FR3044193A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANAGING COMMUNICATION - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for managing a communication between a first terminal (T1) and at least one second terminal (T2), the first terminal (T1) being a terminal able to be moved remotely in the local environment ( ENV), by a user of the second terminal, during the communication, the local environment being divided into several areas. The first terminal obtains (E21) a group of allowed communication parameters for each area of the local environment, and detects (E22) a location of the first terminal in the local environment. It determines (E23) parameters of the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal from a group of communication parameters obtained for the detected location. The determined parameters are applied (E24) to the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal.

Description

The invention relates to the field of videophone communications established with at least one mobile terminal. It relates to a device and a method for managing a communication established via at least one mobile terminal, in particular a mobile terminal such as a telepresence robot.

The term tele-presence refers to several techniques that allow a person to feel as if they are present, to appear to be present, or to have an effect in a place other than their actual location. .

In general, current telepresence systems are based on videoconferencing solutions, allowing to see and dialogue with his interlocutor, to provide a remote communication and presence experience.

Telepresence devices designed for a home environment, such as the Awabot beam + robots, are known. This robotic tele-presence system consists of a mobile platform and a visual and sound interface, allowing a remote user to control a robot from a computer and thus to give the user the possibility to move in a remote environment and communicate with people located in that environment.

Such a system thus allows a remote user to view the local environment through the movement of the robot in the environment when a videophone communication is established between the robot and a terminal of the remote user.

The feeling of presence in the local environment that such a system provides to the remote user then implies a loss of privacy for users of the local environment, since the robot can be moved by the remote user in the local environment. Such a tele-presence system can therefore be perceived as very intrusive by the users present in the local environment.

One of the aims of the invention is to provide improvements over the state of the art.

It proposes for this purpose a method of managing a communication between a first terminal and at least a second terminal. The first terminal is able to be moved remotely in the local environment by a user of the second terminal during the communication. The local environment is divided into several areas. The management method comprises the following steps: - obtaining a group of authorized communication parameters for the first terminal for each zone of the local environment, - detecting a location of the first terminal in the local environment, - determining parameters of the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal from a group of communication parameters obtained for the detected location, - application of said determined parameters to the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal.

The method according to the invention makes it possible to control the parameters of the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal, as a function of the zone of the local environment in which the first terminal is located.

The parameters of the communication are related to the communication mode such as audio, video, text. Thus, for example, when the local environment corresponds to the home of a user of the first terminal, it is possible for this user to prohibit video communications in certain areas of the local environment, such as a room, room baths, etc ....

Such a method can be implemented during the establishment of the communication. In this case, when it is requested to establish a videophone communication for example and the first terminal is in an area of the local environment in which such communication is not possible, the communication can be established in audio mode only.

The method can also be implemented during an already established communication, in video mode. In this case, when the first terminal is moved and arrives in an area of the local environment in which video communication is not possible, the communication then switches to audio only mode.

The various modes or features of realization mentioned hereafter can be added independently or in combination with each other, to the steps of the method defined above.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the method comprises obtaining a group of authorized command parameters of the first terminal for each zone of the local environment, and the configuration of the first terminal from a group. command parameters obtained for the detected location area.

This particular embodiment of the invention makes it possible to adapt the configuration of the first terminal that can be moved in the local environment according to the zones of this local environment. Indeed, different command parameters can be defined according to the zones of the local environment. The control parameters of the first terminal are, for example, the parameters related to the functions of video capture (camera parameters), audio capture (parameters of a microphone), audio reproduction (parameter of the loudspeakers, a headset ), video playback (screen), moving the first terminal (remote control, speed of movement of the first terminal, ...). According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the step of determining the parameters of the communication and / or configuration of the first terminal is also done according to an identifier of the second terminal or a user of the second terminal. .

This particular embodiment of the invention provides the advantage of controlling the parameters of the communication and / or the configuration of the first terminal as a function of the user of the second terminal which is in communication with the first terminal. For example, a video communication may be authorized with a user of the second terminal when that user is registered in the address book of the user of the first terminal or if it is a family member. In another example, the remote control of the first terminal is authorized only to users whose identifier has been previously registered in a memory accessible to the first terminal.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, when the communication is a video communication and the first terminal is located in an area of the local environment in which a video communication is not authorized, the method comprises a step controlling movement of the first terminal in an authorized area of the local environment in which video communication is permitted.

This particular embodiment of the invention thus enables the interlocutors of the first terminal and the second terminal to switch to video mode during the communication as soon as the first terminal is in an area in which such a communication mode is authorized.

According to a variant of this other particular embodiment of the invention, the method of managing a communication comprises a step of modifying the parameters of the communication to add a video component to the communication.

According to another particular embodiment of the invention, when the communication is a video communication and the first terminal moves to an area of the local environment in which a video communication is not authorized and is at a predetermined distance of said zone, the method comprises a step of sending to the second terminal a message indicating that a video mode communication is not allowed in the zone in which the first terminal is likely to enter.

This particular embodiment of the invention makes it possible to warn the user of the second terminal that the first terminal will enter an area in which video communication is not authorized. The user of the second terminal can thus adapt the control of the first terminal if it so desires. The invention also relates to a device able to be moved remotely in a local environment, by a user of a terminal, during a communication established between said device and the terminal, the local environment being divided into several zones, the device comprises: - a processing module adapted to obtain a group of authorized communication parameters for said device for each zone of the local environment, - a detection module for detecting a location of the device in the local environment, - the processing module being also adapted to determine parameters of the communication between the device and the terminal from a group of communication parameters obtained for the detected location and to apply said determined parameters to the communication between the device and the terminal. The invention also relates to a terminal comprising such a device.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the various steps of the method of managing a communication are implemented by instructions of computer programs.

Accordingly, the invention also relates to computer programs on an information carrier, these programs being capable of being implemented respectively in a terminal or more generally in a computer, these programs respectively comprising instructions adapted to the implementation of the various steps of the communication management method which has just been described.

These programs can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other form desirable shape. The invention also relates to a computer-readable information medium, comprising instructions of a computer program as mentioned above.

The information carrier may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a magnetic or electronic recording means, for example a USB key or a hard disk . On the other hand, the information 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. The program according to the invention can be downloaded in particular on an Internet type network.

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 management method of a communication in question.

The advantages of the device, of the terminal, and of the computer program comprising instructions adapted to the implementation of the various steps of the method of managing a communication are identical to those presented in relation with the method of managing a communication. according to any one of the particular embodiments mentioned above.

List of Figures Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention, given as a simple illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the accompanying drawings. , of which: FIG. 1 presents an implementation environment of the invention according to a particular embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 presents steps of the method of managing a communication according to a particular mode of embodiment of the invention, - Figure 3 schematically illustrates a device adapted to the implementation of the invention according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

Description of a particular embodiment of the invention

FIG. 1 comprises a terminal T1 capable of transmitting and receiving audio, video, text, etc. communications via a communication network RES to which the terminal T1 is connected. The communication network RES is a communication network capable of establishing telephone or multimedia communications between terminals connected to this network. The communication network RES is for example an IP communication network based on an IMS architecture. The RES network is for example a 3G or 4G type mobile network or a fixed communication network.

The terminal T1 is a terminal adapted to be moved in a local environment ENV in which it is located. The terminal T1 is for example a telepresence robot. The terminal T1 can be controlled locally by a user of the local environment or remotely by a user of a terminal with which the terminal T1 has established a communication.

FIG. 1 also comprises a terminal T2 adapted to transmit and receive communications via the communication network RES. The T2 terminal can be any type of fixed telephone terminal, mobile, smartphone (smart phone), tablets, PC (personal computer), ...

The terminal T2 is adapted to remotely control the terminal T1 when a telephone or videophone communication is established between the terminal T1 and the terminal T2. For example, when establishing a communication between the terminal T1 and the terminal T2, the terminal T2 receives a list of commands for controlling and moving the terminal T1. The local environment ENV is for example the home of a user of the terminal T1. The local environment ENV is divided into four zones Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 respectively corresponding to rooms of the user's home. For example, zone Z1 is a kitchen, zone Z2 is a bedroom, zone Z3 is a bathroom and zone Z4 is a living room. Such a division of the environment ENV is for example recorded in a memory of the terminal T1 in the form of a digital representation of a topological plane of the ENV environment previously constructed in a known manner, for example by learning from the movements of the terminal T1 in the environment.

Thanks to the digital representation of the registered ENV environment, and a location system, the terminal T1 is able to determine its location in the local environment ENV. The location system is for example a GPS type system or based on a radio triangularization technique or other. Alternatively, the location system may be based on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips placed on the gate thresholds (P41, P42, P43) between each zone Z1-Z4. For example, when the terminal T1 located in the zone Z4 moves and passes through the door threshold P41, the terminal T1 reads the RFID chip placed there and detects that it leaves the zone Z4 and enters the zone Z1.

A group of communication parameters is defined for each zone Z1-Z4 of the local environment ENV. For example, the user of the terminal T1 has previously defined and stored in a memory of the terminal T1 or of a database BDE connected to the network RES for each zone Z1-Z4 the communication parameters defined for this zone. Such communication parameters correspond to the parameters to be applied when receiving or transmitting a communication by the terminal T1 when the terminal T1 is in such a zone.

Thus, for example, the user of the terminal T1 has defined the following communication parameters: for the zones Z1 and Z4, any type of communication is authorized, for the zone Z2, the communications of video type are not authorized, the sound level of the audio communications must not exceed a predetermined threshold, - for zone Z3, video type communications are not allowed.

According to one particular embodiment of the invention, the communication parameters defined for each zone Z1-Z4 are associated with a group of at least one identifier of a terminal or of a user with which the terminal T1 is capable of establish communications. Thus, such communication parameters are only authorized for communications established between the terminal T1 and a terminal or a user thus identified.

When a communication is established between the terminal T1 and another terminal whose identifier has not been associated with communication parameters, the communication is established in a communication mode defined by default, for example in audio or video mode.

For example, for the zone Z1, the video type communications are associated with an identifier of the terminal T2. Thus, only the terminal T2 is authorized to establish a video communication with the terminal T1 when the terminal T1 is located in the zone Z1. According to another particular embodiment of the invention, a group of control parameters of the terminal T1 is defined for each zone Z1-Z4. Such parameters can be registered in advance by the user of the terminal T1 in a memory of the terminal T1 or the database BDE.

The control parameters of the terminal T1 correspond to the control functions of the terminal T1 which can be used by a remote terminal with which the terminal T1 is in communication.

For example, such control parameters correspond to the parameters of video capture (camera parameters), audio capture (parameters of a microphone), audio reproduction (parameter of loudspeakers, headphones), rendering video (screen), movement of the terminal T1 (remote control, speed of movement of the first terminal, ...).

The control parameters of the terminal T1 can make it possible to configure the terminal T1 so as to allow or not the activation of the functions mentioned above or to set thresholds for using these functions: for example a maximum level of sound reproduction of a communication, or a minimum level of sound reproduction of a communication, adaptation of the sound reproduction level according to a sound level detected in the room in which the terminal T1 is located.

As a variant, the control parameters of the terminal T1 are associated with a group of terminal identifiers with which the terminal T1 is capable of establishing communications. Thus, only the terminals thus identified can control the terminal T1 remotely.

For example, an identifier of the terminal T2, for example the telephone number associated with the terminal T2, is associated with the movement control of the terminal T1. Thus, the terminal T2 is authorized to remotely move the terminal T1 in the environment ENV.

The BDE database of FIG. 1 is for example a server deployed by a service provider providing the telepresence services associated with the terminal T1. Such a database BDE is accessible by the terminal T1 via the communication network RES. For example, the terminal T1 communicates with the database BDE via requests according to the http protocol to obtain from the database BDE or provide the database with the communication parameters defined for the zones Z1-Z4, or the parameters terminal T1 defined for zones Z1-Z4.

FIG. 2 presents steps of the method of managing a communication according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

During a step E20, the terminal T1 receives a video communication request from the terminal T2. For example, such a communication request is received in the form of an INVITE message according to the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) comprising in a SDP field (for Standard Description Protocol) the list of audio and video codecs available on the terminal. T2.

As a variant, the communication request is sent by the terminal T1 to the terminal T2. According to this variant, during the step E20, the terminal T1 receives a communication request in the form of a user interaction on an interface of the terminal T1 requesting the establishment of a video communication with the terminal T2, for example in selecting the contact associated with the terminal T2 in an address book of the terminal T1 and activating a video call button following this selection.

In a step E21, the terminal T1 obtains a group of authorized communication parameters for the terminal T1 for each zone Z1-Z4 of the local environment ENV. The group of communication parameters can be obtained from a memory of the terminal T1. As a variant, the group of communication parameters can be obtained from the database BDE accessible to the terminal T1 via the communication network RES.

During a step E22, the terminal T1 detects the location where it is in the local environment. For this purpose, the terminal T1 uses a radio triangulation system coupled to the digital representation of the local environment ENV saved in memory of the terminal T1 or in the database BDE.

As a variant, the terminal T1 determines its location from an initial location configured by the user of the terminal T1 and its successive displacements. For example, at the initialization of the terminal T1, the terminal T1 is positioned in the zone Z4 and such a position is configured in the terminal T1 by the user of the terminal T1. Then, when the terminal T1 moves or is moved, and it changes zone, the T1 terminal stores in memory the new area of the ENV environment in which it is located. This new zone then becomes its current location. For example, when the terminal T1 moves from the zone Z4 to the zone Z1 via the passage P41 of FIG. 1, the terminal T1 reads an RFID chip placed on the passage P41 and determines that it passes from the zone Z4 , its current location, at zone Z1. When the passage P41 is crossed, the current location of the terminal T1 is then the zone Z1.

Alternatively, other location systems can be used, based on sensors placed in the ENV environment for example.

During a step E23, the terminal T1 then determines from its current location, the communication parameters to be applied to the communication requested during step E20.

In the example described here, when the communication request is received, the terminal T1 is located in the zone Z2. In zone Z2, video type communications are not allowed.

During a step E24, the terminal T1 applies to the requested communication the communication parameters determined in step E23. For this purpose, the terminal T1 sends to the terminal T2 a SIP 2000K response message comprising in an SDP field the list of audio codecs available on the terminal T1. Such a response message sent in response to the INVITE message does not include video codecs. Thus, the communication to be established between the terminal T1 and the terminal T2 can not be established in video mode.

In the variant in which the communication request is sent by the terminal T1, the steps E21, E22 and E23 are implemented before sending the communication request. The communication request is sent during step E24 in the form of a SIP INVITE message that does not include a video codec.

According to a variant of the particular embodiment of the invention, during the step E23, the terminal T1 also obtains a group of authorized T1 terminal control parameters.

During a step E25, the terminal T1 then configures the commands of the terminal T1 from the group of control parameters obtained and according to the current location of the terminal T1. In the example described here, the remote control command is not allowed in the area of the current location Z2 of the terminal T1 and the sound volume of the audio communication must not exceed a predetermined threshold, for example 50 dB. The terminal T1 is configured so that the sound reproduction of the audio communication by the speakers of the terminal T1 does not exceed this predetermined threshold. For example, the terminal T1 sets the maximum rendering value to the predetermined threshold value.

During a step E26, the communication between the terminal T1 and the terminal T2 is established. For example, the terminal T2 sends a SIP acknowledgment message ACK to the terminal T1 following the receipt of the SIP message 2000K received from the terminal T1. The communication is established in audio mode.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, since the initially requested communication was a video communication, but the current location of the terminal T1 does not allow it, during a step E27, the terminal T1 determines from of the group of parameters obtained in step E21, an area of the local environment ENV in which a video communication with the terminal T2 is authorized. Video communication is allowed in zones Z1 and Z4.

In step E27, the terminal T1 moves towards the zone Z4 from the digital representation of the environment ENV stored in the memory of the terminal T1.

Steps E22, E23, E24, E25 are then iterated. During the step E22, passing through the passage P42, the terminal T1 determines that it changes zone and that its current location is now Z4.

In step E23, the terminal T1 determines that video communication is allowed in the zone Z4. The terminal T1 modifies, during the step E24, the parameters of the communication established between the terminal T1 and the terminal T2. For this, the terminal T1 sends a SIP message Re-INVITE comprising in a SDP field a video coded list. The parameters of the communication are thus modified to add a video component to the current communication. The terminal T2 responds with a SIP 2000K message comprising in a SDP field a video codec. The camera and the screen of the terminal T1 are activated and the communication established between the terminal T1 and the terminal T2 switches to video mode.

In the step E25, the terminal T1 determines that the remote control command of the terminal T1 is authorized in the zone Z4. During the step E25, the terminal T1 then transmits to the terminal T2 a message comprising a set of control commands of the terminal T1 so that the user of the terminal T2 can remotely control the terminal T1. Such a message may be sent in the form of a SIP message or an http request if the terminal T2 and the terminal T1 are connected according to this protocol.

In step E25, the maximum sound reproduction level is reconfigured to its default value since in zone Z4, the sound reproduction level of the communication is not limited.

When the terminal T1 is in the zone Z4, during a step E28, the terminal T1 is moved on command of the user of the terminal T2. In the step E28, the terminal T2 sends a movement command to the terminal T1. The user of the terminal T2 remotely controls the movement of the terminal T1 in the direction of the zone Z3.

Displacement commands can be transmitted in the form of a label, possibly associated with a direction, a travel time or a travel distance. For example, the terminal T1 receives a command of the form "AV 1" to advance 1 meter. As a variant, when the user of the terminal T2 has a visual feedback of the movement of the terminal T1, a displacement command can be transmitted via a start command triggering the start of the displacement, with the possibility for the user of the terminal T2 to transmit a change of direction command, and an end command stopping the movement.

According to another variant, the user of the terminal T2 may indicate, for example by positioning a cursor on a plane representing the local environment ENV, the location where he wants the terminal T1 to be positioned. The transmission of such a location to the terminal T1 then corresponds to a displacement command. The T1 terminal then moves to the indicated location.

The movement command received by the terminal T1 can be received for example via the service platform of the provider of the telepresence system. For example, the terminal T2 communicates with the service platform via a notification mechanism in which it transmits the movement commands. The T1 terminal having subscribed to the notifications issued by the T2 terminal to the service platform, the T1 terminal receives the movement orders via notifications issued by the service platform.

Alternatively, the movement command can be received directly from the terminal T2 via an http request if a web communication channel exists between the terminal T1 and the terminal T2 or a SIP message. any other protocol for transmitting text information may be used.

During a step E29, the terminal T1 detects that it is close to the zone Z3, for example by reading the RFID chip at the passage P43. When the terminal T1 has detected that it is close to the zone Z3, during the step E29, the terminal T1 determines from the group of communication parameters obtained during the step E21 that the video communications are not allowed in zone Z3.

During a step E30, the terminal T1 sends to the terminal T2 a message indicating that the video mode communication is not allowed in the zone Z3.

Following step E30, if the user of the terminal T2 continues to move the terminal T1 so that the terminal T1 enters the zone Z3, the terminal T1 iterates the steps E22 to E24 so as to modify the parameters of the communication and to switch communication in audio mode only.

As a variant, the terminal T1 can adapt its own configuration without modifying the parameters of the communication, for example by automatically switching off the camera of the terminal T1 when the terminal T1 enters the zone Z3.

Figure 3 schematically illustrates a device adapted to the implementation of the invention according to a particular embodiment of the invention.

The T1 device has the classic architecture of a computer. The device T1 comprises a storage module MEM, for example a memory, a processing unit PROC, equipped for example with a microprocessor, and controlled by the computer program PG implementing the method of managing a communication such as As described in connection with FIG. 2, at initialization, the code instructions of the computer program PG are for example loaded into memory MEM before being executed by the processor of the processing unit PROC. The processor of the processing unit PROC implements the steps of the method of managing a communication, according to the instructions of the computer program PG.

The device T1 is able to be moved remotely in a local environment, by a user of a second terminal, during a communication established between said device and the second terminal. The local environment is divided into several areas.

According to the instructions of the computer program PG, the processing module PROC obtains a group of allowed communication parameters for said device for each zone of the local environment.

The device T1 also comprises a detection module LOC for detecting a location of the device T1 in the local environment. The detection module LOC is activated by the processing module PROC on instruction of the computer program PG. The processing module PROC determines parameters of the communication between the device T1 and the second terminal from a group of communication parameters obtained for the location detected by the detection module LOC. The processing module applies said determined parameters to the communication between the device and the second terminal.

The device T1 also comprises a communication module COM. The communication module COM makes it possible, in particular, for the device T1 to receive and transmit audio / video / text communications with another terminal via a communication network, to receive remote control commands and to communicate with a database via the communication network RES.

The device T1 conventionally comprises an audio capture module MIC, such as a microphone, a video capture module CAM, such as a camera, a sound reproduction module HP, such as loudspeakers, a visual rendering module ECR, such as a screen.

The device T1 is for example constituted by a telepresence robot, comprising on the one hand a support part, which is on wheels and which is motorized, and on the other hand an interactive tablet mounted on said support part. Said tablet can be independent of the robot and simply carried by it. It can alternatively be integrated with it, its microprocessor controlling the different movements of the robot.

Claims (9)

claims A method of managing a communication between a first terminal (T1) and at least a second terminal (T2), the first terminal being a terminal able to be moved remotely in the local environment (ENV) during the communication, by a user of the second terminal, the local environment being divided into several areas, the method comprises the following steps: - obtaining (E21) a group of authorized communication parameters for the first terminal for each zone of the local environment, - detection (E22) of a location of the first terminal in the local environment, - determination (E23) of the parameters of the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal from a group of communication parameters obtained for the detected location, - application (E24) of said determined parameters to the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal. 2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: obtaining a group of authorized command parameters of the first terminal for each zone of the local environment, configuring the first terminal from a group of command parameters obtained for the detected location area. 3. Management method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the step of determining the parameters of the communication and / or configuration of the first terminal is also done according to an identifier of the second terminal or of a user of the second terminal. 4. Management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when the communication is a video communication and the first terminal is located in an area of the local environment in which a video communication is not authorized, the method comprises a step of controlling a movement of the first terminal in an authorized area of the local environment in which a video communication is authorized. The management method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of modifying the parameters of the communication to add a video component to the communication. The management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein when the communication is a video communication and the first terminal moves to an area of the local environment in which a video communication is not allowed and is at a predetermined distance from said area, the method comprises a step of sending to the second terminal a message indicating that a video mode communication is not allowed in the area in which the first terminal is capable of 'enter. 7. Terminal able to be moved remotely in a local environment (ENV) during a communication established between said terminal and a second terminal, by a user of the second terminal, the local environment being divided into several zones, the terminal comprises: - a processing module (PROC) adapted to obtain a group of authorized communication parameters for said terminal for each zone of the local environment, - a detection module (LOC) for detecting a location of the first terminal in the local environment, the processing module being also adapted to determine parameters of the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal from a group of communication parameters obtained for the detected location area and to apply the said determined parameters to the communication between the first terminal and the second terminal. 8. Computer program product comprising code instructions for the execution of the management method according to one of claims 1 to 6 when said method is implemented by a processor. Computer-readable information carrier, comprising computer program instructions according to claim 8.