Method and device for processing a hierarchical multimedia data stream transmitted over a network with loss

Device for processing a multimedia data stream coded according to a plurality of hierarchical levels and transmitted over a communication network with transmission losses, the hierarchy levels being ordered so that a higher hierarchy level is coded in a way that is dependent on at least one lower hierarchy level, at least one portion of multimedia data of a lower hierarchy level having suffered transmission losses, the device comprising:

• means of error concealment for concealing errors due to transmission losses in the at least one portion of data having suffered transmission losses;
• processing means applied to the error concealment in the at least one portion of data of the lower hierarchy level and involving data of at least one higher hierarchy level dependent on the lower hierarchy level;
• selection means for selecting an error concealment method between a temporal error concealment and a spatial error concealment, the selection being made according to the available data of a higher hierarchical level or levels and a predetermined criterion;
• and
• determining means for determining the consistency of an error concealment method with the available data of a higher hierarchical level or levels.