Method of encoding and playing back audiovisual or audio documents and device for implementing the method

• US 20060007479A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Henry, Jean-Baptiste, Cosmao, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 7,420,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.150
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764

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.

Claims

1. Method of playing back an encoded audiovisual or audio document, comprising the following steps:

playing back the document received in a first encoding format in a first device of a communication network,

stopping playback on the first device activating storage of the document in a network device,

wherein it also comprises the following steps;

entering on a first device an identifier of a second device for continuing playback of the received document,

testing whether the second device accepts the first encoding format and, if it does not, executing the following two steps;

searching for a device for transcoding the document from a first encoding format into a second encoding format compatible with the second device,

activating the transcoding device for transcoding the document in the second format so that it can be played back on the second device,

and on the second device;

detecting the presence of a user initiating the resumption of playback at the point at which it was stopped.

2. Method of playing back a document according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a comparison step between the sizes of the documents encoded in the first format and in the second format, transcoding being performed before storage when the document encoded in the second format occupies less space than the document encoded in the first encoding format.

3. Method of playing back a document according to claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of a user entails detecting the entry of a command on the second device.

4. Method of playing back a document according to claim 1, wherein if the first device can store, it is chosen in preference for this task.

5. Method of playing back a document according to claim 1, wherein if the same device can store and transcode the document, it is chosen in preference.

6. Method of playing back a document according to claim 1, wherein it comprises two steps for entering user identifiers on the first device and on the second device, playback of the document is resumed on the second device only if the two identifiers are the same.

7. Device for managing a network receiving information indicating that a first device is playing back a document in a first encoding format, wherein it comprises:

a first means of receiving a command to stop playback of the document on the first device, initiating storage of the document in a network device,

means of receiving, on the first device, a command to select a second device to continue playback of the document, said device having at least one means of decoding in at least one second format,

a means of detecting the presence of a user on the second device initiating the resumption of playback at the point at which it was stopped,

a means of comparing the decoding formats of the second device with the first format,

if the second device does not accept the first encoding format, then the management device searches for a means of transcoding the document from the first encoding into a second encoding compatible with the second device, activates said transcoding means and a means of transmitting the transcoded document to the second device.

9. Device for managing a network according to claim 7, wherein the second device includes a means of entering a command, thus confirming the presence of a user.

10. Device for managing a network according to claim 7, wherein it includes a means of transmitting a request to search for a device having storage capabilities for storing the document from the moment at which playback was stopped.

11. Device for managing a network according to claim 7, wherein it includes a means of transmitting a request to search for a device having transcoding capabilities for transcoding from the first encoding format into a second encoding format.

12. Device for managing a network according to claim 10, wherein it includes a means of transmitting a request to search for a device having transcoding capabilities for transcoding from the first encoding format into a second encoding format, and a means of selecting a device having both storage capability and transcoding capabilities for transcoding from the first encoding format to a second encoding format.

13. Device for managing a network according to claim 7, wherein it includes a means of entering a user identifier.

8. Device for managing a network according to claim 8, wherein it comprises a means of comparison between the size of the document encoded in the first format and encoded in a second format, the document transcoding means being activated before storage if the size in a second format is smaller.