KR101368247B1 - System and method for internet protocol television tunnelling service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an internet protocol television tunneling service system and method thereof. In the IPTV tunneling service system of the present invention, an IPTV publisher and an encapsulated data packet generate a stream transmitted from an external IPTV service providing apparatus in a multicast transmission method as an encapsulated data packet of a unicast transmission method using a prestored stream information table. It receives an IPTV gateway to generate a decapsulated data packet of the multicast transmission method using the stream information table and to provide the decapsulated data packet to the transceiver of the IPTV service subscriber.

Description

Internet protocol television tunneling service system and method thereof {SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION TUNNELLING SERVICE}

The present invention relates to an internet protocol television tunneling service system and method thereof.

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) refers to an interactive service that provides information service, moving picture content, and broadcasting to a packet receiver using a high-speed Internet based on an Internet protocol.

IPTV service is a type of digital convergence in that it is a convergence of internet and television, and it is easily provided to everyone through simple remote control after connecting and powering the TV receiver and internet line through set-top box or dedicated modem. I can receive it.

Therefore, those who are not familiar with computers can be provided with various contents and additional services provided by the Internet such as Internet search, movie watching, home shopping, home banking, online games, and MP3.

The transmission method for providing such an IPTV service to a user may be divided into a unicast transmission method and a multicast transmission method. Unicast transmission method for providing IPTV service is a one-to-one transmission method in which one sender transmits data to one receiver, and when the same data is individually transmitted to multiple receivers, the efficiency of the network is reduced due to the transmission of duplicate data. There is a problem.

Meanwhile, a multicast transmission method for providing an IPTV service is a one-to-many transmission method in which one sender simultaneously transmits the same data to a group to which a plurality of receivers belong. Multicast transmission method for providing IPTV service can simultaneously transmit to multiple receivers with one data transmission, thus minimizing waste of network resources unlike unicast transmission method.

However, the multicast transmission method for providing IPTV service must go through a plurality of routers that support multicast transmission in order to transmit data. If there is a router that does not support multicast transmission on a transmission path that provides IPTV service, Data transmission over the shortest path becomes impossible, which makes it difficult to provide IPTV services. In order to solve this problem, all routers on the network providing the IPTV service should be replaced with routers supporting multicast transmission, which is not a desirable solution because of the enormous cost.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a smooth IPTV service to a plurality of users while improving the efficiency of the network through a multicasting transmission method using tunneling technology between the IPTV service provider and the IPTV service subscriber group. It is the technical problem to make it possible.

An IPTV tunneling service for providing IPTV service to a settop box by a headend corresponding to an IPTV service provider at the request of settop boxes corresponding to IPTV service subscribers classified into a plurality of groups according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system receives the command packet configured by the service requests of the plurality of set-top boxes by the unicast transmission method from the IPTV gateway, and removes the command indicator from the received command packet to the headend by the unicast transmission method. And receiving a data packet provided by the multicast transmission method from the headend in response to the transmitted command packet, and the received data packet is a service by any transmission method among unicast transmission method and multicast transmission method. Determines whether a request has been made, When the service is determined to be requested by the stream identifier is inserted into the received data packet and delivered to the IPTV gateway by a unicast transmission method, the stream when it is determined that the service by a multicast transmission method is requested And an IPTV publisher inserting an identifier and an IP header according to a unicast transmission method into the received data packet and delivering the IP header to the IPTV gateway by a unicast transmission method.

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Data provided by a headend corresponding to an IPTV service provider by request of set-top boxes corresponding to IPTV service subscribers classified into a plurality of groups at an IPTV publisher constituting an IPTV tunneling service system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method for providing a packet to the set top boxes includes receiving a command packet configured by a service request of the plurality of set top boxes by a unicast transmission method from an IPTV gateway, and removing a command indicator from the received command packet. Transmitting to the headend by a cast transmission method, receiving a data packet provided by the multicast transmission method from the headend in response to the command packet, and receiving the unicast transmission by the received data packet. Whichever transmission method, either multicast or multicast? Determining whether a service is requested, inserting a stream identifier into the received data packet and transmitting the stream identifier to the IPTV gateway when the service is requested by the unicast transmission method. When it is determined that a service by a multicast transmission method is requested, a process of inserting the stream identifier and the IP header according to the unicast transmission method into the received data packet and delivering it to the IPTV gateway by a unicast transmission method Include.

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Since the present invention has a configuration that can provide IPTV services to a plurality of users through a multicasting transmission method using tunneling technology between the IPTV service provider and the IPTV service subscriber group, a router of a unicast transmission method on a data transmission path is provided. Even if it exists, there is an effect that can provide a stable real-time IPTV service to IPTV service subscribers.

1 is a block diagram of an Internet protocol television tunneling service system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an internet protocol television tunneling service system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an IPTV publisher 20 and an IPTV gateway 10.

The IPTV publisher 20 assigns a stream identifier (ID: IDentifier) according to a stream information table (Stream Info. Table) from a stream provided from a headend 30 to a data packet. Re-build and transmit it to the IPTV gateway 10 in a unicast transmission method. In addition, the IPTV publisher 20 transmits an information packet (Stream Info. Packet) including the stream information table to the IPTV gateway 10. In this case, the information packet and the data packet are preferably transmitted to the IPTV gateway 10 using physically different interfaces.

Here, the stream information table is a table created according to Electronic Program Guide (EPG) information related to the IPTV service provided from the headend 30. The electronic program guide information includes a stream identifier, a multicast IP address, and a transport port information for providing an IPTV service.

The head end 30 is a facility for organizing a program produced by an IPTV service provider or a broadcast program received through satellite or terrestrial wave and providing the IPTV publisher 20 with the electronic program guide information stored in advance. .

In addition, the IPTV publisher 20 removes an indicator of the command packet when the command packet is provided from the IPTV gateway 30 by the unicast transmission method, and removes the indicator of the command packet. Forward with). Here, the command packet is input to the IPTV 50 by the operation of the remote controller of the subscriber and includes an IPTV service request message transmitted to the set-top box 40 connected to the IPTV 50.

The IPTV gateway 10 receives the information packet and the data packet from the IPTV publisher 20, and removes the attached stream identifier when the stream identifier (ID) attached to the data packet matches the stream identifier included in the stream information table. The IP header is re-transmitted to the subscriber set-top box 40 by using the stream information table. The IPTV gateway 10 drops the data packet provided from the IPTV publisher 20 if the stream identifier ID does not match the stream identifier included in the stream information table.

To this end, the IPTV gateway 10 stores the stream information table used in the IPTV publisher 20 in advance. In addition, the IPTV gateway 10 may compare the stream information transmitted from the IPTV publisher 30 and the prestored stream information table with each other and request an update to the IPTV publisher 30 if there is a mismatch. Also, if the IPTV gateway 10 does not have the stored stream information table, the IPTV gateway 10 may request the stream information table from the IPTV publisher 30.

In addition, when the command packet is provided from the set-top box 40 by the unicast transmission method, the IPTV gateway 10 attaches an indicator of the command packet, and the IPTV publisher 20 Forward with).

Next, an IPTV tunneling protocol used in an Internet protocol television tunneling service system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The IPTV tunneling protocol is a protocol used between the IPTV gateway 10 and the IPTV publisher 20 and includes an information packet, an information packet, a data packet, and a command packet.

Hereinafter, the IPTV tunneling protocol used in the Internet protocol television tunneling service system of FIG. 1 will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

2 illustrates the format of an information packet in the IPTV tunneling protocol. An information packet shown in FIG. 2 is a packet containing stream information that can be provided as an IPTV service, and includes an IP header field, a TCP header field, and a TPC data. Field (TCP Data Field).

The IP header fielder and the TCP header fielder follow the TCP / IP standard for the transport layer that governs data transfer between processes in the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model and the network layer that is responsible for packet transfer between hosts.

The TPC data field defines a stream info table. The stream information table includes a stream identifier (Stream ID), a protocol (Protocol), IP (IP) address and port information.

Here, the stream identifier is a key matching the EPG. The protocol defines the protocol used for IP multicast between the IPTV gateway and the set-top box. For example, it may be a real time transport protocol (RTP), a real time control protocol (RTCP), a real time streaming protocol (RTSP), or a resource reservation protocol (RSVP).

The IP address is a class D IP standard address and is a multicast IP address that matches the IP address of the EPG. The port is a transport port that matches the EPG.

3 shows the format of data packets in the IPTV tunneling protocol. The data packet shown in FIG. 3 is a packet containing a stream transmitted using a User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and includes an IP header field, a UDP header field, and a packet. Includes a UDP Data Field.

The IP header fielder and the UDP header fielder comply with the UDP / IP standard. The UI data field includes a stream identifier (Stream ID) and stream data. The stream identifier is defined as the first 2 bytes of the UPI data field, and the stream data uses 1316 bytes of 1498 bytes excluding the stream identifier 2 bytes in the UDI data field 1500 bytes.

4 shows the format of the command packet in the IPTV tunneling protocol. The command packet shown in FIG. 4 is a unicast request packet transmitted from the set-top box to the headend via an IPTV gateway and an IPTV publisher, and includes an IP header field and a TCP header field. Field) and TCP Data Field.

The IP header fielder and the TCP header fielder comply with the TCP / IP standard. The TPC data field includes a command indicator. The command indicator is defined as the first 1 byte of the TPC data field and may preferably be defined as an Ox43 value. The remainder of the TPC data field can be defined in a format agreed upon between the set-top box and the headend.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a command transmission of the IPTV gateway shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 5, in the command transmission procedure of the IPTV gateway, first, when a command packet is provided from the set-top box of an IPTV service subscriber (S100), a command indicator (CI) is attached to the provided command packet (S102) and the unit is transmitted. It transmits to the IPTV publisher in a cast transmission method (S104). In this case, the command indicator preferably has an Ox43 value.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a command reception of the IPTV publisher illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in Figure 6, the IPTV publisher command receiving procedure is first provided a command packet from the IPTV gateway (S200), remove the command indicator attached to the provided command packet (S202) and send it to the IPTV publisher in a unicast transmission method. It transmits to the connected headend (S204).

Through the command transmission operation of the IPTV gateway of FIG. 5 and the command reception operation of the IPTV publisher of FIG. 6, an IPTV service subscriber may request a service request for an IPTV service he wants to receive from among the IPTV services provided by the IPTV service provider. Can be transferred.

The headend receiving the service request streams the IPTV service corresponding to the IPTV service request to the IPTV publisher in response to the IPTV service request, and the IPTV publisher uses the IPTV tunneling protocol described with reference to FIGS. Send to IPTV gateway. The method of transmitting the stream provided from the headend to the IPTV gateway by the IPTV publisher will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission of the IPTV publisher shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, in the data transmission procedure of the IPTV publisher, when a stream is first provided from the headend (S300), it is determined whether the IP address and port information of the stream exist in the stream information table (S302) (S304). do. The stream here refers to the continuous flow of data packets.

As a result of the determination, if the IP address and port information of the stream do not exist in the stream information table S302, the stream information table S302 is updated (S306). On the other hand, if it is determined that the IP address and port information of the stream exist in the stream information table (S302), it is determined whether the provided data packet is transmitted by the multicast transmission method (S308). In the multicast transmission determination step (S308), the stream identifier may be determined using the IP address and the port information of the stream information table S302 matching the stream IP address and the port information.

If the address defined in the IP address field of the stream is an address of a multicast transmission method, that is, an IP address corresponding to class D, the multicast transmission determination (S308) determines that the transmission is a multicast transmission method. The transmission method determines the transmission.

If it is determined that the provided data packet is transmitted by the unicast transmission method, the stream identifier is attached to the data packet (S310) and transmitted to the IPTV gateway by the unicast transmission method (S314). On the other hand, if it is determined that the provided data packet is transmitted by the multicast transmission method, an IP header of the unicast transmission method is generated and attached to the data packet with a stream identifier (S312) to regenerate the data packet and transmit the unicast transmission. It transmits to the IPTV gateway in a manner (S314).

That is, the IPTV publisher can encapsulate the data packet of the multicast transmission method into an IP address of the unicast transmission method and transmit the data packet to the IPTV gateway through a logical tunnel.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a data reception of the IPTV gateway shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, in the data receiving procedure of the IPTV gateway, first, when a data packet is provided from the IPTV publisher (S400), the data provided by comparing the stream identifier of the prestored stream information table S402 with the stream identifier of the data packet is provided. It is determined whether the packet is a data packet matching the stream information table S402 (S404).

As a result of the determination, if the provided data packet is not a data packet matching the stream information table S402, the data packet is discarded (S406), and the IPTV publisher performs an update request of the stream information table S402. On the other hand, if it is determined that the provided data packet is a data packet matching the stream information table S402, it is determined whether the provided data packet is transmitted in a multicast transmission method (S408). The detailed determination step S408 is the same as the determination step S308 described with reference to FIG. 7, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

If it is determined that the provided data packet is transmitted by the unicast transmission method, the stream identifier of the data packet is removed (S410) and transmitted to the set-top box by the unicast transmission method (S414). On the other hand, if it is determined that the provided data packet is transmitted by the multicast transmission method, after removing the attached stream identifier (S412), the IP header of the multicast transmission method is generated by referring to the multi-IP address of the stream information table. The packet is attached to the packet and transmitted to the set-top boxes of the plurality of IPTV service subscribers in a multicast transmission method (S414).

Accordingly, the IPTV gateway can receive the multicast transmission data packet from the IPTV publisher through the unicast transmission logical tunnel and reproduce it as a multicast transmission data packet to provide the subscriber with the IPTV service. . Through the operation of the IPTV publisher of FIG. 7 and the operation of the IPTV gateway of FIG. 8, when there is a router of a unicast transmission method on a network between a conventional IPTV service provider and an IPTV service subscriber, an IPTV service cannot be solved.

1 is a block diagram of an Internet protocol television tunneling service system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 to 4 are diagrams for explaining the IPTV tunneling protocol used in the Internet protocol television tunneling service system of FIG.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a command transmission of the IPTV gateway shown in FIG. 1;

6 is a flowchart illustrating a command reception of the IPTV publisher illustrated in FIG. 1.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a data transmission of the IPTV publisher shown in FIG. 1, and

8 is a flowchart illustrating a data reception of the IPTV gateway shown in FIG.

Description of the Related Art

10: IPTV Gateway 20: IPTV Publisher

30: Headend 40: Set Top Box

50: IPTV

Claims (12)

In the IPTV tunneling service system for providing IPTV service to the set-top box by the headend corresponding to the IPTV service provider by the request of the set-top box corresponding to the IPTV service subscribers classified into a plurality of groups, Receives a command packet configured by the service request of the plurality of set-top boxes by the unicast transmission method from the IPTV gateway, removes the command indicator from the received command packet and delivers the command indicator to the headend by the unicast transmission method, In response to the forwarded command packet, a data packet provided by the multicast transmission method is received from the headend, and the received data packet is requested to be serviced according to the transmission method of the unicast transmission method and the multicast transmission method. When it is determined that the service by the unicast transmission method is requested, the stream identifier is inserted into the received data packet and transmitted to the IPTV gateway by the unicast transmission method. IPTV tunneling, characterized in that it includes an IPTV publisher inserting the stream identifier and the IP header according to the unicast transmission method into the received data packet when it is determined to be requested, and delivering the stream identifier to the IPTV gateway by the unicast transmission method. Service system. The method of claim 1, wherein the IPTV publisher, When the IP address of the received data packet is an IP address defined for the multicast transmission scheme, it is determined that the service by the multicast transmission scheme is requested. And determining that a service by a unicast transmission method is requested when the IP address of the received data packet is not an IP address defined for a multicast transmission method. The method of claim 2, wherein the IPTV publisher, And matching the IP address and port information of the received data packet to generate the stream identifier using the IP address and port information registered in the stream information table. The method of claim 3, The stream information table is updated when the IP address and port information of the received data packet does not exist in the stream information table. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the IPTV gateway, After adding a command indicator to the command packet according to the service request of the plurality of set-top boxes, and transmits to the IPTV publisher by unicast transmission method, It is determined whether the data packet received from the IPTV publisher is requested by a unicast transmission method or a multicast transmission method, and when the service is determined to be requested by the unicast transmission method, the received data The stream identifier inserted in the packet is removed to be delivered to one set-top box of the plurality of set-top boxes by the unicast transmission method, and the stream identifier is removed when it is determined that a service by the multicast transmission method is requested. And inserting an IP header according to a multicast transmission scheme into a data packet and transmitting the IP header to at least one settop box of the plurality of settop boxes by a multicast transmission scheme. The method of claim 5, wherein the IPTV gateway, And generating an IP header according to the multicast transmission method by referring to the multi-IP addresses registered in the stream information table provided through the information packet from the IPTV publisher. delete delete The data packet provided by the headend corresponding to the IPTV service provider by the request of the set-top boxes corresponding to the IPTV service subscribers classified into a plurality of groups at the IPTV publisher constituting the IPTV tunneling service system to the set-top boxes. In the method of providing, Receiving a command packet configured by the service requests of the plurality of set-top boxes by an unicast transmission method from an IPTV gateway, removing the command indicator from the received command packet, and transmitting the command indicator to the headend by a unicast transmission method; and, Receiving a data packet provided by the multicast transmission method from the headend in response to the transmitted command packet; Determining whether the received data packet is requested by a service of a unicast transmission method and a multicast transmission method; When it is determined that a service by a unicast transmission method is requested, inserting a stream identifier into the received data packet and delivering the stream identifier to the IPTV gateway by a unicast transmission method; And inserting the stream identifier and the IP header according to the unicast transmission method into the received data packet when it is determined that the service by the multicast transmission method is requested, and delivering the received IP packet to the IPTV gateway by the unicast transmission method. How to provide a data packet. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining is performed. Determining that a service by a multicast transmission method is requested when the IP address of the received data packet is an IP address defined for a multicast transmission method; And determining that a service by a unicast transmission method is requested when the IP address of the received data packet is not an IP address defined for a multicast transmission method. The method of claim 10, The stream identifier is generated by using the IP address and port information registered in the stream information table by matching the IP address and port information of the received data packet. 12. The method of claim 11, And updating the stream information table when the IP address and port information of the received data packet are not present in the stream information table.

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