Method, device and system for managing a content rendering parameter

Abstract

Method, device, and system for managing a content rendering parameter. The method for managing at least one rendering parameter of multimedia content (I) displayed on a screen (E) of a terminal (T1) is implemented by a rendering management device (RG) and comprises: - a step of estimating, by means of at least one sensor (C), the degree of attention paid by at least one user to the screen (E) during the display of said content, - a step of adapting at least one content rendering parameter on said screen according to the estimated degree of attention. Figure for the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Method, device and system for managing a content rendering parameter. Field of the invention

[0001] This invention relates to the field of multimedia content display management.

[0002] More specifically, the invention relates to a method for managing a rendering parameter of multimedia content such as video content. Previous art

[0003] Improvements in video encoding and compression solutions, along with increased network capacity, have led to a significant expansion of video usage on mobile devices and connected terminals in general. However, in accordance with Braess's paradox, this increased capacity also coincides with an increase in the number of videos transmitted over networks and an increase in the resolution of this content.

[0004] For the same duration, the size of a video file increases with its resolution, the increase in the video quality of the content results in cases of network congestion and an increase in the overall energy cost associated with the operation of this network.

[0005] However, even though displaying high-quality visual content provides obvious visual comfort for a user, it is not always guaranteed that the user will actually watch the content displayed on their screen. Indeed, in a context where users have a multitude of devices at their disposal, such as handheld consoles, smartphones, or tablets, and are bombarded with information via these devices, users' overall attention spans tend to decrease.

[0006] For example, it is quite common for a user in front of his television and having his smartphone within reach to regularly alternate between a moment when his attention is on a main screen broadcasting a given video content and the screen of his smartphone.

[0007] The same applies to certain public places such as reception halls or commercial areas where there are video screens broadcasting high-definition content even though they are not being watched by anyone.

[0008] This therefore results in a waste of network resources used to deliver video content to the users who receive this content, but also of resources (for example, the graphics resources used for display and the content decoding, energy resources such as terminal batteries or their power supplies, etc.) of equipment intended to display them. Object and summary of the invention

[0009] The invention notably remedies these drawbacks by proposing a method for managing at least one rendering parameter of multimedia content(I) displayed on a terminal screen, said method being implemented by a rendering management device and comprising: - a step of estimating, by means of at least one sensor, the degree of attention paid by at least one user to the screen during the broadcast of said content, and - a step of adapting at least one rendering parameter (PA) of the content on said screen according to the degree of estimated attention.

[0010] For example, the multimedia content displayed on the screen may be video content. However, the invention applies to other types of multimedia content that may be displayed on a terminal screen, such as a video game, a still image, etc.

[0011] For the purposes of this invention, a "user" means a person whose physical proximity to a given terminal equipped with a screen reasonably leads one to believe that they are using the terminal in question and / or consuming content rendered on that terminal. In other words, a user can refer to both an actual user (a person looking at a screen, interacting with the terminal) and a potential user (who may be looking at the screen, because they are in the same room or because they are associated with said screen, etc.).

[0012] Subsequently, depending on the case, the terms potential user, actual user and user present within a given perimeter of the screen displaying the content are used to designate any user for whom a degree of attention is estimated.

[0013] The "rendering of content" can refer both to the display of the content on a terminal and in particular on its screen, and to prior steps necessary for this display, such as the calculation, decoding and reception of said content.

[0014] Thus, for example, said at least one rendering parameter adapted according to the invention can be chosen from: - a resolution (of the content itself or of the screen displaying said content), - a volume level, - a quality of content flow, - screen brightness when displaying content, - Graphics parameters applied to the calculation of content generated by a graphics card.

[0015] Such rendering parameters have a direct impact on the energy consumption related to the provision of multimedia content to users via a screen.

[0016] Adjusting these parameters, for example by reducing the resolution of the displayed content, by downloading (in the case of streaming) the content with a lower video quality or by lowering the brightness of the screen displaying the content, etc., makes it possible to reduce the excess energy consumption associated with them.

[0017] Of course, these are only examples of adaptation, not limiting in themselves, and other adaptations of content rendering parameters on the screen can be considered as complements or alternatives. The invention thus advantageously makes it possible to reduce the network, computing, and / or energy resources associated with displaying content on the screen according to given display parameters, when no user is paying attention to the screen displaying the content.

[0018] To this end, the invention takes into account the degree of attention a user pays to the terminal screen during content display. "Attention paid to the screen" refers to any type of behavior, detectable by a sensor, suggesting that the user is using (interacting with or viewing) the screen. The invention is therefore not limited to "passive" screen use, through the user's gaze (for example, by detecting the user's gaze axis and the convergence of this gaze axis towards the screen or terminal), but can also be applied to active use, for example, through cursor movements on the screen, the activation of mouse or touchpad buttons, pressure applied to the screen, etc.

[0019] The degree of attention can be binary (attention or lack of attention) or reflect greater granularity by taking on a wider range of values. For example, the degree of attention paid by the user to the screen can be represented by a score (or value) between 0 and 1, where 0 represents a total disinterest on the part of the user in a given piece of content (i.e., a total lack of attention), such that they would not act differently if no content were displayed on the screen, and where a score of 1 corresponds to a situation where the user is completely focused on the content without reacting to external stimuli. The use of intermediate values ​​between 0 and 1 allows for the representation of nuances between these two extremes.

[0020] The invention also makes it possible to maintain a display of the content in a degraded quality (rather than disabling the display completely in a brutal manner), which allows the user to become aware of the content and potentially to focus or redirect their attention to it.

[0021] It is therefore typically conceivable to apply the invention to screens installed for example in a public space to display advertising content without threatening their economic model, which is based precisely on the fact that an advertiser pays for the display of given content on said screens.

[0022] In addition to reducing the energy resources used by a screen when no user is paying attention to it, the invention can also be used to encourage a user to redirect their attention to content displayed on a screen. In such a use case, adapting a display parameter (degrading the display, increasing the volume of the content) can act as an alert signal and be used to encourage the user to refocus on the content and the screen when the management device according to the invention detects a drop in their attention.

[0023] It should be noted that such use of the invention may, depending on the configurations considered (in particular the adapted parameters), prove restrictive for the user, it may be envisaged that its implementation be conditional upon obtaining prior consent from the latter.

[0024] According to a particular embodiment, the estimation step includes detection by means of said sensor of a gaze axis of said at least one user, the degree of attention being estimated as a function of a direction of said detected gaze axis.

[0025] The orientation of the gaze axis and its convergence towards the screen displaying the content make it possible to determine with a high degree of certainty where the user is directing their attention. This embodiment therefore enhances the reliability of the process.

[0026] Moreover, since a large number of terminals and more generally equipment are equipped with at least one camera oriented towards the face of their user, this embodiment allows for the implementation of the invention with a large number of devices.

[0027] According to a particular embodiment, the estimation step includes detection by means of said sensor of an interaction of said at least one user with the terminal, the degree of attention being estimated as a function of said detected interaction.

[0028] This embodiment is another way to determine with a high degree of certainty which screen or terminal the user's attention is directed towards, and thus enhances the reliability of the method. Indeed, detecting user interactions with a terminal (if they touch the screen, manipulate keys or peripherals associated with the terminal) allows the management device, by deduction, to estimate that the user's attention to the content displayed on the terminal screen is significant, and thus to associate a high degree of attention with them.

[0029] According to a particular embodiment, the estimation step includes an estimation by means of said sensor of a degree of secondary attention paid by said at least one user to a third screen during the broadcast of said content, the degree of attention being estimated as a function of said estimated degree of secondary attention.

[0030] The principle of this embodiment is therefore to estimate a user's attention to a screen of a terminal displaying content based on an estimate the degree of attention paid by the user to a screen of a "competing" terminal (the third-party screen).

[0031] Indeed, if the user looks at a third screen, the management device deduces that he is not looking at the initial screen on which the content is displayed and can therefore adapt accordingly a rendering parameter of said content broadcast on this initial screen.

[0032] This embodiment advantageously allows the use of sensors, where applicable, equipped with terminals (for example, smartphones, tablets, or portable game consoles) capable of capturing the attention a user initially pays to content displayed on a screen, in order to measure the attention paid by the user to these "competing" terminals. Since measuring the attention paid by the user to the competing terminal may be easier than measuring the attention paid to the terminal to which the screen displaying the content is attached, this embodiment can lead to a more relevant and efficient adaptation of the rendering parameter in order to reduce the energy consumption associated with the screen whose content is not being viewed.

[0033] By way of example, a "competitive" terminal may be equipped with a camera facing the user, thus allowing for an estimation of the user's gaze direction. Since the convergence of a gaze axis towards a point is generally easier to estimate than its divergence, this embodiment makes it possible to increase the reliability of the estimation of the user's degree of attention on the screen during content display.

[0034] According to a particular embodiment, the estimation step includes detection by means of said sensor of a use by the user of a second terminal, the degree of attention being estimated according to said detected use.

[0035] According to a similar principle of deduction, this embodiment offers an alternative for estimating the user's level of attention on the screen during content display. For example, it can be assumed that the estimated level of attention is inversely proportional to the user's level of use of the third-party object.

[0036] This embodiment also advantageously allows for a wider implementation of the invention by enabling implementation with terminals that do not have a camera, but which can nevertheless be used to estimate the degree of attention of the user on the screen of such a terminal when broadcasting content.

[0037] According to a particular embodiment, the adaptation step takes into account the estimated degree of attention of a plurality of users present within a given perimeter of the screen displaying the content.

[0038] This embodiment makes it possible in particular to modulate the image rendering parameters according to the proportion of users paying attention to content displayed on a screen compared to all potential users.

[0039] Depending on the circumstances, the level of adaptation of a content rendering parameter on the screen can, for example, be calculated proportionally to the proportion of users paying attention to the content. Alternatively, one or more rendering parameters can be adapted so that the screen displays undegraded content as soon as at least one user, among a multitude of users, has an estimated minimum level of attention exceeding a given threshold. In this way, the content is not degraded when a person diverts their attention from the screen displaying the content.

[0040] This embodiment makes it possible to achieve energy savings due to the adaptation of at least one content rendering parameter while preserving the user experience, in particular by ensuring that users attentive to the content are not penalized by degraded content due to this adaptation of a rendering parameter.

[0041] The invention also relates to a device for managing at least one rendering parameter of multimedia content displayed on a terminal screen, and comprising: - an estimation module, configured to estimate, by means of at least one sensor, the degree of attention paid by at least one user to a screen during the broadcast of said content, and - an adaptation module, configured to adapt at least one content rendering parameter on said screen according to the estimated level of attention.

[0042] The invention finally relates to a computer program, comprising program code instructions for implementing the management process according to any one of the particular embodiments described above, when this program is executed by a processor.

[0043] Such instructions can be stored permanently in a non-transient memory medium of terminals implementing the method of managing a rendering parameter of content displayed on a screen according to the invention.

[0044] This program may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or code intermediate between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0045] The invention also relates to a computer-readable information or recording medium on which computer programs as mentioned above are recorded.

[0046] The recording medium can be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may include a storage means, such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), for example a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory) or a circuit ROM microelectronics, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a mobile medium, a hard drive or an SSD (Solid State-Drive).

[0047] On the other hand, the recording medium can 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, so that the computer program(s) it contains can be executed remotely. The programs according to the invention can, in particular, be downloaded onto a network, for example, an Internet-type network.

[0048] Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which one of the programs is incorporated, the circuit being adapted to execute or to be used in the execution of a process for managing a rendering parameter of content displayed on a screen.

[0049] The invention also relates to a system comprising: - a terminal screen, displaying content, - at least one sensor, and - a device for managing a rendering parameter of content displayed on the screen based on a degree of attention paid by at least one user to the screen estimated using said at least one sensor.

[0050] According to a particular embodiment, within this system, at least one of said sensors is integrated into said terminal. In other words, the screen and the sensor in question are physically linked and integrated within the same terminal.

[0051] According to another particular embodiment, within this system, at least one said sensor and the screen are (physically) integrated within two separate terminals.

[0052] These embodiments advantageously allow the invention to be implemented very broadly within a wide variety of sensor-screen equipment pairs. In particular, it is possible to implement the invention using sensors already employed, for example, for surveillance purposes and conventional display screens (reception screens in building lobbies, advertising screens in urban facilities). By using such screens on a large scale, the invention ensures a significant reduction in resource consumption.

[0053] In addition, this embodiment allows the generalization of the use of several sensors (such as cameras separate from the content display screen), which makes it possible to make the estimation of the user's level of attention more reliable and thus to adapt the content rendering parameter(s) as best as possible.

[0054] According to a particular embodiment, within this system, the at least one said sensor comprises at least one sensor among:

[0055] - a camera, - a proximity sensor, - a gyroscope or an accelerometer, - an input device; by input device, we mean here a mouse, a touchpad, a keyboard or a game controller, or any other similar input device known to a person skilled in the art that allows the user to interact with a terminal, - a touchscreen.

[0056] It can also be envisaged, in other embodiments, that the method and device for managing a rendering parameter as well as the system according to the invention present in combination all or part of the aforementioned characteristics. Brief description of the figures

[0057] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description given below, with reference to the attached figures which illustrate an example of an embodiment without any limiting character.

[0058] Figure [Fig. 1] represents, in its environment, a system according to the invention, in a particular embodiment,

[0059] Figure [Fig.2] schematically represents the hardware architecture of a device for managing a rendering parameter of content displayed on a screen according to one embodiment of the invention, and

[0060] Figure [Fig.3] describes the steps for managing a rendering parameter of content displayed on a screen according to one embodiment.

[0061] Description of the invention Description of a system conforming to the invention

[0062] Figure [Fig.1] represents, in its environment, a SYS system according to the invention, in a particular embodiment, in which a method for managing a content rendering parameter according to the invention is implemented.

[0063] In the embodiment described herein, the SYS system comprises at least: - a screen E of a terminal Tl displaying multimedia content I, - at least one sensor C, and - a DG management device for at least one parameter of rendering the content displayed on the E screen of the TL terminal

[0064] In this embodiment, the management device DG, the terminal Tl (and therefore a fortiori its screen) and the sensor(s) C are physically integrated within the same terminal, namely the terminal Tl (that is to say that they are physically “attached” or linked to each other, as for example in the case of a smartphone Tl with a camera C oriented towards the user, a computer Tl equipped with a webcam C).

[0065] However, in other embodiments, these elements can be physically integrated within separate terminals, for example in the case of an advertising display screen Tl and a surveillance camera C, or a control device such as a mouse C and a computer screen Tl). In another example, the DG management device corresponds to an application on a server separate from the terminal Tl responsible for rendering the content I on the screen E. In this case, these separate terminals can communicate with each other via an R network, for example a Wi-Fi network or a fiber network, or any other communication interface known to a person skilled in the art.

[0066] For example, it is assumed here that the terminal Tl is a laptop computer integrating the management device DG, and is equipped with a screen E and a sensor C corresponding to a webcam, the screen E and the webcam C being physically integrated into said laptop (so that the relative positions of the sensor and the screen of the terminal, with respect to each other, are fixed and known beforehand).

[0067] Of course, this is only an illustrative, non-limiting example of the invention. Alternatively: - The terminal (TL) can be a smartphone, tablet, video projector, or any other connected terminal known to a person skilled in the art, equipped with a screen and capable of displaying content. - screen E can be a monitor, a television, a digital advertising display, or any other screen known to a person skilled in the art, including a projection screen or even a wall onto which content I is projected, - Sensor C can be a camera, placed in the axis of screen E or in any other location, as in the case of a surveillance camera; it can also be an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, a physical interface such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch screen, or any other sensor known to a person skilled in the art.

[0068] In addition, it is possible to consider that the SYS system is equipped with a plurality of sensors C, which can be indifferently embedded in whole or in part in the terminal Tl (i.e. integrated in the same terminal as the screen E), and / or embedded in other terminals.

[0069] Furthermore, in the example considered here, it is assumed that the multimedia content I is video content (such as, for example, a film or a clip). However, the invention applies to other types of content, such as, for example, a video game, an image, or any other multimedia content known to a person skilled in the art.

[0070] The terminal Tl is associated with at least one user U corresponding to a person whose physical proximity (for example, the fact that this person is holding said terminal or that their body is oriented towards the screen of the terminal) allows us to assume that they are actually using said terminal and / or consuming the content displayed by this terminal.

[0071] In accordance with the invention, the DG management device is equipped with: - of a ME estimation module, and - of an adaptation module MA of a rendering parameter of the multimedia content displayed by the screen E.

[0072] The various functional modules of the DG management device are described in more detail later.

[0073] Figure 2 presents the simplified structure of the DG management device, configured to implement the process of managing a rendering parameter, in a particular embodiment.

[0074] In this particular embodiment, the steps executed by the DG management device for a rendering parameter are implemented by means of instructions in a computer program PG. These steps are described in more detail later with reference to Figure [Fig. 3]. For this purpose, the DG device has, for example, the classic architecture of a computer and includes, in particular, a transmit / receive module ER, a memory MEM, a processing unit UTR, equipped, for example, with a processor PROC, and controlled by the computer program PG stored in memory MEM. The memory MEM is a storage medium within the meaning of the invention.

[0075] The PG program defines functional modules of the DG device which include, in particular: - the ME estimation module, which is configured to estimate, using at least sensor C, a degree of attention ATu paid by the user U to the screen E during the display of multimedia content, and - the MA adaptation module, which is configured to adapt at least one PA rendering parameter of said content on said screen according to the estimated attention level ATu.

[0076] Description of the main steps in the process of managing a rendering parameter of multimedia content.

[0077] Figure [Fig. 3] describes the steps of the management process according to the invention in a particular embodiment in which the process is implemented by the management device DG to adapt at least one rendering parameter of the multimedia content I displayed on the screen E of the terminal TL

[0078] In this embodiment, it is assumed that during a preliminary step (not shown in [Fig.3]), the management device DG identifies the user U as a potential viewer of the content I displayed on the screen E.

[0079] Identifying a user as a potential viewer of the content can result from the implementation of different technical solutions.

[0080] For example, when a camera aimed at an individual faces the screen of the terminal (such as a webcam on a tablet or laptop or a so-called "selfie" camera on a smartphone), the management device identifies it by default as a potential viewer of the content.

[0081] Alternatively, the identification of a user as a potential viewer of the content can result from the implementation, by the management device, of a facial recognition process. For example, when a terminal user is recognized as the terminal owner, they are identified as a potential viewer of the content.

[0082] The examples described above are not exhaustive. Identifying a user as a potential viewer of the content can result from any other solution known to a person skilled in the art, such as proximity detection via a magnetic field, noise detection near the terminal screen, detection via a third-party terminal, etc.

[0083] The identification of a user as a potential viewer of the content can be triggered when the terminal broadcasting the content is activated (when the screen or the terminal associated with the screen is turned on) or when playback of the content I is initiated (for example from a video-on-demand service or a streaming site).

[0084] Following this identification, data, for example usage and / or behavioral and / or positioning data, relating to the user U with respect to the screen E of the terminal Tl and allowing estimation of the attention paid by the user U to the screen E are captured by the sensor C.

[0085] It is noted that during the preliminary stage, several users can be identified as potential viewers of content I.

[0086] The nature and number of potential spectators may also change over time, for example if users enter and leave the field of vision of a camera corresponding to sensor C or when they approach or move away from screen E, etc.

[0087] In such a context, when several potential users of the screen E are detected, data relating to these different users are collected by means of the sensor C and step E301 described below is implemented for each detected user.

[0088] In E301, based on the data captured by the sensor C (for example, the measurement of the distance between the user U and the screen E, the measurement of the user's gaze axis directed towards the screen E, etc.), the management device DG estimates a degree of attention ATu paid by the user U to the screen during the broadcast of said content I.

[0089] This estimation of the degree of attention can result in particular from a combination of a set of behaviors, detectable by one or more sensors C, allowing us to assess whether (and to what extent) the user U directs his attention to the screen E when it displays the content I.

[0090] By way of example, the user's level of attention can be estimated from the analysis of behaviors, in particular the axis of the user's gaze captured by camera C and by the fact that the screen displaying content I is in the direction of this line of sight.

[0091] According to another example, the degree of attention of the user can be estimated from data captured by a gyroscope allowing it to be deduced that the terminal Tl, in the example considered here a smartphone, is held so that the screen is contained in a plane inclined relative to the user, so that it is in a position corresponding to a given context of use (for example, in the position corresponding to a person sitting, holding a smartphone in both hands and looking at content on the screen E in a 16 / 9 format.

[0092] According to yet another example, the degree of user attention can be estimated from the user's physical proximity to the screen E displaying the content (as, for example, in the case of a person close enough to a television, for example at a distance of less than 5 meters, that it is assumed that he is watching and listening to the content displayed on the television).

[0093] As an example, in Figure [Fig.1], the degree of attention ATu is estimated, for example, from the capture by sensor C of the user's position with respect to the screen E, and in particular which allows the management device DG to detect that the latter's face is not directed towards the screen E.

[0094] It is noted that the estimation of the degree of attention can incorporate an analysis of the evolution over time of the different data captured by the sensor C. As an example, the degree of attention is calculated over a given duration, in order not to deduce that the degree of attention of a user decreases as soon as he blinks or looks away for a short time from the screen.

[0095] By way of example, the degree of attention ATu can take a value between 0 and 1, with 0 corresponding to a zero degree of attention and 1 corresponding to a maximum degree of attention. However, according to other examples, the degree of attention can be within any other range or quantification known to a person skilled in the art.

[0096] In the embodiment described herein, the sensor C is a webcam capable of identifying the user's gaze axis (based, for example, on detection of the user's pupils or on determining the sagittal axis of their face). If the gaze axis is oriented towards the screen E, the estimation module determines that the attention level ATu is high (and assigns it, for example, 0.8 or 0.9 on a scale of 0 to 1). Otherwise, the attention level ATu is low (for example, estimated at a value of 0.1 or 0.2 on a scale of 0 to 1). The estimation module can, in order to determine the attention level, refer to a lookup table or a nomogram determined, for example, experimentally or by an expert, use an analytical function, or any other solution known to a person skilled in the art. allowing a given degree of attention to be associated with one or more sensor measurements.

[0097] For example, an angle of deviation of the user's gaze axis from the screen axis of less than 15° may correspond to a degree of attention of 1, a distance of the user from the screen greater than 4 meters may correspond to a degree of attention of 0.7, etc.

[0098] This estimation can also take into account the evolution of the gaze axis over time in order to establish whether the gaze axis is oriented towards the screen E for a given significant duration defined beforehand. For example, sensor C detects the user's gaze axis at a given frequency (for example, every 0.1 or 0.5 seconds) and sums the number of occurrences, over a given period (for example, 1 or 5 seconds), where the gaze axis is directed towards screen E. If the sum of occurrences is greater than half of the detections made during this second, then the device estimates that the user is directing their gaze axis towards screen E and, for example, a degree of attention, estimated by the management device, equal to 0.8 or 0.9, is derived.

[0099] According to another example, the sensor C detects the user's gaze axis at a given frequency (for example, every 0.3 or 0.4 seconds) and the management device considers that the user's gaze axis is not directed towards the screen E (and acts accordingly according to step E302) only if the gaze axis was not directed towards the screen during several successive detections (for example, 3 or 4) in which case it considers the degree of attention to be 0.3 or 0.4.

[0100] According to other embodiments, the sensor C can be a camera that is not physically integrated into the terminal Tl (as for example in the case where the sensor C is a surveillance camera, the screen E a video advertising screen and the terminal Tl a broadcast server); in this case, the gaze axis (or any other data captured allowing an estimation of a degree of attention of the user) is calculated after taking into account the relative position of the screen and the axis of the camera or any other method known to a person skilled in the art.

[0101] According to other embodiments, the sensor C can be an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a controller (such as, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc.) for capturing information (the orientation of the terminal relative to the user, text input, mouse movements, etc.). Such sensors make it possible to account for the interactions of said at least one user with a terminal and to take these interactions into account in estimating the user's attention level (ATu).

[0102] According to other embodiments, the sensor C is associated with a terminal T2 distinct from the terminal T1 associated with the screen E displaying the content I. The terminal T2 can be a smartphone, a connected book, or any other terminal equipped with a screen or No. The use of this terminal is considered to impact, to a certain extent, the user's attention span on the screen E of terminal T1. In this case, the user's attention span ATu with respect to the screen E of terminal T1 is calculated by taking into account the user's attention span ATu' with respect to said terminal T2. For example, the value of the attention span ATu is taken inversely proportional to the attention span ATu', so that, for example, if the attention span ATu', calculated here in a similar way to what was described previously for the screen of terminal T1, is estimated at a value of 0.99 on a scale of 0 to 1, then the attention span ATu is estimated at a value of 0.01 on a scale of 0 to 1.

[0103] In E302, the DG management device adapts at least one PA rendering parameter of the content I on the screen E according to the degree of attention estimated during step E301.

[0104] In the embodiment described here, the adapted PA rendering parameter relates to the resolution of the content I. However, alternatively the PA rendering parameter can refer to any other rendering parameter such as, for example, image brightness, volume of audio or audiovisual content, video stream quality, graphics option of the calculated multimedia content in the case of a video game, etc.

[0105] For example, when the estimated level of attention is below a predefined threshold (for example, defined by the user U of terminal Tl or by any other person), the management device DG lowers the resolution of the content I to a resolution lower than its default (or native) resolution. Here, the default resolution corresponds to the native resolution of the content, that is, the resolution at which the content is intended to be displayed on the screen if no rendering parameters are adjusted.

[0106] According to another example, the content can initially be rendered on the screen E at a resolution lower than its nominal (or native) resolution and, when the degree of attention of a potential viewer, estimated by the management device, is greater than a given value, then the device adapts, by increasing it, the resolution of the image so that it corresponds to its nominal value.

[0107] According to another example, the adaptation of the rendering parameter can correspond to an adaptation of the brightness according to which the screen E displays the content, the volume of the content I if it is audiovisual content.

[0108] Adapting the rendering parameter can also correspond to adapting the resolution of the multimedia content (video content in the illustrative example considered here) directly at the server level from which it is streamed. If necessary, the same content I can be associated with several video files (for example, corresponding to different resolutions), and the server then streams a video file corresponding to a given resolution. According to this example, adapting the parameter The rendering process will consist of choosing which video file will be streamed from among the video files of different quality available for content I.

[0109] In the case of content calculated in real time (such as a video game), the rendering parameter can correspond to any graphic calculation parameter of the content (resolution, but also quality of textures, presence or value of particular graphic effects (“ray tracing”, “shader”, etc.).

[0110] It is noted that the adaptation of the content rendering parameter during step E302 according to the estimated degree of attention may be linear or include one or more thresholds corresponding to one or more given values.

[0111] For example, in the case of an attention degree ATu between 0 and 1 and an adapted PA rendering parameter corresponding to brightness and between a minimum value of 0 and a maximum value of 100, a linear adaptation of the PA rendering parameter can be governed by an equation of the type: PA = ATu x 100.

[0112] Alternatively, in the case of an adaptation of the PA brightness rendering parameter according to thresholds, the screen brightness value E is set for example to 10 when, for example, the attention level ATu is between 0 and a value less than 0.5, to 50 when the attention level ATu is between 0.5 and a value less than 0.75, and to 100 when the attention level is greater than or equal to 0.75.

[0113] Adapting a PA rendering parameter and more specifically lowering parameters such as resolution, brightness, volume, the quality of the video stream to be broadcast or the complexity of the graphics parameters of a video game, makes it possible to reduce, where appropriate, energy consumption and network and computing resources, when the rendering management device considers that the content is not being watched (or listened to).

[0114] Conversely, adapting a PA rendering parameter, for example increasing the volume, makes it possible to maintain the attention of an audience, composed of one or more potential viewers, for a given content.

[0115] The detection of potential users as well as steps E301 and E302 are iterated periodically or each time the DG management device detects a particular event, such as each time a new potential user of content I is detected or each time new content is displayed on screen E, etc.

[0116] Where appropriate, if the management device identifies several potential viewers of the content I, the management device estimates a degree of attention for each of said viewers.

[0117] Therefore, in E302, the adaptation of at least one PA rendering parameter is carried out according to all estimated attention levels. For example, the DG management device adapts at least one rendering parameter so as to display the image according to a nominal rendering (for example with its native resolution) as soon as at least one user is associated with an attention level greater than a given value.

[0118] Alternatively, the adaptation of at least one content rendering parameter I is established based on the average value of the attention degrees and comparison to one or more given values.

[0119] In the embodiment described here, the rendering parameter management device DG ceases to estimate the level of attention of a given user if the user is no longer identified as a potential viewer. For example, if the user moves a certain distance away from the screen displaying content I or if they are no longer detected by sensor C.

Claims

Demands

1. Method of managing at least one rendering parameter of multimedia content (I) displayed on a screen (E) of a terminal (Tl), said method being implemented by a rendering management device (DG) and comprising: - a step of estimating, by means of at least one sensor (C), a degree of attention (ATu) paid by at least one user to the screen (E) during a broadcast of said content, and - a step of adapting at least one rendering parameter (PA) of the content on said screen according to the estimated degree of attention.

2. Management method according to claim 1 wherein the estimation step includes detection by means of said sensor of a gaze axis of said at least one user, the degree of attention being estimated as a function of a direction of said gaze axis detected.

3. Management method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the estimation step includes detection by means of said sensor of an interaction of said at least one user with the terminal, the degree of attention being estimated as a function of said detected interaction.

4. A management method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the estimation step includes an estimation by means of said sensor of a degree of secondary attention (ATu') paid by said at least one user to a third screen (E2) during the broadcast of said content, the degree of attention being estimated as a function of said estimated degree of secondary attention.

5. A management method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the estimation step includes detection by means of said sensor of a user's use of a second terminal, the degree of attention being estimated based on said detected use.

6. A management method according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the multimedia content (I) is video content.

7. A management method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adaptation step takes into account the degree estimated attention span of a plurality of users present within a given perimeter of the screen displaying the content.

8. A management method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one suitable rendering parameter is chosen from: - a resolution (of the content itself or of the screen displaying said content), - a volume level, - a content stream quality, - a screen brightness when displaying the content, - graphics parameters applied to the calculation of content generated by a graphics card.

9. Management device (DG) for at least one rendering parameter of multimedia content (I) displayed on a screen (E) of a terminal (Tl), and comprising: - an estimation module (ME), configured to estimate by means of at least one sensor (C), a degree of attention (ATu) paid by at least one user (U) to a screen (E) during a broadcast of said content, and - an adaptation module (MA), configured to adapt at least one rendering parameter (PA) of the content on said screen according to the estimated degree of attention.

10. System (SYS) comprising: - a screen (E) of a terminal Tl, displaying content (I), - at least one sensor (C), and - a management device (DG) according to claim 9, of a rendering parameter of content displayed on the screen (E) as a function of a degree of attention (ATu) paid by at least one user to the screen (E) estimated using said at least one sensor.

11. System (SYS) according to claim 10, wherein at least one said sensor C comprises: - a camera, - a proximity sensor, - a gyroscope or an accelerometer, - an input device, and / or - a touch screen.

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