KR100674085B1 - Apparatus and Method for Transcoding of Media format and Translating of the Transport Protocol in home network - Google Patents

Abstract

1. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network.

2. The technical problem to be solved by the invention

The present invention receives a content requested by a user from a media server, and automatically converts the media format and transmission protocol of the content into a format and a transmission protocol supported by the user terminal (client), thereby allowing the client to access the home network. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network, which can receive and play all existing contents through a transport protocol supported by the same.

3. Summary of Solution to Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a media format / transport protocol conversion apparatus in a home network. Obtains information, compares the media format of the content requested by the user and the transport protocol of the media server with the content with the media format and transport protocol supported by the user terminal, and selects an appropriate format converting means / transport protocol and selects a format converting means. Control agent means for requesting the media format processing means and the transport protocol processing means to use the transport protocol; A media server device means for performing a function of making the media server visible to the outside and receiving the content requested by the user terminal from the media server; The media format processing means for connecting the control agent means to use the selected format converting means at the request of the control agent means; And the transport protocol processing means for connecting the control agent means to use the selected transport protocol at the request of the control agent means.

4. Important uses of the invention

The present invention is used for media format / transport protocol conversion in home network.

Home network, media server proxy, media format conversion, transport protocol conversion

Description

Apparatus and Method for Transcoding of Media format and Translating of the Transport Protocol in home network}

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network according to the present invention;

2A and 2B are flowcharts illustrating an embodiment of a method for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100: control agent module 110: media server device module

120: Common Application Program Interface (API) Module

130: content DB module 140: media format processing module

150: transport protocol processing module

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network, and more particularly, receiving a content requested by a user from a media server, and receiving a media format and transmission protocol of the content from a user terminal (client). The present invention relates to an apparatus for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network, and a method for automatically converting the format into a format and a transport protocol supported by the method.

When the home network is activated, various playable contents exist in the home. That is, various contents such as family photos, videos, and movies exist in many places. There are many media servers inside the home network, such as computers, cameras, VCRs, PVRs, TVs, etc., and there are more video on demand servers and content on the Internet. The user can receive these contents from the media server and play them using a client program.

However, in order to play such content, the client program of the user must support the transmission protocol of the media server and the media format of the content. That is, the user client receives the content from the media server using the transmission protocol, and then understands and decodes the media format of the content, and plays the content on the screen and the speaker.

Currently, various media formats such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4, JPEG, AC3, and various transmission protocols such as HTTP, TCP, UDP, RTP, and SIP are used. Depending on the purpose and purpose of the content, the media format and transport protocols are selected and used. Also, as various services are developed, it is likely that more new media formats and transport protocols will be developed and used in the future.

In this situation, the user must use a client that supports a large number of media formats and delivery protocols to play the content. However, in reality this is not possible. In general, except for desktop computers, user clients only support some media formats and one or two transport protocols. Therefore, the content that can be reproduced by the user is very limited.

As mentioned above, there are many types of media servers in the home, and users must know which servers exist in each content in order to view and enjoy the contents. However, there are many media servers inside the home network such as computers, video cameras, cameras, TVs, etc. It is difficult to remember all the contents therein, and it is cumbersome to search all the media servers to find the desired contents. It is difficult.

Conventionally, a device for converting a media format and a device for converting a transport protocol exist separately. Therefore, in order to play content that is not supported by the client, the user must download and store original content in advance; In addition, after knowing what media formats the client supports, there is a problem in that the conventional media format converter has to be converted directly into the media format supported by the client.

In addition, in the situation where the media format conversion apparatus and the transmission protocol conversion apparatus are separated as described above, even if the client supports the media format of the content, the client may play the content if the transmission protocols for transmitting the content do not match. There was no problem.

On the other hand, there are some software for converting a media format and a software for converting a transport protocol for a specific purpose, but there are no general-purpose media format and transport protocol converters for playing media content.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and receives the content required by the user from the media server, and automatically converts the media format and transmission protocol of the content into a format and transmission protocol supported by the user terminal (client). It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network, by which a client can receive and play all contents existing on the home network through a transport protocol supported by the client. .

Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it will be readily appreciated that the objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized by the means and combinations thereof indicated in the claims.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network, the apparatus comprising: discovering a media server existing on a home network, list information on content that the media server can provide, Obtains format information and transport protocol information, compares the media format of the content requested by the user, the transport protocol of the media server with the content with the media format and transport protocol supported by the user terminal, and selects the appropriate format converting means / transport protocol. Control agent means for requesting the media format processing means and the transport protocol processing means to select and use the selected format converting means / transport protocol; A media server device means for performing a function of making the media server visible to the outside and receiving the content requested by the user terminal from the media server; The media format processing means for connecting the control agent means to use the selected format converting means at the request of the control agent means; And the transport protocol processing means for connecting the control agent means to use the selected transport protocol at the request of the control agent means.

Meanwhile, the method of the present invention is a method of converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network, the method comprising: discovering media servers on the home network and providing list information and format information of contents that the media server can provide; A media server format / protocol information acquisition step of acquiring transport protocol information of the server; Acquiring the user terminal format / protocol information according to the access of the user terminal to obtain the media format information and the transmission protocol information supported by the user terminal; A format / protocol comparison step of providing a content list information to the user terminal, selecting a media server and content from the user, and comparing the media format and transmission protocol of the content selected by the user with the media format and transmission protocol supported by the user terminal; ; As a result of the comparison in the format / protocol comparison step, if any one or more of the media format and the transmission protocol do not match each other, the media server receives the selected content from the media server and supports the inconsistent media format or transmission protocol. A conversion and transmission step of converting the transmission protocol and the transmission to the user terminal; And the address of the media server to the Formatting / protocol comparing step the comparison result of, all of the media formats and transmission protocols mutually matched, so that the user terminals can receive the content directly from the media server, the content present to the user terminal Notifying Informing Media Server Address Notifications step.

The above objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereby those skilled in the art may easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. There will be. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus for converting a media format / transport protocol in a home network according to the present invention.

An apparatus for converting a media format / transport protocol (media server proxy) in a home network according to the present invention includes a control agent module 100, a media server device module 110, and a common application programming interface (API) module 120. ), The content DB module 130, the media format processing module 140, and the transmission protocol processing module 150.

First, the control agent module 100 will be described.

The control agent module 100 discovers all media servers in the home and acquires a content list, format information, and transport protocol information. When the client (user terminal) is connected, it determines which format converter 142 and the transport protocol 152 to use by acquiring media format and transport protocol information supported by the client.

The control agent module 100 is composed of a device control unit 101, a content collecting unit 102, a media format conversion unit 103, and a transmission protocol conversion unit 104, which will be described below. same.

The device controller 101 transmits and receives a message to an actual media server or a client (user terminal).

The content collector 102 classifies and collects information of content lists of media servers transmitted from the device controller 101 and stores the information in the content DB 132. When the content list information is stored in the content DB 132, the location information of the content is modified and stored so that the client is transmitted through the media server proxy. The media format and transmission protocol information of the content are also stored.

When the client connects to request the content, the media format converter 103 compares the media format supported by the client with the media format of the original content, selects an appropriate converter, and sends the converter to the media format processing module 140. Ask for it to be used.

The transport protocol converter 104 selects both the transport protocol supported by the client and the transport protocol of the media server, and requests the transport protocol processing module 150 to use the selected transport protocol.

Next, the media server device module 110 will be described.

The media server diabis module 110 serves to make the media server proxy appear to the client as a real media server. The client accesses the media server device module 110 to obtain a content list and to request content desired by the user.

The media server device module 110 includes a media server function providing unit 111, a content directory providing unit 112, an AV content transmitting unit 113, and a connection managing unit 114.

The media server function providing unit 111 serves to make the client appear as a real media server device, and receives a message from the client and transmits an event.

When the client requests a content list, the content directory providing unit 112 searches the content DB 132 and displays a content list that the media server proxy can provide in a directory format.

The AV content transmitter 113 performs a function of transmitting content to the client, and the connection manager 114 manages the AV content transmitter 113.

Next, the common API module 120 will be described.

The joint API module 120 is used to provide a more general and convenient form of the content DB module 13, the media format processing module 140, and the transport protocol processing module 150, and does not perform a special function.

Next, the content DB module 130, the media format processing module 140, and the transmission protocol processing module 150 will be described.

The content DB module 130 obtains the content list information from the in-house media server and stores it in a directory format. The content DB module 130 includes a DB manager 131 and a database 132. The DB manager 131 stores and deletes the content list in the actual database.

Meanwhile, the media format processing module 140 converts the content transmitted from the media server into a format that can be understood by the client. There are a number of format converters 142 in the media format processing module 140, which are managed by the format converter manager 141. Each format converter 142 provides the same API, and the format converter manager 141 serves to connect and use the format converter 142 requested by the control agent module 100.

Meanwhile, the transport protocol processing module 150 serves to provide a transport protocol for transmitting and receiving content between the media server proxy and the media server, the media server proxy, and the client. The transport protocol processing module 150 also includes a plurality of transport protocols 152, which are managed by the protocol management unit 151 and allow the control agent module 100 to connect and use the requested transport protocol.

2A and 2B are flowcharts illustrating an embodiment of a method for converting a media format / transport protocol according to the present invention, and show a method performed by the media format / transport protocol conversion apparatus (media server proxy).

The media format / transport protocol conversion apparatus (media server proxy) according to the present invention searches and discovers all media servers existing in the first home (201), and lists and format information of contents each of them has found from the found media servers. Receive and store in the content DB (132) (202). When storing the content information, the location information of the content is modified and stored so that the content request of the client (user terminal) can be made to the media server procedure.

Thereafter, the media server proxy waits for a client (user terminal) connection and a network connection message of the new media server (203, 222).

If the received message is a network connection message of the new media server, the content list is received from the new media server in the same manner as the operation 201 (201 and 202).

If the received message is not a client connection message or a network connection message of the media server, the media server proxy ignores this message (221).

If the received message is a client (user terminal) access message, after performing the access process of the client (204), and transmits the content in the content DB to the client (205). The client then requests the media server procedure the desired content from the content list (205). In this process, the media server procedure acquires media format and transport protocol information supported by the client from the client and compares the content information requested by the client. That is, it is checked whether the client supports the format (media format) of the content requested by the client (206). Also, it is checked whether the transport protocols match between the media server and the client (207, 209).

As a result of the check, if the client does not support the format of the corresponding content (206), but the transmission protocol is identical between the media server and the client (209), the content is received from the media server (210), and the transmission is performed. The received content is converted (211). In operation 212, the converted content is transmitted to the client. After all the content has been sent to the client, all work is terminated and the process returns to the initial mode (213). At this time, the process of " 210 " to " 213 "

As a result of the check, if the client does not support the format of the corresponding content (206), and if the transport protocol does not match between the media server and the client (209), the selected content is selected using the protocol supported by the media server. In step 214, the content is converted into a media format supported by the user terminal (215), and the converted content is transmitted using the protocol supported by the user terminal (216). These "214" and "216" processes are protocol conversion processes.

As a result of the check, if the client supports the format (media format) of the content requested by the client (206), but the transport protocols do not match between the media server and the client (207), this also causes the media server proxy to deliver the content. Select the appropriate transport protocol. The media server proxy receives the content using the transport protocol that matches the media server (218) and then sends it to the client using the transport protocol that matches the client (219). These "218" and "219" processes are protocol conversion processes. After all of the content has been sent to the client, all work is terminated and the mode returns to the initial mode (220).

As a result of the check, if the client supports the format of the content requested by the client (206) and the transport protocol is matched between the media server and the client (207), the media server proxy does not participate in the content transmission. In this case, the media server proxy informs the client of the address of the media server where the content exists, so that the client can directly receive the content from the media server (208).

In short, the client (user terminal) can access the media format / transport protocol conversion device (media server proxy) to retrieve all the contents existing in the home. When the user selects the content, the media server proxy is supported by the client. After the content is converted into a media format, the converted content is transmitted using a transport protocol supported by the client. This feature allows the user to do it automatically without having to specify everything, so the user only has to select the content he / she wants.

As described above, the method of the present invention may be implemented as a program and stored in a recording medium (CD-ROM, RAM, ROM, floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, etc.) in a computer-readable form. Since this process can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art will not be described in more detail.

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

As described above, the present invention finds all the media servers existing in the home, obtains the list information of the contents provided by the home users, and provides the user with a list of all contents existing in the home through the media server proxy. This allows the user to check so that the user does not have to remember which media server the content he wants exists.

In addition, the present invention has the effect of providing convenience to the user because the user can play the content he / she wants in the client that he / she wants even without knowledge of the transmission protocol and the media format on the actual network.

That is, when the user selects the content he / she wants, the client converts the content into a media format supported by the client and transmits the content to a transport protocol supported by the client, thereby allowing the client to select a media format that the client does not support. It is possible to play the contents of the media server, and even if its own transport protocol is different from the media server, it is effective to receive the contents.

Claims (7)

In the media format / transport protocol converter in a home network, Discovers a media server existing on a home network, obtains list information, format information, and delivery protocol information on content that the media server can provide, media format of the content requested by the user, and media with the content. By comparing the transmission protocol of the server with the media format and the transmission protocol supported by the user terminal, the media format processing means and the transmission protocol processing means are requested to select an appropriate format converting means / transmission protocol and to use the selected format converting means / transport protocol. Control agent means for performing; A media server device means for performing a function of making the media server visible to the outside and receiving the content requested by the user terminal from the media server; The media format processing means for connecting the control agent means to use the selected format converting means at the request of the control agent means; And The transport protocol processing means for connecting the control agent means to use the selected transport protocol according to the request of the control agent means Media format / transmission protocol conversion device in the home network comprising a. The method of claim 1, The control agent means, Discovering a media server on a home network, obtaining list information, format information, and delivery protocol information on content that the media server can provide, and sending a control message to the media server and the user terminal to receive a response. Device control means for; Content collecting means for collecting a content list of each media server, classifying / aggregating the content list information, and storing the content list information in a content database; Media format converting means for comparing the media format of the content requested by the user with the media format supported by the user terminal, selecting an appropriate format converting means, and requesting the media format processing means to use the selected format converting means; And A transport protocol for selecting a proper transport protocol by comparing a transport protocol of a media server capable of providing content requested by a user with a transport protocol supported by the user terminal, and requesting the transport protocol processing means to use the selected transport protocol. Protocol conversion means Media format / transmission protocol conversion device in the home network comprising a. The method of claim 2, The media server device means, Media server function providing means for causing the media format / transport protocol conversion device to appear to the user terminal as if it were an actual media server; Content directory providing means for providing content list information stored in the content database (DB) in a directory form in response to a content list request from the user terminal; Content transmission control means for controlling content transmission to the user terminal; and Connection management means for managing a connection with the user terminal Media format / transmission protocol conversion device in the home network comprising a. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The media format processing means, A plurality of format converting means for providing the same application program interface (API) and converting the media format of the content; And Format converting management means for managing the format converting means and connecting to use the requested format converting means at the request of the control agent means. Media format / transmission protocol conversion device in the home network comprising a. The method of claim 4, wherein The transmission protocol processing means, And managing a plurality of transport protocols and connecting to use the requested transport protocols in response to a request of the control agent means. In the media format / transport protocol conversion method in a home network, A media server format / protocol information acquisition step of discovering media servers on the home network and acquiring list information and format information of contents that the media server can provide, and transport protocol information of the media server; Acquiring the user terminal format / protocol information according to the access of the user terminal to obtain the media format information and the transmission protocol information supported by the user terminal; A format / protocol comparison step of providing a content list information to the user terminal, selecting a media server and content from the user, and comparing the media format and transmission protocol of the content selected by the user with the media format and transmission protocol supported by the user terminal; ; As a result of the comparison in the format / protocol comparison step, if any one or more of the media format and the transmission protocol do not match each other, the media server receives the selected content from the media server and supports the inconsistent media format or transmission protocol. A conversion and transmission step of converting the transmission protocol and the transmission to the user terminal; And As a result of the comparison of the format / protocol comparison step, if both the media format and the transmission protocol coincide with each other, the address of the media server where the content exists is notified to the user terminal so that the user terminal can directly receive the content from the media server. Tells the media server address notification step Media format / transmission protocol conversion method in the home network comprising a. The method of claim 6, The conversion and transmission step, As a result of the comparison of the format / protocol comparison step, if the transmission protocol matches but the media format is different, the format conversion is performed by receiving the selected content from the media server, converting the content into a media format supported by the user terminal, and transmitting the content to the user terminal. And transmitting step; As a result of the comparison of the format / protocol comparison step, if the media format matches but the transport protocol is different, the selected content is received from the media server, the transport protocol is converted into a transport protocol supported by the user terminal, and then the content is read. A protocol conversion and transmission step of transmitting to the user terminal using the converted transmission protocol; And As a result of the comparison of the format / protocol comparison step, if both the media format and the transmission protocol do not match, the selected content is received from the corresponding media server, the contents are converted into a media format supported by the user terminal, and the transmission protocol is transmitted by the user terminal. Format / protocol conversion and transmission step of converting the converted content into a supported transport protocol and then transmitting the converted content to the user terminal using the converted transport protocol; Media format / transmission protocol conversion method in the home network comprising a.

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