MXPA05014005A - Parental monitoring of digital content - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for obtaining information about a media object being rendered on a remote device is returned in response to a parental monitoring query. Specifically, a query is issued via a monitoring device (615) through a network connection. In response to such a query, information is returned back to the monitoring device (655) indicating a multicast address and port number to which the remote device is currently joined. The monitoring device then joins the multicast address and port number to receive the media object transmitted over such a multicast address. Optionally, the monitoring device kills the receipt of the media object by the remote device in response to a kill command (679, 689).

Description

PARENTAL CONTROL OF DIGITAL CONTENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the field of delivery of media objects, specifically the monitoring of media objects delivered to remote devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the large amount of movie and music content available through a delivery mechanism such as the Internet, parents can not know what their children see and hear. Some material that children have may be sexually or offensive in nature, and parents do not want their children to be exposed to such material. In addition, parents may want to restrict access to web sites and other media that expose children to inappropriate material. Certain Internet content may be restricted with the use of software, known as network browser filtering software. These filters prevent children from entering different sites of the network by blocking the use of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses that correspond to such sites. Typically, a filtering program has a list of IP addresses or restricted keywords that are used as the basis for the blocking operation. Parents may also want to monitor the activity of your child with the Internet, through the use of a program called Internet monitor that maintains a log file of the websites that the child has accessed while connected to the Internet. These log files can also record the child's keyboard input during a session on the Internet. These methods described to restrict access to Internet resources involve some kind of passive monitoring, where a program such as a network browser filter has instructions on how to restrict access to the child to the Internet. The software does not necessarily provide the parent with the ability to monitor the child's actions in real time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A system and method for monitoring the actions of a user while receiving a media object are described. The information related to the transmitted media object is related to an operator, in response to a parental control request command. The operator deciphers such information to identify the media object from the multi-transmission address and the port used to receive the object from multiple transmission media. As an option, an additional identifier of program information is provided to identify the additional aspects of the multiple transmission media object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a transcoder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a block diagram of two transcoders communicating through a network connection, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 shows a block diagram of two transcoders communicating through a network connection and a gateway device, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 shows a block diagram of two transcoders communicating through a network connection to an end device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 shows a block diagram of a transcoder and a personal computer communicating with an end device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 shows a flow chart of a method for requesting a transcoder using a parental control request command, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 shows a flow chart of a method for requesting a personal computer to use a command from application for parental control, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in relation to a transcoder with the ability to receive and deliver media objects on a delivery system based on the Internet protocol. The Internet protocol refers to a delivery system that receives media objects from a source such as a network site, media server or other type of resources available through a connection to the Internet. Typically, a transcoder enabled on the IP connects to the Internet through a connection, such as a subscriber's digital line, a cable-based connection, a wireless connection or another type of broadband connection. As used herein, the term "media object" includes audio, video, text, multimedia data and media files in current. Multimedia objects comprise any combination of text, image, audio and video data. Streaming media includes audio, video, multimedia, text, and interactive data files that are delivered to a user through the Internet, satellite, or other communications network environment and begin to play on the computer / user's device before the complete file delivery is completed. Media objects can be transmitted over any communications network including the Internet, satellite (digital satellite system, digital video satellite system), cable, DSL, T1 lines, wireless networks, or other delivery systems with the ability to deliver media objects. Examples of the content of media objects include songs, political speeches, news broadcasts, movie clips, movies, television show transmissions, radio broadcasts, financial conference calls, live concerts, network-based broadcasts, and other special events. Media objects are encoded in various formats including REALAUDIO®, REALVIDEO®, REALMEDIA®, APPLE QUICKTIME®, MICROSOFT WINDOWS®, MEDIA FORMAT, QUICKTIME®, MPEG-2 VIDEO COMPRESSION (MOTION PICTURES EXPERTS GROUP), AUDIO COMPRESSION AND / O VIDEO MPEG-4, JOINT VIDEO TEAM COMPRESSION FORMAT (MPEG-4 part 10 AVC H.264), MPEG-2 LAYER III AUDIO, MP3®. Typically, media objects are designated with extensions (suffixes) that indicate compatibility with specific formats. For example, media objects (for example audio and video files) that end in one of the .ram, .rm, .rpm extensions are compatible with the REALMEDIA® format. Some examples of extensions and their compatible formats are listed in Table 1. A more comprehensive list of compatible media types, extensions and formats can be found at http: //www.bowers, cc / ext ensions2.htm TABLE 1 The illustrated embodiments of the invention operate with media objects that contain video data to present a video presentation of "quality close to cinematographic films". Such media objects can be encoded in a variety of formats such as MPEG-2 (Motion Picture Standards Group Standard ISO / IEC 13818-1: 2000) and ITU-T H.264 / MPEG AVC (ISO / IEC 14496-10), or they may be uncompressed. In order to receive the media objects, the IP-enabled transcoder is linked to or leaves the IP address called multi-transmission group having a corresponding media object transmitted on that IP address. Multiple broadcast groups also allow multiple transcoders (multiple subscribers) to join the same IP address to receive the media object. On the other hand, a group of no multiple transmission only allows a transcoder (a single subscriber) to use one IP address at a time. The multiple transmission operations described for the invention make use of a multiple transmission proxy compatible with the protocol described in the document entitled Host Extensions for IP Multicasting (Request for Comments (RFC) 988)., Network Working Group, July 1986), although other multiple transmission protocols may be used in accordance with the principles of the present invention. For purposes of this invention, a host will be the party that is responsible for distributing a media object at a specific IP address. A client, such as an IP-enabled transcoder, has access to a desired media object from the host at the specific 1P address. The host maintains multiple transmission operations with the use of a data protocol such as the Internet group management protocol (IGMP, see RFC 988 Attachment 1). The host can also act as a gateway device that acts as a front end device that communicates and negotiates resources from the Internet to the client. For example, the client uses a DSL or cable connection to communicate with an end device or subscriber digital line access multiplier (DSLAM) as a host to transmit and receive resources from the Internet. No matter the operation of this invention when the devices are level 1 or level 2, in accordance with RFC 988. The availability of the media object to be available An IP address can be used as a permanently assigned IP address or as a temporary IP address. A program called a multi-streaming agent is responsible for keeping track of the members that join or link to the broadcast group to receive the media object. The multicast agent may be on the same equipment that is used by the host, a router, or any other network capable device to maintain multiple transmission connections based on IGMP. Figure 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a transcoder with the ability to receive IP-based media objects transmitted from a network, such as the Internet. Specifically, the system 20 receives data from a network connection 19 that receives the IP-based data through any type of network connection such as an Ethernet, IEEE-1394, USB connection; fiber optics, braided cables, and their like. The network interface 79 coupled with the network connection 19 receives the requested media object and is received through the network connection 19 through the Internet or a network-based connection with the use of the transport scheme based on IP as TCP / IP, see Transmission Protocol Control, Request for Comments 793, Network Working Group, September 1981. The data representing the media object is processed by the transport decoder 13 that handles communications based on TCP / IP between the system 20 and the resources available through the network connection. He The transport decoder 13 outputs the received program representative of the multiplexed audio, video and data components for a unit 17, which demultiplexes the audio, video and data components received by the unit 22, which are also processed by other elements of the system 100 decoder. These other elements include a video decoder 25, an audio processor 35, a sub-picture processor 30, an on-screen display generator (OSD), a multiplexer 40, an NTSC encoder 45, and a storage interface 95 . In one mode, the decoder 100 provides the decoded data of the media object for its display and audio reproduction in the units 50 and 55, respectively. In another mode, the transport stream from the unit 17 is processed by the decoder 100 to provide a data stream representative of the media object for storage in the storage medium 98 through the storage device 90. In other data entry modes, the units 72, 74 and 78 provide additional interfaces for the audio and video data in streams from the telephone line 18, the satellite data from the power line 11 and the video cable from the cable line 14, and the video and guide data from the network connection 19, respectively. The data processed from units 72, 74, and 78 are appropriately decoded by units 13 and 17 and are provided to a decoder 100 for further processing in a manner similar to that described in relation to the network interface 79.

A user selects to view a media object or on-screen menu, such as a program guide, with the use of the remote control unit 70. The processor 60 uses the selected information provided from the remote control unit 70 through the interface 65 to appropriately configure the elements of Figure 1, in order to receive a desired program channel to be able to see it. The processor 60 comprises a processor 62 and a controller 64. The unit 62 processes (ie, analyzes, collects and assembles) the program-specific information including the program guide and the system information and the controller 64 carries out the functions of remaining control required in the operating decoder 100. Although the functions of unit 60 can be implemented as separate elements 62 and 64, as illustrated in Figure 1, can alternatively be implemented as a single processor. For example, the functions of units 62 and 64 can be incorporated into the programmed instructions of a microprocessor. The processor 60 configures the processor 13, the decoder 17 and the decoder system 100 to demodulate and decode the format of the input signal and the type of coding. The units 13, 17 and the sub-units within the decoder 100 are configured individually for the type of input signal by the processor 60, which adjusts the values of the control register within these elements with the use of a bar collector C bidirectional data and control signal. The transport stream information provided to the decoder 100 comprises data packets containing the program channel data and the program-specific information. Unit 22 directs the program-specific information packets to processor 60, which analyzes, collects and assembles this information to be arranged in hierarchical tables. The individual data packets comprising the channel of the program selected by the user are identified and assembled with the use of the specific information of the assembled program. The program-specific information contains conditional access, network information, identification, and link data that allow the system in Figure 1 to request a media object from a multiple transmission group listed in a multiple-transmission IP address and assemble the data packages to form complete programs. The program-specific information also contains auxiliary program guide information (for example, an EPG electronic program guide) and descriptive text related to media objects as well as data supporting the identification and assembly of auxiliary information. By creating a list of available media objects that are obtained through a media object enabled with multiple transmission, a service identifier, such as an identifier compatible with a session description protocol (SDP; see Request for Comments 2327). Network Working Group, April 1998), is used to identify attributes of the media object.

The identifier contains information on attributes such as the title of the media object, the multiple transmission address or information used to identify the place where the service can be obtained, the time at which the media object is available, the duration of the service, the transport protocol of the media object, the format of the media object, any metadata related to the title, author, and content of the media object, and their peers. The service identifiers are available directly to the routers, hosts, clients and other components enabled by the network that operate to offer multiple transmission services. These service identifiers can also be identified as "channels" that are copied to the multiple transmission address, as the transmission channels are copied at the specific transmission frequencies. Preferably, the multiple transmission address and the port of a multiple transmission media object is copied to a "channel" in a channel file, see Table 2. This copy of the channel (information) is kept internal in the transcoder in the case that the transcoder operates as a client endowed, and remains external in a medium server or another type of database in the case where the transcoder operates as an underfunded client. TABLE 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, an end device such as a router or server operates as a network gateway device that enables a transcoder such as a system 20 to communicate with the Internet. The service identifiers, when available, are transmitted through multiple broadcasting agents to the end device, which in turn communicates these identifiers to the transcoder 20. These service identifiers can then be compared by the transcoder 20 to form a radio guidance. program from which the user selects a media object. This information will then be an addition for the IGMP-based information, which typically communicates between a gateway device and the client, such as the transcoder 20. In addition, the service identifier information may become available from the service or router at The Internet, which acts primarily for the purpose of listing multiple broadcast programming. Alternatively, the service identifiers are transmitted as part of the auxiliary information accompanying the video and audio data of a media object directly selected for the transcoder 20, bypassing the gateway device in the Internet. Other mechanisms can be used to obtain the service identifier information, in accordance with the principles of the invention Transcoder 20 is also enabled to operate software that operates a program such as an Internet browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or MOZILLA to reproduce the data received from the Internet. Specifically, the browser software is used to operate with programs such as Javascript or ActiveX Scripts. Preferably, an intermediate software is installed in the transcoder 20 to reproduce and enable the web pages, programs and other Internet-based programs, which are played to be displayed by the NTSC / PAL decoder and operated through the control device. of the user as a remote control unit 70. The intermediate software may optionally control the operation of the transcoder 20 to join / leave the multiple transmission services, reproduce an electronic program guide, use the indicators of the received program, and negotiate the IGMP information to and from the Internet access gateway as a router or server, as described above. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a system 200 that exposes transcoders enabled in the network that communicate over a network connection. Specifically, the Figure illustrates a transcoder 220 and 230 that receive media objects through the network connection by the modem 210 DSL. The transcoders 220 and 230 are connected with a local area network connection as Ethernet or a Home Phoneline Network Alliance (HPNA) connection. A user can select a media object by having access to a program guide, as described above, and selects the desired media object that is obtained from the associated multiple broadcast address through modem 210 DSL. In the present embodiment, the intermediate software in both transcoders 220 and 230 allows a parent or another user to observe the programming that is being viewed in one of the transcoders. For example, a parent operating a transcoder 220 (also called a monitoring device) wants to know the media object that his son is watching in the transcoder 230 (also called as a remote device). By operating a "parental monitoring option" option through a menu or command in the remote control unit 70, the transcoder 220 internally reviews the program indicator information to determine what is being viewed in the transcoder 230. The transcoder 220, in this embodiment of the invention, controls the operation of the DSL modem 210, such as a router. Therefore, the transcoder 220 has requests for linking, abandonment and requesting of multiple transmission services routed from the transcoder 230 through the transcoder 220 to the modem 210 DSL. All operations of transcoder 230 are indicated in an IGMP table stored in transcoder 220, called the case of the endowed client. When the father wants to meet what is seen in the transcoder 230, the table 1GMP is reviewed to indicate the media object that is passing the transcoder 230 in a specific multicast address. The transcoder 220 then links the media object to a specific multicast address, which is reproduced for the parent to examine. When the IGMP information is not available internally from the transcoder 220 about the media object to be reproduced in the transcoder 230, the transcoder 220 optionally makes contact with a server through the network connection to obtain such information, which is calls the case of the infradotado client. In the optional embodiment of the invention, the transcoder 220, as a monitoring device, reproduces the media object to be received by the transcoder 230, by linking to the same multiple transmission group. The media object will be reproduced in a full window, a window images in images, in a network browser, in a media player, or in any other appropriate mechanism used to reproduce media objects. The reproduction of the media object may apply with the disclosed embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3 is a block diagram of a system 300 showing the transcoders enabled by the network that communicate through a network connection and a gateway device. The system 300 exposes a switch 320 that controls the modem 310 for communication to and from the Internet, through of the network connection. In this example, the transcoder 330 and 340 are connected through a local area network connection to the switch 320. When a parent operating the transcoder 330 desires to know the media object that his son is viewing in the transcoder 340, the transcoder 330 sends a request for downloading information from the IGMP table information from the transcoder 340. This information can be transmitted from the switch 320, which retains the information about all the media objects to be accessed by the transcoders in the local network or directly from the transcoder 340. The transcoder 330, after receiving the requested information, then revises the IGMP table for the current multiple transmission address of the media object to be accessed by the transcoder 340 and reproduces such an object of media. Optionally, the multiple transmission address indicated in the IGMP table is checked against the channel file that is in the transcoder 330 or other information of the channel identifier requested by the transcoder 330 through the switch 320 to the Internet for the identification of the multicast address to be accessed by the transcoder 340. The requested information is then delivered back to the transcoder 330, wherein the object of the multiple transmission means can be linked to the specific multicast address. Figure 4 is a block diagram of a system 400 presenting network-enabled transcoders that communicate through a network connection to an end device. The transcoders 410 and 420 are connected to the modems 415 and 524 to transmit and receive the information from the Internet. In this embodiment of the present invention, end device 465 includes a DSLAM 460 and an IP end router 464 that sends requests for resources from the Internet received from transcoders 410 and 420. In this embodiment of the present invention, a video server 490 drives a video-based media object over a multiple transmission address that has the ability to access through the IP end router 465. The video server 490 is any mass storage device such as a RAID based server, with the ability to transmit media objects with video base and the associated audio. Typically, a request for a media object (as identified from the received information identifier) is transmitted from the transcoder 410 or 420 through the network to the end device 450. The IP end router 465 re-sends the request, which is actually a command to "bind" the multiple transmission with the multiple transmission address that corresponds to the video server 490. When a parent operating a transcoder 410 desires to know the accessed media object in the transcoder 420, the party issues interrogations for the transcoder 410 with the use of the parental control command, in accordance with the prior art. described. In one embodiment of the present invention, the transcoder 410 does not have the internal IGMP information that identifies the media object to be presented in the transcoder 420. Therefore, the parental control interrogation command is re-sent through the modem 415 and the end 450 to the medium server 470, which contains the list of IGMP information of the media objects that are currently accessed by the transcoders operating through the end 450. For example, the medium server 470 lists the address information IP of the transcoder and the IP address of the multiple transmission address to be accessed by a corresponding transcoder, although other information may be presented. Once interrogated, the average server 470 sends back a response to the transcoder 410, which indicates the information indicating the multiple transmission address of the media object to be accessed by the transcoder 420. Alternatively, when a parental control interrogation is issued by the transcoder 410, the IP end router 465 contains the list of current IGMP information that links the list of IP addresses of the multiple broadcast media objects to be accessed by the transcoders through the 465 router. The identification information and permission information related to the operation of the 465 router and transcoder 420 communicate back to transcoder 410, as a simple network management protocol message, (SNMP, see Simple Network Management Protocol, Requests for Comments 1157, Network Working Group, May 1990). For example, the SNMP message returned to the transcoder 410 containing the IP address of the transcoder 420 and the multiple transmission address of the media object to be accessed through the transcoder 420. Once the transcoder 410 has the multicast address of the media object, you can use the internal information to decrypt and play the media object at the address corresponding to the video server 490 or the transcoder 410 that enters a database of the program identifiers from the 465 router or the 470 server to decipher the content of the media object. Figure 5 is a block diagram of a system 500 of a transcoder enabled by the network and a personal computer that communicates through a network connection with an end device for multiple transmission media object. This embodiment of the invention is similar to the embodiment described in Figure 4, except that a personal computer (PC) 520 replaces transcoder 420. Transcoder 510 and PC 520 communicate through modems 515 and 525 DSL, respectively , to an end device 550 for requesting and receiving media objects from the video servers 590 and 595. When a parent operating a transcoder 510 wants to determine what will be seen on the PC 520, various modalities may be employed depending on the way in which the PC 520 enters the media objects. When the PC 520 enters the media objects with the use of a proxy, the transcoder 510 can request the endpoint 550 of the http access records of the pages of the network to be accessed by the PC 520. When the http information only the IP address information returns, the transcoder 510 can decrypt the IP address when carrying out a query in the inverted domain name (DNS) system from the Internet proxy / router 580 that contains the DNS information, as is known in the technique. Other resources with an IP address received through the Internet 599, with FTP servers and other media servers are determined in a similar manner, as described above. In an alternative embodiment, when the transcoder 510 issues a parental control interrogation for the media objects accessed through the PC 520, the system is configured to return a browser history file of the PC 520 to the transcoder 510. Specifically, the PC 520 is operated with an intermediate software that controls the network sites and media objects that can be accessed by the PC 250. The intermediate software also includes an option that loads the history file into the transcoder 510 containing the information such as the IP addresses and DNS names of the accessed resources, the times and duration of such access, and any other related information. Optionally, the PC 520 is configured with a filtering program that restricts access to the objects of means, as determined in accordance with the preferences of the transcoder 510 operative of the parent. These access permissions can be configured remotely through the transcoder 510. Figure 6 is a flow diagram of a method for a transcoder enabled by the network to determine the media object to be accessed in a second transcoder enabled by the network. . The method 600 describes an exemplary embodiment of a method used by the systems set forth in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Specifically, two transcoders are used in a network, where the parent or another operator with the use of the first transcoder wishes to know what is accessed by the second transcoder. In steps 605, 610 and 615, an operator of the first transcoder issues a patrol control interrogation command. This command determines whether the operator wants to know if a second transcoder is used (step 605) and when the operator wants to know the media object that is currently being viewed (step 610). After issuing the command interrogation command, step 620 determine if the access code is required so that the operator has access to the information returned by the parental control interrogation. When the access code is required, the operator is required to enter the code in step 625. After successful entry of the access code or such code is not required, step 330 proceeds to where a command based on SNMP or a related type of command is issued for the router to return the multiple transmission address of the resource seen at that moment by the second transcoder. This interrogation command follows a basic management information (MIB) aspect of the parental SNMP, or another protocol used to operate the transcoder. When the router does not recognize such an interrogation, step 640 proceeds to where the router returns an error command that is reproduced as an error message by the first transcoder in step 650. Otherwise, in step 655, the router sends an error message of return to the first transcoder, which contains the current multiple transmission address and the port to be accessed by the second transcoder. This SNMP message is received by the first transcoder in step 660, and may contain the program identifier information, as described above. Method 600 is divided into two separate modes, depending on whether the first transcoder operates as a gifted or infradiated client, as shown in step 670. An infradiated client as described above, has to request the information from an external resource to copy the returned multiple transmission address and port corresponding to the media object. This copied information, in one embodiment of the present invention, is maintained in an average server, and such information is returned to the requesting transcoder in response to a command from interrogation. By contrast, a gifted client contains the intermediate software that contains the copied information without having to request such copied information from an external source. Therefore, when the first transcoder operates as a gifted client, the transcoder has access to its own internal copied information to copy the multiple transmission address and the port into an internal channel file, in step 675. In step 677 , the first transcoder displays the identified media object in the specific multicast address. Conversely, when the first transcoder operates as an undersupplied client in step 680, the first transcoder transmits an interrogation with Javascript base to the middle server to identify the channel associated with the multiple transmission address and the port to be accessed by the second one. transcoder. The middle server identifies the corresponding media channel / object in step 682 and transmits that information back to the first transcoder in step 684. The first transcoder then links the multiple transmission address associated with the channel in step 686. One step optional is provided as step 679 for a gifted client and step 689 for an infradiated client, wherein the operator of the first transcoder can close the supply received by the second transcoder. Specifically, the operator issues a "kill" command that is transmitted from the first transcoder to the router. The router, upon completion, issues a "leave" command to a host that transmits the media object to the second transcoder. Therefore, the second transcoder is unlinked from the transmitted media object. Alternatively, the first transcoder can request that the channel table that is used to copy and deliver the multiple transmission media object to the second transcoder copy a second corresponding channel to a different transmit address and port from the media object. currently obtained. Figure 7 is a flow chart of a method for a transcoder enabled by the network to determine the media object to be accessed by a personal computer in the same network. Method 700 describes an exemplary embodiment of a method used by the system described in Figure 5. Specifically, a transcoder and a personal computer are used in a network, where a parent or another operator, with the use of the first transcoder wishes to know what is accessed by the personal computer. In steps 705, 710 and 715, the operator of a first transcoder issues a patrol control interrogation command. This command determines whether the operator wants to know if the personal computer is being used (step 705) and when the operator wants to know the media object that is currently being viewed (step 710). In step 715, the first transcoder requests a browser history file from the personal computer in order to satisfy the parental control interrogation.

The interrogation is re-sent as a SNMP-based MIB command to a router that is used by the personal computer to access the resources through the Internet, in step 730. In response to the request of the history file directly to the personal computer in step 735. When the personal computer does not allow such sending of information, an error command is returned to the first transcoder, in step 740. Otherwise, in step 755, the router sends the interrogation to the personal computer, which in turn responds, with the browser history file that is sent back to the first transcoder 760. When this is not the case, an error message is returned to the transcoder, which is displayed in step 740. When the history file can be returned, the transcoder receives the browser history file from the router in step 770. In step 775, the transcoder operator is provided with the or see all the activity of the personal computer browser. When the operator decides not to see all browser activity, a filtering program can be applied to remove the list of media objects or network sites that are determined to be uninteresting to the operator, in step 780. For example, a Filter is configured to show only network sites and media objects that are related to violent or sexual content, while content directed to education and news is filtered out. Step 785 has the transcoder that displays the history file of the browser in a filtered or unfiltered form. Step 789 is an optional step, wherein the operator of the first transcoder can cancel the supply received at that time by the personal computer. Specifically, the operator issues a "cancel" command that is transmitted from the transcoder to the router. The router, in turn, issues a "leave" command to a host that transmits a media object to the second transcoder. Therefore, the personal computer is unlinked from the transmitted media object. Alternatively, the first transcoder can request that the channel table that is used to copy and deliver an object of multiple transmission media to the personal computer, copy a second corresponding channel to a different multicast address and the port from the media object obtained at that time. The present invention can be incorporated in the form of processes and apparatuses implemented in a computer in order to practice their processes. The present invention can also be incorporated in the form of a computer program code embodied tangibly in a medium, such as floppies, read-only memories (ROM), CD-ROMs, hard disks, high-density disks, or any other computer readable storage medium, wherein when the computer program code is loaded and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. The the present invention can also be incorporated in the form of a computer program code, for example, either stored in a storage medium, loaded and / or executed by a computer or transmitted over a transmission medium, such as electrical wiring or through optical fiber, or through electromagnetic radiation, where when the computer program code is loaded and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented in a general-purpose processor, segments of the computer program code configure the processor to create specific logic circuits.

Claims (19)

1. A method for issuing a patrol control interrogation command to determine a media object to be reproduced in a remote control, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: transmitting an interrogation (615) requesting the identification information for a media object to be received on a remote device; receiving the information (660) in response to the interrogation, wherein the information indicates the multiple transmission address and port used to transmit the media object; and sending the multiple transmission address and port information (675, 680) to identify the attributes of the media object.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the interrogation is emitted by a monitoring device, and the media object is reproduced in a monitoring device.

The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the monitoring device links a multiple transmission group with the use of the multiple transmission address and the received port information to receive the media object.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the monitoring device issues a command to cancel the reception of the media object by the remote device.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the monitoring device is a transcoder enabled with an Internet Protocol (IP).

The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the monitoring device uses a channel list that copies the multiple transmission address and the port in a channel.

The method according to claim 6, characterized in that a program guide is used to select media objects transmitted through the multiple transmission means object corresponding to the channel.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the media object is transmitted as part of an Internet group management (IGMP) compatible with the protocol's multiple transmission service and the program identification information is available to the user. media object as part of a session description compatible protocol (SDP).

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the sending step uses the IGMP data obtained from the middle server.

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the additional interrogation comprises: requesting the browser history record file, in where the log file comprises the IP addresses of the media objects accessed by the remote device.

The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the remote device is a personal computer.

12. An apparatus for issuing a patrol control interrogation command to determine the media object to be reproduced in a remote device, characterized in that it comprises: a network interface (79) that issues the interrogation of request for identification information for a media object to be received in a remote device; a transport decoder (13) that processes the information in response to interrogation, wherein the information indicates a multiple transmission address and a port that is used to transmit the media object; and a data transport decoder (22) that sends the Multiple transmission address and port information to identify the attributes of the media object.

The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the media object is reproduced in the apparatus.

The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the apparatus links the multiple transmission group with the use of multiple transmission address and the port information to receive the media object.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the apparatus issues a command to cancel the reception of the media object by the remote device.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the apparatus uses a channel list that copies the multiple address and the port in a channel.

The apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the program guide is used to select media objects transmitted through the multiple transmission medium object corresponding to the channel.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the media object is transmitted as part of the Internet group management (IGMP) compatible with the protocol's multiple transmission service and the program identification information is available for the object. of media as part of a session description compatible protocol (SDP). The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the additional interrogation comprises: requesting the browser history file, wherein the registration file comprises the IP addresses of the media objects accessed by the remote device.