Method for managing the recording of content comprising primary content and secondary content.

Abstract

A method for managing the recording of multimedia content comprising a first piece of content (Cp), referred to as the main content, and a second piece of content (Cs), referred to as the secondary content, the content comprising time segments having respective access addresses from which the segments are downloaded via a communication network (RES), characterized in that, upon receiving a request to record the content (Cp), it comprises recording segments or network addresses depending on whether the segments in question relate to the main content (Cp) or the secondary content (Cs). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Method for managing the recording of content comprising primary content and secondary content. technical field

[0001] The field of the invention is that of digital multimedia content, namely digital audio and / or video content.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a method for managing the recording of digital content for subsequent reading by a reading device.

[0003] The recording takes place on a medium such as a storage server. The server may be located remotely from the playback device or even locally.

[0004] As will be seen in an example of an embodiment described below, the reading device chosen to illustrate the invention is a digital television decoder (set-top box). The decoder referred to here is capable of requesting access to content having several available qualities. Such content includes, for example, content used in a context of adaptive streaming (HTTP Adaptive Streaming), in which the content is broken down into segments, each segment being available at several encoding bitrates associated with respective playback qualities. State of the art

[0005] Access to multimedia content, such as television or video on demand, from an Internet-type network is possible today for most multimedia content playback terminals.

[0006] The playback device, for example a set-top box, generally sends a request to a server indicating the selected multimedia content. The set-top box receives the requested multimedia content in return. In a local communication network, such a request passes through a network access gateway, for example a residential / home gateway.

[0007] The reading device is adapted to receive this digital content in the form of multimedia data and to request playback on a playback device. This playback consists of providing the digital content to the playback device at the reading device level in a form accessible to the user. For example, received data corresponding to a video is generally decoded by the content reading device and then displayed on the playback device as a video with its associated soundtrack. For the sake of simplicity, the digital content will be referred to hereafter as to a video and the playback by the device, or consumption by the user of the device, to a visualization on the screen of the device.

[0008] The distribution of digital content over the Internet is often based on client-server protocols of the HTTP (Hyper Text Transport Protocol) family. In particular, progressive downloading of digital content, also called streaming, allows data to be transported and consumed in real time; that is, the digital data is transmitted over the network and decoded by the playback device as it arrives. The playback device receives and stores a portion of the digital data in a buffer before requesting playback from the output device. This distribution method is particularly useful when the user's available bandwidth is not guaranteed for real-time video transfer.

[0009] The consumption of digital content via adaptive progressive download is becoming more widespread. It is notably used by many streaming services (in French, streaming, or continuous reading), but also by some digital television decoders, or set-top boxes, which use it to access non-linear content, such as video on demand (VOD), delayed broadcasting of television programs (Replay), or Network nPVR type offers (for "Network Personal Video Recorder", i.e. a service for recording digital content, carried out by the content provider itself rather than at the end user's home).

[0010] The nPVR functionality allows a live TV service user to record live-streamed content to a network storage space. This recorded content can then be viewed by the user from any internet connection. This nPVR space has a limited storage capacity (for example, 20 GB), so the user can only record content up to the permitted limit.

[0011] When the user accesses content that has been recorded, the requested content, called main content, is rendered but also the various secondary content such as advertising tunnels broadcast during the broadcast of the main content.

[0012] A problem related to the storage of secondary content, unsolicited or even unwanted content, is that this can represent a significant portion of the recorded content volume. Indeed, depending on the channel, the type of content, or the time of day, advertising sequences can account for 20 to 25% of the duration of the content recorded on the nPVR server. Furthermore, when a user accesses recorded content, they may watch it with a significant time delay compared to its broadcast. Ultimately, advertisements broadcast in conjunction with content, and therefore recorded, may no longer be relevant.

[0013] The invention improves the situation. Description of the invention

[0014] To this end, according to a functional aspect, the invention relates to a method for managing the recording of multimedia content including a first content (Cp), called main content, and a second content (Cs), called secondary content, the contents comprising time segments having respective access addresses from which the segments are downloaded via a communication network, characterized in that it includes following the receipt of a request to record the content, a recording of segments or network addresses depending on whether the segments considered relate to the main content or the secondary content.

[0015] According to the invention, not all segments intended to be downloaded when accessing content are downloaded; indeed, when the content includes primary content and secondary content such as an advertisement, segments relating to the secondary content are not recorded; instead of segments, addresses are recorded.

[0016] Since the address size is significantly smaller than the segment size, the amount of stored data resulting from a request to access content is considerably reduced. Furthermore, due to the reduced size of the transmitted data, the bandwidth used for transmitting the content for storage is lower compared to prior art.

[0017] Also, another significant advantage is that, because a network address is recorded instead of a segment, the secondary content can vary over time and be tailored to a user profile. For example, if the secondary content is an advertisement, and the user accessing the content is a child, the downloaded advertisement could be a targeted advertisement, for example, an advertisement for toys.

[0018] According to a first particular embodiment of the invention, the segments being described in a description file, the method includes a step of distinguishing between the described segments relating to the primary content and those relating to the secondary content. The distinction is therefore performed on the fly by the reading device. This method avoids processing on the sender side to distinguish the segments relating to the primary content or the secondary content. According to a variant, the processing could be performed by the sender of the content segments.

[0019] Assuming that the secondary content comprises a plurality of sub-contents, the method of the invention can be applied to all the sub-contents. According to one possible embodiment, the transmission step is executed only for a portion of the sub-contents. This mode is advantageous when the secondary content is content that does not need to be linked to a user profile. Such secondary content is, for example, a message other than advertising content, for example relating to a campaign to fight a disease and intended for the widest possible audience.

[0020] According to a second particular embodiment of the invention, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the previous embodiment, the secondary content evolves over time. The invention is indeed perfectly suited to secondary content that evolves over time, such as advertising.

[0021] According to yet a third particular embodiment of the invention, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the preceding embodiments, the stored addresses are erased from memory after a certain period of time. This embodiment is advantageous when the secondary content has been retrieved a number of times. Erasure frees up memory space.

[0022] According to yet a fourth particular embodiment of the invention, which may be implemented alternatively or cumulatively with the preceding embodiments, the network addresses are replaced by segments of secondary content subsequently. This embodiment makes it possible to record content comprising primary content and secondary content that no longer needs to vary over time.

[0023] According to a material aspect, the invention relates to a multimedia content management entity including a first content, called main content, and a second content, called secondary content, the content comprising time segments having respective access addresses from which the segments are downloaded via a communication network, characterized in that it includes a recording module capable of, following the receipt of a request to record the content, making a recording of segments or network addresses depending on whether the segments considered relate to the main content or the secondary content.

[0024] According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a multimedia content storage server comprising an entity as defined above.

[0025] According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a multimedia content reading device comprising an entity as defined above.

[0026] According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a computer program suitable for implementation on a multimedia content reading device, the program comprising code instructions which, when executed by a processor, carries out the steps of the process defined in the process defined above.

[0027] According to another material aspect, the invention relates to a data carrier on which at least one series of program code instructions for the execution of a process as defined above has been stored.

[0028] The data carrier can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the carrier may include a storage means, such as RAM, ROM (for example, a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM), or a magnetic recording medium such as a hard drive. Alternatively, the information medium may be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, which can be transmitted via an electrical or optical cable, by radio, or by other means. The program according to the invention can, in particular, be uploaded to a network such as the Internet. Alternatively, the information medium may be an integrated circuit in which the program is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of the method in question.

[0029] Finally, it should be noted here that, in this text, the term "module" or "entity" can refer to a software component, a hardware component, or a set of hardware and software components. A software component itself corresponds to one or more computer programs or subprograms, or more generally to any element of a program capable of implementing a function or set of functions as described for the modules concerned. Similarly, a hardware component corresponds to any element of a hardware assembly capable of implementing a function or set of functions for the module concerned (integrated circuit, smart card, memory card, etc.).

[0030] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0031] [Fig.1] represents a computer system in which the invention can be implemented.

[0032] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the hardware structure of a storage server including a management entity according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0033] [Fig.3] presents a schematic view of the different segments of a main content;

[0034] [Fig.4] presents a view of the data exchanges between the content server and the network storage server according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0035] [Fig.5] presents a synthetic view of the result of a content recording phase; the recording comprising content segments relating to the main content and network addresses relating to the secondary content.

[0036] Detailed description of embodiments of the invention

[0037] Fig. 1 represents a computer system SYS in which a content distribution network called a CDN (Content Distribution Network) is implemented, from which content is transmitted to client devices or content reading devices and description files associated with multimedia content.

[0038] In our example, the SYS system comprises a single STB reading device. However, the invention applies to any number of reading devices.

[0039] The reading device is for example a digital reading device such as a decoder.

[0040] The multimedia content referred to here is video content corresponding, for example, to a television channel on which so-called live television programs are broadcast, that is to say, broadcast in real time. A live program can be a program whose recording takes place live (for example, a sporting event) or whose recording has already taken place (for example, a television program recorded by the channel).

[0041] In our example, the STB reading device is connected to a TV playback terminal such as a television.

[0042] In our example, the STB reading device is connected to a port of the TV playback device; the STB reading device and the TV playback device could also form a single device.

[0043] In our example, the STB reading device is located in a local area network (LAN) managed by a GTW home gateway. The LAN context is given as an example and could easily be transposed to a "best effort" type Internet network, a corporate network, etc. It will be seen later that the STB reading device includes a first management entity ENT1.

[0044] The GTW gateway is capable of communicating via an LI communication link which can be a telecommunications network such as a WAN known to a person skilled in the art.

[0045] The SYS computer system implements a content distribution network called a CDN (Content Distribution Network) by those skilled in the art, from which content is transmitted to client devices or STB content reading devices.

[0046] The CDN network consists of networked servers within the wide area network; these servers cooperate to make multimedia content available to users in unicast mode. To simplify the description of the invention, a single SRV content server will be shown in [Fig. 1] to represent the CDN. In our example, the SRV content server is located in the wide area network (WAN) referenced as RES.

[0047] The SRV content server receives, for example, digital television content channels from a broadcast television network (not shown), and makes them available in real time to client terminals, here the STB playback device.

[0048] In our example, the Cp content is made available in unicast mode in a given format. Such Cp content is, for example, content downloaded in adaptive streaming mode. The MPEG-DASH standard (for “Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP”) is a standard for audiovisual streaming formats over the Internet; this standard is based on preparing content in different representations of varying quality and bitrate, divided into short segments (on the order of a few seconds), also called “chunks” by those skilled in the art. Each of these segments is made available individually by means of an exchange protocol between the rendering terminal and the multimedia content provider server. The primary protocol targeted is HTTP, but other protocols (for example, FTP) can also be used.The organization of the segments and the associated parameters are published in a description file in XML format. We will not go into further detail about this download method as it is not relevant to the description of the invention.

[0049] An example of a Manifest file or "description file" (MPD) conforming to the MPEG-DASH standard and containing the description of content available in three different qualities (NI = 512 kb / s, N2 = 1024 kb / s, N3 = 2048 kb / s) of fragmented (or segmented) content is presented in Annex 1. This simplified description file describes digital content in an XML (Extended Markup Language) syntax, comprising a list of content in the form of segments classically described between an opening tag ( <segmentlist>) and a closing tag (< / segmentlist>Segmentation allows for fine-tuning to bandwidth fluctuations. Each segment corresponds to a specific duration (the "duration" field) with several quality levels and allows for the generation of its addresses (URLs - Uniform Resource Locators). In this example, this generation is done using the "BaseURL" element ("HTTP: / / server.com"), which indicates the content server address, and the "SegmentURL," which lists the additional parts of the addresses for the different segments.

[0050] - "Cp_512kb_l.mp4" for the first fragment of the content "Cp" at 512 kilobits per second (“kb”) in MPEG-4 format (“mp4”),

[0051] - “Cp_512kb_2.mp4” for the second fragment,

[0052] - etc.

[0053] Figure 2 represents the architecture of an nPVR storage server. This nPVR storage server typically comprises MEM memories associated with a CPU. The memories can be of the ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory) type, or even Flash.

[0054] The nPVR storage server can transmit content to be rendered to the STB via the RES network and the GTW gateway.

[0055] The STB reading device communicates with the GTW gateway via an Ethernet module for wired local communication or via a WiFi type radio module for wireless local communication with the GTW residential gateway.

[0056] A schematic view of a main content Cp, divided into segments and stored in the SRV content server, is now presented for informational purposes in relation to [Fig. 4]. More specifically, the HAS content server exposes a video Cp in the form of segments Cli@Nj encoded at different encoding rates Nj, where the index i denotes a time identifier of the Cli@Nj segment.

[0057] The HAS download module, referred to below as the classic download mode, of the STB playback device is responsible for retrieving segments from the HAS content server, selecting the video quality Nj based on available network resources. The method by which the HAS download module selects the encoding bitrate of the next video segment to be downloaded is not described in detail here. It should be noted that, most often, the general principle of such algorithms is based on downloading a first segment at the lowest encoding bitrate offered in the description file, and then evaluating the retrieval time of this first segment. Based on this, the HAS download module assesses whether, depending on the size of the segment and the time taken to retrieve it, the network conditions allow the subsequent segment to be downloaded at a higher encoding bitrate.Some algorithms rely on a gradual increase in the quality level of downloaded content segments; others propose riskier approaches, with jumps in the encoding bitrates of successive segments.

[0058] In the typical case, if a video segment lasts three seconds, the retrieval of the segment by the HAS download module must not exceed 3 seconds, in order to allow uninterrupted playback of the content by the STB playback device. The HAS download module must therefore strike the best compromise between the highest possible playback quality, and thus the highest possible encoding bitrate, and the segment download time, which must be sufficiently short to allow continuous playback on the TV.

[0059] Initially, the HAS module retrieves the description file corresponding to the video content Cp in order to discover the available segments of the video content Cp, and the different associated video qualities Nj. In the example of [Fig.4], the content Cp is offered, for example, as segments of duration 3s, with a first encoding bitrate NI = 400 kb / s, a second encoding bitrate N2 = 800 kb / s, a third encoding bitrate N3 = 1200 kb / s, etc.

[0060] In a normal operating mode, not illustrated in [Fig.4], the HAS module operates the download, for example, of successive segments Cl 1 @N1 (i.e. the first time segment at an encoding rate of 400 kb / s), then C12@N3 (i.e. the second time segment at an encoding rate of 1200 kb / s), then C13@N3 (i.e. the third time segment at an encoding rate of 1200 kb / s), etc.

[0061] The various segments downloaded by the HAS download module are then transmitted to a display module capable of requesting a display on a television screen.

[0062] The algorithm implemented by the HAS download module to determine which segment at which encoding rate should be downloaded in normal operating mode is irrelevant to the disclosure of the invention. Therefore, this algorithm will not be described in further detail here.

[0063] When a user accesses a live stream broadcast in real time (live content) using HTTP Adaptive Streaming (HAS), the STB playback device, meaning the HAS entity installed on that device, typically retrieves a description file every two seconds. This file, hereinafter referred to as the real-time description file, generally describes the last sixty seconds of the stream (30 two-second segments). A certain portion of the stream (up to a maximum of 60 seconds) can then be stored in memory (buffered). The video segments are short because the goal is to be as close as possible to the actual live event, such as a football match. This is also why the description file is retrieved every two seconds and the buffer depth is generally limited to around fifteen seconds to avoid excessive lag between the football match and its display on a screen.

[0064] Instead of being read by the STB playback device, the content can also be recorded on an nPVR storage server for possible later playback by an STB playback device. This recording is often performed at the request of the STB playback device. In this case, in our example, the principle of downloading from the SRV server and the nPVR storage server is the same as that described above between the SRV server and the STB playback device.

[0065] During recording on the nPVR server, as indicated in the prior art section, all segments are recorded on the nPVR server. However, the content very often includes the "requested" content, also known as the main content, and "unrequested" or even unwanted content.

[0066] According to the invention, following receipt of a request to record the content Cp, the method comprises a recording of segments or network addresses according to whether the segments considered relate to primary content (PC) or secondary content (SC). The process comprises two phases: - A first phase during which the SRV server downloads description files associated with the Cp content access request to the nPVR storage server; - A second phase during which the STB reading device accesses the content on the nPVR storage server.

[0067] With reference to [Fig. 5], as indicated above, during the first phase, the nPVR server records the segments of the Cp content or URLs depending on whether the content is primary or secondary content. Implementation steps are described below:

[0068] In a first step, the STB reading device transmits an access request REQ(Cp) to the content Cp. This request is conventional and will therefore not be described further. The SRV server receives the request and executes it.

[0069] The SRV server transmits the description files produced successively, one after the other, to the nPVR storage server. In our example, the following files are transmitted: MNF1 / MNF2 / MNF3 / ... / MNF(x) / MNF(x+l) / ... / MNF(k) / MNF(k+l)

[0070] X and k are positive integers

[0071] An ENT management entity located on the nPVR storage server, or external to the nPVR server and capable of communicating with the nPVR server, is responsible for analyzing the description files received by the nPVR server and detecting the network addresses relating to the primary content and the network addresses relating to secondary content. It should be noted here that secondary content (Cs) refers, for example, to an advertisement, or a series of advertisements commonly called an "advertising tunnel".

[0072] When the ENT entity receives the different description files successively, the ENT management entity detects among the received network addresses those that relate to the main content and those that relate to the secondary content.

[0073] It is assumed that the description files MNF1 / MNF2 / MNF3 and subsequent files up to and including the description file MNF(x) concern the main content. It is assumed that the description files MNF(x) and MNF(x+l) concern secondary content CS. It is also assumed that the description files MNF(x+2) and subsequent files, including MNFk / MNF(k+l), concern the main content Cp.

[0074] The preceding description files are ordered temporally according to their respective production date tMNFi, i being an index allowing the considered instant "t" to be placed temporally:

[0075] tMNF\< ^MNF2< ^MNF3< < ^MNFx< tMNF{x+])< < ^MNFk< ^MNFik+l)

[0076] Following receipt of the first description file MNF1, the nPVR server reads the file, detects that the content in question is the main content Cp, and downloads the segments described accordingly.

[0077] The ENT management entity performs the same steps for the following description files up to the MNF(x) description file.

[0078] Upon receiving this MNF(x) file, the ENT management entity detects that segments described in this MNF(x) description file relate to secondary content Cs. In this case, the ENT management entity does not download the segments associated with the addresses described in this file but instead stores the network addresses of the segments concerned.

[0079] Similarly, the ENT management entity does not download the segments associated with the addresses described in the following file but instead stores the network addresses of the segments concerned. The entity continues storing the network addresses until the addresses relate to addresses of the main content Cp, that is, in our example, up to the MNF(k) file.

[0080] Suppose the nPVR server now downloads the MNF(k) description file and then the MNF(k+l) file. In this case, the MNF(k) description file concerning the main content Cp, the ENT management entity downloads the content segments again and stores them for later use; the same applies to the MNF(k+l) file received subsequently.

[0081] At this stage, - the S-Cp segments described in the description files MNF1 / MNF2 / MNF3 and following up to the description file MNF(x) in accordance with the order described above, are downloaded and stored for later reading; - The ad-Cs addresses of the secondary content segments Cs are stored in the nPVR server.

[0082] We have seen, in the preceding, that the management entity is able to distinguish network addresses associated with primary content Cp from addresses associated with secondary content Cs. For example, the ENT management entity reads and detects in the description files tags introducing one or more network addresses relating to secondary content Cs.

[0083] Note that in this [Fig. 5], only some of the messages useful for understanding the invention are illustrated. For example, after receiving a description file, the nPVR storage server generally requires access to the segments described in the received description file; we have chosen not to show these access messages as they are irrelevant to the disclosure of the invention.

[0084] During the second phase of accessing the recorded content, the STB playback device accesses the nPVR server in order to play recorded content.

[0085] When reading stored content, segments or network addresses stored on the nPVR server are read in the usual way. More specifically, during playback, when the ENT entity downloads a network address associated with secondary content (Cs), the ENT management entity requests access to the secondary content associated with that address on the network. It is understood here that the secondary content read is not secondary content stored on the nPVR server but on another server that stores secondary content. If the secondary content provider is able to update the secondary content over time, the secondary content accessed at a given time may not be the same secondary content at another time. The secondary content can therefore be chosen based on a child or adult user profile, the time of access to the content (Cp), etc.

[0086] The embodiment described above can be subject to several variations.

[0087] According to one variant, the steps described above are performed only for a subset of secondary content. For example, some secondary content of the advertising type may be advertisements planned over a long period by the secondary content provider; in this case, segments of such secondary content are recorded in the nPVR server.

[0088] Another possible variant would be to delete secondary content after a given number of readings of that secondary content, for example following a first viewing. This saves memory space.

[0089] According to another variant, the network URL addresses stored in the nPVR server are cleared from memory after a certain period of time to save memory space.

[0090] According to another variant, the network addresses are replaced by segments of secondary content. In this variant, the management entity is able to request the storage of network addresses of secondary content and to replace these network addresses with segments at a later time.

[0091] It should be noted here that since the initial secondary content has a given duration, the secondary content replacing it will ideally have the same duration. As secondary content can include several sub-contents, the sum of the durations of the sub-contents will ideally be chosen to be the same duration as the initial secondary content.

[0092] In the event that the duration of the replacement secondary content is not the same, the STB reading device may require an acceleration or deceleration of the secondary content being read.

[0093] Finally, let us clarify here as well that the term "entity" can refer to a software component, a hardware component, or a set of hardware and software components. A software component itself corresponds to one or more computer programs or subprograms, or more generally to any element of a program capable of implementing a function or a set of functions as described for the modules concerned. Similarly, a hardware component corresponds to any element of a hardware assembly capable of implementing a function or a set of functions for the module concerned (integrated circuit, smart card, memory card, etc.).

[0094] Annex 1 <?xm1 wrsoww1 .G”?> <MPD w3 or§-'2QQ1 / XMlSchwa-m^^ vxire-'irr mp^ DA^H eehrm « MPD 20^' xsr §eh@ m al ocaîi on-"ü?n: m psg: CASH:ech em a • MPD;2011 ü AS H MPD. x8 d" type&~"<iynarnsc" ^aslvpæfiieùsoddiye 2011 "> <Represerstation ^“0“ codées-"aval" mK£eType^deG';mp4'' *sdth^A1024" height""75S" startWithSAPs" 1 " bswî^Kbb^4898S"> ;BaseUiRL> <0- GJ content at «Segment Base^ «inlbatotian sw'ceURL-XOSsscU^SWCl JÎOkbft^^ « / SegmentBase» disaWi-7 0“> <S®§a-jKnîlRl mecM^Cl„5i2kb.J..mp47> «SegmenîURL medsa»" G\512kb „2.mp47> «... <Sec}rneRdJsi> cf- Cl content to AS- <SegmentBs$e> « Inittelizabon sourceURL®Xl„ï . mp47 > £ / $egrmmtBase> “Segmentlist? duratophen 9"» cSegmsnSURL medsa~"C 1 612kb 1 .mp4'7>.... < 0- Con^m» Ci à-> <Segmem:Bâse> -. fti dràhoq ^1' to URL 'Cl lOst r _vrxd *C1 of'ihmp'*”* "Segmentliat d'isratian^l (T> <S^^'«ÜRL^edk^A0l...£(74^kb t.m <.'SôgmemUst> <.f" Content C2 to ~> <segmentbase> «mainstream swœURL~sXO55ecj50Qkbh: / C2~51^ <Seg^entUsi domœs'7 go> <SoQmntlO. n> ed'a^ C2„512kb_1 .w47> „„ <Sags-ïiyF^lhV> < *- Contents C2 â "■> <segmentsa5e> «Inibalisation 5wcell!U~X2JSs®cJ®0kbW^ < / SegmentBase> “Segmentls? dufatow'i 0”> <Ri. nît.d!rt«'X.':? Ïü24kh 1 ..... <'This^thing}List> <1 Content C2 to -> < SegmentBase > «Inidalüàtian wjmïURL-o'Q. < / Seg mentBase> «Segmentlis* durabso-'b ôs> <SegmemuRL fysedte^C i 2ü4Skbit .m p4* / > ... 'Sçgrf-^rn.^^ .1⁄4 « >» <mpd>< / mpd> < / segmentbase>

Claims

Demands

1. Method for managing the recording of multimedia content including a first content (Cp), called main content, and a second content (Cs), called secondary content, the content comprising time segments having respective access addresses from which the segments are downloaded via a communication network (RES), characterized in that it includes, following the receipt of a request to record the content (Cp), a recording of segments or network addresses depending on whether the segments considered relate to the main content (Cp) or the secondary content (Cs).

2. A management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the segments are described in a description file, and in that it includes a step of distinguishing between the described segments relating to the first content and those relating to the secondary content.

3. Management method according to claim 2, characterized in that when the secondary content comprises a plurality of sub-contents, the transmission step is executed only for a part of the sub-contents.

4. Management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the secondary content evolves over time.

5. Management method according to claim 1, characterized in that the stored addresses are erased from memory after a certain duration.

6. A management method according to claim 5, characterized in that the network addresses are subsequently replaced by segments of secondary content.

7. Entity for managing the recording of multimedia content including a first content (Cp), referred to as main content, and a second content (Cs), referred to as secondary content, the content comprising time segments having respective access addresses from which the segments are downloaded via a communication network (RES), characterized in that it includes a recording module capable of, following receipt of a request to record the content (Cp), making a recording of segments or network addresses depending on whether the segments in question relate to the main content (Cp) or the secondary content (Cs).

8. Storage server (NPVR) comprising an entity as defined in claim 7.

9. Multimedia content playback device (STB) comprising an entity as defined in claim 7.

10. A computer program capable of being implemented on a multimedia content playback device as defined in claim 6, the program comprising code instructions which, when executed by a processor, carries out the steps of the process defined in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images