KR100285590B1 - Method for controlling user service in video on demand server system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for service control of a VOD(Video On Demand) server system is provided to realize optimum control for delivery service of a server system having a limited capacity by assigning a shorter service response standby time for frequently demanded programs. CONSTITUTION: A method for service control of a VOD server system includes the steps of counting a service demand number for a service demand program by 1 as a program delivery demand message is received from a certain user set-top system(302,304), carrying out a response standby mode for a preset time by determining a previously determined response standby group mode to the response standby mode of the VOD server system(308), generating user group data for binding set-top units of users who demand the delivery service into a single user set-top unit group(309), as delivery service demand messages are received for the service demand program from different user set-top units during the time period of the determined response standby mode, extracting the produced user group data and the service demand program data to transmit to a network manager when the determined(311), and determining user set-top units to provide the service demand program data transmitted according to the user group data and providing the service demand program data to the determined user set-top units(312,314).

Description

Service control method in VOD server system {METHOD FOR CONTROLLING USER SERVICE IN VIDEO ON DEMAND SERVER SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to a technique for controlling user services in a video on demand (VOD) server, and more particularly, when a user (ie, a set-top unit) requests a service of a specific program to a server, The present invention relates to a service control method in a VOD server system suitable for serving a requested corresponding program to a service requesting user in real time.

In recent years, with the rapid development of the semiconductor and information and communication industries, the construction of the high-speed information and communication infrastructure, which started from the super highway concept of information, is rapidly spreading, and the information is provided in an interactive and active manner rather than simply receiving the information manually. The desire of the user to obtain a trend is increasing. The development of interactive cable television (I-CATV), an advanced form of cable television (CATV) that has been commercialized and widely used as a way to meet the needs of the times, has been developed by leading companies in the world such as Korea, the United States, and Japan. It's accelerating.

On the other hand, the use of digital interactive cable television service technology instead of analogue means Video On Demand, which enables television viewers to immediately receive the information they need (e.g., video information) at the desired time. : VOD) service is available. In order to realize such an on-demand video service, an information provider consisting of a large capacity server capable of storing and transmitting information, a service provider such as a television broadcasting station, and information requested from a service provider through a network at high speed There is a need for a delivery system provider for delivering simultaneously to multiple television users and for a television user to use (or use) service information provided from the delivery system provider.

As described above, a service that can be realized as an on-demand video includes, for example, Movies On Demand (MOD), information that can be immediately obtained by title or field of news, and a service such as news summary or headline can be provided. NOD (News On Demand), remote shopping that provides a video catalog that allows the user to purchase a desired product or the user can browse the showcase, transmission of X-ray images, and end user To store or analyze the transmitted data and transmit the diagnosed and prescribed data to other end users, telemedicine, games, home banking, video conferencing, and users that provide general banking services. Agreement service, which provides information to and provides services to enable users to transact using this information. It may be the Internet access services for the connection to the net.

Herein, the MOD service is directly related to the present invention, and allows a program such as a home VCR to select, cancel, or start a service such as a home VCR from a VOD server at a supplier's side through a network. , Stop, pause, fast play, rewind, etc.

On the other hand, in order to implement the VOD service, the set-top unit requires a remote VOD server to provide information such as a program, for example, a movie or an English conversation program, that the user wants to service according to a user's operation. In response, a bit stream of video and audio data, that is, video, audio, and text for the corresponding program is fetched from the database and delivered to the set-top unit requesting the service.

In this case, the program data provided from the VOD server to the set-top unit of the user in accordance with the user service request has a form of MPEG bit stream compressed and encoded at a predetermined bit rate. In the set-top unit, the received program data is converted into the original signal before encoding. It is restored and displayed.

On the other hand, in a typical VOD server system, when there is a service request for a specific program from a specific user, the corresponding program is read from a storage block in which various program information is stored, and transmitted to the service requesting user (ie, set-top unit) on the receiving side through a transmission channel. In this case, the maximum transmission rate in the storage block, that is, the maximum bit rate that can be read per second in the storage block is determined according to the capacity of the server system, so that a larger server may realize more useful VOD service.

On the other hand, even if a large server system is constructed, when a user service request is congested, that is, when a service request that exceeds the maximum transmission rate of the server system is received, a time delay (ie, a transmission delay) due to the congestion of the user service request is increased. It must happen. Considering this point, it is possible to solve the transmission delay caused by the congestion of service demand by increasing the capacity of the server system, but considering the fact that the large capacity of the server system itself has a practical limitation, it is a fundamental solution. You won't be able to.

In addition, since a large capacity of the server system results in an increase in service costs, it is not a desirable phenomenon in view of the commerciality of the VOD service. Therefore, it is most desirable to realize the VOD service in real time by effectively controlling the user service request even when using a server system with as little capacity as possible, and the present invention provides an improved service control technique in this regard. Related.

Accordingly, in the conventional server system, when a user service request for a specific program is received in consideration of the transmission capability of the server system, the server server waits for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds and 1 minute) and then waits. In the meantime, a service control technique is adopted to transmit a corresponding program (that is, a program requesting a service) to each user who requests the service of the corresponding program. That is, in the conventional method, instead of providing a program service whenever there is a user service request, a control technique that simultaneously provides a service to these 30 users during a predetermined time period, for example, when 30 users request a service. It is adopted.

On the other hand, the various programs that provide services in the server system is inevitably different in the degree of use of the user (that is, the degree that the user requires the service). As an example, assuming that program A receives service requests from an average of 10000 users per day and program B receives service requests from an average of 1000 users per day, other users during the predetermined time of receiving the first service request and waiting for a response. The probability of receiving a service request from the program would be approximately 10/1 of program A.

For example, assuming that program A receives service requests from 30 other users during a 30-second wait period, program B will likely receive service requests from other users, possibly as many as three. . Therefore, in view of the above, the above-described conventional method of simultaneously serving the same program information requested for service by a plurality of users using a fixed response wait time cannot be regarded as an effective service control technique. There is still a factor that can cause the transmission delay caused by the.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and counts the number of user service requests for each program on a periodic basis, and uses this count value to adaptively determine the delivery service response waiting time for each program. Its purpose is to provide a service control method in a server system.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention, in response to a program delivery service request message transmitted from a plurality of user set-top units, the user set-top unit to retrieve the service request program data stored in the storage block to request the service through the network administrator A method of controlling a service response corresponding to a delivery service in a VOD server system transmitting to a server, wherein the VOD server system has N response waiting group modes having different response latency values, and the method includes: Any A first step of counting and increasing the number of service requests for the service request program by one when the program delivery service request message is received from the user set-top unit; A second step of determining the response waiting group mode previously determined for the service request program among the N response waiting group modes as the response waiting mode of the VOD server system to perform the response waiting mode for a predetermined time; If a delivery service request message for the service request program is received from another user set-top unit during the execution of the determined response waiting mode, generating user group information for grouping user set-top units requesting a delivery service into one user set-top unit group. The third process of doing; A fourth step of extracting the generated user group information and the service request program data to the network manager when the determined response waiting mode ends; And a fifth process of determining user set top units to provide the service request program data transmitted based on the user group information, and providing the service request program data to the determined user set top units in the VOD server system. Provides a service control method.

1 is a block diagram of a typical VOD server system providing a service to a user in response to a user service request.

2 is a detailed block diagram of a service manager block shown in FIG. 1 suitable for applying a user service control method according to the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling an improved user service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a table showing user service request count information for each program and a decision group for each program.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

102: interface block 104: service manager block

106: storage block 202: control block

204, 208: memory block 206: group determination block

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the biggest technical feature of the present invention is to provide a delivery service simultaneously by grouping users who requested delivery service of the same program in a predetermined time period when the user requests delivery service for a specific program. The response waiting time is set by dividing into N (for example, four of A, B, C, and D), the response dash time of group A is 40 seconds, the group waiting time of group B is 30 seconds, and the group C Response wait time is set to 20 seconds, the response wait time of Group D is set to 10 seconds, etc. Is to adaptively select and determine the group of each program.

At this time, the programs belonging to group A are programs having a relatively small number of times the user uses the delivery service, and the programs belonging to group D are programs having a relatively high number of users using the delivery service. A smaller service response wait time is allocated to these frequently occurring programs, and a larger service response wait time is allocated to programs having relatively low use of the delivery service.

Here, allocating a small response wait time to frequent programs is because even if a small response wait time is allocated, sufficient users can be provided at the same time by providing a program delivery service by grouping during the waiting time. Allocating a large response wait time to programs is because only a certain amount of time should be allocated to wait for a response so that a certain number of users can be grouped during the wait time to simultaneously provide a program delivery service.

1 is a block diagram of a typical VOD server system that provides a service to a user in response to a user service request, and includes an interface block 102, a service manager block 104, and a storage block 106.

Referring to FIG. 1, the interface block 102 performs various message and data interfaces between the set-top unit and the server system, including, for example, a communication modem, i.e., program services from a delivery system provider (or network administrator), not shown. When the request message is received, the received program service request message is delivered to the service manager block 104 via the line L11, and the program data requested for the service from the storage block 106 in response to the program service request are sent to the line L15. When the data is drawn out, the extracted program data is transmitted to a network manager (not shown).

In this case, the storage block 106 stores various program data for use in providing a service to a plurality of users, and the service start control signal (draw enable) provided from the service manager block 104 through the line L13. Corresponding program data is fetched via line L15 and transmitted to interface block 104 in response to the &quot; signal &quot;

On the other hand, the service manager block 104 substantially executes the service control method according to the present invention, i.e., if a service request message for a specific program is input through the line L11, the service manager block 104 executes the program delivery service based on the input service request message. In order to control the execution, a detailed operation process of controlling the program delivery service in the service manager block 104 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the service manager block 104 shown in FIG. 1 suitable for applying the user service control method according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an improved user service according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 2, the service manager block 104 may include a control block 202, a first memory block 204, a group determination block 20, and a second memory block (FIG. 2). 208).

Referring to FIG. 2, the control block 202 includes, for example, a microprocessor, and when a delivery service request message of a specific program is received from the interface block 102 of FIG. 1 via a line L11, a first memory. Search block 204 to increase the service request count count value for that program (i.e., delivery service required program) by one, and query group decision block 206 for the group of that program, i.e., the program (service request). A group query signal is sent to the group decision block 206 for querying which group the program belongs to along with the selected program) information.

Here, the first memory block 204 stores a service request count count value and service request date and time information for each of the programs stored in the storage block 106 for the delivery service, as shown in FIG. 4A as an example. The number of service request counts for all programs are stored, such as a program count value K, b program count value L, c program count value M, d program count value N, and so on.

In addition, although not illustrated in FIG. 4A, the first memory block 204 stores the date and time information generated when the delivery service request of each program, that is, the service request date and time information, is stored in each program. It is used to update the service request count count value. That is, the control block 202 continuously updates the count value for each program stored in the first memory block 204 at a predetermined period (for example, one week period, two days period, etc.), that is, service request for one week. Assuming that the number of service request counts for the next day occurs, assuming that the number of stored count values is stored, the service request count count value for the first day of the previously stored counts is cleared. In other words, the first memory block 204 stores the service request count count values for which the delivery service was most recently requested and the date and time information.

On the other hand, in the group determination block 206, when the service request selected program information and the group query signal are provided from the control block 202 described above, the second memory block 208 is searched to determine the group information to which the selected program belongs, The group information of the identified selected program is transmitted to the control block 202, and the count value (i.e., the query count count value corresponding to the service request count count value) of the program in which the group is inquired is increased by one. In addition, the group determination block 206 determines whether to change the group of the selected program in consideration of the current count value of the selected program and determines the change.

At this time, the group determination for each program may be determined as a group having a nearly uniform number of programs by the relative size of the count number of statements between the programs, otherwise the range of the count value is divided into four stages in advance. In the state, the programs belonging to the count value range can be set to determine the group. In the second method, unlike the first method, the number of programs belonging to each group will not be constant.

That is, in the group decision block 206, four groups, A, B, C, and D, each having different service response wait times based on the group count count value of the entire program stored in the second memory block 208, are used. The data is classified into groups and stored in the second memory block 208 together with the count number of statements of the corresponding program. That is, the second memory block 208 stores group information and a query count value for each program stored in the storage block 106 for the delivery service, for example, as shown in FIG. Group name A and count value K, b Group name B and count value L, c Program group name C and count value M, d Group name D and count value N, etc. The count count values are stored, and the group information and the query count count values of each program stored therein are selectively updated when a specific user requests delivery service from the server system.

Therefore, in the control block 202, for a predetermined time (e.g., 20 seconds when the service request selection program is a C group) preset based on the group information for the service request selection program from the group determination block 206 described above. Performs the delivery service response standby mode, generates user group information for grouping users who have made a delivery service request for the same program into one user group during this waiting time, and generates the user group information generated when the waiting time ends. And a service start control signal (i.e., a read enable signal) for fetching the service request selection program at the same time as it is transmitted to the network manager (not shown) via the interface block 102, and the storage block 106 via the line L13. To pass.

As a result, the corresponding program data stored in the storage block 106 are fetched through the line L15 and transferred to the interface block 102 and transmitted to the network manager, not shown, and the user received through the transmission channel in the network manager, not shown. By simultaneously transmitting the corresponding program data transmitted based on the group information to the set-top unit of each user (i.e., a user belonging to a user group), a plurality of users who requested a delivery service for the same program at predetermined intervals of time can be sent. Delivery service is performed at the same time.

Next, a process of controlling the delivery service according to the present invention using the VOD server system having the above-described configuration will be mainly described with reference to FIG. 3.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of controlling a user service according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, when a delivery service request message for a specific program is received from the interface block 102 of FIG. 1 through the line L11, the control block 202 of FIG. 2 is referred to as a service request program (hereinafter, referred to as a service selection program). The service request count count value is increased by 1, and a signal for querying the group of the service selection program is generated, that is, the service selection program information is generated together with the inquiry signal and transmitted to the group determination block 206 (step 302). ).

Next, in the group decision block 206, when the inquiry signal and the service selection program information are input from the control block 202, the second memory block 208 is searched to retrieve the group information of the service selection program, and the extracted information is retrieved. The group information of the service selection program is transmitted to the control block 202, and at the same time, the count count value of the door of the service selection program is increased by one (steps 306 and 307). In addition, the group determination block 206 checks whether or not the group of the service selection program should be changed based on the current count value of the service selection program (number of inquiry counts). If it is determined that the program needs to be updated, the group of the corresponding program is updated to another group, and stored in the corresponding area of the second memory block 208 with the current count value, and the group of the service selection program does not need to be updated. When it is determined, only the count value (previous count value) of the corresponding program is updated to the current count value and stored in the corresponding area of the second memory block 208.

As an example, as shown in FIG. 4B, assuming that the service selection program is a c program belonging to a C group allocated with a service response wait time of 20 seconds, and the previously stored statement count value is M, the current time of the c program If it is determined that the current group (group C) of the corresponding c program needs to be changed to the group D as a result of checking the count value, the group name of the program c is updated to the group D, and the previous count value M is changed to the current count value M + 1. If the current count value of the program c is checked and it is determined that the current program (group C) of the program c does not need to be changed to another group, the group name of the program c retains the previous group name and merely returns the previous count. Update the value M to the current count value M + 1.

Thus, as an example, if the service request selection program is a c program belonging to the current C group, the control block 202 waits for a response of the service corresponding to the user's delivery service request for a predetermined time (that is, 20 seconds). (Step 308), when there is a user requesting the delivery service of the program c during this response waiting time, the user group information is generated to group these users into one group (steps 309 and 310), and the service waiting time ends. When the program delivery service is started using the user group information. At this time, the control block 202 maintains a service response wait time of 40 seconds if the service selection program is a program belonging to group A, and maintains a service response wait time of 30 seconds if the program belongs to the group B, You will maintain a service response wait time of 10 seconds.

That is, the control block 202 transmits the generated user group information to the network manager through the interface block 102 when the service waiting time ends, and enables the service selection program among the programs stored in the storage block 106. Data of the corresponding program is transmitted to the network manager through the interface block 102 (step 311).

Accordingly, a network administrator (not shown) analyzes user group information received through a transmission channel and determines users (user set-top units) to provide service request program data (c program data) based on the analyzed user group information. (Step 312), and simultaneously transmit the corresponding program (c program) data to the set-top unit of each determined user (i.e., a user belonging to a user group) at a predetermined interval of time (i.e., initial delivery to the c program). The delivery service for a plurality of users who requested the delivery service for the program c at the same time (for 20 seconds from the time of the occurrence of the service request) is simultaneously performed (step 314).

As described above, according to the present invention, a response waiting time for providing a delivery service at the same time by grouping users who requested the delivery service of the same program in a predetermined time frame set when the user requests the delivery service for a specific program, respectively. It is set by dividing into N groups having different time intervals, and adaptively determining the group of each program based on the count value of counting the number of service requests for each program generated during a predetermined period, and based on the determined group information By adaptively adjusting the response waiting time of the program that is requested for the delivery service, that is, allocating a smaller service response waiting time for the programs where the use of the delivery service is relatively frequent, and using the delivery service relatively. In these smaller programs By allocating a large number of service response wait times, it is possible to realize optimal control of delivery services in a server system with limited capacity, and also to effectively suppress the occurrence of transmission delays caused by congestion of delivery service requests. have.

Claims (4)

In response to a program delivery service request message transmitted from a plurality of user set-top units, a service request program data stored in a storage block is fetched and transmitted to a delivery service in a VOD server system that transmits the service request program data to a user set-top unit requested by a network administrator. A method of controlling a corresponding service response, The VOD server system has N response waiting group modes having different response latency values. The method is: A first step of counting and increasing the number of service requests for a service request program by one when a program delivery service request message is received from any user set-top unit; A second step of determining the response waiting group mode previously determined for the service request program among the N response waiting group modes as the response waiting mode of the VOD server system to perform the response waiting mode for a predetermined time; If a delivery service request message for the service request program is received from another user set-top unit during the execution of the determined response waiting mode, generating user group information for grouping user set-top units requesting a delivery service into one user set-top unit group. The third process of doing; A fourth step of extracting the generated user group information and the service request program data to the network manager when the determined response waiting mode ends; And In a VOD server system comprising a fifth process of determining user set-top units to provide the service request program data transmitted based on the user group information, and providing the service request program data to the determined user set-top units Service control method. The method of claim 1, wherein the response waiting group mode for each program is determined as one of the N response waiting group modes based on a relative size of a service request count count value between the programs. Service control method in VOD server system. The method of claim 1, wherein the response waiting group mode for each program divides the range of the service request count count value into N areas corresponding to the N response waiting group modes, and among the N partitioned areas. The service control method in the VOD server system, characterized in that the response wait group mode corresponding to the partition to which the service request count count value of the program belongs. The method of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the method comprises: A first step of, when a delivery service request for each program occurs, storing date and time information at the time of occurrence of the program together with a service request count value of the corresponding program in a predetermined memory area; And And a second step of automatically updating a service request count value of the corresponding program in a predetermined period based on the stored date and time information.