Abstract: A method is provided for processing an error during restitution of digital content during a multimedia session on a terminal. The session offers a plurality of representations of the digital content which are described in a medium carrying information describing the multimedia session and transmitted independently of the representation data. The method includes, following the obtaining of the description-carrying medium, acts of obtaining, for at least one representation indicated in the description information-carrying medium, at least one item of information regarding guarantee of availability of the data of the representation on a server; of comparing the information regarding guarantee of availability of the data of the representation on the server with at least one predetermined value; of selecting a fallback representation as a function of the result of the comparison, and upon detecting a restitution error, of toggling to the fallback representation selected.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing an error during restitution of digital content during a multimedia session on a terminal. The session offers a plurality of representations of the digital content which are described in a medium carrying information describing the multimedia session and transmitted independently of the representation data. The method includes, following the obtaining of the description-carrying medium, acts of obtaining, for at least one representation indicated in the description information-carrying medium, at least one item of information regarding guarantee of availability of the data of the representation on a server; of comparing the information regarding guarantee of availability of the data of the representation on the server with at least one predetermined value; of selecting a fallback representation as a function of the result of the comparison, and upon detecting a restitution error, of toggling to the fallback representation selected.

Abstract: A method and a device for downloading an audiovisual content from a data network. A description file describing the sub-dividing of the audiovisual content into a set of segments includes at least two pieces of information representative of respectively two segment download paths, each piece of information representative of a download path being associated with a network interface, and at least two network interfaces being distinct. The downloading device obtains at least one piece of information on distribution of requests for downloading segments by network interface, and for at least one segment of the audiovisual content to be downloaded, it selects a network interface from among the network interfaces associated with the download paths included in the description file, as a function of the information on distribution of requests obtained. A segment download request is then sent via the selected network interface.

Abstract: A method and a device for downloading an audiovisual content from a data network. A description file describing the sub-dividing of the audiovisual content into a set of segments includes at least two pieces of information representative of respectively two segment download paths, each piece of information representative of a download path being associated with a network interface, and at least two network interfaces being distinct. The downloading device obtains at least one piece of information on distribution of requests for downloading segments by network interface, and for at least one segment of the audiovisual content to be downloaded, it selects a network interface from among the network interfaces associated with the download paths included in the description file, as a function of the information on distribution of requests obtained. A segment download request is then sent via the selected network interface.

Abstract: A method for generating a first video stream representative of a mosaic of videos, referred to as a video mosaic, from a set of at least two second video streams each consisting of a video associated with header data and encoded video data representative of images. During the course of the method: the encoded video data of the second video streams are stored during the generation of the first video stream, a header associated with said video mosaic is generated, said header being representative of an assembly of the encoded video data from the second video streams, and comprising: first header data which are legacy header data from each of the videos of the set of second video streams, second header data which are generated separately from the header data of the second video streams. Associated computer program, storage media and terminal.

Abstract: A method for generating a first video stream representative of a mosaic of videos, referred to as a video mosaic, from a set of at least two second video streams each consisting of a video associated with header data and encoded video data representative of images. During the course of the method: the encoded video data of the second video streams are stored during the generation of the first video stream, a header associated with said video mosaic is generated, said header being representative of an assembly of the encoded video data from the second video streams, and comprising: first header data which are legacy header data from each of the videos of the set of second video streams, second header data which are generated separately from the header data of the second video streams. Associated computer program, storage media and terminal.

Abstract: A method is provided for accessing a multimedia content containing at least one data segment. This data segment is accessible via a document describing the content. The method includes a first step of obtaining the document describing the content, from which document at least a first universal address of a segment is generated; a second step of obtaining at least one parameter associated with the universal address of the document describing the content; a step of reading at least one address generator rule in the document describing the content; and as a function of the address generator rule, of the first universal address of the segment, and of the parameter that has been obtained, a last step of generating the second universal address for the segment. Also provided is a method of generating a document that is suitable for use in the context of the access method.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing an error during restitution of digital content during a multimedia session on a terminal. The session offers a plurality of representations of the digital content which are described in a medium carrying information describing the multimedia session and transmitted independently of the representation data. The method includes, following the obtaining of the description-carrying medium, acts of obtaining, for at least one representation indicated in the description information-carrying medium, at least one item of information regarding guarantee of availability of the data of the representation on a server; of comparing the information regarding guarantee of availability of the data of the representation on the server with at least one predetermined value; of selecting a fallback representation as a function of the result of the comparison, and upon detecting a restitution error, of toggling to the fallback representation selected.

Abstract: A method is provided for coding an image sequence, including splitting a current image into blocks of standard size, termed macroblocks. For at least one current macroblock of the current image, the method further includes: constructing at least one block of greater size than the current macroblock, termed a large block, which includes the current macroblock and at least one neighbor macroblock in the current image, taking account of characteristics of the current image; coding the large block, delivering base coding information, making it possible to reconstruct a base layer of said current image, and for at least one large block, determining enhancement information associated with at least one macroblock present in the large block.

Abstract: A method is provided for accessing a multimedia content containing at least one data segment. This data segment is accessible via a document describing the content. The method includes a first step of obtaining the document describing the content, from which document at least a first universal address of a segment is generated; a second step of obtaining at least one parameter associated with the universal address of the document describing the content; a step of reading at least one address generator rule in the document describing the content; and as a function of the address generator rule, of the first universal address of the segment, and of the parameter that has been obtained, a last step of generating the second universal address for the segment. Also provided is a method of generating a document that is suitable for use in the context of the access method.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding a sequence of images. The method includes a step of coding at least one block of a current image of the sequence, implementing a prediction associating the block with at least one corresponding block in a reference image. The prediction includes the following steps, for at least one given block of the current image or of the reference image: determination of a plurality of control vectors for the block; at least one splitting of the block into sub-blocks; determination of a plurality of control vectors for the sub-blocks; and determination of a prediction value for at least one point of the current image. Moreover, the method includes a step of inserting, into a signal representative of the sequence, information regarding reconstruction of the control vectors for the given block.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for coding an image or a sequence of images, generating a data stream including data representative of pixel groups, referred to as blocks, in one of the images. The method includes: grouping blocks in a cluster of blocks according to the proximity of their respective values corresponding to at least one block parameter to be coded; determining a value of the parameter, the value being characteristic of said group of blocks; coding blocks of the cluster, where the values of the blocks for the parameter are coded implicitly by inheritance of the characteristic value or are coded as refinements relative to the characteristic value, and coding a data structure associated with the cluster of blocks, the data structure including data associated with the characteristic value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for decoding a signal representative of an image sequence. The method includes extracting motion tubes from the signal, each of the tubes being defined by at least the following information cues: a block of reference pixels comprising reference texture information cues; start-of-tube and end-of-tube instants; and transition information cues. The method further includes processing the transition information cues and combining the information cues associated with the current blocks of at least two of the tubes overlapping in an overlap zone of the current image.

Abstract: A method is provided decoding a digital image signal in a decoding terminal that uses a variable-complexity decoding, enabling, for at least one step in the decoding, selection of at least one decoding tool from at least two available decoding tools. The method includes the following steps: identifying from the images control images and intermediate images; applying to each of the control images, for at least one step of the decoding, at least one predetermined decoding tool imposed by the signal; applying to at least one of the intermediate images, for at least one step of the decoding, at least one decoding tool selected by the decoding terminal and not imposed by the signal.

Abstract: A method of coding an image or a sequence of images generating a flow of data in the form of groups of blocks, at least one group of blocks containing image blocks having a resolution and a quality level of identical quantification, the method including the following steps for the at least one group of blocks, of a) a first coding so that each block of the at least one group of blocks has at least one associated parameter that is given a first value, and b) a second coding for giving the associated parameter for at least one block of the at least one group of blocks a second value, so that for the at least one block, the first and second values given for the parameter can be combined during decoding to provide a value assigned to the parameter.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for encoding and decoding image data. The techniques implement a prediction of data of a current block based on at least one already encoded block or reference block, wherein said prediction step takes into account a set of encoded blocks adjacent to said current block and including blocks that have not yet been considered according to said writing path order. Encoding includes the steps of: generating a dependence tree associating a current block with at least one reference block from which the predicted block associated with the current block has been predetermined; and inserting information representative of said dependence tree into said set of data associated with each block.