KR100353625B1 - an Interactive TV Broadcast Service System and Method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for interactive TV broadcasting service. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for interactive TV broadcasting service that provides a variety of information by efficiently combining multiple information providers using EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data and the Internet environment. It is about.

The system of the present invention comprises: a document shaping engine block for shaping EPG information in an informal text form received from a broadcasting station; A key value database for storing information required for storing formatted EPG data in the document shaping engine block and for querying a plurality of external information providers; A design form database for storing design form data; A web server block in charge of interfacing with a plurality of user-side systems; Form generation block for converting the form data into HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) form with the design form data using the data received from a plurality of external information providers through the key value database to supply to the web server block Characterized in that the made up. The method may further include: receiving a user ID and a channel ID from each user side system and searching for a program being broadcasted at the current channel ID based on EPG information of the broadcasting station; Generating a key variable value for the searched program and transmitting necessary information to each external information provider according to the information of each external information provider; Receiving all relevant database search results from each external information provider and collecting all the result data suitable for the design form according to the program ID; And generating the collected data in an HTML-based design and providing the collected data to each user.

Description

Interactive TV Broadcast Service System and Method

The present invention relates to a system and method for interactive TV broadcasting service. In particular, the present invention relates to a system and method for interactive TV broadcasting service that provides a variety of information by efficiently combining multiple information providers using EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data and the Internet environment. It is about.

Conventional two-way TV broadcasting service mainly consists of synchronization using VBI synchronization information or two-way service using PSIP (Program and System Information Protocol) and EPG (Electronic Program Guide) information of digital broadcasting, the bidirectional based on the corresponding VBI synchronization information As shown in FIG. 1, the TV broadcast service system includes a broadcasting station 10, an additional information provider 20, and an interactive TV system 30. The interactive TV system 30 includes a VBI parsing engine 31, a TV tuner 32, an additional information generator 33, and a TV 34. .

Here, the broadcasting station 10 converts the VBI synchronization information into a radio frequency (RF) signal together with the audio and video signals of the broadcast and transmits it to the interactive TV system 30.

The additional information provider 20 generates external information, that is, information related to broadcasting, and transmits the generated information to the interactive TV system 30.

The VBI parsing engine unit 31 separates the VBI synchronization information transmitted from the broadcasting station 10 as an airwave RF signal from the video and audio signals, and the TV tuner unit 32 is the VBI parsing engine unit ( The audio and video signals other than the VBI synchronization information separated at 31) are scattered to the monitor of the TV 34, and the additional information generator 33 receives broadcast related information from the additional information provider 20. It synchronizes with the bidirectional key frame information separated by the VBI parsing engine 31 to provide the TV 34 with additional information related to broadcasting.

The operation of the interactive TV broadcast service system based on the conventional VBI synchronization information will be briefly described as follows.

The interactive TV broadcasting service using the VBI synchronization information uses a method of inserting an identifier of a frame into a VBI space using a space between two-way key frames of a broadcast to synchronize a broadcast signal and broadcast related information using only airwaves.

That is, the broadcast signal transmitted from the broadcasting station 10 is received by the VBI parsing engine unit 31 to separate the bidirectional key frame information, and the VBI synchronization information is separated from the video and audio signals.

The TV tuner 32 sprays audio and video signals other than the VBI synchronization information separated by the VBI parsing engine 31 to the monitor of the TV 34, and a bidirectional key separated from the corresponding video and audio signals. The identifier of the frame goes through a series of interworking processes through the additional information generator 33 together with additional information, so that the user can see additional information about the broadcast through the corresponding TV 34.

However, the conventional two-way TV broadcast service has a limitation in the provision of the two-way service before the loss of the broadcast transmission of the VBI information and the establishment of digital broadcasting standards, the VBI information is a broadcast information that is unidirectionally transmitted on the airwaves There is no way to compensate for the loss of VBI information due to loss of signal or weak signal in deafness area, and it is not possible to compensate for missing one frame information in case of VBI information instead of synchronized protocol. There was this.

In addition, even in the case of a hearing loss of analog broadcasting or an area where digital TV broadcasting is not distributed, even if a standard is established and an effective VBI broadcasting proceeds, it is difficult to provide interactive broadcasting service. In addition to providing additional information unilaterally to expand the user's selection range, it was difficult to perform the user's real-time input.

On the other hand, the additional information on the broadcast was operated in the form of a single service provider supplied using one or more databases, that is, a conventional two-way TV service, that is, in the case of a conventional two-way TV broadcast service is a single information provider or its own The service was provided to the user by using additional information.

The interactive TV broadcast service system in such a single information provider environment is illustrated in FIG. 2, and due to the limitations of the single information provider 21, a large amount of human resources are required to substantially up-date and add information. In addition, since a large amount of video and multimedia information has to be managed in its own database 35, a distributed database and a large database have to be used. There was a problem that it should be.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned disadvantages or problems, and a first object of the present invention is to provide an interactive TV broadcast service system and method that can use the Internet environment and EPG data and support multiple information providers.

The present invention performs an interactive TV broadcasting service for airwaves and cable broadcasting in a multi-content provider (CP) environment in a set-top box having a built-in TV tuner and providing an Internet service. It is a second object to perform an interactive TV broadcast service.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a synchronized interactive TV broadcast service, a distributed environment, and a visual design format, and to perform reuse of the design.

The present invention uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) / IP (Internet Protocol), which is a protocol that guarantees synchronization, thereby preventing the loss of information by the conventional unsynchronized VBI method and supporting multiple information providers. The fourth objective is to reduce the database installation and operation costs that a single company will have to pay because more diverse information can be simultaneously provided through decentralization and multiple small and medium databases can be linked together.

The present invention provides a multimedia page based on Hyper Text Mark-up Language (HTML) to a user, thereby providing a more visual and various forms of media, and designing by separating design and contents using a design form database and a key value database. The fifth purpose is to ensure content reuse.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a two-way TV broadcasting service system based on conventional vertical blank interval (VBI) synchronization information.

2 is a block diagram illustrating an interactive TV broadcast service system in a conventional single information provider environment.

3 is a block diagram illustrating an interactive TV broadcast service system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a two-way TV broadcast service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a flow of data in FIG. 4. FIG.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

40-1 to 40-n: external database

50-1 to 50-n: External information provider 60: Broadcasting station

70: Interactive TV Server

71: Document Standardization Engine Block

72: Key Value Database 73: Design Form Database

74: Form creation block 75: Web Server Block

80-1 to 80-n: user side system

Interactive TV broadcast service system according to the present invention for achieving the above object provides a plurality of external information providers for providing additional information about the broadcast is stored and managed in a plurality of external databases, and broadcast-related information In a two-way TV broadcasting service system comprising a broadcasting station and a two-way TV server for providing a two-way TV broadcasting service to a plurality of user-side systems, the interactive TV server is an EPG in an informal text form received from the broadcasting station A document shaping engine block for shaping information; A key value database for storing formalized EPG data in the document shaping engine block and for storing information needed to query the plurality of external information providers; A design form database for storing design form data; A web server block in charge of interfacing with the plurality of user-side systems; And a form generation block which converts the data in HTML form together with the design form data using the data received from the plurality of external information providers through the key value database and supplies the data to the web server block. . Here, each of the user-side system is characterized in that it comprises a set-top box with a built-in TV tuner and providing Internet services. In addition, EPG information of the broadcasting station or a plurality of external information providers is transmitted using TCP / IP, which is a protocol for ensuring synchronization, and the key value database and the design form database reuse design and content by separating design and contents. Characterized in that.

Meanwhile, the interactive TV broadcasting service method according to the present invention for achieving the above object receives a user ID and a channel ID from each user side system and broadcasts the program on the current channel ID based on EPG information of the broadcasting station. Searching for; Generating key variable values for the searched programs and transmitting necessary information to each external information provider according to information provided by each external information provider; Receiving all relevant database search results from each external information provider and collecting all the result data suitable for the design form according to the program ID; And generating the aggregated data in an HTML-based design and providing the collected data to each user side system. The process of collecting the result data may include: defining a first parameter and a program ID according to a user ID and a channel ID at an interactive TV server and transmitting the defined first parameter and program ID to any one external information provider; Generating a first key value and a data value according to the first parameter and the program ID at any one external information provider and transmitting the generated first key value and data value to the interactive TV server; Generating a second parameter according to the first key value in the interactive TV server and transmitting the second parameter to another external information provider together with the user ID; Generating a second key value and data values according to the second parameter and the user ID by another external information provider and transmitting them to the interactive TV server; Generating, by the interactive TV server, a third parameter according to the second key value and transmitting the third parameter along with the first key value and the channel ID to another external information provider; Generating, by another external information provider, third key values and data values according to the first key value, the third parameter, and the channel ID to the interactive TV server; And collecting all data values received from the respective external information providers in the interactive TV server. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 3, the interactive TV broadcasting service system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of external databases 40-1 to 40-n and a plurality of external information providers 50-1 to 50-n. And a broadcasting station 60, an interactive TV server 70, and a plurality of user side systems 80-1 to 80-n.

Each of the external information providers 50-1 to 50-n transmits additional information stored and managed in each of the external databases 40-1 to 40-n to the interactive TV server 70.

The broadcasting station 60 transmits broadcasting related information to the interactive TV server 70.

The interactive TV server 70 checks a signal transmitted from each of the user-side systems 80-1 through 80-n, performs a series of operations on the signal, and receives broadcast related information from the broadcasting station 60. Data is received from each of the external information providers 50-1 through 50-n to provide services to the respective user-side systems 80-1 through 80-n. In addition, the interactive TV server 70 is a document shaping engine block 71 for shaping EPG information in the form of unstructured text received from the broadcasting station 60 and the document shaping engine block 71. A key value database 72 for storing information required for storing the EPG data formatted in the MS and querying each external information provider 50-1 to 50-n, and a design form database storing design form data. 73, a web server block 75 that is responsible for an interface between the respective user-side systems 80-1 through 80-n and the interactive TV server 70, and the respective external information providers 50-1. 50-n) by using the data transmitted from the design form database 73, along with the data in the form of HTML form to convert the data to the server block 75 and further comprises a form generating block 74 Iru It is broken.

Here, since the interactive TV server 70 uses TCP / IP, which is a protocol that guarantees synchronization when EPG information is received by the document shaping engine block 71, loss of information by a conventional unsynchronized VBI method is avoided. And interface with a plurality of external information providers 50-1 to 50-n through the key value database 72 to simultaneously receive more diverse information through decentralization of manpower and costs, (50-1 to 50-n) uses additional information in conjunction with multiple small and medium sized external databases (40-1 to 40-n), thereby reducing the cost of installing and operating a database for a single company. In addition, the interactive TV server 70 allows reuse of design and content by separation of design and contents using the key value database 72 and the design form database 73, and the form generation block 74 HTML-based multimedia pages are provided to the user-side systems 80-1 through 80-n through the web server block 75, thereby providing a more visual and diverse media.

Each of the user side systems 80-1 to 80-n uses a set top box with a built-in TV tuner and provided with Internet service.

Referring to the operation of the interactive TV broadcast service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention provides more diverse information by efficiently combining a plurality of content providers in an interactive TV broadcasting service using the Internet, thereby generating information by binding external content providers in real time.

First, when the broadcasting station 60 transmits broadcasting related information to the interactive TV server 70, the document shaping engine block 71 provided in the interactive TV server 70 receives the transmission information from the broadcasting station 60. EPG information in the form of unstructured text is formatted and stored in the key value database 72.

At this time, the key value database 72 stores the EPG data formatted in the document shaping engine block 71 and stores information necessary for querying a plurality of external information providers 50-1 to 50-n. In this case, additional information is received from the respective external information providers 50-1 through 50-n through the key value database 72.

Accordingly, the form generation block 74 converts the data form of the HTML form together with the data of the design form database 73 by using the data transmitted from each of the external information providers 50-1 to 50-n. Through block 75 services are provided to a number of user side systems 80-1 through 80-n.

In addition, the interactive TV server 70 checks a signal transmitted from each of the user-side systems 80-1 through 80-n and performs a series of operations therefor.

Then, the interactive TV broadcast service method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4.

If the user changes the TV channel or activates the TV, the set top box of the user side system 80-1 to 80-n transmits the user ID and the channel ID currently being viewed to the interactive TV server 70. do.

Accordingly, the interactive TV server 70 receives a user ID and a channel ID transmitted from each of the user side systems 80-1 through 80-n through the web server block 75 (step S1). In the standardization engine block 71, the informal text form EPG information received from the broadcasting station 60 is formatted and stored in the key value database 72. In this case, the current channel ID is being broadcasted based on the EPG. The program is searched (step S2).

In addition, a key variable value for the searched broadcasting program, that is, a program ID and each parameter, is generated, and is transmitted to each external information provider 50-1 to 50-n according to a user ID and a channel ID. The parameter and the program ID are defined (step S3).

In addition, the interactive TV server 70 generates information required according to additional information provided by the respective external information providers 50-1 to 50-n, that is, parameters, program IDs, user IDs, and the like. Page) is converted into a query variable and passed to each external information provider 50-1 to 50-n (step S4).

The variable values transmitted as described above are searched for the relevant database in the servers of the respective external information providers 50-1 to 50-n, thereby transmitting the corresponding searched result value, that is, the result data to the interactive TV server 70. If so, the interactive TV server 70 receives and collects the result data from each of the external information providers 50-1 to 50-n (step S5).

Accordingly, the interactive TV server 70 searches for design forms according to program IDs, collects all result values suitable for the corresponding design forms, and finally generates an HTML-based design through the web server block 75. To each of the user-side systems 80-1 to 80-n (step S6).

For example, with reference to the flowchart of the data shown in FIG.

First, if the user ID (U_ID) and the currently watching channel ID (S_ID) are transmitted to the interactive TV server 70 in the set-top boxes of the user-side systems 80-1 to 80-n, the interactive TV server 70 defines a parameter (PARAM) and a program ID (P_ID) to be delivered to each external information provider (50-1 to 50-n) according to the user ID (U_ID) and the channel ID (S_ID). PARAM1) and program ID P_ID are transmitted to any one external information provider 50-1 to 50-n, for example, the first external information provider 50-1.

Accordingly, the first external information provider 50-1 generates the first key value KEY1 and the first data value DATA1 according to the first parameter PARAM1 and the program ID P_ID, thereby generating the interactive TV server. When transmitting to the 70, the interactive TV server 70 is different from the external information provider 50-1 to 50- according to the first key value KEY1 received from the first external information provider 50-1. n) For example, the second parameter PARAM2 to be transmitted to the second external information provider 50-2 is generated and transmitted along with the user ID U_ID. In this case, the first key value KEY1 may be directly transmitted. .

Then, the second external information provider 50-2 generates the second key value KEY2 and the second and third data values DATA2 and DATA3 according to the second parameter PARAM2 and the user ID U_ID. In this case, the interactive TV server 70 transmits the third parameter PARAM3 according to the second key value KEY2 received from the second external information provider 50-2. Is generated and transmitted together with the first key value KEY1 and the channel ID S_ID to the second external information provider 50-2.

Accordingly, the second external information provider 50-2 may transmit the third key value KEY3 based on the first key value KEY1, the third parameter PARAM3, and the channel ID S_ID, and the fourth and fifth values. When data values DATA4 and DATA5 are generated and transmitted to the interactive TV server 70, the interactive TV server 70 collects all data DATA1 to DATA5, combines them with a design, and converts the data into HTML. To the side systems 80-1 through 80-n.

As described above, the present invention can prevent the loss of information by the conventional unsynchronized VBI method by using the TCP / IP to ensure synchronization, and to support a variety of information providers to distribute a variety of information by distributing manpower and cost It can be delivered at the same time and can work with multiple small and medium databases to reduce the cost of installing and running a database for a single enterprise. In addition, the present invention provides HTML-based multimedia pages to the user, thereby providing more visual and diverse forms of media, and reusing design and contents through separation of design and contents using a design form database and a key value database. I can guarantee it.

Claims (5)

A plurality of external information providers for providing additional information on broadcasts stored and managed in a plurality of external databases, a broadcasting station for providing broadcast related information, and an interactive TV for providing interactive TV broadcasting services to a plurality of user-side systems. In the interactive TV broadcast service system comprising a server, The interactive TV server includes: a document shaping engine block for shaping EPG information in an informal text form received from the broadcasting station; A key value database for storing formalized EPG data in the document shaping engine block and for storing information needed to query the plurality of external information providers; A design form database for storing design form data; A web server block in charge of interfacing with the plurality of user-side systems; And a form generation block that converts the data in HTML form together with the design form data using the data received from the plurality of external information providers through the key value database and supplies the data to the web server block. Interactive TV broadcast service system. The method of claim 1, And said each user side system comprises a set top box with a built-in TV tuner and providing Internet services. The method of claim 1, EPG information of the broadcasting station or a plurality of external information providers is transmitted using TCP / IP, which is a protocol for ensuring synchronization, and the key value database and the design form database allow reuse of design and content by separation of design and content. Interactive TV broadcasting service system characterized in that. Receiving a user ID and a channel ID from each user side system and searching for a program on the current channel ID based on the EPG information of the broadcasting station; Generating key variable values for the searched programs and transmitting necessary information to each external information provider according to information provided by each external information provider; Receiving all relevant database search results from each external information provider and collecting all the result data suitable for the design form according to the program ID; And generating the collected data in an HTML-based design and providing the collected data to each user side system. The method of claim 4, wherein The process of collecting the result data may include: defining a first parameter and a program ID according to a user ID and a channel ID at an interactive TV server and transmitting the defined first parameter and program ID to any one external information provider; Generating a first key value and a data value according to the first parameter and the program ID at any one external information provider and transmitting the generated first key value and data value to the interactive TV server; Generating a second parameter according to the first key value in the interactive TV server and transmitting the second parameter to another external information provider together with the user ID; Generating a second key value and data values according to the second parameter and the user ID by another external information provider and transmitting them to the interactive TV server; Generating, by the interactive TV server, a third parameter according to the second key value and transmitting the third parameter along with the first key value and the channel ID to another external information provider; Generating, by another external information provider, third key values and data values according to the first key value, the third parameter, and the channel ID to the interactive TV server; And collecting all data values received from respective external information providers in the interactive TV server.