FR2996979A1 - Method for selecting e.g. multimedia content source, involves comparing source profiles with user profile to determine scores indicating proximity between content sources and user's taste, and proposing selection of source having best score - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves determining a target user profile (6) of multimedia contents received from selected multimedia content sources (1a, 1b), and scanning all available multimedia content sources. Source profiles (4a, 4b) indicative of multimedia contents (11a, 11b) received from multimedia content sources are determined, and the source profiles are compared with the user profile to determine scores (8a, 8b) indicative of the proximity between the multimedia content sources and the user's taste. A multimedia content source (9) having the best score is proposed for selection.

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a method for selecting or assisting in the selection of a source of multimedia content. A source of multimedia content refers here to any source broadcasting or making available multimedia content. A source of multimedia content may thus be a radio station, whether it is broadcast over the air or by wire, a means of storing contents accessible via a network such as the Internet and broadcast (network radio station) or accessible on demand. (music server type Deezer etc.), a pre-recorded media such as a compact disc (CD), a video disc (DVD, Blue-Ray disc, etc.), a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a USB key, a memory card, 10 a hard disk or any other equivalent means comprising in analog or digital form at least one recorded multimedia content. Multimedia content here means a recording that can be broadcast visually, audio or both, such as an audio clip, a piece of music, a song, a show, a magazine, a video clip, a movie, etc. . Current source media selection devices only provide a user with a selection of a source of multimedia content by name, frequency or, in some cases, by genre. In the best case, when it exists, a classification of the sources of multimedia content is predefined and carried out on a criterion, typically the genre, unique. Such an approach makes it possible to take into account neither the diversity of the multimedia contents broadcast nor the tastes of a listener / user. An object of the present invention is to compare what actually listens / selects a user with all accessible multimedia content sources, in order to propose to a user for a possible selection, at least one new source of multimedia content. , in line with his tastes. For this, the invention relates to a method of selecting a source of multimedia content comprising the following steps: determining a user profile indicative of content received from the source (s) of selected multimedia content (s), scanning all accessible multimedia content sources, and for each source of accessible multimedia content: determining an indicative source profile of content received from said accessible multimedia content source, comparing the source profile with the user profile to determine a indicative score of the proximity between said source of multimedia content and the tastes of the user, proposing, for a possible selection, at least one source of high-score multimedia content. According to another characteristic of the invention, the determination of a user profile, respectively the determination of a source profile, analyzes the multimedia contents received from the source (s) of selected multimedia content (s), respectively the multimedia content received from the accessible multimedia content source. According to another characteristic of the invention, the analysis of the multimedia contents received exploits metadata associated with said source of multimedia content and / or said multimedia contents. According to another characteristic of the invention, metadata associated with a source of multimedia content and / or said multimedia contents are received together with the multimedia contents, by a confused channel or similar to the broadcast channel. According to another characteristic of the invention, metadata associated with a source of multimedia content and / or said multimedia contents are accessible from a database. According to another characteristic of the invention, metadata associated with a source of multimedia content and / or said multimedia contents are accessible via a network, such as the Internet. According to another characteristic of the invention, a user or source profile comprises for each sequence of multimedia content, respectively each type or type of multimedia content sequence, a frequency indicator or an occurrence counter. The invention also relates to a device comprising means capable of implementing said method. Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly from the detailed description given below for information in connection with drawings in which: FIG. 1 illustrates a device according to the invention in its environment, FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method according to the invention. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a user / listener typically uses a receiver 2, which may be a radio receiver, a network player, an MP3 player, etc., to listen to a source of multimedia content that he / she selects. at any given time, from all accessible sources of multimedia content 1 a, 1 b. Accessibility typically depends on the capabilities of the receiver. Thus, in the case of a radio radio receiver, the accessibility depends on the location and the sensitivity of said radio receiver 2 with respect to the transmitters 1 a, 1 b. At any time, depending on what he wants to listen to, the user can select a new source of multimedia content 1a, 1b. For this a receiver 2 includes a human machine interface allowing the user to choose / select a new source of multimedia content 1a, 1b.

The invention typically takes place at said man-machine interface to assist the user in his selection, for example, by providing him with pre-selected sources of multimedia content, among all accessible sources of multimedia content 1a, 1b, as being most likely to be related to the user's tastes. In order to achieve this result, a comparison is made between what the user has listened to in the past up to the present moment, and the available offer, represented by all the sources of multimedia content 1a, 1b. accessible at the moment and thus potentially selectable.

In order to specify the vocabulary used in this document, a source of accessible multimedia content is a source of multimedia content 1a, lb to which the receiver 2 accesses. Thus for a receiver having radio / radio reception capabilities, the set accessible multimedia content sources thus comprises all the radio stations that are accessible or receivable in terms of range and quality to the receiver 2 according to its location and its sensitivity and that can be decoded by the receiver 2 in terms of technical capacity (FM, AM etc.) or access authorization (subscription, encryption, etc.). A source of accessible multimedia content la, lb is thus defined at a given moment. A source of selected media content is the source of media content chosen to be listened to. At a given time, a single source of multimedia content is selected from among the accessible multimedia content sources 1a, 1b. However, at any time, it is possible to select a new source of multimedia content, among the accessible multimedia content sources 1 a, 1 b. It can be noted that the source of selected multimedia content is and remains one of the accessible sources of multimedia content. By extension, the source of multimedia content selected is the possible succession of sources of multimedia content selected over time. In order to compare what has been listened to by the user and the available offer, a user profile 6 is determined, where appropriate for each user, and a source profile 4a, 4b, for each source of multimedia content 1a, lb accessible. In case of multiple users / listeners, it may be wise to determine a user profile 6 per user. At a given moment, a single user, or current user is taken into account. In this case, a user must be able to signal himself / herself to the receiver 2. Thus it is possible to complete a user profile 6 for each such user. In the remainder of this description, only one user, or current user is considered.

The user profile or profiles 6 are typically stored in a storage means 5. The user profile 6 is unique for a given user and is indicative of what said user has listened to in the past up to the present moment. For this a user profile 6 compiles characteristics of the multimedia content that the user has listened to and is thus supposed to be representative of the user's tastes. The multimedia contents that the user has listened to are the multimedia contents successively received from the source (s) of multimedia content selected (s), supposedly by the user, on the receiver 2.

In parallel, it is determined a source profile 4a, 4b for each source of multimedia content 1a, 1b, among all accessible sources of multimedia content. For this, the receiver 2 performs a scan 20 (see Figure 2) of all sources of accessible multimedia content la, lb. Such a scan typically includes scanning all the ports through which a source of multimedia content can reach the receiver 2. Thus the receiver 2 scans according to present, the ports connecting the receiver 2 to a CD player, to a DVD player , to a USB port, to a port connecting a memory card reader, to a network connection port and so on. For a receiver comprising radio / radio capabilities, the scanning 20 comprises a scan of all the radio stations accessible on all the frequency bands receivable by the receiver 2. It is advantageous, to carry out such a scanning step 20, to have several tuners. Indeed a first tuner is necessary to receive the source of selected multimedia content, while at least one other tuner can, in parallel receive and analyze one of the sources of multimedia content / accessible radio stations, 1 b. The scan 20 can also be performed by sampling, using at least one tuner. Modern radio receivers increasingly include more than two tuners. Said scan 20 thus browses all accessible multimedia content sources 1a, 1b and regularly analyzes each of them. The scan 20 is such that the analysis period of an accessible multimedia content source 1 a, 1b is sufficiently small to be less than the duration of an elementary unit for analyzing the received multimedia contents, which is called multimedia content sequence or broadcast sequence. Advantageously, this period is configurable according to capacity (number of tuners etc.) of the receiver 2.

A source profile 4a, 4b compiles characteristics of the multimedia contents that said source of multimedia content 1a, 1b has broadcast and is thus representative of said multimedia content broadcast by said multimedia content source 1a, 1b.

The source profiles 4a, 4b are typically stored in storage means 3. Advantageously, a user profile 6 is homogeneous to a source profile 4a, 4b. Indeed, if a source profile 4a, 4b compiles the characteristics of the multimedia contents successively broadcast by a single source of accessible multimedia content data 1a, 1b, a user profile 6 compiles the characteristics of the contents successively broadcast by the selected multimedia content source. and received by the receiver 2. The selected media source may be a single source of media content if the user has not changed a source of media content. Alternatively, if the user has selected different sources of selected multimedia content, the selected multimedia content source is plural, and may be considered as a source of composite multimedia content, comprising a succession of broadcast / received contents, one at a time, at a given moment.

Thus a user profile 6 has substantially the same shape as a source profile 4a, 4b. Such homogeneity is advantageous for performing a comparison step 40 between a source profile 4a, 4b and the user profile 6. This comparison step 40, performed for each source of accessible multimedia content 1a, 1b, makes it possible to determine a score 8a, 8b for each of said accessible multimedia content sources 1a, 1b. This comparison 40, for example carried out by a comparator 7, typically determines a distance between a source profile 4a, 4b and the user profile 6. The score 8a, 8b is typically all the better that said distance is small. Thus, said score 8a, 8b of each source profile 4a, 4b / accessible multimedia content source 1a, 1b is indicative of the proximity between said source of multimedia content 1a, 1b, modeled by its source profile 4a, 4b and the user and his tastes, modeled by his user profile 6. Each source of accessible multimedia content 1 a, lb is thus assigned a score 8a, 8b of proximity, relative to the user. It is then possible to propose 60 to the user, in order to enable him to make a selection of a new source of multimedia content 9, at least one of the multimedia content sources presenting the best scores 8a, 8b. In view of the way in which the scores 8a, 8b are obtained, it appears that a source of accessible multimedia content 1a, 1b can not claim to obtain a score 8a, 8b greater than that of the user who, being the reference, necessarily gets the maximum score. However, if a source of multimedia content 9 obtains a score 8a, 8b approaching the maximum score, it is likely to interest the user and is a candidate for a source selection of multimedia content, especially since its score 8a, 8b approaches said maximum score. The method thus makes it possible to perform a collation of the sources of multimedia content 1 a, lb accessible according to their score 8a, 8b of decreasing proximity. This collation is progressive in that said scores 8a, 8b are regularly re-evaluated, for example at each scanning of the sources of multimedia content 1a, 1b, as a function of the multimedia contents broadcast and the sources of multimedia content selected by the user. . It is thus advantageous to present 60 to the user for selection, at a given moment, the source of multimedia content 9 having obtained the best score 8a, 8b, the n sources of multimedia content 9 having obtained the best n scores, or all sources of multimedia content 9 having obtained a score 8a, 8b approaching the maximum score by a certain amount or a certain percentage. A user profile 6 is a reflection of the multimedia contents 11a, 11b listened to by a user and therefore multimedia contents 11a, 11b received from the source (s) of multimedia content successively selected (s). Such a user profile 6 is obtained by analyzing, for example statistical, multimedia contents 11a, 11b received from the source (s) of multimedia content successively selected (s). A source profile 4a, 4b is a reflection of the multimedia contents 11a, 11b broadcast by a source of multimedia content 1a, 1b and therefore multimedia contents 11a, 11b received from said source of accessible multimedia content 1a, 1b . Such a source profile 4a, 4b is obtained by analyzing, for example statistical, multimedia content 11a, 11b distributed by / received from said source of accessible multimedia content 1a, 1b.

Such an analysis of the multimedia contents 11a, 11b may be carried out by any method, including a frequency or frequency analysis of the multimedia content 11a, 11b. Alternatively, in order to simplify said analysis of the multimedia contents 11a, 11b, the analysis of the multimedia contents can exploit metadata 12a, 12b associated with said multimedia contents 11a, 11b and / or their respective multimedia content sources. 1 a, 1 b. Such metadata 12a, 12b are commonly associated with broadcast multimedia contents 11a, 11b and are available for analysis. These metadata 12a, 12b contain typological and semantic information relating to said multimedia contents 11a, 11b broadcast / received. According to the sources of multimedia content and their mode of diffusion, these metadata 12a, 12b can take different forms.

The sources of multimedia content 1a, 1b may be radio stations 1a, 1b of the wireless type. Multimedia content sources / radio stations 1a, 1b hertzian can thus, for example, be transmitted, in analog, frequency modulation 5 or FM. The FM radio stations still transmit, in parallel broadcast multimedia content, a channel known as RDS (of the English "Radio Data System": radio data system), able to convey data / metadata and among others relative data / metadata 12a, 12b to broadcast multimedia contents 11a, 11b. For example, a radio text field 10 includes the name of the radio station / source of multimedia content and, during its broadcast, information on the multimedia content broadcast, such as the name of the song, the name of the performer or the genre of the song. The sources of multimedia content / radio stations 1 a, lb hertziennes can still be transmitted, digitally, via digital terrestrial radio or RNT. DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast), DAB +, DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcast), T-DMB, DRM (Digital World Radio) can be cited in this category. . Whatever the protocol, these radio stations RNT still transmit, in parallel broadcast contents 11a, 11b, a channel capable of conveying relative data / metadata 12a, 12b 20 to the broadcast contents. At a minimum, this channel transmits the name of the radio station / source of multimedia content and, during its broadcast, information on the multimedia content broadcast, such as the name of the song, the name of the performer or the genre of the song. However, in digital broadcasting the information 12a, 12b associated with the contents 11a, 11b are often richer and typically comprise ID3 or equivalent tags, comprising for each sequence of multimedia content, a title, a name, artist / performer, album name, speed, genre, start time and end time. Multimedia content sources / radio stations 1a, 1b hertzian can still be transmitted from satellites. XM and Sirius systems, each proposing a bouquet of radio stations 1a, 1b broadcast from at least one satellite, may be cited. Here again, these sources of multimedia content / radio stations transmit, in parallel broadcast multimedia content 11a, 11b, a channel capable of conveying data / metadata 12a, 12b relating to broadcast multimedia content. At a minimum, this channel transmits the name of the radio station / source of multimedia content and, during its broadcast, information on the multimedia content broadcast, such as the name of the song, the name of the performer or the genre of the song.

Multimedia content sources / radio stations 1a, 1b can still be transmitted via a communication network, such as the Internet. Here again, these sources of multimedia content / radio stations transmit, in parallel broadcast multimedia content, a channel capable of conveying data / metadata 12a, 12b relating to broadcast multimedia content 11a, 11b. Sources of multimedia content may still memory media (CD, DVD, USB key, memory card, hard disk, etc.) including recordings of multimedia contents. The invention is applicable to all types of previous media / broadcast.

The metadata 12a, 12b, whatever their shape or content, can be transmitted and received by the device according to the invention in different ways. According to a first embodiment, the metadata 12a, 12b respectively associated with a station 1a, 1b are received / transmitted together with the broadcast multimedia content 11a, 11b, by a confused channel or similar to the broadcast channel. Thus, for example, in the case of a terrestrial transmission, this channel metadata can be buried, in an inaudible way, in the broadcast channel of the multimedia contents 11a, 11b. Alternatively, the metadata channel can be transmitted by means of another dedicated frequency. Most often the metadata 12a, 12b are transmitted at the same time or in a time close to the multimedia content 11a, 11b to which they relate. Alternatively the metadata 12a, 12b can still be transmitted in deferred time, as long as they correctly refer to said multimedia contents 11a, 11b. According to another embodiment, these metadata 12a, 12b associated with a source of multimedia content 1a, 1b and / or multimedia content are stored in a database 13. This database 13 is accessible by the receiver 2 Such a database 13 may be of known type such as those maintained by Gracenotes or Rovi. Such a database is typically indexed and accessed based on the media content.

Said database 13 may be local / embedded at the receiver 2 and / or be accessible via a communication network 14, such as the Internet network. The particular implementation of a user profile 6 or a source profile 4a, 4b depends on the information 12a, 12b available on the received multimedia contents 11a, 11b. However, the general principle remains the same. For each received sequence of multimedia content, one or more identifying features can generally be determined. Thus a multimedia content sequence 11a, 11b can at least be distinguished from another. Thus for example, for a musical sequence, the title and the author, or an identification number, or any other equivalent means, typically allows to uniquely distinguish said sequence of multimedia content. According to one embodiment, a profile 4a, 4b, 6 contains for each sequence of multimedia content uniquely identified, for example by its title and its author, a frequency indicator, such as an occurrence counter. The counter is incremented with each broadcast of said multimedia content sequence. It is thus possible to compare profiles 4a, 4b, 6 by comparing the vector of the values of said occurrence counters.

If genre information of a sequence of multimedia content is available, it is still possible to reduce the size of a profile 4a, 4b, 6, while giving it some semantics. Thus, for a deliberately simplified example, considering that any sequence can be classified in five kinds among: information, rock, jazz, classical and varieties, the analysis of a source of multimedia content 1 a, 1 b, selected or accessible, by counting the number of sequences of each genus leads to a profile containing five counters respectively associated with the five genera and each comprising a number of occurrences, or by normalizing, a relative frequency. It is still possible to weight each such frequency indicator by the cumulative duration of the sequences of the genre. Thus a user profile 6 or a source profile 4a, 4b can be characterized by 10% of information, 50% of rock, 0% of classic, 10% of jazz and 30% of varieties. It is thus possible to compare two profiles by establishing a distance between them, so as to detect a proximity. A distance can for example be Euclidean by adding the squares of the differences of each of the components, constituted by the frequency in each genre.

FIG. 2 illustrates a possible flow diagram of a method according to the invention. A step 10 determines a user profile 6. At the same time a scan of the accessible multimedia content sources 1a, 1b is regularly performed. It allows for each source of multimedia content 1a, 1b to determine an associated corresponding source profile 4a, 4b.

Each such source profile 4a, 4b is compared with the user profile 6. This comparison makes it possible to determine a score 8a, 8b associated with said source of multimedia content 1a, 1b, indicative of the proximity of said source of multimedia content 1 a, lb with the user's tastes. Finally, according to the relative scores obtained by each of the multimedia content sources 1 a, 1 b, the method proposes at least one source of multimedia content 9 or a list of sources of multimedia content 9 with a best score 8a, 8b to user of receiver 2 for possible selection.

Claims (8)

REVENDICATIONS1. A method of selecting a source of multimedia content (1 a, 1 b) characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - determining (10) a user profile (6) indicative of the multimedia contents received from the (s) selected media source (s), - scanning (20) of all accessible multimedia content sources (1a, 1b), and for each accessible media source (1a, 1b): - determining (30) a source profile (4a, 4b) indicative of the multimedia contents (11a, 11b) received from said accessible multimedia content source (1a, 1b), - comparison (40) of the source profile (4a, 4b) with the user profile (6) to determine (50) a score (8a, 8b) indicative of the proximity between said source of multimedia content (1a, 1b) and the tastes of the user, - proposition (60), for a possible selection at least one source of multimedia content (9) with a best score (8a, 8b). 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the determination (10) of a user profile (6), respectively the determination (30) of a source profile (4a, 4b), analyzes the multimedia contents (11a, 11b) received. selected source (s) of multimedia content (s), respectively the multimedia contents (11a, 11b) received from the accessible multimedia content source (1a, 1b). 3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the analysis of the multimedia contents (11a, 11b) received exploits metadata (12a, 12b) associated with said source of multimedia content (1a, 1b) and / or said multimedia contents. (11a, 11b). A method according to claim 3, wherein metadata (12a, 12b) associated with a source of multimedia content (1a, 1b) and / or said multimedia contents are received together with the multimedia contents (11a, 11b) by a channel confused or similar to the broadcast channel. The method according to any one of claims 3 or 4, wherein metadata (12a, 12b) associated with a source of multimedia content (1a, 1b) and / or said multimedia contents are accessible from a database (13). ). 30 The method according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein metadata (12a, 12b) associated with a source of multimedia content (1a, 1b) and / or said multimedia contents are accessible via a network (14), such Internet. 7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a user profile (6) or a source profile (4a, 4b) comprises for each sequence of multimedia content (1 1 a, 1 1 b), respectively each type or kind of media content sequence, frequency indicator or occurrence counter. 8. Device comprising means adapted to implement the method according to any one of the preceding claims.