KR100976691B1 - Apparatus and method for content information service of IPTV service system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a technique for retrieving content information by the overlay network itself using an IPTV service overlay network system in a system providing an IPTV service and informing the user of the search result. The present invention includes a plurality of IPTV terminals connected to an IP network so that a user can select and watch any IPTV contents stored in the IPTV content management unit; An IPTV service control unit that manages user information or billing information related to the IPTV service; An IPTV content management unit including a plurality of IPTV content servers for storing various IPTV contents and providing various IPTV services to the IPTV terminal with various IPTV application service units; An IPTV session control unit for configuring and managing a service session for maintaining and controlling an IPTV service through connection with the IPTV service control unit, and information (content information) related to IPTV content stored in the IPTV content management unit are stored on their own and based on the IPTV session control unit. In this case, it is achieved by configuring an IPTV service overlay network system including a content processing information control unit which performs a function such as content information retrieval, content location checking, etc. when the content request is made by the IPTV session control unit, and outputs the result to the user.

IPTV service, content information, overlay network

Description

APAPATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTENTS INFORMATION SERVICE IN INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION SERVICE SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a technology for managing IPTV content information in order to provide an IPTV service. In particular, the present invention relates to an IPTV service system capable of informing a search result by searching content information by an overlay network itself using an IPTV service overlay network system. A content information service apparatus and method.

In general, IPTV (Internet Protocol Television Service System) can be defined as a representative convergence service between broadcasting and telecommunication which provides digital video service, two-way data service and various personalized services through a TV using a differentiated high-speed broadband network. have. In other words, it can use both communication and broadcasting services as well as providing new interactive contents such as video on demand (VOD), electronic programs (EPG), T-commerce, and broadcasting program linked data services. have. The most distinctive feature of IPTV is that users can react actively while watching real TV, moving away from unilateral and passive service of existing TV. On-demand service is available, which allows users to select the channel like the existing TV broadcasts and apply for the latest movies with a remote like 'pizza order' without going to a video rental store.

However, the conventional IPTV service has a limited content search feature in a structure in which IPTV-related information is centrally managed, and includes a function of searching for only content owned by a content provider. However, it does not include the function of collecting, storing, retrieving, and managing contents information of an environment in a distributed network, and does not include an open structure in which anyone can upload service information.

In addition, the IPTV content stored in the database includes related metadata to enable IPTV users to save the most network resources, and to provide the functions for IPTV service content to be transmitted and exchanged in the IP delivery network. There was a problem that could not be.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to separately store and manage the information of the content and the location of the server where the content is stored in the system provided with the service through the IPTV service control unit, regardless of the status of the IP network when the IPTV service request itself IPTV content information Is to search and inform the search results.

Another object of the present invention is to find the server in the optimal condition by identifying the location of the server and the characteristics of the relevant session when the same content exists in multiple servers as a result of searching the IPTV content information.

The present invention for achieving the above object, a plurality of IPTV terminals connected to the IP network so that the user can select and watch any IPTV content stored in the IPTV content management unit; An IPTV service control unit that manages user information or billing information related to the IPTV service; An IPTV content management unit including a plurality of IPTV content servers for storing various IPTV contents and providing various IPTV services to the IPTV terminal with various IPTV application service units; An IPTV session control unit for configuring and managing a service session for maintaining and controlling an IPTV service through connection with the IPTV service control unit, and information (content information) related to IPTV content stored in the IPTV content management unit are stored on their own and based on the IPTV session control unit. In this case, the IPTV session controller may be configured as an IPTV service overlay network system configured as a content processing information controller which performs a function such as content information retrieval and content location checking when the content request is made by the IPTV session controller and transmits the result to the IPTV session controller. .

Preferably, when the content owner requests content information, etc., the content processing information control unit classifies the corresponding content information by category, and registers the content information for assigning and managing an ID to the IPTV content server storing the corresponding content. A management unit; A content information retrieval unit for retrieving the content information from the IPTV content control and management information repositories by generating a query word for repository retrieval based on the request information when the user requests content information retrieval; The contents information classified by the contents information registration manager is stored, but the contents information and the location information are separately stored so that they can be used at the time of requesting the contents information or the contents request, respectively.

Another object of the present invention for achieving the above object is that the content information registration management unit receives content information requested for registration from a content owner, analyzes and classifies it, and registers the classified information in the IPTV content control and management information repository. First course; When the user requests IPTV content information, the IPTV content information classification processor classifies whether the request is a content information search request for content selection or a specific content information request for session creation, and then searches for the content information according to the classified request. A second process of requesting the Department; The content information retrieval unit comprises a third step of generating a corresponding query for retrieving the requested information and outputting it to the IPTV content control and management information repository, and outputting the retrieved and output content information to the IPTV session controller. do.

The present invention provides a content provider by separately storing and managing the control information and meta information of the content in the system receiving the service through the IPTV service control unit to retrieve the IPTV content information by itself when the IPTV service request and inform the search results It is possible to provide the information in the middle without having to communicate directly with the server owned, which enables the quick service regardless of the state of the IP network.

In addition, the present invention has the effect that it can tell the server in the optimal condition by identifying the location of the server and the characteristics of the session associated with the same content when the same content is present in multiple servers as a result of searching the IPTV content information.

In addition, the present invention is the IPTV storage and management, community profile storage and management, in order to add a new service function to the IPTV, IPTV service control information storage, management, retrieval function required to add various IPTV service functions, etc. Since it can be made in various ways according to the service characteristics, it is easy to add a new IPTV service function or add a service function.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of an IPTV service system to which an IPTV service overlay network system according to the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of IPTV terminals 100, an IPTV service overlay network system 200, and an IPTV are connected to an IP network. The service control unit 300 and the IPTV content management unit 400 are configured.

In FIG. 1, the parts except for the IPTV service overlay network system 200 are the same as the existing IPTV structure. That is, the present invention controls the IPTV service by adding the IPTV service overlay network system 200 to the structure of the conventional IPTV service system.

The IPTV terminal 100 may be implemented by various devices such as a TV and a set-top box, an IPTV terminal, a mobile device, and the like that can use IPTV.

The IPTV service control unit 300 manages information related to the IPTV service, such as storing information of a user who uses the IPTV service and processing billing.

The IPTV content management unit 400 includes an IPTV content server unit 410 consisting of several IPTV content servers having IPTV content, and an IPTV application service unit configured to provide various IPTV services to the IPTV terminal 100. 420.

The IPTV service overlay network system 200 of the present invention is added to such an IPTV service system. The IPTV service overlay network system 200 includes an IPTV session control unit 210 connected to the IPTV service control unit 300 and IPTV contents. And a content processing information control unit 220 connected to the server unit 410. Therefore, when the IPTV session controller 210 configures the service session, the content information can be obtained through the connection with the content processing information controller 220.

In addition, the IPTV session controller 210 configures and manages a service session for maintaining and controlling an IPTV service through a connection with the IPTV service controller 300. The service session configured by the IPTV session controller 210 is a session for each service that satisfies the requirements of the IPTV terminal 100. The IPTV content server 220 of the IPTV content server 410, the content processing information controller 220, Location information of the IPTV terminal 100 or the like.

Accordingly, the IPTV session controller 210 may classify service types and characteristics, and identify and manage the IPTV terminal 100 using the service. The content processing information control unit 220 stores the content information of the IPTV content server of the IPTV content server unit 410, and performs functions such as content information search and content location check when the content request of the IPTV session control unit 210 is requested. It becomes possible.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram illustrating an implementation of the content processing information control unit 220 in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the content processing information control unit 220 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a content information retrieval unit 221, a content information registration management unit 222, and an IPTV content control and management information store 223. It is composed. The content processing information control unit 220 configured as described above interacts with the IPTV session control unit 210 to provide an IPTV service, and content information about any content stored in the IPTV content server of the IPTV content server unit 410. The content information is received from the content owner 230 for registration.

When the content owner 230 requests the content information registration management unit 222 of the content processing information control unit 220 to register the content information, the content information registration management unit 222 displays the corresponding content information as the title, producer, genre, and appearance. , Categorize the content into categories such as country of origin, date, and show time, and classify the content into large, medium, and small categories, and then assign an ID to the IPTV content server of the IPTV content server unit 410 that stores the content. And the location of the IPTV content server (IP address, domain, etc. of the server where the content is stored) based on the ID.

At this time, if there is an IPTV content server having the same content at another location and information about it is registered, the same content ID that has been previously registered is given to the corresponding content, and the IPTV content server having the same content is provided. Give another ID. Accordingly, when the corresponding content information is requested from the IPTV session controller 210 later, all registered location information is transmitted to select an IPTV content server at an optimal location when a session is generated.

The content information (title, producer, genre, appearance, country of origin, date, running time, etc.) classified as described in the above description by the content information registration management unit 222 is stored in the IPTV content control and management information storage 223. do. At this time, the stored information is stored at intervals of the content ID, and the content information and the location information are stored separately and used for the content information request or the content request.

The user may access the content processing information control unit 220 through the IPTV session control unit 210 to search for content information and request desired content. The content information search can be searched by a user inputting a keyword directly or through information classified by the aforementioned categories.

In response to such a request, the IPTV content information classification processing unit 221A of the content information retrieval unit 221 determines how the user requests content information retrieval (keyword retrieval, category retrieval, classification category retrieval, etc.) Determine if you requested the information. The content information retrieval unit 221B generates a query word for repository retrieval based on the request information classified by the IPTV content information classification processing unit 221A, and based on this, the IPTV content control and management information repository 223 is generated. Retrieve content information.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an information retrieval method for a content information request according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the content owner 230 registers content information about any content stored in the IPTV content server of the IPTV content server unit 410 with title, producer, genre, appearance, country of origin, date, Content information such as a running time is input to the content information registration management unit 222 of the content processing information control unit 220 (S301).

At this time, the content information registration management unit 222 analyzes and classifies the content information input by the content owner 230 as described above, and then classifies the classified information into the IPTV content control and management information repository 223. Save (register). (S302, S303)

Thereafter, the IPTV session controller 210 requests the IPTV content information classification processing unit 221A of the content processing information control unit 220 for the location and control related information of the content in order to create a session according to a user's request.

In contrast, the IPTV content information classification processing unit 221A classifies whether the request is a content information retrieval request for content selection or a specific content information request for creating a session in the IPTV session controller 210 (S305).

After the IPTV content information classification processing unit 221A classifies the type of request as described above, the IPTV content information classification processing unit 221A requests the content information retrieval unit 221B to search for the classified request.

In response to this, the content information retrieval unit 221B generates a corresponding query to output the requested information to the IPTV content control and management information repository 223 (S307).

In this case, when the information requested by the query is request information related to content information retrieval, the content information retrieval unit 221B retrieves only the information stored in the storage, and the specific content request information for creating a session. Retrieves content control information.

When the information requested from the content information retrieval unit 221B exists in the IPTV content control and management information storage unit 223, the retrieved content information is output to the content information retrieval unit 221B (S308).

Accordingly, the content information retrieval unit 221B transmits the content information retrieved from the IPTV content control and management information repository 223 to the IPTV session control unit 210 (S309).

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be implemented in various embodiments based on the basic concept of the present invention defined in the following claims. Such embodiments are also within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of an IPTV service system to which the IPTV service overlay network system according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the content processing information controller in FIG. 1; FIG.

3 is a control flowchart of a content information service method of an IPTV service system according to the present invention;

*** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings ***

100: IPTV terminal 200: IPTV service overlay network system

210: IPTV session control unit 220: content processing information control unit

221: content information retrieval unit 221A: IPTV content information classification processing unit

221B: content information search unit 222: content information registration management unit

230: content owner 300: IPTV service control unit

400: IPTV content management unit 410: IPTV content server unit

420: IPTV application processing unit

Claims (11)

A plurality of IPTV terminals connected to an IP network so that a user can select and watch arbitrary IPTV contents stored in the IPTV content management unit; An IPTV service control unit managing user information or billing information related to the IPTV service; In the IPTV service system comprising a plurality of IPTV content server to store a variety of IPTV content, and the IPTV content management unit to provide a variety of IPTV services to the IPTV terminal by providing various IPTV application service unit, A content information registration manager for classifying the content information by category, classifying the content by capacity, and assigning and managing an ID to the IPTV content server storing the content when content information registration is requested from the content owner; When a user requests content information retrieval, it creates a query for repository search based on the request information, retrieves content information from the IPTV content control and management information repository, and outputs IPTV content under optimal conditions based on the search results. A content information search unit; Contents processing, comprising: an IPTV content control and management information storage configured to store content information classified by the content information registration management unit, and to store content information and location information separately so that they can be used at the time of requesting or requesting content information, respectively. Content information service apparatus of an IPTV service system, comprising an information control unit. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content information includes at least one of a title, a producer, a genre, a appearance, a production country, a date, and a running time. The content information registration management unit of claim 1, wherein, when there is an IPTV content server having the same content at another location and information about the content is registered, the content information registration management unit assigns the same content ID previously registered to the corresponding content, A content information service device of an IPTV service system, characterized in that a different ID is assigned to and managed by an IPTV content server having the same content. The method of claim 1, wherein the content information search unit An IPTV content information classification processing unit for determining whether the user has requested the content information retrieval or the specific content information request; And a content information retrieval unit for generating a query for retrieval search based on the request information classified by the IPTV content information classification processor, and retrieving the content information from the IPTV content control and management information repository based on the request information. Content information service device of an IPTV service system. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the format includes one or more of keyword search, category search, and classification category search. The content processing information control unit according to claim 1, wherein the content processing information control unit includes the server storing the IPTV content having the optimal condition among the stored IPTV contents or the server as a result of performing the content information searching and content positioning function. Content information service device of the IPTV service system, characterized in that. A first step of the content information registration management unit receiving and analyzing and classifying content information requested for registration from a content owner and registering the classified information in the IPTV content control and management information repository; When the user requests IPTV content information, the IPTV content information classification processor classifies whether the request is a content information search request for content selection or a specific content information request for session creation, and then searches for the content information according to the classified request. A second process of requesting the Department; The content information retrieval unit generates a corresponding query for retrieving the requested information and outputs it to the IPTV content control and management information repository, and thereby outputs the retrieved and output content information to the IPTV session controller. Content information service method of IPTV service system. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content information includes at least one of a title, a producer, a genre, a appearance, a country of production, a date, and a running time. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the content information is information related to any content stored in various IPTV content servers in the IPTV service system. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the requested content information of the second process includes information regarding location or control of the content. The method of claim 7, wherein the information requested by the query in the third process is only the information stored in the storage when the request information is related to the content information search, and the content control when the specific content request information for creating the session is performed. Content information service method of an IPTV service system, characterized in that to retrieve information.

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