Method and system for the dynamic management of the transmission of streams within a plurality of terminals

1. A method of transmitting data that represents at least one stimulus of a particular type and that is included in a stream that conforms to a format associated with said particular type, which stream is adapted to be received by an interface device arranged between a main network and an auxiliary network formed by the interface connected to a plurality of terminals, the method comprising:

a first step of setting up transmission of a particular stream of a remote terminal, from the interface device to an initial terminal selected beforehand as a destination terminal among the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network;

a step of identifying at least one compatible terminal of the auxiliary network, other than the initial terminal, able to play back stimuli of the type associated with the format of said particular stream, based on information signals received from the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network, the information signals comprising data relating to current operating conditions of the at least one compatible terminal;

a step of selecting as a new destination terminal of said particular stream a second terminal of the auxiliary network identified as compatible in the identifying step; and

a second step of setting up transmission of said particular stream from the interface device to the second terminal of the auxiliary network;

wherein the second step of setting up transmission includes an invitation step during which the remote terminal sending the particular stream is invited by the interface device to enter into communication with the second terminal of the auxiliary network.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, after execution of the second step of setting up transmission, the initial terminal and the second terminal are simultaneously destination terminals of the particular stream.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, after execution of the second step of setting up transmission, transmission of the particular stream to the initial terminal is interrupted.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the identifying step includes a step of generating a list of terminals of the auxiliary network offering resources available in sufficient quantity to play back effectively stimuli conveyed by the particular stream.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further including a step of compiling a list of streams from which the particular stream is intended to be chosen.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program including a series of program code instructions for executing identifying and/or selecting steps of a method according to claim 1 when said program is executed on a computer.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the current operating conditions of the at least one compatible terminal comprise at least one of a communication bit rate and a calculation capability of the at least one compatible terminal.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the invitation step includes sending an invitation message to the remote terminal, the invitation message comprising properties for the remote terminal to assign to said particular stream to meet conditions set by the second terminal of the auxiliary network.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the invitation step further includes, prior to sending the invitation message to the remote terminal:

sending an invitation message to the second terminal of the auxiliary network; and

receiving an acceptance message from the second terminal comprising at least one parameter representing properties to be assigned to said particular stream by the remote terminal to facilitate reception by the second terminal.

10. A system for transmitting data that represents a stimulus of at least one particular type and that is included in a stream that conforms to a format associated with said particular type, the system comprising:

a main network;

an interface device connected to a plurality of terminals of an auxiliary network formed by the interface device and the plurality of terminals, the interface device being able to receive a particular stream of a remote terminal, and to transmit said stream to an initial terminal selected beforehand as a destination terminal among the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network, said interface device being arranged between the main network and the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network;

means for identifying at least one compatible terminal of the auxiliary network, other than the initial terminal, and able to play back stimuli of the type associated with the format of said particular stream, based on information signals received from the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network, the information signals comprising data relating to current operating conditions of the at least one compatible terminal;

means for selecting as a new destination terminal of said particular stream a second terminal of the auxiliary network identified as compatible by the means for identifying; and

means for setting up transmission of said particular stream from the interface device to said second terminal of the auxiliary network;

wherein the means for setting up transmission performs an invitation step during which the remote terminal sending the particular stream is invited by the interface device to enter into communication with the second terminal of the auxiliary network.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the current operating conditions of the at least one compatible terminal comprise at least one of a communication bit rate and a calculation capability of the at least one compatible terminal.

12. An interface device for connection to a plurality of terminals of an auxiliary network formed by the interface device and the plurality of terminals, the interface device being able to receive data that represents a stimulus of at least one particular type and that is included in a stream, from a remote terminal, that conforms to a format associated with said particular type, said device being able to transmit said stream to an initial terminal selected beforehand as a destination terminal among the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network, the interface device comprising:

means for identifying at least one compatible terminal of the auxiliary network, other than the initial terminal, and able to play back stimuli of the type associated with the format of said particular stream, based on information signals received from the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network, the information signals comprising data relating to current operating conditions of the at least one compatible terminal;

means for selecting as a new destination terminal of said particular stream a second terminal of the auxiliary network that has been identified as compatible by the means for identifying; and

means for setting up transmission of said particular stream from the interface device to the second terminal of the auxiliary network;

wherein the means for setting up transmission performs an invitation step during which the remote terminal sending the particular stream is invited by the interface device to enter into communication with the second terminal of the auxiliary network; and

wherein the interface device is configured for arrangement between a main network and the plurality of terminals of the auxiliary network.

13. The interface device according to claim 12 , wherein the current operating conditions of the at least one compatible terminal comprise at least one of a communication bit rate and a calculation capability of the at least one compatible terminal.