Synchronization system and method for audiovisual programmes associated devices and methods

• US 20060117339A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magnolia Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Pasquier, Frederic, Lesenne, Laurent, Maillard, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,872 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/16 Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/40 Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
• 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 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams

Abstract

The present invention relates in particular to a synchronization system and method. The synchronization system comprises a specification unit for specifying synchronization signals associated with an audiovisual programme, the latter comprising an audiovisual content and control information, a recognition unit for recognizing the synchronization signals in a transmitted stream carrying this programme, by recognition of at least one extracted portion of the audiovisual content, and an activation unit triggering an action in case of detection of these signals. The specification unit prepares and transmits to the recognition unit recognition elements making it possible to obtain this extracted portion, as well as at least one action timeout lag in case of detection of the synchronization signals. The recognition or activation unit then delays the triggering of this action according to the lag transmitted, in case of detection of the synchronization signals. In variants, the timeout lag is determined and/or the recognition elements are obtained independently of the specification unit.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. Recognition unit for recognizing synchronization signals in at least one audiovisual programme received, said audiovisual programme comprising an audiovisual content intended to be broadcast to users and control information, said recognition unit comprising:

a reception module and a recording module, for receiving and recording in a storage space, recognition elements making it possible to obtain at least one extracted portion of the content of said audiovisual programme),

a reception module for receiving at least one transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme,

a detection module for detecting said synchronization signals in said audiovisual programme received, by means of said recognition elements stored in said storage space, by recognition in the content of said audiovisual programme received, of said extracted portion,

and a transmission module for transmitting action instructions in case of detection of said synchronization signals in said audiovisual programme), said instructions being designed so as to trigger at least one action,

27. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein said reception and recording modules for receiving and recording said recognition elements are designed so as respectively to receive and record also at least one timeout lag and in that the timeout module is designed to use said lag.

28. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein the modules for receiving and recoding recognition elements and the module for transitting action instructions are designed so as respectively to receive, record and transmit identifiers relating to said actions to be triggered.

29. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein each of said portions of content consists of at least one of the following portions:

an image, an image part, a sound and any combination of at least two of said portions.

30. Recognition unit according to claim 26 wherein said recognition elements include at least one Boolean operator, said detection module being designed to detect at least two of said portions of content in conjunction with said boolean operator and the transmission module being designed to transmit said action instructions in case of such detection.

31. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein said recognition elements include at least one time information item, said detection module being designed to detect said portions of content in conjunction with said time information item and the transmission module being designed to transmit said action instructions in case of such detection.

32. Recognition unit according to claim 31, wherein said time information item comprises at least one information item chosen from among a date of detection and a detection time slot.

33. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein said recognition elements include at least one channel reference, said detection module being designed to detect said portions of content in conjunction with said channel reference and the transmission module being designed to transmit said action instructions in the case of such deletion.

34. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein the reception module for receiving the recognition elements is designed to directly receive said extracted portion from among said recognition elements and the recording module is designed to record said extracted portion in the storage space.

35. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein the reception module for receiving the recognition elements is designed to receive from among said recognition elements, instructions for extracting said extracted portion in at least one stream of an audiovisual programme previously received by the stream reception module, and said recording module is designed to extract directly said portion of said stream according to said extraction instructions and to record said portion in the storage space.

36. Recognition unit according to claim 26, wherein the reception module for receiving the recognition elements is designed to receive from among said recognition elements, at least one identifier of said extracted portion, and in that said detection module is capable of retrieving from the storage space said extracted portion previously recorded and associated with said identifier, so as to recognize in the content of said audiovisual programme received said extracted portion.

37. Specification unit for specifying synchronization signals associated with at least one audiovisual programme, said audiovisual programme comprising an audiovisual content intended to be broadcast to users and control information, and said synchronization signals being intended to be detected in at least one transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme and thus to trigger at least one action,

wherein said specification unit comprises

a preparation module for preparing recognition elements making it possible to obtain at least one extracted portion of the content of said audiovisual programme,

and a transmission module for transmitting said recognition elements independently of transmissions of said audiovisual programme, to at least one recognition unit intended to detect said synchronization signals in said transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme, by recognizing said extracted portion in the content of said audiovisual programme,

and the preparation and transmission modules of said unit are designed respectively to prepare and transmit at least one action timeout lag in case of detection of said synchronization signals,

said specification unit preferably being capable of cooperating with said recognition unit.

38. Specification unit according to claim 37, wherein the preparation and transmission modules of said unit are designed respectively to prepare and transmit identifiers relating to said actions to be triggered in case of detection of said synchronization signals.

39. Specification unit according to claim 38, wherein said action identifiers relate to at least one of the following actions:

broadcasting of an interactive service, triggering of an interactive service, triggering of an update of an interactive service, triggering of a recording of said audiovisual programme and connection to a website.

42. Synchronization system comprising:

a specification unit for specifying synchronization signals associated with at least one audiovisual programme, said audiovisual programme comprising an audiovisual content intended to be broadcast to users and control information,

a recognition unit for recognizing said synchronization signals in at least one transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme, by recognition of at least one extracted portion of the content of said audiovisual programme, in the audiovisual programme received,

and an activation unit designed to trigger at least one action in case of detection of said synchronization signals by the recognition unit, the recognition unit and the activation unit forming an activation assembly,

wherein the specification unit is designed to prepare and transmit to the recognition unit recognition elements making it possible to obtain said extracted portion, as well as at least one action timeout lag in case of detection of said synchronization signals, and in that the activation assembly is capable of delaying the triggering of said action according to said lag transmitted, in case of detection of said synchronization signals,

the specification unit preferably being in accordance with claim 37 and the activation assembly.

43. Broadcasting centre, wherein it comprises a device chosen from among at least a specification module in accordance with claim 37, a recognition module, an activation assembly, and a synchronization system.

44. Services operator, wherein it comprises a device chosen from among at least a specification module in accordance with claim 37, a recognition module, an activation assembly, and a synchronization system.

45. Terminal for receiving audiovisual programmes, wherein it comprises a device chosen from among at least a specification module in accordance with claim 37, a recognition module, an activation assembly, and a synchronization system.

40. Assembly for activation by recognition of synchronization signals in at least one audiovisual programme received, said audiovisual programme comprising an audiovisual content intended to be broadcast to users and control information, the activation assembly comprising:

a recognition unit for recognizing said synchronization signals in at least one transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme, by recognition of at least one extracted portion of the content of said audiovisual programme, by means of recognition elements making it possible to obtain said portion and recorded in a storage space,

and an activation unit designed to trigger at least one action in case of detection of said synchronization signals by the recognition unit, wherein at least one of said recognition and activation units is designed to delay the

triggering of said action by at least a determined timeout lag, in case of

detection of said synchronization signals, said recognition unit preferably being.

41. Activation assembly according to claim 40, wherein said activation assembly is designed to receive said timeout lag with said recognition elements.

46. Method of activation by recognition of synchronization signals in at least one audiovisual programme received, said audiovisual programme comprising an audiovisual content intended to be broadcast to users and control information, said method comprising the following steps:

reception of at least one transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme,

detection of said synchronization signals in said audiovisual programme received by means of recognition elements making it possible to obtain at least one extracted portion of the content of said audiovisual programme and stored in a storage space, by recognition of said extracted portion, in the content of said audiovisual programme,

and triggering of at least one action in case of detection of said synchronization signals in said audiovisual programme,

wherein the triggering of said action is delayed by at least one determined lag in case of detection of said synchronization signals,

said recognition method preferably being implemented by means of an activation assembly.

49. Method according to claim 46, wherein said audiovisual programmes comprise at least one recognition part containing at least one of said recognition portions, and at least one live transmission intended to be broadcast following said recognition part, in such a way that said synchronization signals are detected during the broadcast of said recognition part and that said action is triggered during the broadcast of said following live transmission, by means of said timeout lag.

52. Computer programme product, wherein it comprises programme code instructions for executing the steps of one of the methods according to claim 46 when said programme is executed on a computer.

47. Method of specifying synchronization signals associated with at least one audiovisual programme, said audiovisual programme comprising an audiovisual content intended to be broadcast to users and control information, said synchronization signals being intended to be detected in at least one transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme and thus to trigger at least one action,

wherein said method of specification comprises the following steps:

preparation of recognition elements making it possible to obtain at least one extracted portion of the content of said audiovisual programme,

transmission of said information independently of transmissions of said audiovisual programme, for detection of said synchronization signals in said transmitted stream carrying said audiovisual programme, by recognition of said extracted portion in the content of said audiovisual programme,

and transmission of at least one action timeout lag in case of detection of said synchronization signals independently of transmissions of said audiovisual programme,

said specification method preferably being implemented by means of a specification unit.

50. Method according to claim 47, wherein said audiovisual programmes comprise at least one recognition part containing at least one of said recognition portions, and at least one live transmission intended to be broadcast following said recognition part, in such a way that said synchronization signals are detected during the broadcast of said recognition part and that said action is triggered during the broadcast of said following live transmission, by means of said timeout lag.

53. Computer programme product, wherein it comprises programme code instructions for executing the steps of one of the methods according to claim 47 when said programme is executed on a computer.