METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTABLISHING A COMMUNICATION

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for establishing communications in a system comprising at least two end devices and a server linked to said end devices by a network wherein it comprises the steps of: activating, by a first user of a first end device, a transmission of data to said server, said data relating to the activities of said user on said device and informing said server that said first user wishes to communicate; checking, by said server, whether other users connected to the server want to communicate; based on data relative to said other users matching the data of the first user, selecting at least a second user among said other users; and establishing a communication between said first user and said at least one second user. The invention also concerns a server device and a television terminal. The invention can be applied in particular in the field of interactive television.

Description: Method and device for establishing a communication FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention concerns a method for establishing a communication between users connected to a communication network, especially in the frame of an interactive television system. It also concerns a server device for establishing the communication and terminals interacting with the users. BACKGROUND Two popular forms of communication involve the telephone set on one hand and the Internet on the other. In order to use a telephone to communicate with somebody, the user has to know the appropriate telephone number to access the right person. Another type of communication consists in participating in Internet chat groups. A chat group may be identified by a theme or a given topic, and communication takes place with people who are already connected. Known television receivers, for example digital satellite decoders, generally have only a limited communication capacity, since their primary function is to be a media player. In the last years, a return channel has been added, for example under the form of a modem linked to the public telephone network, but this link was used less for inter-user communication than for data communication to a service provider. The invention concerns a new communication concept, particularly adapted to the television environment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To that end, the invention relates to a method for establishing communications in a system comprising at least two end devices and a server linked to said end devices by a network wherein it comprises the steps of: - activating, by a first user of a first end device, a transmission of data to said server, said data relating to the activities of said user on said device and informing said server that said first user wishes to communicate, - checking, by said server, whether other users connected to the server want to communicate, - based on data relative to said other users matching the data of the first user, selecting at least a second user among said other users; and - establishing a communication between said first user and said at least one second user. With this solution, an end device offers to a user the possibility to be connected to another user in a new fashion. For example, the user can browse in his Electronic Program Guide (EPG) to find an interesting program. He then zaps onto the corresponding service. If he wants to communicate with someone interested in the same program, the system in the server connects him to someone watching this same program or a program with the same topic. An advantage of the present invention is that the connected users do not necessarily need to know their respective identities, i.e. the chat may remain anonymous. Data relating to a user sent to the server may include information describing the program watched by the user and/or user profile information entered by the user or derived from an analysis of his past interactions with the end device, such as an analysis of the programs watched in the past. Another object of the invention is a server device for establishing communications, said device being linked to at least two end devices; said server device further comprising: -means for storing data sent by users through said end devices, said data relating to the respective activities of users on said end devices and addresses of said users; -means for establishing communication between at least two users with matching data, using said user addresses. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear through the description of a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, described with the help of the enclosed drawings among which : Figure 1 is a block diagram of the generic architecture of the proposed invention. Figure 2 is a temporal diagram of the messages exchanged between two users and the server. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 gives a view of the architecture of the system. Television receiver terminals, such as DVB terminals, are deployed with a return channel, for example a modem connected to the Public Switched Telephone Network. The terminals are connected through the network to a server. The server establishes connections between two or more users, as will be described below. In this context, a connection between users is a communication link for exchanging data, vocally or otherwise, between the connected users. The server manages and updates a database of information relative to users requesting a connection, to current connections between users and to past connections between users. The database contains the following data, updated in real time: (a) A list of users requesting a connection, along with the following information for each user; • A user identification, billing address • Identification of a program currently watched by a user • Profile of the user (Sex, age, preferred topics...) • An address (such as a telephone number or an email address or an IP address or any other type of address) required to establish a connection with the user • (b) A list of current connections, and for each connection the group of connected users (c) An archive of data relating to past connections, along with the following data for each connection: • A unique connection reference "Id", List of users having participated in a communication in the past, along with the information given in (a)above. • Statistics relating to the connection: The time of the beginning and ending of the connection... A User Interface is running on each terminal. This user interface has the following functions: • Profile definition menu of the user (sex, age, connection name, preferences, etc ...); • Connection request menu, to inform the server of the user's wish to be connected to someone; • Zapping mode, for switching between programs ; • Function to stop a connection; • Function to reestablish a connection, with the connection Id of the past connection as a parameter, to request the server to set up again a previous connection ; • Menu to accept or reject a request for a connection coming form the server to set up again a previous connection ; • A connection Id browser to obtain information on a connection description, to enable the user to reestablish a former connection ; • Function to request deletion of a connection Id in the server's archives to eliminate a past connection involving a user who does not want such a connection to be reestablished. According to the present embodiment, a connection is set up between two users. Nevertheless, if is of course possible to connect a greater number of users. A connection is established through the server, using the modems. The connection may be vocal, i.e. the user's voice is compressed by the receiver using standard software and sent over the telephone line to the other user's receiver for decompression, or may be in the form of an on-screen chat, if proper means for entering characters (i.e. a keyboard) are available. A potential dynamic behavior (see figure 2) of the system is: A user 1 is watching television channel A. He calls the server to ask for a connection with someone watching the same content. The receiver of this user sends to the server the user related data identified at (a) above. The server adds a new field to its list of people interested by a connection. While waiting for his connection, the user 1 zaps from channel A to channel B. The terminal sends automatically a message to the server to update the program Id watched by the user. The server updates its data relating to user 1. When the server finds another user with the adequate characteristics, it connects the user 1 and the user 2 for an audio conference. The user's address is not transmitted to the other user: unless the users decide to exchange their addresses, they stay anonymous. The server updates its list of connected users with a unique connection Id designating the new connection. The user 1 and user 2 terminals archive the connection Id for a potential future reconnection. The user 1 and user 2 are able to discuss together directly, as during a telephone communication. When one of the users wants to stop the communication, he interacts with the terminal's user interface. The terminal sends a message to the server to stop the connection. The server sends a disconnection message to the different users and closes the connection. Another potential dynamic behavior, illustrated by the lower part of figure 2 is: following the previous connection, the user 2 wants to communicate again with user 1. User 1 refused to give him his direct phone number during the previous connection. User 2 browses through the previous connection Id list and selects the appropriate Id. The terminal sends a message to the server and transfers the connection Id. The server extracts from the connection archives the different parameters to set up the connection. It sends a message to the user 1 terminal to request a connection set up. If the user 1 refuses the connection or if he is not available, the server sends to user 2 a message indicating the connection request has been rejected. If the user 1 accepts the connection, the server sets up the connection between the two users. According to a variant embodiment, in case of absence of a user (e.g. the user's receiver is in stand-by mode), the server leaves an email message informing the user of the failed connection request. An important advantage of the invention is that the connection is managed anonymously by the server. It means the user phone numbers or addresses are known exclusively to the server. This is an important protection for the users. The network used in the system can be a low bandwidth network, such as the public switched telephone network, but can be also the cable return channel. The invention is independent of the communication protocol used between the terminals and the server. The terminal can be a television set connected to a digital satellite set top box with a return channel based on the phone line. The remote control can be equipped with a microphone and an HF connection to the set top box to transmit the voice signal. This voice signal is sampled in the set top box. The user interface of the set top box is extended with the functionality defined above. The user can access a corresponding menu by activating a button on the screen of the television set. The terminal also comprises a microprocessor for executing a software program for handling user interaction and the communication protocol with the server. The invention can be adapted to other environments by the Man Skilled in the Art, in particular video game consoles. If the network is small the server functionality can be handled by one terminal playing the server role. The server can measure the time of connection to bill the service based on the duration of a connection. The communication can be set up between more than 2 users. The system can be enhanced using videophones or Webcams rather than a pure audio connection. The user profile can be used as an element to choose the most adequate user among the users watching a given target program.

Claims: Claims 1. Method for establishing communications in a system comprising at least two end devices and a server linked to said end devices by a network wherein it comprises the steps of: - activating, by a first user of a first end device, a transmission of data to said server, said data relating to the activities of said user on said device and informing said server that said first user wishes to communicate, - checking, by said server, whether other users connected to the server want to communicate, - based on data relative to said other users matching the data of the first user, selecting at least a second user among said other users; and - establishing a communication between said first user and said at least one second user. 2. Server device for establishing communications, said device being linked to at least two end devices; said server device further comprising: -means for storing data sent by users through said end devices, said data relating to the respective activities of users on said end devices and addresses of said users; -means for establishing communication between at least two users with matching data, using said user addresses. 3. Television receiver comprising a communication module for establishing a communication with a server device through a communication network, said receiver further comprising: -a user interface for requesting a connection with another television receiver through the server, -a microprocessor for transmitting data relating to the user to the server, along with the request for the connection.

Inventors: LETELLIER PHILIPPE, LETELLIER, PHILIPPE
Applicants: LETELLIER PHILIPPE, THOMSON MULTIMEDIA SA, LETELLIER, PHILIPPE, THOMSON MULTIMEDIA
Application year: 2000
Main classification: H04N5
IPC codes: H04N5, H04N7