Abstract: The present invention relates to a method at a receiver for playing a stream comprising a set of video samples and a set of audio samples, said audio samples and said video samples being adapted to be rendered at a standard rendering speed in a synchronized manner, comprising at the receiver the steps of starting the reception of the stream, starting the rendering of the video samples at a speed slower than the standard rendering speed and accelerating the rendering speed up to the standard rendering speed. The invention also concerns methods for an early rendering of audio samples, when the stream comprises a set of audio samples, wherein the audio and video samples are adapted to be rendered at a standard rendering speed in a synchronized manner.

Abstract: The inventive method for reserving at least one node of a communication network like the Ethernet bus in the form of a predetermined fraction of the Ethernet bus bandwidth consists in circulating a token between the network nodes in such a way that they are enabled to successively transfer an Ethernet packet to a bus according to a given sequence which defines a chronological order for the token passage between nodes and in which a predetermined fraction of the bandwidth reserved for a network node corresponds in sequence to a certain number of passage occurrences of the token through the considered node. Said invention can be used for domestic communication networks like the Ethernet bus.

Abstract: The invention relates to audio and video interoperability over networks based on network technologies other than the 1394 bus. The invention relates more particularly to a method of discovery, by a device connectable to a communication network, of the other devices connected to this network, which comprises a step of connection of the device to the said network, a step of despatching of an announcement message containing autodescription information describing the device destined for all the other devices connected to this network, a step of despatching of an autodescription information request message to all the other devices connected to this network and a step of reception of a response message from each of the other devices of the network containing the autodescription information of this other device. The invention also relates to the corresponding connectable device.

Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to present a mosaic image to a user of an audiovisual receiver. The method comprises a step for generating a list of at least one audiovisual channel in order to display its content in a mosaic image. Then, the list is transmitted to a server which then transmits visual data associated with each channel in the list. The visual data is aggregated in order to form a mosaic image which is then displayed at the level of the receiver. According to a first embodiment, the mosaic image is produced at the level of the receiver. According to another embodiment, the mosaic image is created at the level of the server before being transmitted. According to a refinement, a channel is graphically highlighted at the level of the mosaic image, the receiver receives either the audio stream or the video stream or both of the highlighted channel. The invention also relates to the receiver able to implement the method.

Abstract: In a method of managing a request for remote access to a multimedia content, a corresponding datum stream is inserted at the instant or in a delayed manner with the set of the data streams being transmitted on a distribution network as a function of a capacity threshold of this network. Each data stream is of the variable-throughput type, with a data throughput profile corresponding, whose width corresponds to a time of transmission of the stream. The management of the request comprises a verification that the capacity of the network is not exceeded on the width of the profile, as a function of a given instant of insertion, of the throughput of the data stream or streams in progress on the said distribution network, obtained on the basis of the throughput profiles of these streams, and of the throughput profile of the requested stream.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a system and a method for zapping in a video receiver and in a video server. The zapping method comprises, in a video receiver, the reception steps of a zapping command to a new program, registration for the reception of a first stream comprising the new programme and a second stream comprising the same programme as the first stream, the second stream being suitable to be processed more rapidly than the first stream by the receiver, reception of the first stream and of the second stream, the second stream being received delayed in respect of the first stream memorization of the first stream during a longer period than the memorization of the second stream, display of the second stream, then display of the first stream in the continuity of the second stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of management of trick mode commands destined to control a digital content streaming server. In order to manage the transmission of trick mode commands from multiple trick mode command issuers, the method comprises: a step of reception of at least one trick mode command from at least one command issuer, a step of determination of elapsed time between the received command and a last transmitted command, and a step of transmission of the received command to the at least a digital content streaming server if none of determined conditions applies, whereby the determined conditions comprises: if the elapsed time is smaller than a determined first delay; and if the command issuer of the received command does not have highest issuer rights allowing the issuer to derogate from respecting of the determined first delay.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of transmission of a digital content stream to receivers and a corresponding method of reception. In order to synchronize digital content rendering over these receivers, while supporting trick mode commands, the method of transmission comprises a step of sending of a common time reference to the receivers, a step of reception of a trick mode command message, the received trick mode command message comprising information allowing identification of a point in the digital content stream, a step of sending of notification messages to all of the at least two receivers notifying them of the received trick mode command message and a step of sending of at least part of the digital content stream to all receivers in accordance with the received trick mode command message, the digital content stream comprising information allowing to identify a point in the digital content stream.

Abstract: The present invention essentially relates to a transmission method, via a communications network using a packet data transmission protocol, of a stream of multimedia samples between a transmitter server and at least one decoder receiver intended to restore these data in real time, this stream of samples coding images of variable size, the stream of samples coding images (I, P, B) of variable size, characterized in that the method comprises notably different steps consisting in: determining a same transmission delay for all the samples of the stream, determining a transmission bitrate for each sample enabling the sending of this sample within the determined transmission delay, transmitting each sample from the transmitter server to the decoder receiver while respecting the transmission bitrate specific to this sample and the transmission delay of all the samples.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of receiving digital television services, which comprises a step of receiving at least one information representative of the lag in the display of a new service, the information being inserted into control data which comprise at least one list of services. Thus, the invention allows the receiver to perform an action during the loading of a service as a function of this time. The invention also relates to the corresponding sending method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a broadcast server of service information data streams, comprising a first step consisting in partitioning at least one part of the service information between the different streams, and a second step consisting in broadcasting the partition from the first step on at least two separate streams to a plurality of terminals.

Abstract: A method of reproduction by a reproduction apparatus for reproducing audio documents forming part of a set of documents. The method includes a prior step of partitioning of the documents of the set into groups of documents whose audio parameters exhibit a similitude, making it possible to determine at least one document representing each group by taking into account its audio parameters. Then, an identifier of a document representing the group is reproduced graphically and/or in a sound manner. In this way, the user can take note of the type of music involved and can select this group by virtue of the graphical identifier. A command may be activated making it possible to go from one group to another; a group may be selected and reproduce the documents of this group. The invention also relates to a reproduction apparatus furnished with a user interface allowing reproduction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling devices linked by a digital communication network, a device having a control device—typically a remote control—that is dedicated to it; the control device comprising command input means—typically keys—for entering commands. The method consists initially in running on each device to be controlled a step for configuring the associations between network device functions and command input means, then, when a means is activated, in sending a message including the code corresponding to the device associated with this key. A refinement consists in associating a number of devices with one and the same key, and in sending as many messages as there are associated devices when the key is activated. The invention also relates to a device provided with a remote control and an interface for implementing the method.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method for managing access to reception services of resources of a distribution gateway within a local area network. The gateway comprises means for receiving digital services and the capacity to distribute over the local area network to clients the received services. It consists in using levels of priority among the users and modes for booking of the services to manage access conflicts.

Abstract: The invention relates to audio and video interoperability over networks based on network technologies other than the 1394 bus. The invention relates more particularly to a method of discovery, by a device connectable to a communication network, of the other devices connected to this network, which comprises a step of connection of the device to the said network, a step of despatching of an announcement message containing autodescription information describing the device destined for all the other devices connected to this network, a step of despatching of an autodescription information request message to all the other devices connected to this network and a step of reception of a response message from each of the other devices of the network containing the autodescription information of this other device. The invention also relates to the corresponding connectable device.

Abstract: In certain home multimedia networks having a plurality of terminals, there are no provisions for sending error messages when a service cannot be delivered owing to conflicts with another service. The present invention proposes to let the media server of the tuner in such a network provide an image bearing the message and deliver this image to the terminal that otherwise would be left in the dark.

Abstract: The invention enables a standard client according to the DVB-IPI phase 1 standard and connected within a local area network interconnected with a service delivery network via a non-transparent gateway to discover all the services offered to it both by the external delivery network an d by the servers in its local area network. The invention is based mainly on a service discovery aggregation functionality that we call “SD & S proxy” implemented on any one of the devices connected to the local area network running jointly with an ad-hoc configuration of the gateway.

Abstract: The invention can be used to play back an audiovisual or audio document received in a first encoding format within a local area network. A first device plays back the document in the received format, then a user decides to play back the document on a device having a second encoding format. Playback is first stopped on the first device and the document is stored. The user starts playing back the document on the second device at the moment at which playback of it was stopped on the first device. Depending on the decoding means of the second device, the document is transcoded from the first encoding format to the second encoding format. The invention also relates to a management device for issuing storage and transcoding requests so that a document played back from a first device can be transferred to a second device regardless of the capabilities for playing back encoded documents on the first and second devices.

Abstract: In a method of managing a request for remote access to a multimedia content, a corresponding datum stream is inserted at the instant or in a delayed manner with the set of the data streams being transmitted on a distribution network as a function of a capacity threshold of this network. Each data stream is of the variable-throughput type, with a data throughput profile corresponding, whose width corresponds to a time of transmission of the stream. The management of the request comprises a verification that the capacity of the network is not exceeded on the width of the profile, as a function of a given instant of insertion, of the throughput of the data stream or streams in progress on the said distribution network, obtained on the basis of the throughput profiles of these streams, and of the throughput profile of the requested stream.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for managing resources of a link in a communication network comprising busses interconnected by at least one link to form a network in which the at least one link is transparent for some protocol layers of nodes connected to the busses. The inventive method comprises the step of making information of the resources available over the at least one link available to link-aware applications.