KR20220149167A - Apparatus and method for providing IPTV contents seamlessly - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for providing IPTV content seamlessly between IPTV service terminals, which enable a user to view corresponding IPTV content on another IPTV service terminal while viewing the IPTV content on a mobile terminal capable of using an IPTV service. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the IPTV service terminal comprises: a content playback unit playing IPTV content received through an access point; a search unit searching for other IPTV service terminals accessing the access point to acquire IPTV service unique IDs of the other IPTV service terminals; and a seamless viewing request transmission unit transmitting a seamless viewing request including IPTV content information and the acquired IPTV service unique ID to a seamless viewing relay server through the access point.

Description

Apparatus and method for providing IPTV contents seamlessly}

The present invention relates to a technology for continuing content viewing between two different terminals, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for providing continuous viewing of IPTV content between IPTV service terminals.

With the development of mobile terminals (smartphones, tablet PCs, etc.), content that was previously consumed on TVs, etc., can be consumed on mobile terminals as well. However, the mobile terminal has a small screen, suitable for use while on the move, and inconvenient to view content from a fixed position. In response to this demand, a technology has been developed and provided to transmit the screen of a mobile terminal (smartphone, tablet PC, etc.) to a device that provides a wider screen, such as a TV, and enlarge the screen of the mobile terminal as it is. A typical example is screen mirroring technology.

This screen mirroring technology can be utilized even when viewing IPTV contents. Although IPTV contents are only played through IPTV set-top boxes so far, it is expected that IPTV contents can be used in various mobile terminals other than IPTV set-top boxes. Therefore, the screen mirroring technology described above will also be utilized to view IPTV contents. However, since the screen mirroring technology shows the screen of the mobile terminal as it is on the large screen, since the content must always be played on the mobile terminal, the content playback is difficult if the battery consumption is severe and the communication between the mobile terminal and the device providing the large screen is unstable. There is a disconnection problem. In addition, in order to use the screen mirroring technology, it is difficult for users unfamiliar with IT devices to use it because pairing settings must be made between the mobile terminal and a device providing a large screen.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and while viewing IPTV content on a mobile terminal capable of using an IPTV service, IPTV content between IPTV service terminals can be continuously viewed with another IPTV service terminal. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for providing a continuous view.

According to an embodiment, an IPTV service terminal includes: a content playback unit for playing IPTV content received through an access point; a search unit that searches for another IPTV service terminal connected to the access point and obtains an IPTV service unique ID of the other IPTV service terminal; and a resume request transmission unit that transmits a resume play request including the IPTV content information and the obtained IPTV service unique ID to a continuous play relay server through the access point.

The search unit may broadcast an SSDP multicast message through the access point to search for the other IPTV service terminal, and then obtain the IPTV service unique ID from the other IPTV service terminal.

The search unit may obtain the IPTV service unique ID from a Digital Media Renderer (DMR) description.xml file received from the other IPTV service terminal.

The search unit may further obtain a terminal model name from the DMR description.xml file, and may receive a selection input from the user by displaying the terminal model name and the IPTV service unique ID to the user as a continuous viewable terminal.

A continuous view relay device for providing continuous viewing of IPTV content according to an embodiment includes an IPTV service of a second terminal obtained by a first terminal searching for a second terminal accessing an access point to which a first terminal is accessing. a continuation view request receiving unit for receiving a continuation view request including a unique ID and information on content to be continued from the first terminal; and extracting the IPTV service unique ID and information on the content to be continued from the received request to continue playing, and sending the extracted information on the content to be continued based on the extracted IPTV service unique ID to the second terminal and a continuous view information transmitting unit for transmitting the information.

When the second terminal is in the standby mode, the resume information transmitter may transmit the extracted information on the content to be resumed after switching the second terminal to the operation mode.

The present invention provides continuous viewing from the first IPTV service terminal to the second IPTV service terminal only when another second IPTV service terminal for continuous viewing of IPTV content is recognized in the same local network in the first IPTV service terminal such as a mobile terminal. It prevents abuse of IPTV contents and enables continuous viewing of IPTV contents only between IPTV service terminals that have legitimately subscribed to the service.

According to the present invention, since the first IPTV service terminal and the second IPTV service terminal to be continued do not go through a setting step such as pairing setting, the first IPTV service terminal only needs to search for and select the second IPTV service terminal, The user's viewing convenience may be improved.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system for providing continuous viewing of IPTV contents between IPTV service terminals according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the tablet PC of FIG. 1 .
3 is a screen showing an example of a content continue view input icon according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the continuous view relay server of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of continuing viewing of IPTV content in the system of FIG. 1 .

The above-described objects, features, and advantages will become more apparent through the following detailed description in relation to the accompanying drawings, and accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. There will be. In addition, in the description of the present invention, when it is determined that a detailed description of a known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system for providing continuous viewing of IPTV contents between IPTV service terminals according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , the system according to the present embodiment includes an access point 110 that provides a wireless LAN service (eg, Wi-Fi), a tablet PC 120 , an IPTV set-top box 130 , and a continuous view relay server. (140).

The continuous viewing proposed by the present invention is a continuous viewing of IPTV contents between IPTV service terminals in a local network. That is, continuous viewing of IPTV contents is provided only between IPTV service terminals connected to the same local network, and IPTV contents continuous viewing is not provided between IPTV service terminals connected to broadband networks such as the Internet network or mobile communication network.

Here, the local network is a short-range communication network such as Wi-Fi, as shown in FIG. 1 . In the present embodiment, as the IPTV service terminal, the tablet PC 120 and the IPTV set-top box 130 will be described as examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the tablet PC 120 is described as a representative example among mobile terminals capable of using the IPTV service, and various mobile terminals such as a smart phone may be used.

The tablet PC 120 is a mobile terminal capable of using an IPTV service. The tablet PC 120 includes a dedicated application that can use the IPTV service, provides the IPTV service to the user through the dedicated application, and provides a continuous view service. The dedicated application may be downloaded and installed from an App Store or the like, or may be installed and provided by default by a terminal manufacturer.

When a continuous view input is received from a user who is accessing the access point 110 and watching IPTV content, the tablet PC 120 searches for the IPTV service terminal(s) connected to the local network of the access point 110 , A list of searched IPTV service terminals is displayed on the screen, and a selection input for an IPTV service terminal to be continued from the list is received from the user.

Preferably, the tablet PC 120 may search for terminals connected to the local network of the access point 110 using a Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) multicast message. The tablet PC 120 broadcasts the M-Search message to the local network of the access point 110 and receives a 200 OK message from terminals accessing the local network. Only the IP addresses assigned to the terminals through DHCP in the local network cannot determine whether the corresponding terminal is a terminal providing the IPTV service. In this embodiment, the IPTV service terminal may be allocated a premium IP address band (eg, 172.30.1.128~130) that guarantees QoS for the IPTV service, and may additionally store an IPTV service unique ID and terminal model name.

Accordingly, when the tablet PC 120 receives a 200 OK message from terminals in the local network, based on the IP address of the terminal included in the 200 OK message, the tablet PC 120 requests the IPTV service unique ID and terminal model name from the terminals. receive Since only the IPTV service terminal that provides the content continuous view function stores the IPTV service unique ID and the terminal model name together, the tablet PC 120 enables the content continuous viewing service only for terminals that have transmitted the IPTV service unique ID and terminal model name. It is determined that it is an IP service-only terminal, and a list of IPTV service unique IDs and terminal model names of the terminals is displayed on the screen, and a selection input for a terminal to be continued is received from the user.

In the present embodiment, the tablet PC 120 is described as acquiring both the IPTV service unique ID and the terminal model name, but is not limited thereto, and only the IPTV service unique ID may be acquired. If the terminal model name is acquired, it can be more clearly identified whether the searched terminal is a terminal that can use the IPTV service, but only the IP address and IPTV service unique ID can confirm whether the searched terminal is an IPTV service terminal that provides a continuous content viewing service. , As will be described below, since the request for continuous viewing does not include the terminal model name but only the IPTV service unique ID, the tablet PC 120 may acquire only the IPTV service unique ID.

The tablet PC 120 transmits a continuous view request including the IPTV service unique ID of the IPTV service terminal selected by the user and information on the content to be continued to the continuous play relay server 140 through the access point 110 . . Here, the information of the content to be watched includes a content name, a channel number, or a content identification ID, a time of stopping viewing, and the like.

The IPTV set-top box 130 is connected to a display device 130 such as a TV, reproduces content received from the IPTV system, and displays it on the display device. In this embodiment, the IPTV set-top box 130 is connected to the access point 110 to provide a continuous content viewing service, and accesses the IPTV system through the access point 110 to provide the IPTV service to the user.

The connection between the IPTV set-top box 130 and the access point 110 includes a wireless or wired connection. During wireless or wired connection, the IPTV set-top box 130 is allocated an IP address for the IPTV service from the access point 110 . In this embodiment, the IP address band for the IPTV service is, for example, 172.30.1.128~130. Preferably, the IPTV set-top box 130 records and manages the IPTV service unique ID and terminal model name in the DMR (Digital Media Renderer) description.xml stored therein, and from the tablet PC 120 to the corresponding DMR description.xml. When a request is received, it returns it. An example of DMR description.xml is as follows.

<root xmlns="urn:schemas-upnp-org:device-1-0">

<specVersion>

<major>1</major>

<minor>0</minor>

</specVersion>

<device>

<deviceType>urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:MediaRenderer:1</deviceType>

<friendlyName>olleh tv (172.30.1.128)</friendlyName>

<modelDescription>Provides content through UPnP ConnectionManager,

AVTransport, RenderingControl Service</modelDescription>

<modelName>IC1000</modelName>

<modelNumber>1.0</modelNumber>

<UDN>uuid:1c509bf4-1dd2-11b2-8000-472872043a15</UDN>

<serialNumber>TT201014213</serialNumber>

…

</device>

</root>

DMR description.xml is information describing a device that receives and plays a media stream from a digital media server in a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) system. In this embodiment, the DMR description.xml is used to search for an IPTV service terminal for continuous viewing of IPTV contents. In general, DMR description.xml does not include information about the terminal model name (IC1000 in the above example) and IPTV service unique ID (TT201014213 in the above example), but in this embodiment, the terminal model name, IPTV By including the service unique ID, the tablet PC 120 can search the IPTV set-top box 130 that provides the continuous content viewing service. As described above, the DMR description.xml may include only the IPTV service unique ID without including the terminal model name.

When the IPTV set-top box 130 receives information on the content to be played continuously from the resume relay server 140 , the IPTV set-top box 130 reproduces the content based on the information on the content to be played continuously and displays it on the display device 131 . Here, the information of the content to be watched includes a content name, a channel number, or a content identification ID, a time of stopping viewing, and the like. For example, the IPTV set-top box 130 reproduces the VOD content corresponding to the content name from the time when the viewing is stopped, or changes the currently playing channel number to the channel number included in the continuous view content information.

The continuous view relay server 140, as one component of the IPTV system, relays the IPTV content continuous view service between IPTV service terminals. When the continuous viewing request is received from the tablet PC 120 , the continuous viewing relay server 140 transmits information on the contents to be resumed to the IPTV set-top box 130 in response thereto.

Preferably, the continuous play relay server 140 checks the IPTV service unique ID included in the continuous play request received from the tablet PC 120, and sends it to the IPTV set-top box 130 corresponding to the confirmed IPTV service unique ID. It transmits the information of the content to be viewed continuously received from the tablet PC 120 . In this case, the information of the content to be watched includes a content name, a channel number, or a content identification ID, a time of stopping viewing, and the like.

Preferably, the continuous view relay server 140 controls to switch the IPTV set-top box 130 to the operating state when the state of the IPTV set-top box 130 to which the information of the content to be continued is transmitted is in the standby mode. Thereafter, a continuous view request is transmitted to the IPTV set-top box 130 . Here, the standby mode state is a state in which power is supplied to the IPTV set-top box 130 but the power button is not input. According to an embodiment, the continuous view relay server 140 may control the operation state of the IPTV set-top box 130 through the set-top box state control server.

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of the tablet PC of FIG. 1 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the tablet PC 120 includes a content reproducing unit 121 , a user input receiving unit 122 , a searching unit 123 , and a continuous view request transmitting unit 124 . These components may be implemented as a program and stored in a memory, may be executed by at least one processor, or may be implemented and operated as a combination of hardware and software.

The content reproducing unit 121 receives, plays, and displays IPTV content from the IPTV system through the communication module of the tablet PC 120 connected to the access point 110 . Here, the IPTV content may be VOD content or a real-time broadcasting channel. As will be described below, the content playback unit 121 may stop the content reproduction when a content continue view input is received from the user through the user input receiving unit 122 .

The user input receiving unit 122 receives a content continuation view input from the user. Preferably, the user input receiving unit 122 may receive a content continuous view input through a touch screen on the content playback screen. 3 is a screen showing an example of a content continue view input icon according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3 , when the user touches the content playback screen, an icon 310 for selecting content playback is displayed in the upper right corner, and the user presses the corresponding icon 310 to input continuous playback.

The search unit 123 searches for the IPTV service terminal(s) that are connected to the local network of the access point 110 through the communication module when a content continuation view input is received from the user through the user input receiving unit 122 . , displays a list of searched IPTV service terminals on the screen, and receives a selection input for an IPTV service terminal to be continued from the list from the user through the user input receiving unit 122 .

Preferably, the search unit 123 broadcasts an M-Search message of the Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) to the local network of the access point 110 and receives a 200 OK message from terminals accessing the local network. The search unit 123 requests and receives the IPTV service unique ID and terminal model name from the corresponding terminals based on the IP address of the terminal included in the 200 OK message. Preferably, the search unit 123 requests and receives the DMR description.xml file with the IP addresses of the terminals confirmed by the 200 OK message. The request is an http request, for example, http://STB.IP address:38520/description.xml.

The search unit 123 displays, on the screen, a list of IPTV service unique IDs and terminal model names of IPTV service terminals identified from the DMR description.xml file to the terminal to be viewed from the user through the user input receiving unit 122. Receive selection input for

The resume request transmission unit 123 transmits a resume request including the IPTV service unique ID of the selected terminal to be resumed and information on the content to be resumed to the resume relay server 140 through the communication module. . Here, the information of the content to be watched includes a content name, a channel number, or a content identification ID, a time to stop watching, and the like. When the resume request is transmitted to the resume relay server 140, the resume relay server 140 transmits the information on the content to be resumed to the IPTV service terminal corresponding to the IPTV service unique ID included in the resume request. The content reproduced on the tablet PC 120 is continuously played on the corresponding IPTV service terminal.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the continuous view relay server of FIG. 1 . Referring to FIG. 4 , the resume relay server 140 includes a resume request receiver 141 , a resume information transmitter 142 , and a storage unit 143 . These components may be implemented as a program and stored in a memory, may be executed by at least one processor, or may be implemented and operated as a combination of hardware and software. The resume relay server 140 may operate as an independent device as one component of the IPTV system, or may operate as a module of another component of the IPTV system.

The resume request receiving unit 141 includes, from the IPTV service terminal that stops the content reproduction and wants to continue viewing the IPTV content through another IPTV service terminal, the IPTV service unique ID of the other IPTV service terminal, and information on the content to be continued. receive a resume request. In the present embodiment, the resume request receiving unit 141 receives a resume request from the tablet PC 120 .

The resume request transmitter 142 is an IPTV service terminal corresponding to the IPTV service unique ID included in the resume request received from the resume request receiver 141, and includes the content to be played back included in the resume request. transmit the information of Preferably, the storage unit 143 stores an IP address for each IPTV service unique ID, and the resume request transmission unit 142 stores an IP address corresponding to the IPTV service unique ID included in the continuous view request. After searching in the unit 143, information on the content to be viewed continuously is transmitted to the searched IP address.

The continuous view relay server 140 according to the present embodiment searches for an IP address corresponding to the IPTV service unique ID received from the IPTV service terminal requesting the continuous view, and then receives it from the IPTV service terminal requesting the continuous view. It only serves to bypass, that is, simply transmit the information of the content to be played back to the IPTV service terminal to be played back as it is. Accordingly, continuous viewing can be executed immediately, and IPTV service unique IDs of IPTV service terminals in the same local network do not need to be registered in advance with the continuous playback relay server 140 .

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of continuing viewing of IPTV content in the system of FIG. 1 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , in step S501 , the tablet PC 120 is connected to the access point 110 and reproduces IPTV content received from the IPTV system and displays it on the screen. Here, the IPTV content may be a VOD content or a real-time broadcasting channel.

In step S502 , the tablet PC 120 receives a continuous view input from the user. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , when there is a screen touch from the user while the IPTV content is being played, the tablet PC 120 displays a continuous view input menu in the upper right corner, and receives a continuous view input through the menu. can do.

In step 503 , the tablet PC 120 broadcasts an SSDP multicast message, that is, an M-Search message to the local network of the access point 110 . Accordingly, in step S504, other terminals connected to the local network of the same access point 110 transmit a 200 OK message for the M-Search message.

In step S505, the tablet PC 120 checks the IP addresses of the terminals in the 200 OK message received from the terminals connected to the same local network, and requests the DMR description.xml file with the confirmed IP addresses. In this case, the request is an http request, and may include IP addresses and port numbers confirmed by the terminals.

In step S506 , the tablet PC 120 receives the DMR description.xml file from terminals connected to the same local network in response to the request in step S505 . At this time, in the case of an IPTV service terminal, since the terminal model name and IPTV service unique ID are recorded and managed in the DMR description.xml file, the tablet PC 120 records the terminal model name and IPTV service unique ID recorded in the DMR description.xml file. Based on the ID, an IPTV service terminal can be identified among terminals accessing the same local network.

In step S507, the tablet PC 120 displays the model names and IPTV service unique IDs of the IPTV service terminals confirmed in step S506 on the screen, and in step S508, the user receives a selection input for the IPTV service terminal to be continued. receive In this embodiment, the user selects the IPTV set-top box 130 connected to the same local network as the IPTV service terminal to be viewed continuously.

In step S509 , the tablet PC 120 sends a resume request including the IPTV service unique ID of the IPTV service terminal selected by the user and information on the content to be resumed through the access point 110 to the resume relay server 140 . ) is sent to Here, the information of the content to be watched includes a content name, a channel number, or a content identification ID, a time of stopping viewing, and the like.

In step S510 , the resume relay server 140 transmits the content information to be played to the IPTV set-top box 130 corresponding to the IPTV service unique ID included in the resume request received from the tablet PC 120 . do.

In an embodiment, the continuous view relay server 140 checks the operation state of the IPTV set-top box 130 corresponding to the IPTV service unique ID, and when the IPTV set-top box 130 is in the standby mode, the IPTV set-top box It is possible to control 130 to switch to the operation mode, and thereafter transmit a continuous view request including the continuous play content information.

In step S511 , the IPTV set-top box 130 that has received the resume request reproduces the content based on the information on the content to be resumed included in the resume request and displays it on the display device 131 . For example, the IPTV set-top box 130 reproduces the VOD content corresponding to the content name included in the continuous view content information from the time when the viewing is stopped, or displays the currently playing channel number included in the continuous view content information. Change to channel number.

While this specification contains many features, such features should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention or the claims. Also, features described in individual embodiments herein may be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described herein in a single embodiment may be implemented in various embodiments individually, or may be implemented in appropriate combination.

Although acts are described in a particular order in the drawings, it should not be understood that such acts are performed in the particular order as shown, or that all of the described acts are performed in a continuous order, or to obtain a desired result. . Multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous in certain circumstances. In addition, it should be understood that the division of various system components in the above-described embodiments does not require such division in all embodiments. The program components and systems described above may generally be implemented as a package in a single software product or multiple software products.

The method of the present invention as described above may be implemented as a program and stored in a computer-readable form in a recording medium (CD-ROM, RAM, ROM, floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, etc.). Since this process can be easily performed by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, it will not be described in detail any longer.

The present invention described above, for those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, various substitutions, modifications and changes are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. It is not limited by the drawings.

110: access point
120: Tablet PC
130: IPTV set-top box
131: display
140: continuous view relay server
121: content playback unit
122: user input receiving unit
123: search unit
124: Continue view request transmission unit
141: Continue view request receiving unit
142: Continue view information transmission unit
143: storage

Claims (6)

a content playback unit for playing IPTV content received through an access point;
a search unit that searches for another IPTV service terminal connected to the access point and obtains an IPTV service unique ID of the other IPTV service terminal; and
and a resume request transmission unit for transmitting a resume request including the IPTV content information and the obtained IPTV service unique ID to a continuous play relay server through the access point. According to claim 1,
The search unit,
The IPTV service terminal according to claim 1, wherein the IPTV service unique ID is obtained from the other IPTV service terminal after searching for the other IPTV service terminal by broadcasting a Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) multicast message through the access point. 3. The method of claim 2,
The search unit,
The IPTV service terminal, characterized in that the IPTV service unique ID is obtained from a DMR (Digital Media Renderer) description.xml file received from the other IPTV service terminal. 4. The method of claim 3,
The search unit,
To further obtain a terminal model name from the DMR description.xml file,
IPTV service terminal, characterized in that it receives a selection input from the user by displaying the terminal model name and the IPTV service unique ID to the user as a continuous viewable terminal. In the continuous view relay device for providing IPTV content continuous view,
a continuous view request including the IPTV service unique ID of the second terminal obtained by the first terminal searching for the second terminal being connected to the access point to which the first terminal is connected, and information on the content to be continued; a resume request receiving unit receiving from the first terminal; and
Extracts the IPTV service unique ID and information on the content to be continued from the received request for continuing play, and transmits the extracted content to continue playing information to the second terminal based on the extracted IPTV service unique ID A continuous viewing relay device including a continuous viewing information transmitting unit. 6. The method of claim 5,
The continuous view information transmission unit,
When the second terminal is in the standby mode, after switching the second terminal to the operation mode, the extracted information on the content to be played continuously is transmitted.

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