KR100808562B1 - Method and server for supplying dmb bidirectional service via mobile communication network - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a DMB bidirectional service to a communication terminal using a mobile communication network, the service server according to the present invention is EPG information for at least one or more DMB broadcast programs in the database and at least one or more contents corresponding to the EPG information. And extracts EPG information corresponding to a DMB signal from the database according to a service request from the communication terminal through a broadcast EPG provider, and transmits the extracted EPG information to the communication terminal through a content transmitter. The broadcast EPG providing unit may receive a content selection from the communication terminal in response to the EPG information transmitted to the communication terminal, extract content corresponding to the content selection from the database, and the content transmission unit may extract the content. Transmits to the communication terminal.

Bidirectional, DMB, Broadcast, EPG, Mobile Communications

Description

METHOD AND SERVER FOR SUPPLYING DMB BIDIRECTIONAL SERVICE VIA MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK}

1 is a diagram illustrating a network for providing a DMB bidirectional service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a DMB bidirectional service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a DMB bidirectional service providing method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a service server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of a database included in the service server of FIG. 4.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

400: service server

410: database

420: broadcast EPG provider

430: content transmission unit

440: EPG download provider

The present invention relates to a method and a server for providing a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcast) interactive service using a mobile communication network, and in particular, independently of the EPG (Electronic Program Guide) included in the DMB signal, the mobile communication network is independently provided from the server. The present invention relates to a method and a server for providing a DMB bidirectional service through providing EPG information on a broadcast program of various channels to a user communication terminal and performing a direct DMB bidirectional service between a user communication terminal and a server according to the EPG information.

In general, digital broadcasting has rapidly spread to Europe, Japan, Asia, and Africa since the world's first DirecTV in 1994, and can be viewed anywhere in the world.

Digital broadcasting is a method of compressing video / audio / additional data and transmitting it through satellites according to MPEG-2 standard, and it has wide coverage area, unique broadcasting quality regardless of region, and broadcasting network regardless of other transmission media. It is activated by economics of construction and simplicity of channel, and is mainly led by broadcaster.

In general, DMB signals for digital broadcasting include EPG. The EPG is transmitted together with the video signal and the audio signal through an empty frequency band or a spare channel of the DMB signal, and through the EPG, the user can check various information related to the programming of the broadcast program. Such an EPG is modulated and broadcast together with a video signal or an audio signal at a current broadcasting station. In addition, the broadcasting station inserts and provides an address for the content server into the EPG so as to provide the user with an interactive service using various contents maintained in the content server. That is, in order to provide a DMB interactive service, a broadcasting station must perform complex operations such as production of various contents in addition to broadcast signals or interworking with other network servers. For example, in order to implement a DMB interactive service providing various contents related to EPG through a server of a mobile communication network, the broadcasting station may plan, develop, and modify content for a server and the DMB interactive service of the mobile communication network. There is a problem in that it takes the inconvenience of sharing a series of processes. Therefore, a broadcasting station can produce and distribute only a broadcast program, and a server of a mobile communication network can independently operate contents for a DMB bidirectional service, thereby requiring a technical idea that can ultimately develop a DMB bidirectional service. .

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, by managing the EPG information associated with the DMB program through a service server independent of the broadcasting station and providing to the communication terminal, the communication terminal in accordance with the EPG information An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a server for providing a DMB interactive service that can service requested content.

An object of the present invention is to provide a DMB bidirectional service through EPG information independent of the DMB signal, so that the planning, production, and distribution of contents related to the DMB bidirectional service can be efficiently operated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a DMB bidirectional service area wider than a DMB bidirectional service area through a conventional broadcasting station by providing EPG information directly from a service server through a mobile communication network.

In order to achieve the above object and to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the method for providing a DMB bidirectional service according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of receiving a DMB signal from a broadcasting station, according to the user's service request Accessing, receiving EPG information corresponding to the DMB signal from the connected predetermined server, receiving content selection of the user in response to the received EPG information, transmitting the content selection to the predetermined server And receiving the corresponding content from the predetermined server according to the transmitted content selection.

The service request according to an embodiment of the present invention includes channel information corresponding to the DMB signal, and the predetermined server extracts EPG information corresponding to the channel information from a predetermined database, and extracts the extracted EPG information. Characterized in that the transmission to the communication terminal.

The EPG information according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a content selection menu for at least one of a program notice, an advertisement, a replay, and a program schedule corresponding to a channel of the DMB signal.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing a DMB bidirectional service, receiving EPG information associated with a DMB signal from a server, recording the received EPG information in a memory, and contents of a user in response to the EPG information. Receiving a selection, transmitting the content selection to the predetermined server, and receiving the corresponding content from the predetermined server according to the transmitted content selection.

The content selection according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a short message or a multimedia message.

The predetermined server according to an embodiment of the present invention checks the EPG information for at least one or more broadcast programs according to the service request of the user, the step of receiving the EPG information, the predetermined EPG information to the predetermined DMB interactive service providing method characterized in that received from the server.

The service server according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a database storing EPG information on at least one or more DMB broadcasting programs and at least one content corresponding to the EPG information, and corresponding to a DMB signal according to a service request from the communication terminal. A broadcast EPG provider for extracting EPG information from the database, and a content transmitter for transmitting the extracted EPG information to the communication terminal, wherein the broadcast EPG provider is in response to the EPG information transmitted to the communication terminal. Receive a content selection from the terminal, and extracts the content corresponding to the content selection from the database, the content transmission unit is characterized in that for transmitting the extracted content to the communication terminal.

The service server according to another embodiment of the present invention is a database for storing the EPG information for at least one or more DMB broadcast programs and at least one content corresponding to the EPG information, from the database in response to a service request from the communication terminal; An EPG download providing unit for extracting EPG information for at least one or more DMB broadcasting programs, and a content transmission unit for transmitting the extracted EPG information to the communication terminal, wherein the EPG download providing unit is EPG information transmitted to the communication terminal. In response to receiving a content selection from the communication terminal, extracting a content corresponding to the content selection from the database, and wherein the content transmission unit transmits the extracted content to the communication terminal.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and the contents described in the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited or limited to the embodiments.

1 is a diagram illustrating a network for providing a DMB bidirectional service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the communication terminal 100 according to the present invention receives a DMB signal from a broadcasting station 110 and connects EPG information about the DMB signal and contents corresponding to the EPG information to a mobile communication network ( 120). The EPG information may include a content selection menu for a program notice, an advertisement, a replay, and a program schedule corresponding to the channel of the DMB signal. In addition, the EPG information may be a concept including a content selection menu and specific content included in the content selection menu.

More specifically, for the DMB bidirectional service according to an embodiment of the present invention, the communication terminal 100 to the service server 120 through the mobile communication network according to a predetermined input from the user during the reception of the DMB signal Swap connection. Accordingly, the user of the communication terminal 100 may check EPG information of the same time zone stored in the database of the service server 120 corresponding to the DMB signal, and use a service for a specific content through the EPG information. The communication terminal 100 may transmit channel information on a DMB signal currently received to the service server 120 to provide EPG information of a broadcast program on a channel currently viewed to the user. In addition, the service server 120 receiving the channel information checks the current time information and controls the EPG information to be displayed on the communication terminal 100 in consideration of the current time information and the channel information. The database maintains at least one or more contents corresponding to the EPG information as well as the EPG information, and the service server 120 transmits the corresponding contents to the communication terminal 100 through a mobile communication network according to a user's selection. to provide.

For the DMB bidirectional service according to another embodiment of the present invention, the communication terminal 100 stores EPG information in a memory. The EPG information may be received from a specific server connected to the mobile communication network or a specific server connected to a DMB network. The communication terminal 100 displays EPG information stored in a memory according to a service request from a user. At this time, if the EPG information is not stored in the memory, the communication terminal 100 requests and downloads the EPG information to the specific server and records it in the memory. In the following description, the service server 120 provides the EPG information. However, as described above, the EPG information may be provided by another server connected through another communication network. However, even when another server connected through another communication network provides the EPG information, the service server 120 must maintain the EPG information and the content corresponding to the EPG information in a database. The communication terminal 100 displaying the EPG information stored in the memory according to a user's request generates a query for requesting specific content according to a selection from the user, and transmits a query to the service server 120. In response, the specific content may be received from the service server 120. If there is a plurality of EPG information stored in the memory, the communication terminal 100 briefly displays a broadcast program name for a plurality of EPG information, and the user checks the broadcast program name and the desired broadcast program. The content can be requested through the EPG information on the.

As a result, the DMB bidirectional service using the mobile communication network according to the present invention provides efficient DMB bidirectional service through EPG information independent of the DMB signal, thereby efficiently performing operations according to planning, production, and distribution. In addition, the DMB bidirectional service according to the present invention provides a content related to EPG information through a mobile communication network, thereby enabling a wider DMB bidirectional service area than a DMB bidirectional service area through a conventional broadcasting station.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing a DMB bidirectional service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the communication terminal 100 receives a DMB signal from the broadcasting station 110 in step 201 and outputs the received DMB signal through an output device such as an LCD and a speaker. At this time, in step 202, the communication terminal 100 receives a service request for displaying EPG information on the DMB signal from a user, and accesses the service server 120 according to the service request. The service server 203 extracts EPG information corresponding to the DMB signal currently received by the communication terminal 100 from a database in step 203, and extracts the extracted EPG information in step 204. Provided to the communication terminal 100 for the user to view. For example, in step 203, the service server 203 may know the DMB signal currently received by the communication terminal 100 according to the channel information included in the service request. In addition, the service server 120 may include a predetermined timer module and check a time at which the service request is received from the communication terminal 100 to know a DMB signal broadcasted in a corresponding channel at a corresponding time. As another example, time information may be further included in the service request.

Next, in step 204, the communication terminal 100 receives and displays EPG information from the service server 120, receives an input of content selection from a user who has confirmed the EPG information, and receives the received content selection. Send to the service server 120. Accordingly, the service server 120 extracts the corresponding content and transmits it to the communication terminal 100, and the communication terminal 100 services the received content to the user through step 207.

In more detail with reference to the above-described embodiment, while the user is watching the drama, the user accesses the EPG information related to the drama to the service server 120 connected through a mobile communication network and confirms the content selection according to the EPG information. Specific content related to the drama may be viewed. For example, a user watching the drama pushes a specific button to check EPG information of the drama. At this time, the communication terminal 100 swaps the service server 120 according to the push of the specific button and transmits a service request. When connected, the service server 120 extracts EPG information of the drama according to the service request from a database and provides it to the communication terminal 100.

The EPG information is information for service of various contents related to the drama, program programming information, notice information of the drama, advertisement information sponsoring the drama, character information for main characters, photobook information, drama theme song information, and the like. It includes. The communication terminal 100 displays the EPG information from the service server and receives a desired content selection from the user. If the user inputs 'notification information' for a predetermined turn for the drama by selecting the content, the service server 120 extracts the corresponding content by referring to a database and communicates the extracted content with the communication. Transmission to the terminal 100. In this case, the communication terminal 100 may receive the content from the service server 120 by downloading or streaming.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a DMB bidirectional service providing method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the communication terminal 100 receives a service request from a user in step 301. The user may use an interface such as a hot key to input a service request to the communication terminal 100. At this time, the communication terminal 100 may receive a service request from the user regardless of whether the DMB signal is currently being received from the broadcasting station 110.

Next, in step 302, the communication terminal 100 determines whether EPG information is stored in the current memory according to the service request. If it is determined that the EPG information is not stored in the memory, the communication terminal 100 requests EPG information from the service server 120 in step 303. In the present invention, although the communication terminal 100 downloads the EPG information from the service server 120 connected to the mobile communication network, it is also possible to download from another server connected to another communication network. However, in order to implement the present invention, the EPG information should be constructed as a database in the service server 120.

In step 304, the service server 120 receives the request in step 303 and transmits EPG information about at least one broadcast program stored in a database to the communication terminal 100. In step 305, the communication terminal 100 receives the EPG information from the service server 120 and records the EPG information in a memory. At this time, the communication terminal 100 may receive a plurality of EPG information for a plurality of broadcast programs and record them in a memory. As another example, the communication terminal 100 displays only brief information such as a broadcast program name for each of the plurality of EPG information stored in the service server 120, and reflects the user's selection according to the brief information. Only information may be transmitted to the communication terminal 100.

In step 306, the communication terminal 100 displays EPG information on the LCD according to the service request input in step 301. In addition, if the EPG information is stored in the memory as a result of the determination of step 302, the communication terminal 100 branches directly to the step 306 in the step 302.

When the EPG information is displayed on the LCD according to step 306, the user checks various menus provided through the EPG information and performs a selection input for desired content. That is, the communication terminal 100 receives a content selection from the user in step 307, and transmits the input content selection to the service server 120. In step 308, the service server 120 receives the content selection from the communication terminal 100, extracts the corresponding content according to the content selection with reference to a database, and uses the extracted content as the communication terminal. Send to 100. As a result, in step 309, the communication terminal 100 receives the transmitted content and displays it through an output device such as an LCD and a speaker.

If the user implements a DMB bidirectional service for reporting predetermined information, the user 100 selects a menu related to the report from the EPG information displayed in step 306, and inputs a report content based on the selected menu. Request to the service server 120 (step 307). At this time, the service server 120 delivers the information to the broadcasting station 110 so that the information can be reflected in the broadcast program. In this example, instead of transmitting the content to the communication terminal 100 in step 308, a confirmation message indicating that the report is transmitted to the broadcasting station 110 may be transmitted. The report content as the content selection transmitted by the communication terminal 100 to the service server 120 may be information transmitted in the form of a short text message or a multimedia message transmitted through a predetermined messaging server.

4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a service server 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the service server 400 includes a database 410, a broadcast EPG provider 420, and a content transmitter 430. In addition, as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 3, in order to provide the DMB bidirectional service by storing the EPG information in the memory, the communication terminal 100 further includes an EPG download providing unit 440. In order to provide a DMB interactive service according to the present invention, the broadcast EPG provider 420 or the EPG download provider 440 may be selectively operated. The broadcast EPG provider 420 and All of the EPG download provider 440 may be operated.

First, the database 410 stores EPG information on at least one DMB broadcast program and at least one content corresponding to the EPG information.

The database 410 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5.

Referring to FIG. 5, the database 410 stores at least one EPG information for at least one broadcast program information. The EPG information may include various content selection menus for program notices, advertisements, replays, and program schedules. In addition, the database 410 stores at least one or more contents corresponding to the EPG information. Here, the EPG information means a content selection menu, but may also include specific content included in the content selection menu and the content selection menu.

For example, the broadcast program for 'The Animal World', which is aired on Channel 100 from 20:00 to 20:50, may provide a brief notice of a part of the program, the advertisement or sponsorship of the Animal World. It is stored in correspondence with the EPG information for providing a menu such as advertisement information such as advertisements related to the contents, replay information for re-watching a predetermined series of broadcasts, and program schedule information for informing a time zone program of a specific channel. If the current time is 20:30 and the channel watched by the communication terminal 100 is 100, the service server 400 receives the service request from the communication terminal 100 through a mobile communication network. The service server 400 may provide the communication terminal 100 with EPG information corresponding to the animal world. Accordingly, the user selects a desired menu from various menus included in the EPG information displayed on the LCD, and the service server 400 provides corresponding contents to the communication terminal 100 according to the user's selection. If the user wants to watch the broadcast for a predetermined time in the EPG information, the user selects the 'review' menu from the EPG information, and the communication terminal 100 stores the ' It can receive and service the content 3 '. The service request according to an embodiment of the present invention may be channel information of a DMB signal for the 'animal world'. That is, the communication terminal 100 transmits the service request including the channel information of the broadcast program currently being viewed, and the service server 400 checks the channel information and the current time according to the service request, EPG information related to the animal world 'may be provided to the communication terminal 100.

In FIG. 4, the broadcast EPG provider 420 extracts EPG information corresponding to a DMB signal from the database 410 according to a service request from the communication terminal 100, and the content transmitter 430 The extracted EPG information is transmitted to the communication terminal 100.

In addition, the broadcast EPG provider 420 receives a content selection from the communication terminal 100 in response to the EPG information transmitted to the communication terminal 100 and corresponds to the content selection from the database 410. Extract the content.

The user may access the service server 400 through the communication terminal 100 to check the EPG information or the EPG information stored in the memory. In any case, the communication terminal 100 receives the user's content selection for a menu corresponding to the EPG information, and the broadcast EPG provider 420 receives the input content selection to the database 410. Corresponding content according to the content selection is extracted.

In the above-described embodiments, the service server 400 is described as maintaining the content in the database 410 in correspondence with the EPG information, but the content may be maintained in another server independent of the service server 400. have. That is, the service server 400 may store address information accessible to content stored in another server without directly storing the content.

The content transmitter 430 transmits the extracted content to the communication terminal 100. If the extracted content is text data, the content transmitter 430 may control a messaging server to transmit the content in the form of a short text message or a multimedia message to the communication terminal 100.

In addition, the EPG download providing unit 440 may perform EPG information on the at least one DMB broadcast program from the database 410 according to a service request from the communication terminal 100, for example, a download request of EPG information. Extract If the communication terminal 100 stores the EPG information in a memory, the EPG download providing unit 440 may provide EPG information for all broadcast programs for a predetermined period of time, for example, up to 24 hours later. And the content transmitter 430 may transmit the extracted EPG information to the communication terminal 100. Upon receiving the service request from the user, the communication terminal 100 receiving the EPG information may display brief information corresponding to each of the EPG information, and receive a selection of a corresponding broadcast program for viewing the EPG information from the user. have.

Accordingly, the DMB interactive service using the mobile communication network according to the present invention can provide efficient operation in planning, producing, and distributing various contents according to EPG information. In addition, the DMB bidirectional service according to the present invention can provide a user with contents related to EPG information through a mobile communication network, thereby providing a wider DMB bidirectional service area than a DMB bidirectional service area through a conventional broadcasting station.

Embodiments of the invention include a computer readable medium containing program instructions for performing various computer-implemented operations. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. The media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape, optical recording media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic-optical media such as floppy disks, and ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute the same program instructions are included. The medium may be a transmission medium such as an optical or metal wire, a waveguide, or the like including a carrier wave for transmitting a signal specifying a program command, a data structure, or the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like.

As described above, the present invention has been described by specific embodiments such as specific components and the like, but the embodiments and the drawings are provided only to help a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations are possible from such description.

Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and all the things that are equivalent to or equivalent to the claims as well as the following claims will belong to the scope of the present invention. .

According to the present invention, a method and a server for providing a DMB interactive service for providing EPG information associated with a DMB program through a service server independent of a broadcasting station can be provided.

According to the present invention, by providing the DMB bidirectional service through the EPG information independent of the DMB signal, it is possible to efficiently operate the planning, production, and distribution of the content related to the DMB bidirectional service.

According to the present invention, by providing EPG information directly from a service server through a mobile communication network, a DMB bidirectional service area wider than a DMB bidirectional service area through a conventional broadcasting station can be achieved.

Claims (10)

A method for providing a DMB bidirectional service in a communication terminal, Receiving a DMB signal from a broadcast station; Accessing a server according to a service request of a user; Receiving EPG information corresponding to the DMB signal from the connected server; Receiving a content selection of the user in response to the received EPG information; Sending the content selection to the server; And Receiving the corresponding content from the server according to the transmitted content selection, The service request includes channel information corresponding to the DMB signal, And the server extracts the EPG information corresponding to the channel information from a database and transmits the extracted EPG information to the communication terminal. delete The method of claim 1, The EPG information includes a content selection menu for at least one of a program notice, an advertisement, a replay, and a program schedule corresponding to a channel of the DMB signal. A method for providing a DMB bidirectional service in a communication terminal, Receiving EPG information associated with a DMB signal from a server; Recording the received EPG information in a memory; Receiving a content selection of a user in response to the EPG information; Sending the content selection to the server; And Receiving the corresponding content from the server according to the transmitted content selection, The server checks the EPG information for at least one broadcast program according to the service request of the user, The step of receiving the EPG information, DMB interactive service providing method characterized in that for receiving the identified EPG information from the server. The method of claim 4, wherein And the content selection comprises a short message or a multimedia message. delete A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of any one of claims 1, 3, 4, and 5. A server for providing a DMB bidirectional service to a communication terminal, A database storing EPG information on at least one DMB broadcast program and at least one content corresponding to the EPG information; A broadcast EPG provider which extracts EPG information corresponding to the channel information from the database when a service request including channel information corresponding to a DMB signal received by the communication terminal is input from the communication terminal; And And a content transmitter for transmitting the extracted EPG information to the communication terminal. The broadcast EPG provider receives a content selection from the communication terminal in response to the EPG information transmitted to the communication terminal, extracts the content corresponding to the content selection from the database, The content transmission unit DMB interactive service providing server, characterized in that for transmitting the extracted content to the communication terminal. delete delete

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