KR100947052B1 - Method for relocating select menu of broadcast receiving on internet protocol television service and apparatus for executing the method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a broadcast selection menu of an IPTV service for the purpose of reconfiguring the selection menu of the remaining remaining broadcast channels and displaying them on the EPG except for a specific broadcast channel set to a hidden state among all the broadcast channel selection menus. A method for switching and an apparatus for providing an IPTV service for performing the method. To this end, an apparatus for providing an IPTV service according to the present invention includes a menu setting input unit for receiving a menu setting input by a viewer corresponding to an entire broadcasting content menu received from a broadcasting server, and the entire broadcasting corresponding to the input menu setting. Parsing a content menu, a broadcast content menu parsing unit for reconstructing a tree of remaining menus except submenus of the entire broadcast content menu according to the parsing result, and a broadcast content menu displaying the reconstructed broadcast content menu. It includes a display unit.

EPG, XML, Broadcast Contents Menu, Menu Settings, Tree Structure

Description

TECHNICAL FOR RELOCATING SELECT MENU OF BROADCAST RECEIVING ON INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION SERVICE AND APPARATUS FOR EXECUTING THE METHOD}

The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing an IPTV service for the purpose of reconfiguring the selection menu of the remaining remaining broadcast channels and displaying them in the EPG except for a specific broadcast channel set to the hidden state among all the broadcast channel selection menus.

Recently, thanks to the rapid development of the TV broadcast receiving media, viewers can receive and watch broadcasts through various paths. A representative example thereof is a broadcast service using IPTV (Internet Protocol TeleVision). IPTV is a type of digital convergence that combines the Internet and television as a service method that provides broadcasting and other contents to a television receiver using the Internet. While watching TV, you can access various contents and additional services provided on the Internet such as internet search, home banking, online games, and home shopping through the remote control as if using a computer.

IPTV is distinguished from the conventional Internet TV in its function and configuration. That is, unlike an Internet TV using a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse, an IPTV performs a function using a remote control of a television receiver. In addition, IPTV is distinguished from cable TV and satellite broadcasting in that it is possible not only to watch a broadcast but also to interactively use desired contents using a remote controller.

Broadcasting service using IPTV that can use these various functions can be watched only by a television receiver connected to the Internet and a set-top box for receiving a broadcast, so that viewers can receive broadcasts and various contents received by IPTV. It can be used to satisfy various needs.

To this end, conventional broadcast services using IPTV generally provide an electric program guide for viewers to smoothly select and use broadcasts and various contents received from IPTV.

1 is a general example of a conventional electronic program guide (EPG) information screen. EPG information is a full guide including all program information, and provides program information classified by channel and time.

As shown in FIG. 1, a conventional electronic program guide is configured in various ways and displayed on a broadcast receiving terminal. For example, a method of displaying all program guide information and a method of displaying program guide information in broadcast in an extensible markup language format are used.

However, this conventional method is limited in satisfying the desires of the viewers through the interactive broadcasting program setup with the viewers. That is, there is a big limitation to selectively reconfigure the broadcast viewing menu received in the form of XML according to the request of the viewer and effectively display it in the electronic program guide.

Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for maximizing convenience in viewing a broadcast by effectively providing a viewer with a broadcast viewing menu reconstructed according to the viewer's desire.

An object of the present invention is to reconfigure the selection menu of the remaining remaining broadcast channels and display them in the electronic program guide except for a specific broadcast channel set to the hidden state among all the broadcast channel selection menus.

Another object of the present invention is to display a broadcast content menu hidden in correspondence with a menu setting of a viewer among all broadcast content menus displayed on the display device in an activated state in an inactive state.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to display the display on the display device in a different state by changing the colors of the activated broadcast content menu and the deactivated broadcast content menu.

Another object of the present invention is to generate a broadcast content menu using broadcast content received from a broadcast server and to display the generated broadcast content menu on a display device.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to receive a broadcast content menu from a broadcast server, and reconfigure the broadcast content menu according to a hidden setting input by a viewer and display the same on a display device.

An apparatus for providing an IPTV service according to the present invention includes a menu setting input unit for receiving a menu setting input by a viewer corresponding to an entire broadcasting content menu received from a broadcasting server, and a menu setting input unit corresponding to the input menu setting. A broadcast content menu parser for parsing and reconstructing a tree of remaining menus except for submenus of the entire broadcast content menu according to the parsing result, and a broadcast content menu for displaying the reconstructed broadcast content menu on a display device; It includes a display unit.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for providing an IPTV service includes a broadcast content menu generator for generating an entire broadcast content menu corresponding to broadcast content received from a broadcasting station, and a hidden setting input by a viewer corresponding to the entire broadcast content menu. A menu setting input unit configured to receive an input, a broadcast content menu parser configured to parse and reconstruct remaining broadcast content except the hidden broadcast content menu among all the broadcast content menus, and the reconstructed broadcast content menu to a display device. And a broadcast content menu display unit for displaying.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method for switching a broadcast selection menu in an IPTV service is implemented in an extended generation language (XML) to correspond to a menu setting input by a viewer corresponding to an entire broadcast content menu displayed in an electronic program guide (EPG). Receiving, Parsing and reconfiguring to exclude a specific broadcast content menu of the entire broadcast content menu according to the input menu setting, Remaining menu except the sub-menu of the entire broadcast content menu according to the parsing result Reconstructing a tree of the information, and displaying the parsed reconstructed broadcast content menu on a display device.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of switching a broadcast selection menu in an IPTV service includes generating a full broadcast content menu corresponding to broadcast content received from a broadcasting station, and hiding a viewer input corresponding to the full broadcast content menu. Receiving a setting, parsing and reconstructing remaining broadcast content except the hidden broadcast content menu among all the broadcast content menus, and displaying the reconstructed broadcast content menu on a display device; do.

According to the present invention, except for a specific broadcast channel set to the hidden state among all the broadcast channel selection menu, the selection menu of the remaining remaining broadcast channels may be reconfigured and displayed on the EPG.

Also, among all the broadcast content menus displayed on the display device in the activated state, the broadcast content menu hidden in correspondence with the menu setting of the viewer may be displayed in an inactive state.

In addition, the colors of the activated broadcast content menu and the deactivated broadcast content menu may be differently displayed on the display device.

In addition, in response to the broadcast content received from the broadcast server, the IPTV service device may generate a full broadcast content menu and display the same on the display device.

In addition, the broadcast content menu may be received from the broadcast server, and the broadcast content menu may be reconfigured and displayed on the display device according to the hiding setting input by the viewer.

Hereinafter, a method of switching a broadcast selection menu of an IPTV service and an IPTV service apparatus performing the method will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Among the terms used below, "IPTV service device" refers to PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) phone, PCS (Personal Communication Service) phone, PHS (Personal Handyphone System) phone, CDMA-2000 (1X, 3X) phone, WCDMA (Widebans CDMA) Handheld devices that may include communication features such as phones, dual band / dual mode phones, global standard for mobile phones, mobile broadband system (MBS) phones, smart phones, mobile phones, etc. , Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) terminals, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), Media Gateway Control (MEGACO), Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), Hand-Held PC, Notebook A mobile terminal such as a computer, a laptop computer, a WiBro terminal, an MD player, and the like, and an International Mobile Telecommunication 2000 (IMT2000) terminal providing an extended mobile communication service, a terminal based on a Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS), etc. All kinds A portable electric and electronic device, which means a handheld-based wireless communication device, a terminal capable of performing certain arithmetic operations by mounting a microprocessor capable of performing multimedia playback functions, and a radio wave transmitted from a base station through a set-top box. It is interpreted as a concept collectively known as a TV receiver.

According to the present invention, an IPTV service device may be connected to broadcast servers or devices connected to a network in a wireless and wired communication manner to exchange data with each other. For example, the wireless communication method is a radio station that relays communication between devices, and is used as a functional unit or device for transmitting and receiving information between a base station (BS) relaying transmission and reception radio waves, a plurality of heterogeneous communication networks, or a homogeneous communication network. It may include a gateway (Gateway) and the like. In addition, the wired communication method includes at least one of an IP protocol-based Internet network, FTTH / O / C (broadband network), ATM (broadband communication network), CATV network, LAN, ADSL, Ethernet Firewall & VPN, and Loadbalancer & CDN. It may include.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an IPTV service apparatus according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus 100 according to the present invention includes a menu setting input unit 201, a broadcast content menu parser 202, a broadcast content display unit 203, and a storage unit 204.

The menu setting input unit 201 displays the entire broadcast content menu received from the broadcast server in an electric program guide, provides the viewer with the menu setting input by the viewer in the entire broadcast content menu.

The menu setting includes a series of control information input by the viewer for setting the broadcast content menu. For example, the control information may include control information for displaying a broadcast content menu, control information for setting a series of menu items displayed in the entire broadcast content menu, and function setting information for a specific broadcast channel displayed in the broadcast content menu. It may include.

In general, the broadcast content menu is implemented in a script language and displayed in the electronic program guide. The script language is a collective term for a series of programming languages that can be received in a set-top box of an IPTV receiver such as an eXtensible Markup Language and an eXtensible Style Language, which can be implemented and displayed in the form of an electronic program guide. can do.

The broadcast content menu parsing unit 202 parses an existing extensible generation language received in the electronic program guide so that a specific broadcast content menu among all the broadcast content menus is not displayed on the display device according to the menu setting input by the viewer. (Parsing) That is, when a viewer hides a specific broadcast content menu using a broadcast content menu, the broadcast is made without the selected broadcast content menu and all or some submenus derived from the broadcast content menu. The broadcast content menu previously displayed in the electronic program guide is reconfigured to display the content menu.

As another example, among all the broadcast content menus displayed on the display device in the activated state, the broadcast content menu hidden according to the menu setting of the viewer may be displayed in the inactivated state. To this end, the deactivated broadcast content menu and the activated broadcast content menu may be distinguished and displayed by changing colors displayed on the display device.

In this case, the broadcast content menu may be a broadcast content menu reconfigured in a state in which a broadcast content menu of a specific branch is excluded from the broadcast content menu having a tree structure received by the set top box in a multicast manner. According to the present invention, the broadcast content menu parsing unit 202 may use a predetermined algorithm for reconstruction of the broadcast content menu.

The broadcast content display unit 203 displays the broadcast content menu reconfigured to exclude a specific broadcast content menu on the display device. For example, the broadcast content display unit 203 may search for and display a broadcast content menu corresponding to the menu search request in the storage unit 204 when a viewer requests a menu search for broadcasting.

The storage unit 204 stores at least one of a menu setting input from the viewer and a setting of the reconstructed broadcast content menu. For example, the storage unit 204 stores the menu setting of the viewer received from the menu setting input unit 201, and receives and stores the broadcast content menu reconstructed according to the menu setting from the broadcast content menu parsing unit 202. do.

Accordingly, in the IPTV service apparatus according to the present invention, the broadcast content menu parser 202 may generate and display a broadcast content menu on the display device corresponding to the broadcast content received from the broadcast server. Alternatively, the IPTV service apparatus may receive the broadcast content menu from the broadcast server, reconfigure the broadcast content menu according to the hiding setting input by the viewer, and display the broadcast content menu on the display device.

3A, 3B, 3C, 4A, and 4B are diagrams illustrating an EPG configuration received by an IPTV service apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, FIG. 3A illustrates an EPG screen in which a viewer selects a specific broadcast content menu (eg, an M drama) using a broadcast content menu received in the form of XML. As shown in FIG. 3A, the electronic program guide may display broadcast channel selection information such as broadcast channel information, broadcast time, and broadcast program name. In addition, the broadcast selection menu may be displayed by including a separate broadcast channel setting function such as selection, hiding, confirmation, and setting so that the viewer can set.

If the viewer selects the hidden setting for a specific broadcast content menu displayed in the electronic program guide, the viewer is selected as “hidden setting of the entire submenu of M drama. Do you want to continue?” As shown in FIG. 3B. Providing confirmation message about setting contents to. In this case, the confirmation message may be provided to the viewer in a pop-up form, and may also be displayed in a subtitle format on the menu screen.

When "confirmation" is received from the viewer in response to the inquiry of the confirmation message, as shown in FIG. 3C, the display device displays the specific program in a hidden state.

3C shows a state in which the broadcast program "M Drama" selected according to the hiding setting of the viewer is set to be hidden. According to the present invention, a broadcast content menu belonging to a specific sub-menu among the broadcast content menus received in the form of XML may be hidden and displayed according to a viewer's request.

4A is a diagram illustrating an EPG screen on which a submenu of a specific broadcast content menu is displayed according to an embodiment of the present invention.

For example, when the viewer receives a hidden setting request for a lower menu of a specific broadcast content menu, the entire broadcast program information corresponding to the upper menu (M drama) is displayed as shown in FIG. 4A. In this case, the broadcast content belonging to the lower menu may be broadcast program information that the viewer selectively groups according to his or her taste. Further, according to the present invention, the parsing unit of the IPTV may be broadcast program information rearranged and grouped by the broadcast content menu according to the type of broadcast content received from a broadcast station.

As another example, when a specific program (eg, Crayon-chan) is selected using the broadcast selection menu displayed on the EPG, detailed setting information about the program may be displayed as the submenu. For example, the detailed setting information may include recording reservation time setting, timer setting for a program, setting information about various broadcast contents provided from a broadcasting server in relation to a broadcast program, and the like.

When a hidden setting for a specific broadcast content (eg, Crayon Shin-gu) is received from the viewer by using the electronic program guide displayed as shown in FIG. 4A, as shown in FIG. 4B, a query content requesting confirmation of the setting is provided to the viewer. Display. In other words, viewers can see the query about the hidden setting of a specific sub-broadcast content menu for the upper broadcast content menu, such as "Mang-gu (11:45-12:00) of M drama channels. Can be marked.

Accordingly, the remaining remaining broadcast content menus except for the specific upper broadcast content menu that are hidden may be reconfigured and displayed on the display device. Also, only the specific lower broadcast content menus for the broadcast content menu may be selectively hidden and displayed. To this end, the broadcast content menu parsing unit according to the present invention may parse and reconstruct only the remaining broadcast content menu except the hidden broadcast content menu using an algorithm.

As described above, the IPTV service apparatus according to the present invention can display only a specific broadcast menu according to selection information set by a parent in order to prevent a child from accessing a specific adult broadcast channel. You can prevent access to the channel program.

5 is a diagram illustrating a method of switching a broadcast selection menu of an IPTV service according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In operation S501, the entire broadcast content menu received from the broadcast server is displayed on the electronic program guide and provided to the viewer. According to the present invention, the entire broadcast content menu may be composed of Extensible Generation Language (XML) and received from a broadcast server.

In step S502, the menu setting is input as a series of control information input by the viewer for setting the broadcast content menu. For example, the control information includes control information for displaying a broadcast content menu, control information for setting a series of menu items displayed on the entire broadcast content menu, and function setting information for a specific broadcast channel displayed on the broadcast content menu. And the like.

If the menu setting input from the viewer in step S503 is a hidden setting for the broadcast content menu, a specific broadcast content menu among the broadcast content menus is displayed on the display device in correspondence with the input menu setting in step S505. Parsing the existing extensibility generation language received in the electronic program guide to reconstruct the entire broadcast content menu.

On the contrary, if the input menu setting is not a hidden setting for the broadcast content, as in step S504, the general function of the broadcast content menu is performed according to the input menu setting. Here, the general function may include a function setting for various broadcast contents that can be performed using the broadcast contents menu.

If there is a menu search request for viewing the broadcast from the viewer in step S506, the broadcast content menu corresponding to the menu search request is displayed on the display device. According to the present invention, the information of the reconstructed broadcast content menu and the input menu setting may be stored in the storage unit, and the broadcast content menu stored in the storage unit may be provided in response to a viewer's request for menu search.

As described above, the IPTV service apparatus according to the present invention is the remaining broadcast except for the specific broadcast channel set to the hidden state according to the viewer's input among all the broadcast channel selection menu received in the Extensible Generation Language (XML) format. The selection menu of the channel can be displayed in the electronic program guide (EPG) by reconfiguring the algorithm.

The method of switching the broadcast selection menu of the IPTV service according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed by various computer means and recorded in a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape, optical media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, and magnetic disks, such as floppy disks. Magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

In the present invention as described above has been described by the specific embodiments, such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, but this is provided to help a more general understanding of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations are possible from such description.

Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and all of the equivalents or equivalents of the claims as well as the claims to be described later will belong to the scope of the present invention. .

1 is a view showing a general configuration of a conventional electronic program guide (EPG) information screen.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an IPTV service apparatus according to the present invention.

3A is a diagram illustrating a broadcast content menu displayed on an EGP in the form of XML according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3B is a diagram illustrating a process of performing hiding setting on a specific broadcast content menu displayed on an electronic program guide according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3C is a diagram illustrating a screen in which a specific broadcast content menu of an electronic program guide is set to be hidden according to an embodiment of the present invention.

 4A is a diagram illustrating a screen displaying a submenu of specific broadcast content (M drama) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4B illustrates a query screen for checking hiding setting of a lower broadcast content menu according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating a method of switching a broadcast selection menu of an IPTV service according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

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

201: menu setting input unit

202: broadcast content menu parsing unit

203: broadcast content display unit

204: storage unit

Claims (13)

In the device for providing IPTV service, A menu setting input unit configured to receive a menu setting input by the viewer corresponding to the entire broadcasting content menu received from the broadcasting server; A broadcast content menu parsing unit for parsing the entire broadcast content menu according to the input menu setting, and reconstructing a tree of remaining menus except for submenus of the entire broadcast content menu according to the parsing result; And Broadcast content menu display unit for displaying the reconstructed broadcast content menu on a display device Apparatus for providing an IPTV service comprising a. The method of claim 1, A storage unit for storing at least one of the input menu setting and the reconfigured broadcast content menu setting Apparatus for providing an IPTV service further comprising. The method of claim 1, And the entire broadcast content menu is implemented in an extended generation language (XML) and displayed on an electronic program guide (EPG). The method of claim 1, The reconstructed content menu is an apparatus for providing an IPTV service, characterized in that the reconstructed broadcast content menu except for a specific branch of the entire broadcast content menu of the tree structure received in the set-top box in a multicast manner. The method of claim 1, The menu setting input unit receives a hidden setting of the broadcast content menu input from the viewer. The broadcast content menu display unit, wherein the broadcast content menu received from the broadcast server, except for the hidden broadcast content menu to display on the display device, providing an IPTV service. The method of claim 5, The broadcast content menu display unit is provided with an IPTV service, characterized in that to display any one of the different color of the broadcast content menu is displayed in the hidden broadcast content menu and the entire broadcast content menu. A broadcast content menu generator for generating an entire broadcast content menu corresponding to broadcast content received from a broadcast station; A menu setting input unit configured to receive a hidden setting input by the viewer corresponding to the entire broadcast content menu; A broadcast content menu parser configured to parse and reconstruct the remaining broadcast content except the hidden broadcast content menu among all the broadcast content menus; And Broadcast content menu display unit for displaying the reconstructed broadcast content menu on a display device Apparatus for providing an IPTV service comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein And the entire broadcast content menu is implemented in an extended generation language (xml) and displayed on an electronic program guide (EPG). The method of claim 7, wherein And the broadcast content menu display unit displays the broadcast content menu on the display device except for the hidden broadcast content menu. The method of claim 7, wherein The broadcast content menu display unit provides an IPTV service, characterized in that for displaying the different color of any one of the broadcast content menu is set in the hidden broadcast content menu and the entire broadcast content menu. In the method of switching the broadcast selection menu in the IPTV service, Receiving a menu setting input by the viewer corresponding to the entire broadcast content menu displayed in the electronic program guide (EPG) implemented in the extended generation language (XML); Parsing and reconstructing a broadcast content menu of a specific kind from all the broadcast content menus according to the input menu setting; Reconstructing a tree of remaining menus except for submenus of the entire broadcast content menu according to the parsing result; And Displaying the parsed and reconstructed broadcast content menu on a display device; Method of switching a broadcast selection menu in the IPTV service comprising a. Generating an entire broadcast content menu corresponding to the broadcast content received from the broadcasting station; Receiving a hidden setting input by the viewer corresponding to the entire broadcast content menu; Parsing and reconstructing the remaining broadcast content except the hidden broadcast content menu among all the broadcast content menus; And Displaying the reconstructed broadcast content menu on a display device; Method of switching a broadcast selection menu in the IPTV service comprising a. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 11 or 12.

Images