KR20110009447A - Chnnel controlling method for assigning a channel to content and broadcasting receiver enabling of the method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A channel control method registering contents as a channel is provided to enable a user to user index data of contents as a contents channel, thereby easily changing the contents after enabling a user to register the desired contents. CONSTITUTION: A channel setting input about the predetermined contents is received from a user(S602). Whether an input is an index data corresponding to the contents or not is determined(S604). A contents channel is assigned as a contents(S605). The index data and the assigned contents channel information are related. The related data and information is stored in a contents channel DB unit. If an output command of the contents channel is received from a user, the contents is outputted(S607).

Description

CHANNEL CONTROLLING METHOD FOR ASSIGNING A CHANNEL TO CONTENT AND BROADCASTING RECEIVER ENABLING OF THE METHOD}

The present invention relates to a channel control method for registering content as a channel and a broadcast receiver employing the method. More particularly, the user registers index data of content inputted by a user as a content channel. The present invention relates to a channel control method and a broadcast receiver employing the method so that a desired content can be easily changed and moved after being registered as a channel.

Conventional broadcast receivers are serviced in such a manner that content produced by a broadcaster is transmitted through a radio wave transmission medium such as terrestrial, cable, or satellite broadcasting, and a user views the receiver through a receiver capable of receiving the respective delivery media. .

However, as digital-based digital broadcasting technology has been developed and commercialized in existing analog broadcasting, real-time broadcasting, contents on demand, games, and news using Internet networks connected to homes in addition to existing radio waves or wired cable media. It is now possible to provide a variety of content services to the user.

On the other hand, an example of providing a content service using such an Internet network may be an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). IPTV refers to the transmission of various information services, video contents, and broadcasting using the Internet network and providing the information to the receiver of the user. The Internet network may be implemented on various types of networks such as an optical cable network, a coaxial cable network, a fiber to the home (FTTH), a telephone network, and a wireless network based on an Internet Protocol (IP).

In the case of the service using the Internet network as described above, unlike general terrestrial broadcasting, the interactivity may be added, and the user has an advantage of viewing a content service that he / she wants to see at a convenient time.

However, in the case of such an IPTV, there is an inconvenience that a user must select and play the content through a menu of several levels in order to watch the content, and there is no way to easily change or move the desired content.

1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of selecting and outputting content in a conventional broadcast receiver.

Referring to FIG. 1, in order to output predetermined content in a broadcast receiver according to the related art, after outputting a main screen provided by a predetermined server (101), a corresponding category (103) is selected and a screen provided next. Since the content 104 needs to be selected, there is an inconvenience that the user has to select and play the content through various levels of menus, and there is a problem that the user cannot easily change or move to the desired content.

The present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, by allowing the user to register the content desired by the content channel, by changing the content channel to change or move to other content desired by the user, so that the user An object of the present invention is to provide a channel control method and a broadcast receiver employing the method.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method of controlling a channel of a broadcast receiver includes: selecting a content channel setting input for predetermined content from a user; Assigning a content channel to the content; Determining index data corresponding to the contents; And associating the index data with the allocated content channel information and storing the index data in the content channel database unit.

In addition, the broadcast receiver according to another embodiment of the present invention, a user interface manager for receiving a content channel setting input for the predetermined content from the user; An application manager determining index data corresponding to the content and allocating a content channel to the content; And a content channel database unit which associates the index data with the allocated content channel information and stores the content channel database unit.

The present invention solves the problems of the prior art as described above, by allowing the user to register the content desired by the content channel, by changing the content channel to change or move to other content desired by the user, so that the user There is an effect that can promote the convenience of.

In addition, the present invention has an effect that the user can conveniently output the content registered by the content channel with the index data.

In addition, the present invention has the effect of improving the user convenience by allowing the user to output and view the upper directory or folder during the output of the content channel.

In addition, the present invention has an effect of improving user convenience by providing update information or change information on the corresponding content to a viewer who outputs or changes the content channel.

In addition, when the content channel is changed, the user can freely register the content as the content channel by outputting the content by determining whether the previous or next content channel is the content stored in the internal memory, the content stored in the server, or the Internet site. There is an effect of promoting the user's convenience to facilitate the movement.

Hereinafter, a method of controlling a channel and a broadcast receiver employing the method will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The terms used in the present invention have been selected as widely used general terms as possible in consideration of the functions in the present invention, but may vary according to the intention or custom of the person skilled in the art or the emergence of new technologies. In addition, in certain cases, there is also a term arbitrarily selected by the applicant, in which case the meaning will be described in detail in the description of the invention. Therefore, the terms used in the present invention should be defined based on the meanings of the terms and the contents throughout the present invention, rather than the names of the simple terms.

An Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) system, which is an example of a system that can provide various contents using the Internet network, can be largely divided into a server, a network, and a receiver.

The servers of the IPTV are servers that perform various functions such as service discovery and selection server, streaming server, contents guide information server, customer information server, and payment information server. It can be configured as.

Among the servers, the streaming server transmits video data encoded in the stored Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) 2, MPEG4, etc. to the user through a network. As a protocol for the transmission, a Real-Time Transport Protocol (RTP), a RTP Control Protocol (RTP), or the like may be used.

In case of using Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), video stream playback can be controlled to some extent through a function called network trick play such as pause, replay, and stop. . The protocols are one example and other real time transmission protocols may be used depending on the implementation.

The content guide information server is a server that provides information on the various contents provided. The content guide information is information corresponding to electronic program guide (EPG) information and includes various information about content. The content guide information server stores content guide information data, and provides the stored data to the receiver.

The information server related to service discovery and selection among the servers provides the receiver with access information and playback information for servers providing various content services such as broadcasting, contents on demand (COD), and games.

The network system consists of an internet based network and gateways. The Internet-based network may use various types of networks such as an optical cable network, a coaxial cable network, a fiber to the home (FTTH), a telephone network, a wireless network, and the like based on IP. In addition to general data transfer, the gateway may perform multicast group management and quality of service (QoS) management using protocols such as Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP).

A receiver of an IPTV is a receiver capable of receiving data transmitted through an internet network and providing the same to a user. The receiver includes an IPTV settop, a homenet gateway, an IPTV embedded TV, and the like.

In the case of a hybrid IPTV system, various types of contents of the Internet as well as various types of existing broadcasting contents may be provided. That is, the user can provide various broadcast contents such as terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, personal broadcasting, various internet video contents, data contents other than video, and the like. The contents may be provided in real time or may be provided on demand.

2 is a diagram schematically showing an IPTV system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In terms of providing a content service, the IPTV system may be divided into a content provider (CP), a service provider (SP), a network provider (NP), and a user.

The content provider produces and provides various contents. As shown in FIG. 2, a content provider includes a terrestrial broadcaster, a cable SO, or a MSO, a satellite broadcaster, and an Internet broadcaster. (Internet broadcaster) and the like.

The service provider provides a service package of contents provided by the content provider. For example, the service provider of FIG. 2 packages a first terrestrial broadcast, a second terrestrial broadcast, a cable MSO, satellite broadcast, various Internet broadcasts, and provides the same to a user.

The service provider provides a service to the user side using a unicast or multicast scheme. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams of multicast and unicast schemes, respectively. The unicast method is a method of transmitting data 1: 1 between one sender and one receiver. For example, in the unicast scheme, when a receiver requests data from a server, the server transmits data to the receiver according to the request. Multicasting is a method of transmitting data to a plurality of recipients of a specific group. For example, the server can send data to multiple pre-registered receivers at once. The Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) protocol may be used for the multicast registration.

The network provider provides a network for providing the service to the user. The user may build a home network end user (HNED) to receive the service.

Conditional access, content protection, or the like may be used as a means for protecting the content transmitted from the IPTV system. As one example for the above-mentioned restriction reception or content protection, a method such as a cable card or a downloadable conditional access system (DCAS) may be used.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a hierarchical structure for broadcasting a Content Download Service (CDS) of IPTV.

Referring to FIG. 5, the service provider delivers data contents for CDS to an IPTV receiver using a transport protocol. The delivered data content for CDS is stored in the storage of IPTV. The stored data contents for CDS can be executed by the user's request. The transport protocol may be a File Delivery over Unidi-rectional Transport (FLUTE) mounted on ALC / LCT over IP / UDP, and may include DVB-STP, DVB data / object carousel, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), HTTP ( hypertext transfer protocol), and the above-described protocol may be used as another example.

When FLUTE is used as the transport protocol, the presence or absence of a CDS service may be known to an IPTV receiver through service discovery and selection (SD & S), and the details of the content may include metadata in a TV Anytime format. You can find it through:

Data contents for CDS may include various types of contents such as A / V contents, data contents, and game contents.

As such, the broadcast receiver of the present invention including the IPTV may be provided with various contents, and may output the provided contents to a display screen according to a user's selection.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of registering various contents into a content channel and controlling output in a broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, in step S601, the broadcast receiver outputs predetermined content.

As described above, the content output from the broadcast receiver may be various types of content. For example, the content may be video or audio data stored in an internal memory of the broadcast receiver, or video stored in a server connected to the broadcast receiver. Alternatively, the data may be audio data, may be a predetermined Internet site, may be in the form of a file containing video or audio data, or may be in the form of a folder or a menu including video or audio data.

In operation S602, the broadcast receiver receives a content channel setting input for content from a user. The content channel setting input may be received by an external input means such as a remote controller. An embodiment of the content channel setting input will be described later with reference to FIG. 7.

In step S603, the broadcast receiver allocates a content channel to content. In this case, the content channel may be a channel allocated to change the selection of content separately from the general broadcast channel, or may use an unallocated channel among the broadcast channels.

In step S604, the broadcast receiver determines index data corresponding to the content.

The index data may be path information for executing the content. For example, when the content is video or audio data stored in an internal memory of the broadcast receiver, the index data may be a directory of the content.

In addition, when the content is video or audio data stored in a server networked with the broadcast receiver, the index data may be a network address of the content. In this case, the network address may be address information for reading and outputting audio or video data stored in the server by network connection to a predetermined server.

In addition, when the content is a predetermined Internet site, the index data may be a web address of the Internet site. The web address is information for outputting an Internet site using a predetermined protocol. For example, the web address may be an IP address for distinguishing a sender and receiver using a TCP / IP protocol or the like.

For example, if the content is a video or audio data 'growth video' stored in the broadcast receiver internal memory, the broadcast receiver allocates a content channel 'ch 1 to' D / video / growth video ... 'which is a directory of the content. In association with '.

In addition, for example, when the content is video or audio data stored in a network-connected server 'Eleven King Sejong 11', the broadcast receiver is assigned the network address '198.7 // Great Sejong / de // 11 times' of the corresponding content. It can be stored in association with the content channel 'ch 3'.

Also, for example, if the content is an internet site 'Yahoo Widget', the web address of the internet site 'http //: yahoo // wizet // ...' is stored with respect to the assigned content channel 'ch 2'. Can be.

In operation S605, the broadcast receiver associates the index data with the allocated content channel information and stores the index data in the content channel database unit.

An embodiment of the content channel database unit that associates and stores content channel information and index data will be described with reference to FIG. 8.

In step S606, the broadcast receiver determines whether a content channel output command is received from the user. When the content channel output command is received in step S606, the broadcast receiver reads index data stored in the content channel database unit in step S607. To output the content.

The content channel output command may be input by a user selecting a content channel from a predetermined menu, or may be input by selecting a predetermined button (for example, a content channel selection button) from an external input means such as a remote controller.

In addition, when the channel number pressed by the external input means is not a general broadcast channel but a channel number assigned to a content channel, the channel number may be selectively input by pressing the corresponding channel number.

In addition, when a user selects a predetermined key input from an external input means, selects a content channel mode, inputs a channel number, or inputs a channel change input (channel up-down key, etc.), the user may recognize the content channel output command. have.

For example, when the content channel 'ch 3' is output through the content channel output command, the broadcast receiver determines the index data '198.7 // Great King Sejong / de // 11 times' corresponding to the corresponding channel, and then the corresponding content. You can output

On the other hand, the output of the content may be performed by reading the path information using the index data, when the index data is a directory of the internal memory, the broadcast receiver outputs video or audio data of the directory, the index data is the network of the server In the case of an address, the broadcast receiver receives and outputs video or audio data from a corresponding server.

In this case, the broadcast receiver may receive and output real-time stream type video or audio content from a server. In addition, when the index data is a web address, the broadcast receiver executes a web browser to receive and output data from an Internet site.

Therefore, the present invention has an effect of allowing the user to conveniently output the content registered by the content channel with the index data.

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, when a predetermined receiver receives a predetermined key input (for example, a menu command of a remote controller) among outputs of the corresponding content, the broadcast receiver may output a higher folder of the directory or folder including the content. Can be.

For example, if the broadcast receiver outputs '11 Great King Sejong 11 'of the content channel' ch 3 ', and the user selects a menu command, the broadcast receiver has a parent of a directory or folder including '11 Great King Sejong 11'. You can print the folder 'Domestic Drama / Daewang Sejong'.

At this time, the broadcast receiver may recognize the upper folder by removing a predetermined portion of the commercially available range of the index data.

Therefore, the present invention has the effect of improving user convenience by allowing the user to output and view the upper directory or folder during the output of the content channel.

The broadcast receiver may output the update information or the change information when new content is updated in a directory or folder including content registered in a content channel or when the content is changed in the directory or folder. The update information may be output without any other key input or may be output when the user selects a specific key input.

For example, if a new content '12 Great King Sejong 'is updated in a directory or folder that contains '11 Great King Sejong', or '11 Great King Sejong 'is changed to' The Great King Sejong-Old Story ', Change information can be output.

For example, '12 King Sejong has been updated. Do you want to watch it? 'Or you can print the message' The Great King Sejong 11th 'has been changed to' The Great King Sejong- The Last Story '. At this time, the update or change information is received from the server, or separately stored in the program list included in the folder in the broadcast receiver, and compared to the stored program list and the program list stored in the folder after connecting to the server to generate the update or change information. It may be.

Therefore, the present invention has an effect of improving user convenience by providing update information or change information on the corresponding content to the viewer who outputs the content channel.

For example, in the prior art, when a user wants to watch 'Tenwang Sejong 12 times', the user has to execute various menus and move to the folder of Daewang Sejong to check and execute the updated content. By simply selecting the content channel, the updated contents of the registered folder can be output, which can save a considerable amount of time and effort of the user.

7 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface for receiving a content channel setting input according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7, when a user inputs a content channel setting while outputting content, the broadcast receiver outputs a user interface as shown by reference numeral 701.

The content channel setting input may be received from an external input means such as a remote controller. When a user presses a predetermined button included in the remote controller, the content channel setting input may be received from the remote controller to the broadcast receiver.

When the user selects 'yes' in the user interface of the reference numeral 701, the broadcast receiver allocates a content channel to the content being output, determines the index data of the content, and stores the content channel in the content channel database unit along with the allocated channel. A confirmation message 708 is then output.

8 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a content channel database unit for storing an allocated content channel in association with index data according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the broadcast receiver of the present invention may store the content channel 801 allocated to the content 802 and the index data 803 of the corresponding content in the content channel database unit according to the content channel setting input of the user. have.

For example, if the content is video or audio data "growth video" stored in the broadcast receiver internal memory, the content channel database unit is assigned to the content channel 'D / video / growth video ...' Store in association with 1 '.

In addition, for example, when the content is video or audio data stored in a network-connected server 'Eleven King Sejong 11', the content channel database unit assigns the network address '198.7 // Great Sejong / de // 11 times' of the corresponding content. It can be stored in association with the content channel 'ch 3'.

Also, for example, when the content is an Internet site 'Yahoo Widget', the content channel database unit assigns the web address' http //: yahoo // wizet // ... 'of the corresponding Internet site to the content channel' ch 2. You can save about

Meanwhile, according to an embodiment, when the broadcast receiver receives a change command of the content channel from the user, the broadcast receiver determines the index data corresponding to the changed content channel and outputs the corresponding content.

In this case, when the change command of the content channel is an increase or decrease command of the channel, the index data corresponding to the content of the next or previous content channel stored in the content channel database unit is read, and the read next or previous order It can output the content of.

9 is a flowchart illustrating an output control process according to a content channel change command in the broadcast receiver of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 9, the broadcast receiver receives a channel change command from a user in step S901.

In step S902, the broadcast receiver determines whether the channel change command is related to the normal channel in the content channel.

At this time, as described above, when the user selects a content channel mode by selecting a predetermined key input or menu, selects a channel number from an external input means, or inputs a channel increase or decrease, the broadcast receiver It may be recognized as outputting a content channel.

In addition, if the channel number selected by the user through the external input means or the channel changed by the channel increase / decrease key input without selecting the content channel mode is the content channel assigned to the content, the content channel may be determined.

The allocation information of the content channel and the general broadcast channel may be stored in the same database or may be stored in a separate database.

If determined to be a general broadcast channel, the broadcast receiver changes the channel of the general broadcast in step S913.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S902 that the content channel change command is determined, the broadcast receiver determines the index data corresponding to the changed channel stored in the content channel database unit and outputs the corresponding content.

At this time, when it is determined that the index data corresponding to the changed content channel in step S903 is a directory of the internal memory, the broadcast receiver accesses the directory in step S904 and outputs the content.

If it is determined in step S905 that the content channel corresponds to the changed, the broadcast receiver accesses the network address of the server in step S906, and receives and outputs the content in step S907.

At this time, in step S908, the broadcast receiver determines whether new content has been updated in the directory or folder including the corresponding content, or if the content has been changed in the directory or folder. The update information or the change information may be output.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for one embodiment of outputting content of a server connected to a broadcast receiver and a network according to the present invention.

For example, referring to FIG. 10, a new content 'House 4' is added to a directory or folder 1003 containing the content 'House 3' in the server 1002 connected to the broadcast receiver 1001. When updated or 'House Part 3' is changed to 'House-Last Story', the update information or the change information may be output. For example, House 4 has been updated. Would you like to watch it? 'Or "House Part 3" has been changed to "House-Past Stories." Can be displayed.

Next, in step S910, when the index data corresponding to the content of the changed content channel is the web address of the Internet site, the broadcast receiver executes a browser in step S911 and outputs the Internet site in step S912. .

Therefore, when the content channel is changed, the user can freely register the content as the content channel by outputting the content by determining whether the previous or next content channel is the content stored in the internal memory, the content stored in the server, or the Internet site. There is an effect of promoting the user's convenience to facilitate the movement.

11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 11, the broadcast receiver 1100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a separate tuner to receive terrestrial broadcast, cable broadcast, satellite broadcast, and the like. However, in the present invention, for the convenience of description, the description will be made mainly on the part of processing the content transmitted using the Internet network.

The broadcast receiver 1100 may include a network interface 1102, a TCP / IP manager 1104, a service delivery manager 1106, a demultiplexer 1108, a data decoder 1110, a decoder 1112, a display 1116, An application manager 1118, a service information database unit 1122, a service discovery manager 1124, a service control manager 1126, a metadata manager 1128, and a content channel database unit 1130 are included.

The network interface unit 1102 receives the packets received from the network and transmits the packets to the network. That is, the network interface unit 1102 receives a content and an update / change message from a service providing server through a network.

The TCP / IP manager 1104 is involved in packet transmission from the source to the destination for the packet received by the broadcast receiver 1100 and the packet transmitted by the broadcast receiver 1100. The TCP / IP manager 1104 classifies the received packet to correspond to an appropriate protocol, and classifies the received packet into the service delivery manager 1106, the service discovery manager 1124, the service control manager 1126, and the metadata manager 1128. Output the printed packet. For example, when the TCP / IP manager 1104 receives the update message, the TCP / IP manager 1104 may output the received update message to the service control manager 1126. In addition, the TCP / IP manager 1104 may deliver a message requesting an update message output from the service control manager 1126 to the service provider.

The service delivery manager 1106 is responsible for controlling the received service data. For example, when controlling real-time streaming data, RTP / RTCP (Real-Time Transport Protocol / RTP Control Protocol) may be used. When transmitting the real time streaming data using the RTP, the service delivery manager 1106 parses the received data packet according to the RTP and transmits it to the demultiplexer 1108 or under the control of the service manager 1120. Accordingly, the content channel database unit 1130 stores the content channel database 1130. Then, the RTCP is used to feed back the network reception information to a server that provides a service.

The demultiplexer 1108 demultiplexes the received packet into audio, video, program specific information (PSI) data, and the like, and transmits the demultiplexer 1108 to the decoder 1112 and the data decoder 1110, respectively.

The data decoder 1110 decodes service information such as program specific information (PSI). That is, the data decoder 1110 receives and decodes a demultiplexed PSI section, a Program and Service Information Protocol (PSIP) section, a Service Information (DVB-SI) section, and the like from the demultiplexer 1108.

In addition, the data decoder 1110 decodes the received sections to create a database of service information, and stores the database of the service information in the service information database unit 1122.

The decoder 1112 decodes the video data and the audio data received by the demultiplexer 1108. To this end, the decoder 1112 includes an audio decoder 1113 and a video decoder 1104. The audio data decoded by the audio decoder 1113 is provided to the user through a speaker (not shown), and the video data and content decoded by the video decoder 1104 are provided to the user through the display 1116.

The application manager 1118 manages the overall state of the broadcast receiver 1100, provides a user interface, and manages other managers. To this end, the application manager 1118 includes a user interface manager 1119 and a service manager 1120.

The user interface manager 1119 provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for a user using an OSD (On Screen Display), etc., and receives a key input from a user to perform a receiver operation according to the input.

For example, the user interface manager 1119 receives a content channel setting input for predetermined content from a user. In addition, the user interface manager 1119 transmits the key input signal to the service manager 1120 when the user receives a key input related to a channel change. In addition, when a key input regarding a specific content channel or a key input regarding a request for update information for a specific content channel is received from the user, the key input signal is transmitted to the service manager 1120.

The content channel database unit 1130 allocates a content channel to content, determines index data corresponding to the content, and stores the index data in association with the allocated content channel information. An embodiment of the content channel database unit 1130 has been described above with reference to FIG. 8.

When the application manager 1118 receives an output command of the content channel from the user, the application manager 1118 reads index data stored in the content channel database unit and outputs the content.

When the application manager 1118 receives a change command of the content channel from the user, the application manager 1118 reads index data of the changed channel and outputs the content.

At this time, if the channel change command is a channel increase or decrease input, the broadcast receiver reads index data corresponding to the contents of the next or previous sequence of content channels stored in the contents channel database unit, and reads the index data corresponding to the read next or previous sequence. Output the content.

When the user selects a content channel mode and selects an output command of the content channel, the application manager 1118 may read the index data stored in the content channel database unit to output the content.

In addition, the application manager 1118 may determine whether the channel selected by the user is a content channel or a general broadcast channel, and if it is determined as a content channel, read the index data stored in the content channel database unit and output the content. have.

In addition, when the user selects a content channel mode and receives a change command of the content channel, the application manager 1118 may read index data corresponding to the changed content channel and output the content command.

In this case, the content may be video or audio data stored in the internal memory of the broadcast receiver, the index data may be a directory of the content, the content is video or audio data stored in a server connected to the broadcast receiver, The index data may be a network address of the content, the content may be a predetermined internet site, and the index data may be a web address of the internet site.

When the application manager 1118 receives a predetermined key input (for example, a menu command) from among the output of the contents, the application manager 1118 may output the upper folder of the directory or folder including the contents.

In addition, the application manager 1118 may output the update information or the change information when new content is updated in a directory or folder including content, or when the content is changed in the directory or folder.

The display unit 1116 outputs the content on the display screen.

The service manager 1120 controls a manager associated with a service such as a service delivery manager 1106, a service discovery manager 1124, a service control manager 1126, and a metadata manager 1128 and an IG-OITF client.

In addition, the service manager 1120 creates a channel map of a general broadcast and selects a channel using the channel map according to a key input received from the user interface manager 1119. The service manager 1120 receives service information of a channel from the data decoder 1110 and sets an audio / video PID (packet identifier) of the selected channel to the demultiplexer 1108.

The service discovery manager 1124 provides information necessary to select a service provider providing a service. Upon receiving a signal for channel selection from the service manager 1120, the service discovery manager 1124 uses the information to find a service.

The service control manager 1126 is responsible for selecting and controlling a service. For example, if a user selects a live broadcasting service like the conventional broadcasting method, IGMP or RTSP is used. If a user selects a service such as VOD (Video On Demand), RTSP is used to select and control the service. Perform The RTSP protocol may provide a trick mode for real time streaming. In addition, the service control manager 926 may initialize and manage a session through the IMC gateway using an IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) or a session initiation protocol (SIP). The protocols are one embodiment, and other protocols may be used depending on implementation.

The metadata manager 1128 manages metadata associated with a service and stores the metadata in the service information database unit 1122.

The service information database 1122 stores service information decoded by the data decoder 1110, metadata managed by the metadata manager 1128, and information necessary to select a service provider provided by the service discovery manager 1124. . The service information database 1122 may also store setup data for the system.

The service information database unit 1122 and the content channel database unit 1130 may be implemented using nonvolatile memory (NVRAM) or flash memory, respectively, and two logically separated areas on the same storage area. It can be implemented as.

The content channel database unit 1130 may store content controlled to be stored by the PVR manager (not shown). The PVR manager collects metadata related to the stored content and generates additional information (thumbnail images, etc.) used for user use.

The broadcast receiver according to the present invention has been described so far, and the technical details described in the above embodiments may be applied to the broadcast receiver of FIG. 11 as it will be omitted.

As described above, the present invention has been described by way of limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, which can be variously modified and modified by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Modifications are possible. Accordingly, the spirit of the present invention should be understood only by the claims set forth below, and all equivalent or equivalent modifications thereof will belong to the scope of the present invention.

1 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of selecting and outputting content in a broadcast receiver according to the related art.

2 is a diagram schematically showing an IPTV system as an embodiment according to the present invention;

3 and 4 schematically show multicast and unicast schemes, respectively.

5 is a diagram illustrating a hierarchical structure for broadcasting a Content Download Service (CDS) of IPTV.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of registering various contents into a content channel and controlling an output in a broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a user interface for receiving a content channel setting input in accordance with the present invention. FIG.

8 illustrates an embodiment of a content channel database unit for storing an assigned content channel in association with index data according to the present invention.

9 is a flowchart illustrating an output control process according to a content channel change command in a broadcast receiver of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of outputting content of a server connected to a broadcast receiver and a network according to the present invention. FIG.

11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (26)

In the channel control method of the broadcast receiver, Receiving a content channel setting input for predetermined content from a user; Determining index data corresponding to the content and allocating a content channel to the content; And Associating the index data with the allocated content channel information and storing the index data in a content channel database unit; Channel control method of a broadcast receiver comprising a. The method of claim 1, Reading the index data stored in the content channel database unit and outputting the content when receiving an output command of the content channel from the user; The channel control method of the broadcast receiver further comprising. The method of claim 1, Receiving the change command of the content channel from the user, reading the index data corresponding to the changed content channel and outputting the content command The channel control method of the broadcast receiver further comprising. The method of claim 3, When the change command of the content channel is an increase or decrease command of the channel, index data corresponding to the content of the next or previous ordered content channel stored in the content channel database unit is read, and the read next or previous ordered content Step to output The channel control method of the broadcast receiver further comprising. The method of claim 1, Wherein the content is video or audio data stored in an internal memory of the broadcast receiver, and the index data is a directory of the content. The method of claim 1, Wherein the content is video or audio data stored in a server connected to the broadcast receiver, and the index data is a network address of the content. The method according to claim 5 or 6, Outputting a higher folder of a directory or a folder including the content when a predetermined key input is received among the output of the content; The channel control method of the broadcast receiver further comprising. The method according to claim 5 or 6, Outputting the update information or the change information when new content is updated in the directory or folder including the content or when the content is changed in the directory or folder. The channel control method of the broadcast receiver further comprising. The method of claim 6, And when the content channel is selected, the content is received from the server in a stream manner. The method of claim 1, And the content is a predetermined internet site, and the index data is a web address of the internet site. The method of claim 2, When receiving the output command of the content channel from the user, the step of outputting the content by reading the index data stored in the content channel database unit, If the user selects a content channel mode and selects an output command of the content channel, reading the index data stored in the content channel database unit and outputting the content; Channel control method of a broadcast receiver comprising a. The method of claim 2, When receiving the output command of the content channel from the user, the step of outputting the content by reading the index data stored in the content channel database unit, Determining whether the channel selected by the user is a content channel or a general broadcasting channel, and if it is determined that the channel is a content channel, reading the index data stored in the content channel database unit and outputting the content; Channel control method of a broadcast receiver comprising a. The method of claim 3, When receiving a change command of the content channel from the user, reading the index data corresponding to the changed content channel and outputting the content command, When the user selects a content channel mode and receives a change command of the content channel, reading the index data corresponding to the changed content channel and outputting the content command Channel control method of a broadcast receiver comprising a. A user interface manager configured to receive a content channel setting input for predetermined content from a user; An application manager determining index data corresponding to the content and allocating a content channel to the content; And A content channel database unit for associating the index data with the allocated content channel information and storing the index data in the content channel database unit; Broadcast receiver comprising a. The method of claim 14, A display unit for reading the index data stored in the content channel database unit and outputting the content when receiving an output command of the content channel from the user Broadcast receiver further comprises. The method of claim 14, The application manager, And receiving the change command of the content channel from the user, reading the index data corresponding to the changed content channel, and outputting the content command. The method of claim 16, When the change command of the content channel is an increase or decrease command of the channel, the application manager reads index data corresponding to the content of the next or previous content channel stored in the content channel database unit, and reads the next Or outputting the contents of the previous order. The method of claim 14, The content is video or audio data stored in an internal memory of the broadcast receiver, and the index data is a directory of the content. The method of claim 14, Wherein the content is video or audio data stored in a server connected to the broadcast receiver, and the index data is a network address of the content. The method of claim 18 or 19, And the application manager outputs an upper folder of a directory or folder including the content when the application manager selects and inputs a predetermined key input among the output of the content. The method of claim 18 or 19, And outputting the update information or the change information when new content is updated in the directory or folder including the content or when the content is changed in the directory or folder. The method of claim 19, And when the content channel is selected, the content is received from the server in a stream manner. The method of claim 14, The content is a predetermined internet site, and the index data is a web address of the internet site. The method of claim 15, The application manager, And when the user selects a content channel mode and selects an output command of the content channel, outputs the content by reading index data stored in the content channel database unit. The method of claim 15, The application manager, And determining whether the channel selected by the user is a content channel or a general broadcast channel, and if it is determined as a content channel, reads index data stored in the content channel database unit and outputs the content. The method of claim 16, The application manager, And when the user selects a content channel mode and receives a change command of the content channel, reads index data corresponding to the changed content channel and outputs the content command.

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