Abstract: In order to maximize the availability of a television receiver/decoder housing, the invention enables the download of updates while said housing is being used. In order to do so, when the housing detects that an update is available, the housing allocates itself a portion of the acquisition resources of the update in order to store this update in a housing storage memory. Once the download is complete, the user can either activate the update or carry on using a former version of the housing application, the user thus being able to select a microcode version which is activated by default on switching on the receiver/decoder housing.

Abstract: An improved method of allocating MAC addresses for an electrical distribution network to make it possible to save a great deal of time during the address allocation phase. The method stores, at the central address allocation device, a list of associations between the serial numbers of the devices and the MAC address allocated. The method also sends a cataloging request serving to allocate the MAC address prior to the sending of a communication frame. In this manner, the discovery phases for allocating the MAC addresses to devices without addresses are appreciably reduced. The time when the network is dedicated to such discovery is reduced, thereby increasing accordingly the useful communication time available in the network.

Abstract: A decoder includes a storage space that records video data and subtitle data in multiplexed form; a first buffer memory operating in “First In First Out” mode and able to temporarily contain the video data in packet form; a second buffer memory operating in “First In First Out” mode and able to temporarily contain the subtitle data in packet form; a demultiplexer configured to transmit the video data and subtitle data respectively to the first and second buffer memories; and a local clock, wherein the storage space includes a storage space configured to store the time references such that the demultiplexer transmits the time references, the decoder including a generator to generate a presentation time stamp associated with each subtitle data packet not initially containing a presentation time stamp, the presentation time stamp being determined from a time reference value transmitted by the demultiplexer and enabling the presentation of the subtitle data packets to be synchronized with relation to the local cl

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for delivering audio and video data. In such a device, the audio/video data travel together and are compressed along with the signaling data for the delivery of these audio/video data. Under current compression standards, these data are being increasingly compressed. This maximum compression proportionally complexifies the encoding and decoding of audio/video data. The appearance of network cables comprising six twisted pairs of wires makes it possible to produce networks having higher speed capacities. The object of the invention is not to increase speeds by using additional twisted pairs but to simplify the data traveling through the network.

Abstract: The invention increases the functionalities of a television receiver/decoder STB device by transferring a local port of the thin client device STB via a network to which the thin client device is connected. Said port is then viewed as a local port by a server device, accessible via the network to which the thin client device is connected. It is then possible to install a pilot on said server, for controlling the peripheral equipment connected to the transferred local port. The user of the thin client device can then drive, via a transferred user interface, the peripheral equipment which is physically connected to the thin client but logically connected to the server.

Abstract: A method for broadcasting video data sequences by a server to a client terminal via a network includes generating a request by the client terminal following an event, sending the request to the server, the request including a video sequence broadcasting order to the client terminal, the video sequence defining a transition between a current or “father” state and a subsequent or “child” state, each state being associated with a static final image and the aforementioned server including a memory configured to store an identifier of each state, a transition table starting from each state, compressed data corresponding to a video sequence associated with a transition from one state to another, and verifying by the server that the child state associated with the broadcasting order is a known state in the transition table starting from the parent state.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the delivery of audio and video data by a server device. A network can interconnect various media components in the same home. Such a network comprises a server, generally a computer, and clients, for example a decoder. This configuration offers the possibility of creating a desktop managed by the server but remotely controlled by the client via the network. Such a network must transmit data and process them rapidly. Currently, the trend is to compress the data traveling through the network as much as possible. However, the more these data are compressed, the longer they take to process. The invention does not provide for facilitating the transfer of the data but for reducing the time required to process the data flowing through the network.

Abstract: A decoder includes a storage space that records video data and subtitle data in multiplexed form; a first buffer memory operating in “First In First Out” mode and able to temporarily contain the video data in packet form; a second buffer memory operating in “First In First Out” mode and able to temporarily contain the subtitle data in packet form; a demultiplexer configured to transmit the video data and subtitle data respectively to the first and second buffer memories; and a local clock, wherein the storage space includes a storage space configured to store the time references such that the demultiplexer transmits the time references, the decoder including a generator to generate a presentation time stamp associated with each subtitle data packet not initially containing a presentation time stamp, the presentation time stamp being determined from a time reference value transmitted by the demultiplexer and enabling the presentation of the subtitle data packets to be synchronized with relation to the local cl

Abstract: A method for broadcasting video data sequences by a server to a client terminal via a network includes generating a request by the client terminal following an event, sending the request to the server, the request including a video sequence broadcasting order to the client terminal, the video sequence defining a transition between a current or “father” state and a subsequent or “child” state, each state being associated with a static final image and the aforementioned server including a memory configured to store an identifier of each state, a transition table starting from each state, compressed data corresponding to a video sequence associated with a transition from one state to another, and verifying by the server that the child state associated with the broadcasting order is a known state in the transition table starting from the parent state.

Abstract: A device for the streaming reception of audio and/or video data packets transmitted over a network from a source server, the device including a network buffer memory in which the packets may be stored, the network buffer memory exhibiting a variable buffering time; and a program memory encoded with instructions configured to adapt the buffering time of the packets for the purpose of improved playback performance of the packets and to locally determine the value of at least one quality of service indicator, the instructions configured to adapt the buffering time adapting the time as a function of the value of the indicator.

Abstract: In order to maximize the availability of a television receiver/decoder housing, the invention enables the download of updates while said housing is being used. In order to do so, when the housing detects that an update is available, the housing allocates itself a portion of the acquisition resources of the update in order to store this update in a housing storage memory. Once the download is complete, the user can either activate the update or carry on using a former version of the housing application, the user thus being able to select a microcode version which is activated by default on switching on the receiver/decoder housing.