. On the other hand, the recording media can correspond to a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which can be routed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means. The programs according to the invention can in particular be downloaded from a network of the Internet type.

Alternatively, the recording media can correspond to an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the process in question.

4. List of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of particular embodiments, given by way of simple illustrative and nonlimiting examples, and of the appended drawings, among which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an environment for implementing the invention according to a particular embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 2 illustrates steps of the method for managing the display of interface data according to a particular embodiment of the invention,

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate examples of interface data displayed to a user according to particular embodiments of the invention,

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate other examples of interface data displayed to a user according to particular embodiments of the invention,

- Figure 5 illustrates a management device configured to implement the method for managing the display of interface data according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

5. Description of an embodiment of the invention

5.1 General principle of the invention

The invention relates to the management of interface data of an audio-visual service provided on an IP network.

The audio-visual service can correspond to any type of service providing one or more multimedia contents to a user via a communication network, for example a TV over IP service, VOD, an online games service, etc. interaction device, here means any device allowing the user to interact on the audio-visual service, for example to access service menus, start an application, load a video, change channels, navigate in a video, etc ...

Interaction devices can have different functionalities. For example, some interaction devices have a keyboard, and / or a screen. Other interaction devices only have arrows and a numeric keypad. Depending on the amount of data from ΓΙΗΜ of the audio-visual service and the ordering of this data, navigation in the audio-visual service is then more or less easy depending on the interaction device used by the user.

The general principle of the invention is to control the interface data, or HMI, of an audio-visual service displayed to a user as a function of the functionalities of the interaction device that the user uses to navigate in the audio service. -visual.

5.2 Special modes of carrying out the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an environment for implementing the invention according to a particular embodiment of the invention. Such an environment notably includes an S_AV server making it possible to provide an audio-visual service to a user via an IP Res communication network.

The user accesses the audio-visual service via a PAS home gateway connected to the Res communication network. A digital decoder is wired or wirelessly connected to the PAS gateway in order to receive the audio-visual service data and to a TV screen, for example a television, to display the audio-visual service data.

The digital decoder is for example an STB type terminal (for Set Top Box in English), or an HDMI multimedia key able to connect to the home gateway for example by WIFI. In other variants, the decoder can be integrated into the television.

The system described in FIG. 1 also includes at least one interaction device U1. Examples of interaction devices UI1-UI5 are illustrated in FIG. 1. For example, the interaction device UI1 is a tablet, UI2 corresponds to a smartphone, UI3 with a remote control, UI4 with a joystick, and UI5 with a Bluetooth keyboard. Other examples of interaction devices are of course possible.

FIG. 2 illustrates steps of the method for managing the display of interface data according to a particular embodiment of the invention. The method for managing the display of interface data is for example implemented by the processor of the decoder DEC or of the gateway PAS illustrated in FIG. 1.

During an optional step E20, at least one interaction device is detected. For example, in the case of a remote control, when the decoder is started or awakened via the remote control, the decoder pairs with the remote control. A mechanism for regular interrogation of the remote control by the decoder is implemented as long as the decoder is active, in order to detect if the remote control is still active.

Similarly, a Bluetooth keyboard can pair with the decoder, and the decoder regularly polls the keyboard to find out its status and whether it is necessary to keep the pairing active.

In the case of an interaction device using an interaction mode based on the IP protocol, for example via a WIFI network and the PAS gateway, detection is not necessary since the connection between the decoder and the gateway is always active and therefore a control signal sent by such an interaction device will be received by the decoder even if the latter has not previously presented itself to the decoder. This is the case, for example, when the interaction device is a smartphone or a tablet on which a remote control application can be installed.

During a step E21, a control signal for controlling a functionality of the audio-visual service is received by the decoder. The control signal is emitted by an interaction device and transmitted to the decoder either directly via a short distance link or via the domestic gateway.

During a step E22, the interaction device having sent the control signal is identified. According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the interaction device is identified from the communication mode according to which the control signal has been received. Thus, if the control signal is received by an infrared or Bluetooth link, the decoder determines that the interaction device is a remote control or a keyboard, or a game controller for example. If the control signal is received via the connection port to which the home gateway is connected, the decoder determines that the interaction device is a smartphone or a tablet.

By identification, in this particular embodiment of the invention, is meant the determination of the type of the interaction device.

As a variant, the control signal may include an identifier of the interaction device that sent the control signal. For example, in the case where the same communication mode can be used by several interaction devices having different functionalities, the type identified during step E22 can be different. For example, a Bluetooth remote control and keyboard can use the same communication mode while having different functionality.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, when at least two control signals are received within a predetermined time interval, for example an interval of duration of 1 or 2 seconds, the interaction device is identified as the interaction device having sent the control signal received first by the decoder from among the at least two control signals received. Thus, when several interaction devices are used simultaneously or almost simultaneously to interact on the audio-visual service, a priority mechanism is necessary in order to allow the display of interface data resulting from a received control signal. The two received signals can correspond to conflicting action requests, a priority mechanism is necessary in order to display coherent interface data, and only one control signal must be taken into account for a given instant. The other signals received in the predetermined time interval are then ignored.

Other priority mechanisms are of course possible. For example, an order of priority can be predefined as a function of the types of interaction devices or of a communication mode used to transmit the control signal.

During a step E23, interface data to be displayed are obtained by the decoder. During step E23, the interface data to be displayed are determined as a function of the device identified, and of the control signal received.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, during a substep E231, an address allowing access to the interface data is determined. Such an address is for example an address of the URL type (for Uniform Resource Locator in English), in this particular embodiment of the invention, the interface data are for example stored on the server of the audio-visual service and are accessible via URLs stored by the decoder or the PAS gateway. For example, it can be interface data in the form of a web page to present a VOD catalog, or menus of the audio-visual service.

For example, several groups of interface data are defined beforehand according to different types of interaction devices. The types of interaction devices can be classified according to different profiles, according to the functionalities available on the interaction devices, such as the presence or not of a keyboard, the presence or not of a numeric keypad, the presence or no screen on the interaction device, etc ... For example, a profile could be defined for interaction devices comprising only basic keys of type +, -, up / down / left / right arrows , to interact on the audio-visual service.

Another profile can be defined for interaction devices comprising a keyboard and / or a numeric keypad. Another profile can be defined for interaction devices comprising a touch screen on which a keyboard and / or a numeric keypad can be displayed, or other data.

Separate interface data can then be associated with each profile. Such interface data may be defined so as to allow easy navigation in the audio-visual service as a function of the functionalities available on the interaction devices of the corresponding profile.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the interface data associated with each profile are stored on the audio-visual server and are associated with a URL known to the decoder and / or the gateway.

When the decoder has identified the type of interaction device that issued the control signal, it determines the URL address from which the interface data should be requested.

Alternatively, the decoder may have only one URL address for all types of interaction devices and provide in its interface data request an indication of the type of interaction device used.

During a step E232, the decoder requests the server of the audio-visual service for the interface data via the determined URL, for example via an HTTP request. During step E232, the decoder receives the interface data, for example in the form of a web page to be displayed.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the interface data is stored by the decoder, for example in the case of navigation functionalities in audio-visual content. In this case, the decoder determines the interface data as a function of the control signal received and as a function of the type of the interaction device and obtains them from its memory.

During a step E24, the decoder transmits the interface data obtained on the screen so that they are displayed to the user.

According to a particular embodiment in which the interaction device has a display screen, interface data relating to the control signal received in step E21, are transmitted to the interaction device, either via the decoder, either by the audio-visual service server, via the home gateway.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate examples of interface data displayed to a user according to particular embodiments of the invention.

We present here an example of embodiment of the invention in which the user sends a control signal requesting access to a Video on demand service.

FIG. 3A illustrates the interface data displayed on the television screen when the interaction device is a basic remote control, for example the remote control UI3 illustrated in FIG. 1. For example, via the remote control, the user pressed on the VOD button on its remote control. In this case, the interface data includes several lists 30-32 of video through which the user can navigate to directly select a video to be viewed. For example, list 30 corresponds to the new features of the Video on Demand service, list 31 corresponds to the 10 most watched videos, list 32 corresponds to the 10 best rated videos. Line 33 includes a set of menus which the user can access for a more advanced search, for example the menus can correspond to video themes, and a search menu allowing access to a search space. The interface data illustrated in FIG. 3A are organized for navigation through the menus and lists via the arrows on the remote control.

FIG. 3B illustrates the interface data displayed on the television screen when the interaction device is a smartphone or a tablet. For example, from a virtual remote control displayed on the touch screen of the smartphone, the user touched the VOD key on the virtual remote control to access the Video on Demand service. The control signal was transmitted from the smartphone via the gateway to the decoder.

The interface data displayed by the decoder in response to the received control signal and illustrated in FIG. 3B then comprises for example a search bar 34 in which the user can enter keywords to search for audio-visual content in the catalog of videos on demand, a suggestion space 35 in which videos suggested by the keywords entered by the user can be displayed, a list of videos 30 corresponding to the new features of the Video on demand service, and a line menus 36 comprising for example videos classified by theme.

The interface data illustrated in FIG. 3B are organized for navigation through the video on demand service adapted to interaction devices having a physical or virtual keyboard, for example a smartphone, a tablet, a keyboard,. ...

FIG. 3C illustrates another example of interface data displayed on the television screen when the interaction device is provided with a physical or virtual keyboard. The user accesses the Video on demand service in the same way as in the example previously illustrated in FIG. 3B. Here, the interface data includes a video 37 displayed to the user, for example a trailer, or an advertisement and a search bar 34 in which the user can enter keywords to search for audio content. visual.

In other particular embodiments of the invention, the interface data illustrated in FIG. 3B can be transmitted to the interaction device when the latter has a screen and interaction means, for example via a touchscreen. The television screen is thus available to display content based interface data, for example a video 37 as illustrated in FIG. 3C.

FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate examples of interface data displayed to a user according to another particular embodiment of the invention.

In this particular embodiment of the invention, the user views audio content, for example a TV channel on demand. The user uses his interaction device to speed up the visualization of the content played. To do this, he presses the fast forward key on his remote control.

FIG. 4A illustrates the interface data displayed to the user when the interaction device is a conventional remote control. In this case, the screen displays the audiovisual content 37 played at high speed, and navigation interface data (40, 41). The navigation interface data includes a time line 40 providing a visual indication (horizontal line) to the user of the total duration of the audio-visual content and an indication (vertical bar 42) of the location in the audio content. -visual corresponding to the image displayed on the screen. As the content is played in fast forward, the images scroll across the screen and the bar 42 moves to the right. The navigation interface data also includes an indication 41 of the speed and the direction (forward or backward) of scrolling of the images of the content. If the user wishes to increase the speed of scrolling in fast forward, he presses the fast forward key again. The interface data displayed on the television screen is then updated to display the new frame rate.

FIG. 4B illustrates the interface data displayed to the user when the interaction device is an interaction device provided with a screen, for example a tablet or a smartphone. In this case, the screen 39 of the interaction device displays the navigation interface data 40 comprising the timeline 40 providing a visual indication to the user of the total duration of the audio-visual content and an indication 42 of the place in the audio-visual content corresponding to the image displayed on the screen. In this variant, the user can directly modify the position in the audio-visual content by moving the bar 42 on the timeline via an interaction on the screen of the interaction device.

As the user moves the cursor 42 to the right or to the left, the content is played in fast forward or fast reverse, and the images scroll on the television screen. In this variant, navigation interface data is transmitted to the interaction device and the television screen only displays content-based interface data, i.e. the images of the audio-visual content.

FIG. 5 illustrates the simplified structure of a management DISP device configured to implement the method for managing the display of interface data according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the device DISP has the conventional architecture of a computer and in particular comprises a memory MEM, a processing unit UT, equipped for example with a processor PROC, and controlled by the program PG computer stored in MEM memory. The computer program PG includes instructions for implementing the steps of the method for managing the display of interface data as described above, when the program is executed by the processor PROC.

On initialization, the code instructions of the computer program PG are for example loaded into a memory before being executed by the processor PROC. The processor PROC of the processing unit UT implements in particular the steps of the method for managing the display of interface data according to any one of specific embodiments described in relation to FIG. 2, according to the instructions of the PG computer program.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the DISP device comprises a COM communication module configured to establish communications with an IP network, and / or a home gateway.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the DISP device comprises an AFF display device, for example a screen configured to display interface data and audio-visual content.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the DISP device comprises communication ports C_UIA, C_UIB, C_UIC, C_UID capable of establishing communication links with interaction devices and receiving control signals relating to an audio service -visual implemented by the DISP device.

For example, such communication ports can correspond to Ethernet ports, USB socket, Bluetooth module, NFC, Infrared, WIFI, etc.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the DISP device described above is included in a domestic gateway PAS, or a decoder DEC, or a television, or a digital key.

Claims (15)

claims 1. A method for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP, the method being implemented by a processor, comprising: - the reception (E21) of a control signal to control a functionality of said audio-visual service, coming from an interaction device, - the identification (E22) of said interaction device having sent the control signal, - Obtaining (E23) the interface data to be displayed, said interface data being determined as a function of the device identified. 2. Management method according to claim 1, further comprising the detection of at least one interaction device capable of controlling the audio-visual service. 3. Management method according to claim 1, in which the interaction device having sent the control signal is identified from a communication mode according to which the control signal is received. 4. The management method as claimed in claim 3, in which the control signal further comprises an identifier of the interaction device that sent the control signal. 5. Management method according to claim 1, in which, when at least two control signals are received in a predetermined time interval, the interaction device is identified as the interaction device having emitted the control signal received first among the at least two control signals received. 6. Management method according to claim 1, in which, when at least two control signals are received in a predetermined time interval, the interaction device is identified from an order of predefined priority according to the type of interaction device. 7. Management method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which obtaining the interface data to be displayed comprises: - the determination, depending on the identified device, of an address allowing access to interface data. 8. Management method according to claim 7, wherein the address is associated with a profile of interaction devices. 9. Management method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising, when the interaction device is capable of displaying interface data, the transmission to said interaction device of at least part of said interface data obtained. 10. Device for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP, comprising a processor (PROC) and a memory (MEM) configured for: - receive a control signal to control a functionality of said audiovisual service, coming from an interaction device, -identify said interaction device having sent the control signal, - Obtain interface data to be displayed, said interface data being determined as a function of the identified device. 11. Display management device according to claim 10 included in a digital decoding terminal or a digital decoding key. 12. A system for managing the display of interface data of an audio-visual service over IP comprising a management device according to claim 10, at least one interaction device capable of sending a control signal to said device. management and at least one display device capable of displaying the interface data. 13. The interface data display management system as claimed in claim 12, in which the interaction device is capable of displaying interface data received from the management device or from a server of a communication network. 14. Computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method for managing the display of interface data according to any one of claims 1 to 9, when the program is executed by a processor. 15. Recording medium readable by a computer, and comprising instructions of a computer program according to claim 14.