Abstract: Selecting a method from a set of methods of transcoding digital video data, the data being transferable between at least two communication apparatuses via a communication network, including, for each transcoding method, obtaining a distortion value from a mathematical model for establishing the distortion taking into account the transcoding method, the distortion model being applied to information representing the content of the signal represented by the digital data to be transcoded, and selecting a transcoding method as a function of the different distortion values obtained for the set of transcoding methods, the set of transcoding methods including at least two different types of transcoding methods, each type of transcoding method being selected from at least one of a plurality of methods of reducing a spatial resolution, a plurality of a re-quantization methods, and a plurality of methods of reducing a frame rate.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of displaying a sequence for sharing digital data items with a set of recipients using a terminal capable of using at least two communication modes for communicating with the recipients. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a first list of recipients communicating with the terminal according to a first communication mode, obtaining at least one second list of recipients communicating with the terminal according to a second communication mode, displaying on the mobile terminal a representation of each recipient in the lists thus obtained, selecting at least one representation, determining the communication mode to be used according to the representation selected and sending data item to the recipient whose representation was selected according to the determined communication mode. The invention also describes a sharing device adapted to implement the method, in particular a digital camera.

Abstract: In order to manage requests in at least two distinct classes, relating to multimedia data, exchanged by a communication apparatus and at least one data source connected through a communication network, at the communication apparatus: at least one request in at least a first class of requests is enabled (E505, E510), the enabling taking account of the multimedia data received from at least a second class of requests, the requests of the second class being predictable in time; a priority (E512, E507) is allocated dynamically to each of the enabled requests, in accordance with characteristics of said enabled requests; and a priority (E512) is allocated dynamically to each of the enabled requests of the second class in accordance with the time remaining until the next request of the second class.

Abstract: A digital document system in which a digital document in a communication network is shared between a plurality of stations, said system comprising: a first station (101A) having a first digital document (DD1) comprising a thumbnail data item (TH1) and an original data item (HR1); a second station (102A) having a second digital document (DD2) comprising a thumbnail data item (TH2); and a center station (100A) comprising: calculating means for calculating signatures of the thumbnail data items (TH1, TH2) of the first and second digital documents (DD1, DD2); comparing means for comparing the calculated signatures of the thumbnail data items (TH1, TH2); and transmitting means for transmitting information for accessing the original data item (HR1) of the first digital document (DD1) to the second station (102A) according to a result of the comparison.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of processing a request for obtaining multimedia digital data, said request having a number of descriptors characterizing it, characterized in that said method has the following steps: analysis of the descriptors characterizing the request being processed; comparison of the result of the analysis with the descriptors of other requests processed earlier; according to the result of the comparison, a decision as regards knowing whether the request being processed is: identical to a request processed earlier, in the sense that the two requests have the same request descriptors; similar to a request processed earlier, in the sense that the two requests have at least one request descriptor in common; new compared with the requests processed earlier.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to optimizing the size of a digital document by using a content criterion such as size, resolution and the number of bits per pixel. A plurality of spatial zones are chosen according to a chosen geometric relation and the content criterion is ascribed to at least one of the zones. Modification of a size of a document is performed until a maximization of the quality or result is achieved.

Abstract: Selecting a method from a set of methods of transcoding digital video data, the data being transferable between at least two communication apparatuses via a communication network, including, for each transcoding method, obtaining a distortion value from a mathematical model for establishing the distortion taking into account the transcoding method, the distortion model being applied to information representing the content of the signal represented by the digital data to be transcoded, and selecting a transcoding method as a function of the different distortion values obtained for the set of transcoding methods, the set of transcoding methods including at least two different types of transcoding methods, each type of transcoding method being selected from at least one of a plurality of methods of reducing a spatial resolution, a plurality of a re-quantization methods, and a plurality of methods of reducing a frame rate.

Abstract: A method of selecting a method from a set of methods of transcoding digital multimedia data, the data being transferrable between at least two communication apparatuses via a communication network. The method includes, for each transcoding method, obtaining a distortion value from a mathematical model for establishing the distortion taking into account the transcoding method, the distortion model being applied to information representing digital data. The method also includes selecting a transcoding method as a function of the different distortion values obtained for the set of transcoding methods.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of determining at least one parameter for encoding multimedia digital data organized in elementary units of data intended to be encoded according to at least one encoding mode, wherein said method comprises the following steps:—determining at least one elementary magnitude which is representative of the resources needed for decoding each elementary data unit encoded according to a different encoding mode,—determining at least one total magnitude which is representative of the resources needed for decoding a plurality of elementary data units encoded as a function on the one hand of the at least one elementary magnitude previously determined and on the other hand the number of elementary units encoded according to each of the encoding modes,—deciding with regard to the determination of at least one data encoding parameter as a function of the at least one total magnitude previously determined and a predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: A method of decoding a sequence of coded digital images comprising a set of key images for reconstructing the sequence by interpolation, includes the steps of: associating an obtainment time limit with each key image according to a predetermined criterion, sending a request to a distant terminal in order to receive a key image, according to the time limit associated with the key image in question, receiving the key images in response to the requests sent to the distant terminal, determining an interpolation mode for each image in the sequence according to the key images obtained.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of determining at least one parameter for encoding multimedia digital data organized in elementary units of data intended to be encoded according to at least one encoding mode, wherein said method comprises the following steps:—determining at least one elementary magnitude which is representative of the resources needed for decoding each elementary data unit encoded according to a different encoding mode,—determining at least one total magnitude which is representative of the resources needed for decoding a plurality of elementary data units encoded as a function on the one hand of the at least one elementary magnitude previously determined and on the other hand the number of elementary units encoded according to each of the encoding modes,—deciding with regard to the determination of at least one data encoding parameter as a function of the at least one total magnitude previously determined and a predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of determining at least one parameter for encoding multimedia digital data organized in elementary units of data intended to be encoded according to at least one encoding mode, wherein said method comprises the following steps: —determining at least one elementary magnitude which is representative of the resources needed for decoding each elementary data unit encoded according to a different encoding mode, —determining at least one total magnitude which is representative of the resources needed for decoding a plurality of elementary data units encoded as a function on the one hand of the at least one elementary magnitude previously determined and on the other hand the number of elementary units encoded according to each of the encoding modes, —deciding with regard to the determination of at least one data encoding parameter as a function of the at least one total magnitude previously determined and a predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: A method of indexing a digital image which has been compressed or is to be compressed according to a compression method using compression parameters which influence the resulting quantity of information contained in at least part of the compressed image, the indexing requiring a predetermined quantity of information. The method includes, prior to a step of indexing the digital image, the steps of determining at least one compression parameter for at least part of the compressed image, and checking whether the resulting quantity of information corresponding to the compression parameters is adapted to the predetermined quantity of information required for the indexing of the image.

Abstract: A digital document system in which a digital document in a communication network is shared between a plurality of stations, said system comprising: a first station (101A) having a first digital document (DD1) comprising a thumbnail data item (TH1) and an original data item (HR1); a second station (102A) having a second digital document (DD2) comprising a thumbnail data item (TH1); and a center station (100A) comprising: calculating means for calculating signatures of the thumbnail data items (TH1, TH2) of the first and second digital documents (DD1, DD2); comparing means for comparing the calculated signatures of the thumbnail data items (TH1, TH2); and transmitting means for transmitting information for accessing the original data item (HR1) of the first digital document (DD1) to the second station (102A) according to a result of the comparison.

Abstract: A method of seeking images, from an example image, from amongst a plurality of images stored in a database, each of the stored images being associated with an index, representing at least one characteristic of the visual content of the image, includes the following steps: a step of receiving a data item of a second type representing the location of at least one region of interest in the example image; a step of receiving, for each region of interest, a data item of a third type indicating a type of taking into account of the content of the region of interest for the seeking of images; a step of calculating an index of the example image, representing at least one characteristic of the visual content of the example image, the method of calculating this index depending on the data item of the second type and the data items of the third type; a step of calculating a similarity between the example image and each of the images from amongst at least one subset of the stored images, this similarity being calculated f

Abstract: According to the invention, a method of indexing a digital image comprises the following steps: generating a first information item (H(Im)) characteristic of the visual content of the image (Im) to be indexed; generating a second information item (W(Im)) characteristic of the spatial distribution of the visual content of the image (Im) in its image plane; and associating, with the image (Im), an index (IDX(Im)) composed of the first information item (H(Im)) and the second information item (W(Im)).

Abstract: The present invention describes a method of validating parameters defining an image, each parameter being represented by one of the tops of a polygon and being able to be associated with one or more functionalities. A point, being able to move in the polygon, makes it possible to validate the parameters and the associated functionalities according to the position of this point with respect to the tops of the polygon. The present invention also describes a search method including at least one parameter validation step as described above.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of displaying a sequence for sharing digital data items with a set of recipients using a terminal capable of using at least two communication modes for communicating with the recipients. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a first list of recipients communicating with the terminal according to a first communication mode, obtaining at least one second list of recipients communicating with the terminal according to a second communication mode, displaying on the mobile terminal a representation of each recipient in the lists thus obtained, selecting at least one representation, determining the communication mode to be used according to the representation selected and sending data item to the recipient whose representation was selected according to the determined communication mode. The invention also describes a sharing device adapted to implement the method, in particular a digital camera.

Abstract: A method of optimizing the size of a digital document comprising at least two digital contents comprises the following steps: i) determining at least two distinct spatial zones connected to each other according to a chosen geometrical relationship; ii) allocating each content to a zone; iii) comparing the size of the document thus composed with a chosen size; and iv) in the event of a negative comparison, choosing at least one zone and modifying the quality of at least one content allocated to the said zone.

Abstract: A method of decoding a sequence of coded digital images comprising a set of key images for reconstructing the sequence by interpolation, includes the steps of: associating an obtainment time limit with each key image according to a predetermined criterion, sending a request to a distant terminal in order to receive a key image, according to the time limit associated with the key image in question, receiving the key images in response to the requests sent to the distant terminal, determining an interpolation mode for each image in the sequence according to the key images obtained.