KR20080035406A - Apparatus and method for providing contents using device information - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for providing contents by using device information are provided to enable a user to receive a contents list and contents regenerable at a user device. An apparatus for providing contents includes a communication unit(310), a controller(320), a contents storage unit(330), a contents list forming unit(340) and a contents converting unit(350). The communication unit transmits or receives an instruction for requesting user devices' information, device information in accordance with a corresponding request, the first contents list, the second contents list or contents regenerable selected by a user wherein the second contents list includes regenerable contents into which non-regenerable contents among the first contents list in the user device is converted. The controller provides information for the contents list forming unit on the basis of the user devices' information provided via the communication unit, and transmits contents information regenerable in the user devices to the contents converting unit. The contents list forming unit forms a contents list by using the user devices information transmitted by the user devices. The contents converting unit converts a corresponding file, selected from the first contents list, into a regenerable file. The regenerable file is transmitted to the contents list forming unit and the second contents list is formed.

Description

Apparatus and method for offering contents of device information}

1 is a diagram illustrating a system for dynamically changing a menu list for each content in a wireless terminal according to the related art.

2 is a flow diagram of a dynamic display of a menu list for each content in a wireless terminal according to the prior art.

3 is a view showing a content providing device using the device information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 illustrates a user device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart of providing content using device information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating a content list display screen of a user device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

300: content providing server 310: communication unit

320: control unit 330: content storage unit

340: content list construction unit 350: content conversion unit

360: communication network 370: PC

380a, b: user device

The present invention relates to a device and a method for providing content using device information of a user. More particularly, a first content list is constructed and provided to a user device based on device information of a user device connected to a content providing server. The present invention relates to a content providing apparatus and method using device information for providing content selected by a user by providing a second content list by converting content that is not playable on a user device from one content list to playable content.

1 is a diagram illustrating a system for dynamically changing a menu list for each content in a wireless terminal according to the related art.

The system for dynamically changing a menu list in the wireless terminal 100 according to the related art is a wireless terminal 100 in which a menu providing program for storing index information necessary for a corresponding page without fixing a depth for each service page is stored. And a content providing server 170 that provides the wireless terminal 100 with index information corresponding to the corresponding content and a menu required for the content according to the content request command of the wireless terminal 100.

When the content terminal and the menu index information necessary for the content are received from the content providing server 170, the wireless terminal 100 displays the content. When the menu key selection information is received from the user, the wireless terminal 100 drives the menu providing program to provide the menu index information. The menu list indicated by is determined and displayed in the predetermined area.

The menu providing program defines information such as an index, corresponding menu information, an area for providing a main screen, and an area for providing a menu list when menu selection information is received. The menu providing program may be a program downloaded from the wireless terminal 100 or released from a server.

In this case, the index information required for the page is defined in a protocol with the server, and may be defined in a manner other than an index.

The wireless terminal 100 includes a control unit 110, a wireless processing unit 120, a key input unit 130, a display unit 140, and a storage unit 150.

The wireless processor 120 converts a signal received from the antenna into an intermediate frequency signal and outputs the signal, and converts a signal to be transmitted from the intermediate frequency signal into a radio signal and outputs the signal to the antenna.

The key input unit 130 includes a plurality of numeric / character keys and function keys for performing various functions, and transmits an electrical signal of key data corresponding to a key input by a user to the controller 110. The user requests the desired content by accessing the content providing server 170 using the key input unit.

The display unit 140 displays the state of the wireless terminal 100 under the control of the controller. In addition, the display unit 140 displays the content corresponding to the user's request, and when the user selects the menu key, the display unit 140 displays a menu list required for the content. At this time, the menu list is displayed in the preset area.

The storage unit 150 stores a program for the operation of the controller and data processed during the operation, and a menu providing program.

The menu providing program is a program for displaying a menu list necessary for the displayed contents when the user selects the menu key while the contents are displayed.

The control unit controls all functions of the wireless terminal 100 and displays the contents when the contents and the menu index information necessary for the contents are received from the contents providing server 170 and stores the contents when the menu key selection information is received from the user. The menu providing program stored in the unit 150 is driven. At this time, the controller determines a menu list indicated by the received menu index information by using a menu providing program, and displays the menu list determined before the predetermined area.

The wireless terminal 100 as described above defines and categorizes each page and menu list in a menu providing program, and then receives a corresponding index or a separate value through communication with the content providing server 170 so that the menu providing program can receive the corresponding page. To dynamically configure

2 is a flowchart illustrating a dynamic display of a menu list for each content in a wireless terminal according to the related art.

A method of dynamically displaying a menu list for each content in the wireless terminal 100 according to the related art is illustrated.

When the content request command is received from the user (S200), the wireless terminal 100 transmits the content request command to the corresponding content providing server 170 (S210).

After accessing the content providing server 170, the wireless terminal 100 transmits a content request command for requesting desired content to the content providing server 170 (S210).

When the content providing server 170 receives a content request command from the wireless terminal 100 (S220), the content providing server 170 transmits the content corresponding to the content request command and index information corresponding to a menu required for the content to the wireless terminal 100. (S230). In this case, the index information is predefined, and the wireless terminal 100 displays a menu list corresponding to the index information.

When the index information is transmitted (S230), the wireless terminal 100 displays the content transmitted from the content providing server 170 and simultaneously stores the index information (S240).

When the index information is stored (S240), the wireless terminal 100 determines whether to receive the menu key selection information from the user (S250), and determines a menu list corresponding to the stored index information according to the reception decision to determine a menu list. Display (S260).

That is, when the menu key selection information is received from the user, the wireless terminal 100 runs a menu providing program to extract a menu list corresponding to the stored index information. Then, the menu list extracted in the predetermined area is displayed, and the menu providing program is driven to determine the menu list indicated by the index information.

In such a system of dynamically changing a menu list and providing the same, there is a problem in that a content that cannot be played on a corresponding terminal can be provided by not using wireless terminal information when providing contents from a content providing server. This causes confusion in the user's selection of content, and there is a problem that the users may be financially damaged when the server provides a paid service.

The present invention has been devised to improve the above-mentioned problem. More particularly, the present invention provides device information of a user device connected to a content providing server to construct a content list and to provide the user device to the user device. 1 The content list includes a content list that can be played directly on the device and a content list that can be played back through conversion. When the user selects any content from the list of contents that can be played through conversion, the contents are converted into contents that can be played, and the first content list is updated with the second content list to use the device information provided to the user device. The present invention relates to a providing apparatus and a method.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The content providing device using the device information according to an embodiment of the present invention, the content list construction unit constituting the first content list based on the device information provided by the user device, the content of the content included in the first content list playback on the user device; A content converting unit converting the impossible content into playable content, and a communication unit providing a first content list or a second content list including the converted content to the user device.

Content providing apparatus using the device information according to an embodiment of the present invention is a storage unit for storing the device information requested by the content providing server for the composition of the first content list, the content providing server of the non-playable content included in the first content list And a communication unit configured to receive a second content list including content converted to be playable by the display unit, and a display unit displaying the first content list or the second content list on a separate screen area.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a content providing method using device information includes transmitting device information of a user device requested by a content providing server, and constructing a first content list based on the transmitted device information and providing the same to the user device. And requesting content conversion for content that cannot be played on the user device among the first content list, and displaying a second content list including content to which the conversion has been applied.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

3 is a diagram illustrating a content providing device using device information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The content providing device using the user device information according to the embodiment of the present invention may include the content providing server 300, the communication network 360, the PC 370 and the user devices (380a, b).

First, the content providing server 300 stores content such as music, video, image, and text, and provides a corresponding content to the server for providing a corresponding content when a content request is received from the user apparatuses 380a and b. ), A content storage unit 330, a content list construction unit 340, and a content conversion unit 350.

The content providing server 300 including such a component provides a content list and contents to user devices 380a and b which may be provided by a user through a communication network 360 such as a wired or wireless internet network and a mobile communication network. do.

The user's devices 380a and b connected to the content server 300 may not have a built-in device 380a or a network function that may be directly connected to the content providing server 300 through the communication network 360. However, it may be at least one of the user devices 380b connected to the content providing server 300 by being connected to the PC 370 having a network function.

The user device 380b connected to the PC 370 may be connected via USB, IEEE 1394, and Bluetooth.

The communication unit 310 of the content providing server 300 is a user requested by the control unit 320 as an input and output unit for communicating with the user devices 380a and b and the PC 370 through the communication network 360 described above. A device information request command of the devices 380a and b, a device information according to the request, a first content list, and a first content list including content that can be played back by converting content that cannot be played on the user devices 380a and b; 2 Send and receive the corresponding content when selecting the content list and the user's playable content.

The control unit 320 provides the information to the content list constructing unit 340 based on the device information of the user devices 380a and b provided through the communication unit 310, and is configured in the content list constructing unit 340. The content information that can be reproduced by the user apparatuses 380a and b is transmitted to the content converter 350 through content conversion in the content list. That is, the controller 320 controls all processes performed by the content providing server 300.

The content storage unit 330 stores content such as an image, a video, text, and music as a conventional storage medium.

The content list constructing unit 340 constructs a content list using the device information transmitted from the user devices 380a and b.

The following shows the device information provided from the user devices 380a and b.

TABLE 1

Device information in XML format provided from user device

As shown, the device information may include information such as manufacturer information, serial number, firmware version, codec, and playback screen size of the device, and the information is transmitted to the content providing server 300 through the communication network 360. It is transmitted and used as analysis information for constructing a content list.

Device information provided to the content providing server 300 is not limited to these, and may include all information derivable from them.

The content list constructing unit 340 constructs a first content list including a content list playable in the user devices 380a and b and a content list playable through the conversion, and among the corresponding lists, in the user devices 380a and b. When a user selects and requests an arbitrary content from a list including content that cannot be played back, the corresponding content is converted and the first content list is updated to provide the second content list to the user apparatuses 380a and b.

The content list is constructed by comparing metadata information about content stored in the content storage unit 330 with device information of the user devices 380a and b.

For example, when the device information provided from the user devices 380a and b includes information that the device is MP3P capable of playing only the mp3 file, the content list constructing unit 340 stores the mp3 file in the content storage unit 330. It extracts only the contents that can be converted into an mp3 file including a playable content list and a wave file that can be converted into an mp3 file. In this case, the configured content list is called a first content list.

The first content list configured as described above is transmitted to the user apparatuses 380a and b through the communication unit 310 and divided into a playable content list and a convertible content list and displayed separately.

When the user selects arbitrary content (when it is a wave file) from the convertible content list among the first content lists provided to the user devices 380a and b, and requests the file, the content converter 350 plays the corresponding file. Convert to possible file (mp3). The converted file information is provided to the content list constructing unit 340 to constitute a second content list.

That is, the content list constructing unit 340 constructs a first content list based on the device information of the user devices 380a and b and provides it to the user devices 380a and b, and converts the content list from the first content list. When the user requests conversion of arbitrary content, the second content list is constructed and provided to the user devices 380a and b.

The content converter 350 may overflow when a plurality of users request to convert a plurality of contents at a time, thereby providing a content that undergoes a conversion process to the user device to prevent overflow. Rather than providing the content requested in the second content list, it is possible to provide a conversion program for converting the content and a manual of the corresponding program.

Content providing apparatus using the device information according to an embodiment of the present invention provides the information in the form of XML to the content providing server 300 without a separate input process through the user to reproduce the content through the content list and conversion that can be played on the device By simultaneously providing a list of possible contents, it may be convenient for the user who requests the contents.

4 is a diagram illustrating a user device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The user devices 380a and b according to an embodiment of the present invention provide device information of the corresponding device when the content providing server 300 is connected to receive a content list.

First, the user devices 380a and b may include a communication unit 400, a control unit 410, a storage unit 420, a key input unit 430, and a display unit that communicate with the content providing server 300.

As mentioned in FIG. 3, the user devices 380a and b are connected to the content providing server 300 by being connected to the device 380a having the network function or the PC 370 having the network function but not having the network function. It may be at least one of the devices 380b to connect.

The communication unit 400 of the user devices 380a and b may include the device information transmitted to the content providing server 300, the first content list provided by the server according to the device information transmission, and the user device 380a, among the first content list. In step b), the non-playable content is converted to transmit and receive the second content list including the playable content and the corresponding content when the user selects the playable content.

The storage unit 420 may store a content list, content, and device information provided from the content providing server 300 as a conventional storage medium. The storage unit 420 may be configured in plural numbers according to the stored information.

The key input unit 430 may be configured in the form of a touch pad or a hardware key pad such as a mobile phone according to the user devices 380a and b.

The user may request a desired content by selecting an arbitrary list from the content list provided from the content providing server 300 through the key input unit 430.

The display unit 440 displays the first content list or the second content list provided by the content providing server 300. The display unit 440 displays a list of contents that can be played back on the corresponding device and a list of contents that can be played back through conversion. Display on the screen.

That is, the user devices 380a and b according to an embodiment of the present invention transmit the device information of the corresponding device when connected to the content server, receive a content list corresponding to the information, and display heterogeneous lists to reproduce the user's selection. Receive and play available content.

5 is a flowchart of providing content using device information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Providing content using device information according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided according to a user request by providing a corresponding content list using device information provided from user devices 380a and b.

First, the user accesses the content providing server 300 by using the predetermined user devices 380a and b provided by the user (S500).

The server may be directly connected by using a network function embedded in a user device, or indirectly by connecting to a separate device having a network function, such as a PC 370.

When the user devices 380a and b are connected to the content providing server 300 (S500), the server requests device information from the connected user device (S505).

The request for device information may be made automatically when a user logs in or requests a main page of a corresponding server, or may be made through a separate request process.

In response to the device information request (S505) of the content providing server 300, the user devices 380a and b provide information in the form of XML to the content providing server 300, and based on the provided device information, The first content list is constructed in the content list constructing unit 340 (S510).

Since the first content list constructed based on the device information has been described above with reference to FIG. 3, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The first content list configured through the above process includes a playable content list and a convertible content list, and are provided to the user apparatuses 380a and b (S515). In this case, the first content list provided from the content providing server 300 is displayed in a separate area as a content list that can be played back and a convertible content list through the display units 440 of the user apparatuses 380a and b.

The user who checks the first content list selects an arbitrary content list (S520). Here, the content list selected by the user may be either a list of reproducible contents or a list of convertible contents.

If the user selects a playable content list (S525) and selects arbitrary content desired by the user (S545), the content corresponding to the user selection is provided to the user devices 380a and b (S550). The provided content may be stored in the storage unit 420 of the user device 380a or b.

On the other hand, if any content to be converted is selected by selecting the convertible content list (S530), content conversion for the corresponding content is requested (S535). When the content conversion is requested by the user, the content conversion unit 350 converts the content into playable content on the user apparatuses 380a and b by using a predetermined content conversion program and provides the corresponding information to the content list construction unit 340. In operation S540, the playable content list of the previously configured first content list is updated to form a second content list, and the corresponding list is provided to the user apparatuses 380a and b (S540).

Similar to the first content list described above, the second content list provided to the user devices 380a and b may also be separated from the playable content list and the convertible content list through the display unit 440 of the user devices 380a and b. The playable content that is displayed in the area and the user selects from the list is requested to the content providing server 300 and provided to the user devices 380a and b (S545 and S550).

6 is a diagram illustrating a content list display screen of a user device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The content list display screen of the user devices 380a and b according to an embodiment of the present invention displays a content list configured based on the device information provided from the user devices 380a and b.

As illustrated, the first content list 600 configured based on the device information of the user devices 380a and b includes a playable content list 610 and a convertible content list 630 in separate areas. Is displayed.

For example, when the user devices 380a and b are devices capable of playing only mp3 and avi files, the playable content list 610 displays a content list corresponding to the mp3 and avi files, and converts the contents list 630. ) Displays a content list corresponding to wav and wmv files that can be converted into mp3 or avi among the contents stored in the content storage unit 330.

When the user selects the abc.mp3 content 620 from the playable content list 610 of the first content list displayed in this way, the file is requested to the content providing server 300 to the user devices 380a and b. Is provided. On the other hand, when the aza.wav content 630 is selected in the convertible content list 630, the converted aza.mp3 file 650 may be provided through the content conversion unit 350, or the first content list ( The second content list 650 updated with 600 may be provided.

The second content list 650 is an updated list after the content 640 requested to be converted by the user in the first content list 600 is converted into playable content 670. In this list, the playable content list 610 and the convertible list 630 are updated and displayed as the playable content list 660 and the convertible list 680.

According to the content providing apparatus and method using the device information of the present invention as described above, there is an advantage that the content list and the content that can be played in the corresponding device can be provided using the device information of the device provided by the user. In addition, when providing a list of playable contents, a list of convertible contents is provided along with an advantage of converting and providing contents that were not playable on the user device.

Claims (5)

A content list constructing unit for constructing a first content list based on device information provided by a user device; A content converter configured to convert, from the contents included in the first content list, content that is not playable on the user device into playable content; And And a communication unit which provides the first content list or the second content list including the converted content to the user device. The method of claim 1, The device information, Content providing apparatus using the user device information including the information in the form of XML provided from the user device connected directly or indirectly. A storage unit which stores device information requested by a content providing server for constructing a first content list; A communication unit configured to receive a second content list including content which is converted to be playable by the content providing server among non-playable contents included in the first content list; And And a display unit configured to display the first content list or the second content list in a separate screen area. Transmitting device information of a user device requested by the content providing server; Constructing a first content list based on the transmitted device information and providing the first content list to the user device; Requesting content conversion for content that is not playable on the user device in the first content list; And And displaying a second content list including the content to which the transformation is applied. The method of claim 4, wherein And displaying the first content list or the second content list on a separate screen area and receiving playable content selected by the user from the content providing server.

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