Method for obtaining at least one image intended to be displayed on a screen of an electronic terminal.

Abstract

Method for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal. The invention relates to a method for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal. Such a method comprises: - determining (23) an image definition for the rendering of said at least one image on the screen of the electronic terminal, as a function of an estimated viewing distance associated with said screen and at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen; - obtaining (24) said at least one image in said image definition. Abstract figure: Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: Method for obtaining at least one image intended to be displayed on a screen of an electronic terminal. Technical field

[0001] The field of the invention is that of the broadcasting of images, and in particular video content, on an electronic terminal comprising viewing means, for example a television. More particularly, the invention relates in one of its aspects to the reproduction on such a terminal of video content broadcast via a communication network, such as the Internet network. Prior art

[0002] The growth in the distribution of video content via the Internet is one of the main reasons leading to the need to constantly increase network capacity. More specifically, the ever-increasing number of video contents thus accessible, and the multiplication of services and equipment allowing them to be consumed (televisions, computers, smartphones, tablets, etc.) oblige operators and content providers to constantly develop their infrastructures accordingly, for example by adding servers, in order to maintain a quality of service allowing all users to be satisfied.

[0003] The ecological impact associated with this development is, however, far from negligible and centralizes many criticisms and questions, in an economic, political, and environmental context in which the control of energy consumption has become a major issue, both at the collective and individual level. More and more voices are questioning, for example, the relevance of marketing devices allowing content to be reproduced in increasingly higher definitions, such as ultra high definition televisions such as 8K televisions.Indeed, not only are such devices already particularly energy-intensive in themselves, but their democratization also has consequences for the entire distribution chain, encouraging players in the sector to further increase the size of the network infrastructures required to ensure the storage and delivery of adapted, ever-increasing video content, with the corollary of a significant increase in the electricity consumption of these infrastructures.

[0004] In any event, the increase in the quality of the images transmitted and broadcast - in other words the increase in the definition of these images - only makes sense if the visual acuity of the person viewing these images and the distance at which they view them allow them to perceive a difference in quality with images which would be rendered in a lower definition. On this point, studies have notably shown that the viewing distance of images broadcast on a television (typically the distance at which users watch their television) varies greatly depending on the household, and is generally relatively significant. As a result, the use of unsuitable definitions, i.e. oversized in relation to the viewing distance and the average visual acuity of the population, is in all probability widespread. The broadcasting of content in ever higher definitions therefore ultimately often appears unjustified in view of the economic and ecological costs it generates.

[0005] Some applications for playing video content broadcast via the Internet do indeed integrate functionalities for selecting the definition of a rendered video content, consisting for example of offering the user the possibility of manually choosing the definition of the video content viewed, or even of proposing an automatic adjustment of this definition. These existing functionalities do not, however, respond - or at least not in an optimal manner - to the problem previously exposed. Firstly, the possibility of manually selecting the definition is very rarely used in practice, the user generally being inclined to reduce the quality of the video content that he consumes only when he notices problems during the reading of this content. Secondly, in a similar manner, the automatic adjustment of the definition as it is currently implemented essentially aims to adapt this definition to the available bandwidth (i.e.to the speed of the Internet connection), for example to avoid stutters or interruptions when playing content.

[0006] There is therefore a need for a solution that allows the definition of video content to be automatically adapted not according to the characteristics of the network at a given time, but rather according to the conditions under which this content is viewed by a user. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present technique makes it possible to propose a solution aimed at remedying certain drawbacks of the prior art. According to one aspect, the present technique relates to a method for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal. More particularly, according to the general principle of the present technique, such a method comprises:

[0008] - determining an image definition for the restitution of said at least one an image on said screen, based on an estimated viewing distance associated with said screen and at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen;

[0009] - obtaining said at least one image in said image definition.

[0010] In this way, the present technique makes it possible to obtain images in the image definition best suited to the particular current viewing conditions of a user, thus making it possible to offer a broadcast of images in the best quality that the user is able to appreciate. Thus, the present technique makes it possible in particular to avoid rendering over-defined images for which any gain in quality is ultimately no longer detectable by the user in his particular viewing conditions.

[0011] In a particular embodiment, said at least one image in said image definition is obtained from a content server, via a communication network.

[0012] In this way, the content obtained from a content server via a communication network is not necessarily that in the best quality (i.e. in the highest definition) available within the content server, but that having the quality most suited to the particular viewing conditions of the user wishing to view it. Thus the transmission of unnecessarily over-defined, and therefore unnecessarily voluminous, content over the communication network is limited, which allows an overall reduction in energy consumption and the ecological impacts associated with this mode of content distribution.

[0013] In a particular embodiment, said viewing distance is estimated as a function of a power level in reception of a signal received from a remote control device of said electronic terminal or from a remote control device of a box coupled to said electronic terminal.

[0014] In this way, a good approximation of the viewing distance is obtained in a simple manner, without requiring any particular hardware adaptation or complex software processing.

[0015] In a particular embodiment, said at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen belongs to the group comprising a width of said screen, a height of said screen and / or a diagonal of said screen.

[0016] In a particular embodiment, said at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen is obtained within a memory of said electronic terminal, or from a remote database, as a function of an identifier of said electronic terminal.

[0017] In a particular embodiment, said metric representative of a dimension of said screen is the height of said screen, and said determination takes the form of a selection of a definition from a set of predetermined definitions in which said at least one image is available, said selection being carried out by comparing a ratio between said viewing distance and said height with a plurality of thresholds associated with said predetermined definitions.

[0018] According to another aspect, the present technique also relates to an electronic device for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal. More particularly, such an electronic device comprises:

[0019] - means for determining an image definition for the restitution of said at least one image on said screen, based on an estimated viewing distance associated with said screen and at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen;

[0020] - means for obtaining said at least one image in said definition of image.

[0021] The means of said electronic device may be adapted to the implementation of any of the embodiments of the method of the present application.

[0022] According to another aspect, the proposed technique also relates to an electronic terminal comprising a screen and an electronic device for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on said screen according to any one of the embodiments described previously.

[0023] According to another aspect, the proposed technique also relates to a computer program product downloadable from a communication network and / or stored on a computer-readable medium and / or executable by a microprocessor, comprising program code instructions for executing a method for obtaining at least one image as described above, when executed on a computer.

[0024] The proposed technique also relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the method as described above, in any of its embodiments.

[0025] Such a recording medium may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic recording means, for example a USB key or a hard disk.

[0026] On the other hand, such a recording medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which may be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by radio or by other means, so that the computer program contained therein is remotely executable. The program according to the invention may in particular be downloaded over a network, for example the Internet.

[0027] The different embodiments mentioned above can be combined with each other for implementing the invention. Figures

[0028] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment, given as a simple illustrative and non-limiting example, and the appended drawings, among which:

[0029] [Fig. 1] presents an example of an environment for implementing the technique proposed, in a particular embodiment;

[0030] [Fig.2] illustrates the main steps of a process for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal, in a particular embodiment of the proposed technique;

[0031] [Fig.3] describes a simplified architecture of an electronic device for the implementation implementation of the proposed technique, in a particular embodiment. Detailed description of the invention

[0032] The present application makes it possible to remedy certain of the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0033] The proposed technique relates in fact, according to a first aspect, to a method of obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal, typically a television. More particularly, it is proposed within the framework of this method to automatically determine, that is to say without manual intervention by a user, an image definition adapted to take into account both the dimensions of the screen on which these images are to be rendered and the viewing distance of these images, so as to propose a broadcast in a definition which can be described as "nominal" with regard to these characteristics and the average visual acuity of the population.In other words, the present technique aims to propose a solution allowing images to be rendered in the best quality that a user is able to appreciate, in other words to avoid rendering over-defined images for which any gain in quality is ultimately no longer detectable by the user in their particular viewing conditions.

[0034] [Fig. 1] illustrates an example of an environment in which the proposed technique is likely to be implemented. More particularly, in such an environment, a user 10 (e.g. a television viewer) watches (or wishes to watch) images, typically video content, rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal 11. This electronic terminal 11 is typically designed, or at least adapted, to be used at a certain distance from the user 10, which may be variable but which is generally greater than one meter. The typical example of such an electronic terminal is the television, for which studies have shown that the median viewing distance is approximately three meters in countries such as France for example. This example is however not limiting, and the proposed technique can also be implemented in relation to other types of electronic terminals including viewing means (a computer monitor, a tablet placed on a table, etc.). As illustrated in [Fig.l], a certain viewing distance DV therefore separates the user 10 from the screen of the electronic terminal 11, this distance not necessarily being the same each time the user uses his electronic terminal (it varies for example depending on where the user is installed to watch the content broadcast on his electronic terminal, e.g. sitting on his sofa in the living room, standing in the adjoining American kitchen, etc.), or from one home to another. By screen, we mean here the entire display surface available on the electronic terminal 11 to display content.Conventionally, such a screen is rectangular in shape (a curved screen but with rectangular projection on a plane being considered, in the context of the present technique, as a rectangular screen), and it can be characterized by different metrics such as its format (4:3, 16:9, etc.) and / or its dimensions (for example its height H, its width, or even the size of its diagonal). In the context of the present technique, the images rendered on the screen of the electronic terminal 11 can come from different sources. In a particular embodiment, they are obtained from a content server (not shown in [Fig.l]) accessible via a communication network, for example the Internet network, or directly by the electronic terminal 11 itself (egin the case of a so-called "connected" television in that it has communication interfaces allowing it to connect to such a network), or via a third-party electronic box 12 having such communication interfaces (e.g. a decoder box of the "set-top box" type, according to the English term commonly used to designate such boxes). In the latter case, the third-party electronic box 12 is connected to the electronic terminal 11, for example via an HMDI cable ("High-Definition Multimedia Interface" in English), and it is therefore generally positioned near this terminal.

[0035] We now present, in relation to [Fig. 2], the general principle of the method for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal, in a particular embodiment of the proposed technique. This method is implemented by an electronic device which can be, depending on the embodiments, integrated for example into the electronic terminal 11, or into a third-party electronic box 12 (e.g. a decoder box of the “set-top box” type) as previously presented. As detailed below, the method according to the present technique comprises the determination of an image definition which takes into account an estimated viewing distance associated with the screen of the electronic terminal and at least one metric representative of a dimension of this screen, the obtaining of this information being for example the subject of dedicated steps in the particular embodiment illustrated in relation to [Fig. 2], non-limiting.

[0036] Thus, in a step 21, at least one metric representative of a dimension of the screen of the electronic terminal 11 is obtained. In the conventional case of a rectangular screen, such a metric may correspond in particular to the width, the height and / or the diagonal of the screen, expressed for example in centimeters. In a particular embodiment, this metric is recovered directly within a memory of the electronic terminal 11. According to a particular characteristic, when the method is implemented within a third-party electronic box 12, the latter obtains this information from the electronic terminal via the HDMI cable connecting these two devices, for example by exploiting a technology of the HDML CEC type (from the English “Consumer Electronics Control”) allowing the exchange of such data.In another embodiment, when the metric in question is not available within a memory of the electronic terminal 11, it can alternatively be obtained within a data structure accessible via a communication network. In this case, the obtaining step 21 comprises for example the transmission, by the electronic device implementing the method, of a request to a server hosting such a data structure (e.g. in the form of a database), the request comprising a key such as an identifier of the electronic terminal (e.g. its brand and model, a serial number, etc.), and the reception from this server of a response comprising the requested metric, identified using the transmitted key.

[0037] In a step 22, an estimation of a current viewing distance associated with the screen of the electronic terminal is obtained. In a particular embodiment, the viewing distance is estimated on the basis of a measurement of a reception power level (RSSI, or “Received Signal Strength Indicator” in English) of a signal coming from an antenna of a remote control device, for example a remote control 13 as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. This remote control device is typically designed to remotely control the electronic terminal 11, or alternatively a third-party electronic box 12 connected to the electronic terminal for example via an HDMI connector.The value of such a reception power level is interesting in that it makes it possible to estimate the distance separating the remote control apparatus 13 from the device that it controls, a distance which can itself be considered as a good approximation of the DV viewing distance between the user 10 who holds the remote control apparatus 13 and the screen of the electronic terminal 11. Indeed, the higher the power level of the received signal, the closer the remote control apparatus 13 - and therefore a priori the user 10 who uses it and who views the broadcast content - is to the screen of the electronic terminal 11, and vice versa. Optionally, calibration operations are implemented in a preliminary phase, so as to obtain and store in . memory a correspondence table or a calculation rule allowing the conversion of the reception power level measured at the level of the controlled device into the estimated viewing distance.

[0038] It should be noted that the technique for estimating a viewing distance presented above is given purely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, and that other techniques for estimating such a distance, based on technical means integrated into the electronic device implementing the proposed method, are likely to be implemented within the scope of the present invention. Such alternative techniques include, for example, techniques based on the use of a camera and means for processing the images delivered by this camera, or based on the use of a pair of sensors, comprising, for example, an emitter of structured infrared light and a receiver of reflected light, associated with means for analyzing this reflected light.

[0039] According to a particular characteristic, the estimation of the viewing distance is implemented repeatedly, and the determination of a nominal definition as presented subsequently in relation to step 23 is carried out for example on the basis of an average of all the estimated viewing distances, or on the basis of a maximum value of all the estimated viewing distances.

[0040] Steps 21 and 22 previously described can be implemented in parallel, or one after the other in any order.

[0041] In a step 23, on the basis of said at least one metric obtained in step 21 and the viewing distance estimated in step 22, a definition for the restitution of images on the screen of the electronic terminal is determined. Such a definition, considered as nominal in the context of the present technique, is for example calculated according to the aforementioned characteristics, on the assumption of normal visual acuity of the user, that is to say considering that he is able to distinguish two distinct points when the latter are separated by at least one minute of arc.

[0042] For example, in a particular embodiment, the metric representative of a dimension of the screen obtained in step 21 is the height H of the screen of the electronic terminal, and the determination of a definition in step 23 takes the form of a selection of a definition from a set of predetermined definitions in which content to be broadcast or currently being broadcast is available. The selection is then carried out by comparing a ratio between the viewing distance estimated in step 22 and the height obtained in step 21 with a plurality of thresholds associated with said predetermined definitions, these different thresholds being for example defined taking into account the criterion of “separable minimum” of one minute of arc representative of normal visual acuity.

[0043] According to a particular characteristic of this embodiment, corresponding to the case of a classic 16:9 image format now widely used, the definition selected in step 23 for the images to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal is:

[0044] - 256x144 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height" is greater than or equal to 23.9;

[0045] - 426x240 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height" is greater than or equal to 14.3 and strictly less than 23.9;

[0046] - 640x360 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height" is greater than or equal to 9.5 and strictly less than 14.3;

[0047] - 854 x 480 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height" is greater than or equal to 7.2 and strictly less than 9.5;

[0048] - 1280x720 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height" is greater than or equal to 4.8 and strictly less than 7.2;

[0049] - 1920x1080 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height » is greater than or equal to 3.2 and strictly less than 4.8;

[0050] - 3840x2160 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height » is greater than or equal to 1.6 and strictly less than 3.2;

[0051] - 7680x4320 pixels when the ratio "viewing distance to screen height » is strictly less than 1.6.

[0052] Thus, for example, it is pointless to offer images in a definition of 3840x2160 pixels to a user, if his viewing conditions (i.e. the electronic terminal used and the distance at which he views it) mean that the “viewing distance to screen height” ratio is greater than or equal to 3.2. Indeed, in such viewing conditions, an average user with normal visual acuity will not be able to notice a difference in quality with the same content broadcast in the lower definition of 1920x1080 pixels, and this lower definition is therefore to be preferred, in accordance with the general principle of the proposed method.

[0053] Of course, those skilled in the art know how to adapt the above numerical values for other image formats.

[0054] In a step 24, at least one image intended to be rendered on the screen of the electronic terminal 11 is obtained, in the image definition determined in step 23.

[0055] In a particular embodiment, the same content - corresponding to the image or video type content that the user watches or wishes to watch on his electronic terminal - is available in several definitions within a content server accessible via a communication network, for example via the Internet. In such an embodiment, step 24 therefore comprises obtaining, from this content server, the content in question (i.e. the images forming this content) in the definition determined in step 23 (or at least in the available definition closest to this definition considered as nominal), for the reproduction on the screen of the electronic terminal of these images in said definition. Thus, the content broadcast on the electronic terminal of a user via the communication network is not necessarily the content in the best quality (i.e. in the highest definition) available within the content server, but the content having the quality most suited to the particular viewing conditions of the user in question.This avoids the transmission of unnecessarily over-defined, and therefore unnecessarily bulky, content over the communications network, opening the way to savings on servers and other infrastructure for operators and content providers, and therefore to a reduction in energy consumption and the ecological impacts associated with this method of content distribution.

[0056] In another embodiment, step 24 comprises:

[0057] - reception, from a content server accessible via a network communication, content (i.e. at least one image) intended to be rendered on the screen of the electronic terminal, in an image definition other than that determined in step 23;

[0058] - obtaining said content (i.e. at least one image) in the determined definition in step 23, from the content received in the other image definition (such adaptation of the definition being for example implemented by means of image processing techniques applied to the received content).

[0059] According to another aspect, the proposed technique also relates to a device for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal, capable of implementing the method previously described in any one of its embodiments. More particularly, such an electronic device according to the present technique comprises:

[0060] - means for determining an image definition for the restitution of said at least one image on said screen, based on an estimated viewing distance associated with said screen and at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen;

[0061] - means for obtaining said at least one image in said definition of image.

[0062] According to a particular characteristic, the electronic device also comprises:

[0063] - means for obtaining said at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen;

[0064] - means for estimating said viewing distance associated with said screen.

[0065] [Fig. 3] represents, in a schematic and simplified manner, the structure of such an electronic device, in a particular embodiment. According to a first implementation, such an electronic device can be integrated directly into an electronic terminal comprising display means (typically a screen) on which the images are intended to be rendered. According to a second implementation, this electronic device is integrated into another device which cooperates with the electronic terminal to transmit to it images or video content to be rendered, typically a third-party electronic box of the “set-top box” type.

[0066] The electronic device according to the proposed technique comprises for example a memory 31 consisting of a buffer memory M, a processing unit 32, equipped for example with a microprocessor pP, and controlled by the computer program Pg 33, implementing the method for automatically determining a definition according to the invention.

[0067] At initialization, the code instructions of the computer program 33 are loaded into the buffer memory before being executed by the processor of the processing unit 32. The processing unit 32 receives as input E, for example, data representative of a request to restore at least one image on a screen of an electronic terminal.

[0068] The microprocessor of the processing unit 32 then carries out the steps of the method according to the present technique, according to the instructions of the computer program 33, to determine a definition to be associated with the images to be rendered, taking into account the current viewing conditions of the user, and to deliver at output S at least one image obtained in said image definition. More particularly, the microprocessor 32 obtains on the one hand at least one metric representative of a dimension of the screen of the electronic terminal and it estimates on the other hand a viewing distance associated with said screen, then it determines on this basis the most suitable definition for rendering the requested images on the screen of the electronic terminal. In the context of the present technique, the images obtained and delivered at output S are thus considered as having a nominal definition for the rendering of images on the screen of the electronic terminal.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on a screen of an electronic terminal (11), said method being characterized in that it comprises: - determining (23) an image definition for the rendering of said at least one image on said screen, as a function of an estimated viewing distance associated with said screen and at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen, said metric being obtained from a remote database as a function of an identifier of said electronic terminal; - obtaining (24) said at least one image in said image definition.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one image in said image definition is obtained from a content server, via a communication network.

3. Method according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said viewing distance is estimated as a function of a power level in reception of a signal received from a remote control device (13) of said electronic terminal or from a remote control device (13) of a box (12) coupled to said electronic terminal (11).

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen belongs to the group comprising a width of said screen, a height of said screen and / or a diagonal of said screen.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said metric representative of a dimension of said screen is the height of said screen, and in that said determination takes the form of a selection of a definition from a set of predetermined definitions in which said at least one image is available, said selection being carried out by comparing a ratio between said viewing distance and said height with a plurality of thresholds associated with said predetermined definitions.

6. Electronic device for obtaining at least one image intended to be displayed on a screen of an electronic terminal, said electronic device being characterized in that it comprises: - means for determining an image definition for the rendering of said at least one image on said screen, as a function of an estimated viewing distance associated with said screen and at least one metric representative of a dimension of said screen, said metric being obtained from a remote database as a function of an identifier of said electronic terminal; - means for obtaining said at least one image in said image definition.

7. Electronic terminal comprising a screen and an electronic device according to claim 6 for obtaining at least one image intended to be rendered on said screen.

8. Computer program product downloadable from a communication network and / or stored on a computer-readable medium and / or executable by a microprocessor, characterized in that it comprises program code instructions for executing a method for obtaining at least one image according to any one of claims 1 to 5, when executed by a computing machine.

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