Abstract:
This method of processing multimedia content description data sets to deliver a plurality of output data sets ( 14   1   , 14   2   , . . . , 14   n ) from a single input data set ( 10 ), the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps: allocating priority coefficients ( 16 ) to at least some of the description data in the input data set ( 10 ); associating priority coefficient thresholds ( 18 ) with a predetermined number of output data sets ( 14   1   , 14   2   , . . . , 14   n ); and distributing the data to the output data sets ( 14   1   , 14   2   , . . . , 14   n ) as a function of the priority coefficients ( 16 ) allocated to the elements of the input data set and as a function of the thresholds ( 18 ) associated with each of the output data sets.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED OR RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method of processing multimedia content description data sets in order to deliver a plurality of output data sets from a single input data set. The invention also relates to the use of such a method. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     Methods are known for generating multimedia content description data sets, in particular in application of the digital video broadcast (DVB) standard. Once generated, such data sets are intended for transmission to remote storage means in the form of files, or merely to be broadcast together with the multimedia content with which they are associated. However, once these data sets have been generated, their size cannot be modified, in particular in order to respond to constraints in the broadcast network or to constraints in the remote storage means. In other words, once the description data set has been generated by the service operator or the network operator, it is sent to receivers of that data without it being possible to modify the data dynamically. 
     In a DVB broadcast network, when transferring data in MPEG2 format, the available instantaneous data rate is high and constant, which makes it easy to transmit such description data sets. In contrast, on a network of the Internet type, in which quality of service is variable, transmitting such data sets can give rise to problems, particularly when the data sets are too voluminous. In other words, something that does not pose any problem with conventional broadcasting can become problematic in the context of the Internet. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention seeks to remedy this drawback by providing a method of processing description data sets that makes it possible, when generating said data sets, to take account of constraints concerning the broadcast network or concerning the destination storage means for the data sets. 
     The invention thus provides a method of processing multimedia content description data sets to deliver a plurality of output data sets from a single input data set, the method being characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
         allocating priority coefficients to at least some of the description data in the input data set;   associating priority coefficient thresholds with a predetermined number of output data sets; and   distributing the data to the output data sets as a function of the priority coefficients allocated to the elements of the input data set and as a function of the thresholds associated with each of the output data sets.       

     Thus, as a function of the priority coefficients allocated to each description data item, the items are distributed amongst different output data sets that are associated with different priorities. This makes it possible to select which output data set should be transmitted to any particular destination, as a function of network constraints for reaching that destination or as a function of the storage capacities of that destination. 
     A method of processing data sets in accordance with the invention may also comprise the following characteristics:
         allocating a predetermined specific priority coefficient to description data that must be contained in all of the output data sets;   each description data item to which a priority coefficient is allocated, other than said specific priority coefficient, is contained in only one of the output data sets that is determined as a function of the thresholds associated with the output data sets;   each description data item to which a priority coefficient is allocated other than said specific priority coefficient is contained in one or more of the output data sets as determined as a function of the thresholds associated with the output data sets, such that all of the data of any one output data set is contained in all other output data sets containing data of lower priority than the data of said any one output data set;   the method further comprises a step of transmitting at least one of the output data sets to a destination as a function of the capacities of means for transmitting description data to the destination;   the method further comprises a step of transmitting at least one of the output data sets to a destination as a function of the capacities of storage means of the destination;   the method further comprises a step of transmitting at least one of the output data sets to a destination as a function of a subscription level of the user to a predetermined service; and   the method further comprises a step of transmitting at least one of the output data sets to a destination as a function of a payment made previously for access to said data set.       

     The invention also provides the use of a method of processing description data sets as defined above, for the purpose of processing an XML data file. 
     Finally, the invention also provides a computer program adapted to process multimedia content description data sets in order to deliver a plurality of output data sets from a single input data set, the program being characterized in that it comprises:
         means for reading a set of priority coefficients allocated to at least some of the description data in the input data set;   means for reading a set of priority coefficient thresholds associated with a predetermined number of output data sets; and   means for distributing data to the output data sets as a function of the priority coefficients allocated to the elements of the input data sets and as a function of the thresholds associated with each of the output data sets.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The invention can be better understood with the help of the following description given purely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram showing the structure of a system for implementing a method of processing data sets in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows the successive steps in a method of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  symbolizes output files delivered by a method in a first implementation of the invention; 
         FIG. 4  symbolizes output files delivered by a method in a second implementation of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing the general structure of a first system enabling a method of the invention to be used; and 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing the general structure of a second system enabling a method of the invention to be used. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The system shown in  FIG. 1  comprises an input data set  10  in eXtended Markup Language (XML) for processing by a filter  12 , in order to deliver a plurality of output data sets  14   1 ,  14   2 , . . . ,  14   n  at the output from the filter, each of these output data sets comprising some of the XML data contained in the data set  10 . 
     It should be observed that XML data constitutes merely one example of description data and that the invention can equally well be applied to description data complying with some other standard. 
     By way of example, the filter  12  is an executable program stored on a microcomputer (not shown). 
     The filter  12  is adapted to receive as input, a file  16  containing priority coefficients associated with each of the description data items of the XML data set  10 . Each XML data item is either an element delimited between an opening tag and a closing tag having the same name in the XML data set  10 , or else an attribute attached to the element. The file  16  then associates each XML data item with a priority coefficient. 
     The filter  12  is also adapted to receive as input, a file  18  comprising priority coefficient thresholds, these thresholds being associated with the respective data sets  14   1 ,  14   2 , . . . ,  14   1 . 
     In a preferred implementation, the greater the priority coefficient allocated to a data item, then the lower the priority of the data is associated with the coefficient. Thus, a priority coefficient equal to zero is allocated to the most important description data, i.e. the data that must be contained in all of the output data sets  14   1 ,  14   2 , . . . ,  14   n . Thereafter, the other data items are allocated coefficients that are strictly positive, and that are determined as a function of their importance. Finally, the least important description data need not have any priority coefficient allocated thereto, providing it is assumed that no coefficient corresponds to an infinite coefficient. 
     In a preferred implementation, the file  18  of priority coefficient thresholds has  n  threshold values N 1 , . . . , N n . 
     The filter  12  is then configured:
         to copy into data set  14   1 , the data associated with the zero priority coefficient and data associated with priority coefficients that are less than or equal to N 1 ;   to copy into the data set  14   2 , the data associated with the zero priority coefficient and data associated with priority coefficients that are strictly greater than N 1  and less than or equal to N 2 ;
           . . . ;   
           to copy into the data set  14   n , the data associated with the zero priority coefficient and data associated with priority coefficients strictly greater than N n−1  and less than or equal to N n .       

     In a variant, the filter  12  may also be configured to copy into an additional data set  14   n+1  the data associated with the zero priority coefficient, and data associated with priority coefficients strictly greater than N n , and in particular data associated with no priority coefficient. 
     As a result, the output data sets  14   1 ,  14   2 , . . . ,  14   n  (and possibly  14   n+1 ) have the property of being complementary, i.e. the description data they contain is different with the exception of the description data associated with the zero priority coefficient. 
     The output data sets  14   1 ,  14   2 , . . . ,  14   n  are then intended for transmission through a data transmission network or for storage in storage means of one or more destinations. 
     For an application to audiovisual content description data, the output data set  14   1  contains the most important data, e.g. the title or the duration of a film, whereas the other data sets  14   2 , . . . ,  14   n  (and possibly  14   n+1 ) contain data of less and less importance, such as, for example, the actors or the date a film was made. 
     To illustrate more precisely the above-described system, the input data set is, for example, an XML table such as the table below, inspired by the specifications of the TV-Anytime forum: 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 &lt;TVAMain&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramLocationTable version=“11”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Schedule&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Lancelot”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T17:10:00/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedDuration P1Y0M0DT01H35M00S/&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Viviane”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T14:00:00/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedDuration P1Y0M0DT01H35M00S/&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Merlin”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime2000-05-31T12:10:00/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedDurationP1Y0M0DT01H35M00S/&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Arthur”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T16:10:00/&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Schedule&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramLocationTable&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation version=“9” 
               
               
                   
                 programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Merlin”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Concert &lt;/ Title &gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation version=“13” 
               
               
                   
                 programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Viviane”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Fairy &lt;/ Title &gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation version=“11” 
               
               
                   
                 programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Lancelot”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Knight &lt;/ Title &gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation version=“15” 
               
               
                   
                 programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Arthur”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; King &lt;/ Title &gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                 &lt;/TVAMain&gt; 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     A file constructing priority coefficients could be the following file, for example: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 //sort chronologically by date 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Operation (field=(dateTime)Schedule/Event/PublishedTime( ) ,  
                   
               
               
                   
                 mode=“sort”) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Filter ( 
                   
               
               
                   
                 // delete past events (Merlin) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Event[((dateTime) EventDescription/PublishedTime( ) + 
                   
               
               
                   
                   (duration) EventDescription/PublishedDuration( )) &lt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                  2000-05-31T14:30:00 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ]: remove 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 //give max priority to current and future events 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Filter( 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ProgramInformation[position( )&lt;=2] : 1 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ProgramInformation[position( )&gt;2 &amp; position( )&lt;4] : 3 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 VarList = Operation( field = Schedule/Event/Program/@crid ,  
                   
               
               
                   
                 mode=“extraction”) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Filter( 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ProgramInformation[/@programId( ) == 
                   
               
               
                   
                  one of the values of VarList[1:2] : 1 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ProgramInformation[/@programId( ) == 
                   
               
               
                   
                  one of the values of VarList[3:*] : 3 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Schedule/Event[Program/@crid( ) == one of the values of  
                   
               
               
                   
                 VarList[1:2] : 1 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Schedule/Event[Program/@crid( ) == one of the values of  
                   
               
               
                   
                 VarList[3:*] : 3 
                   
               
               
                   
                 ) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     It can be seen that this file includes instructions for giving priority coefficients to each data item in the input file  10 , together with instructions seeking to sort the XML data of the input table, or to delete some of it. 
     The data in the input table may include inheritance relationships between different items, such that a parent item (e.g. data item TVAMain) having at least one descendent can inherit the priority coefficient of that descendent. 
     This enables the following file  16  of priority coefficients to be generated (presented in the form of a table): 
     
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                   
                 Priority/ 
               
               
                 Element 
                 state 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 &lt;TVAMain&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramLocationTable version=“11”&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Schedule&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
                 Deleted 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Merlin”/&gt; 
                 Deleted 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
                 Deleted 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime2000-05-31T12:10:00/&gt; 
                 Deleted 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedDurationP1Y0M0DT01H35M00S/&gt; 
                 Deleted 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Viviane”/&gt; 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T14:00:00/&gt; 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedDuration P1Y0M0DT01H35M00/&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Arthur”/&gt; 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T16:10:00/&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
                 3 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Lancelot”/&gt; 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
                 3 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T17:10:00/&gt; 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedDuration P1Y0M0DT01H35M00S/&gt; 
                 3 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Schedule&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramLocationTable&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation version=“9” 
                 65000 
               
               
                   
                 programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Merlin”&gt;  
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
                 65000 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Concert &lt;/ Title &gt; 
                 65000 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation version=“13” 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Viviane”&gt;  
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Fairy &lt;/ Title &gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation version=“11” 
                 3 
               
               
                   
                 programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Lancelot”&gt;  
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
                 3 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Knight &lt;/ Title &gt; 
                 3 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformationversion=“15” 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 programId =“crid://www.FT.com/Arthur”&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; King &lt;/ Title &gt; 
                 1 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 &lt;/TVAMain&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The file  18  containing the thresholds is the following file, for example:
     Level N 1 =2   Level N 2 =4   Level N 3 =65000
 
where the number 65000 represents infinity.
   

     Applying the filter  12  to the above XML table with the files  16  and  18  given as examples produces two output XML tables  14   1  and  14   2 . 
     The first XML table  14   1  contains the following data: 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
             
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 &lt;TVAMain&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramLocationTable version=“11”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Schedule&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Viviane”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T14:00:00/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedDuration P1Y0M0DT01H35M00S/&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Arthur”/&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;PublishedTime 2000-05-31T16:10:00/&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Event&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/Schedule&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramLocationTable&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Viviane”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Concert &lt;/ Title &gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;ProgramInformation programId=“crid://www.FT.com/Arthur”&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;Title&gt; Fairy &lt;/ Title &gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
               
             
          
           
               
                 &lt;/TVAMain&gt; 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The second XML table  14   2  contains the following data: 
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
                 &lt;TVAMain&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                  &lt;ProgramLocationTable version=“11”&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                   &lt;Schedule&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                    &lt;Event&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                     &lt;Program crid=“crid://www.ft.com/Lancelot”/&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                     &lt;EventDescription&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                      &lt;PublishedTime&gt;2000-05-31T17:10:00/&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                      &lt;PublishedDuration&gt;P1Y0M0DT01H35M00S/&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                     &lt;/EventDescription&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                    &lt;/Event&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                   &lt;/Schedule&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                  &lt;/ProgramLocationTable&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                  &lt;ProgramInformation version=“11” programId= 
                   
               
               
                   
                  “crid://www.FT.com/Lancelot”&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                   &lt;BasicDescription&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                    &lt;Title&gt; Knight &lt;/ Title &gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                   &lt;/BasicDescription&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                  &lt;/ProgramInformation&gt; 
                   
               
               
                   
                 &lt;TVAMain&gt; 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
       FIG. 2  shows the successive steps of the processing method implemented by the filter  12 . 
     The method comprises a first step  30  of initialization and reading the data supplied as input to the filter  12 , in particular reading the files  16  and  18  During this step, an index i is initialized at 1 a bottom limit Binf is initialized at zero and a top limit Bsup is initialized at N i =N 1 . 
     During following step  32 , a file f i  is created, itself corresponding to the ith output data set  14   1 . 
     Thereafter, in a step  34  of reading the input data set  10 , the filter  12  searches for and then reads an XML data item from the data set  10  associated with a priority coefficient strictly greater than Binf and less than or equal to Bsup, or equal to zero. 
     During following step  36 , the filter  12  accesses the tags corresponding to the XML data item and inserts the XML data item in the output file f i . 
     During the following test step  38 , the filter  12  verifies whether it has read the last XML data item in the input data set  10 . If not, the method returns to step  34  to continue reading XML data in the input data set  10 . 
     If the last XML data item has been read, then the method passes onto a step  40  of confirming and saving the output file f i . 
     Then, during a test step  42 , it is verified whether the output file f i  that has been generated is the last output file that needs to be generated. 
     If not, then the method moves onto an incrementation step  44 . During this step  44 , the index i is incremented by unity, and then Binf is given the value N i−1  and Bsup the value N i . Thereafter the method returns to step  32  for creating a new file f i . 
     Otherwise, if the test in step  42  finds that the last output file  14   n  has been generated, then the method moves onto an end-of-method step  46 . 
       FIG. 3  shows how the output data sets provided by the method of the invention for processing description data are complementary, in accordance with the implementation described above. Only three output data sets are shown and they are referenced  14 ′ 1  and  14 ′ 2 , and  14 ′ 3 . In this example, when a description data item is contained in one of the output data sets, it is not repeated in the other data set, with the exception of the priority data associated with the zero coefficient. Thus, as a function of the capacities of the network, or as a function of the storage capacities of the destination, only one, or two, or all three output data sets as generated by the filter  12  is/are transmitted. 
     In a variant,  FIG. 4  shows the output data sets delivered by the method of processing description data in another implementation. Only three output data sets are shown and they are referenced  14 ″ 1 ,  14 ″ 2 , and  14 ″ 3  to distinguish them from the data sets provided by the above implement. In this implementation, the data set  14 ″ 1  contains all of the data associated with priority coefficients less than N 1 . The data set  14 ″ 2  contains all of the description data associated with priority coefficients less than N 2 , and the data set  14 ″ 3  contains all of the description data associated with priority coefficients less than N 3 . Consequently, the data set  14 ″ 3  contains all of the description data that is contained in the data set  14 ″ 2 , which itself contains all of the description data contained in the data set  14 ″ 1 . 
     Thus, in this implementation, depending on the capacities of the network or the storage capacities of the destination, only one of the output sets generated by the filter  12  is transmitted. 
     The system shown in  FIG. 5  shows a first use of the above-described method. In the implementation as described with reference to  FIG. 3 , in an application to broadcasting. It comprises a server  70 ′ having storage means storing the input data set  10 . The filter  12  is also implemented on the server  70 ′. 
     The threshold file  18  comprises, for example, three threshold values, and the filter  12  is configured to deliver the three output data sets  14 ′ 1 ,  14 ′ 2 , and  14 ′ 3  on the basis of these threshold values. 
     The server  70 ′ is connected to a data transmission network  72  such as the Internet in order to broadcast the output data sets to different destinations, by using the Multicast function of the Internet. 
     Thus, for example, a first destination is a terminal  74  connected to the data transmission network  72  by a broadband (ADSL) line operating at 512 kilobits per second (Kbits/s). 
     A second destination is a terminal  76  connected to the data transmission network  72  by means of an ADSL line operating at 1024 Kbits/s. 
     Finally, a third destination is a terminal  78  connected to the data transmission network  72  by means of an ADSL line operating at 2048 Kbits/s. 
     The description data is broadcast by the server  70 ′ to the terminals  74 ,  76 , and  78  as follows, as a function of the capacities of their connections to the network  72 :
         only the data set  14 ′ 1  is received by the terminal  74 ;   the data sets  14 ′ 1  and  14 ′ 2  are received by the terminal  76 ; and   the data sets  14 ′ 1 ,  14 ′ 2 , and  14 ′ 3 , are received by the terminal  78 .       

     The system shown in  FIG. 6  represents a second use of the above-described method, in the implementation as described with reference to  FIG. 4 . This system comprises a server  70 ″ connected to the data transmission network  72 . The filter  12  is also implemented on the server  70 ″. 
     The threshold file  18  has three threshold values, for example, and the filter  12  is configured to deliver the three output data sets  14 ″ 1 ,  14 ″ 2 , and  14 ″ 3  from these threshold values. 
     A first terminal  80 , such as a second generation (GSM) mobile telephone is connected to the data transmission network  72  and is adapted to send a request r 1  to the server  70 ″. This request contains information about the nature of the terminal  80  (GSM mobile telephone) and thus about its capacity for storage in response to said request (for example the server might limit its response for this terminal to 2 kilobytes (KB)). 
     A second terminal  82 , for example a personal digital assistant (PDA), is connected to the data transmission network  72  and is adapted to issue a request r 2  to the server  70 ″. This request contains information about the nature of the terminal  82  (PDA) and thus about its capacity for storage in response to said request (for example the server might limit its response to 3 KB for this terminal). 
     Finally, a third terminal  84 , e.g. a microcomputer, is connected to the data transmission network  72  and is adapted to issue a request r 3  to the server  70 ″. This request contains information about the nature of the terminal  84  (microcomputer) and thus about its capacity to store a response to the request (for example the server might limit its response for this terminal to 10 KB). 
     Consequently, the description data is transmitted by the server  70 ″ to the terminals  80 ,  82 , and  84  as follows, as a function of the capacities of their connections to the network  72 :
         only the data set  14 ″ 1  is transmitted to the terminal  80 ;   only the data set  14 ″ 2  is transmitted to the terminal  82 ; and   only the data set  14 ″ 3  is transmitted to the terminal  84 .