KR101555366B1 - Method for providing and sharing of contents and controlling apparatus thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a content providing and sharing method, and a control apparatus thereof. The present invention includes a content DB 101 for storing contents, a viewer DB 122 for storing a table in which viewing information is input for each content, and a table DB 124 for storing a table of a predetermined format in which viewing information can be input And is provided in the IPTV broadcasting module 100. And an IPTV set-top box 140 connected to the IPTV broadcasting module 100. Upon completion of the reproduction of the content transmitted from the IPTV broadcasting module 100, the IPTV set-top box 140 extracts a table from which the audience information can be input in the table DB 124 so as to input the audience information of the content Display. When the audience information is input into the displayed table, the viewer information is stored in the viewer DB 122. [ The IPTV set-top box 140 accesses and displays a table corresponding to the searched content in the viewer DB 122 whenever a content is retrieved by a service user. According to the present invention, it is possible to store viewing information of a content in an IPTV system, and further, content selection is further facilitated due to sharing of stored viewing information.

IPTV broadcasting module, IPTV set-top box, contents, viewing information, table

Description

METHOD FOR PROVIDING AND SHARING OF CONTENTS, AND CONTROLLING APPARATUS THEREOF,

The present invention relates to content use, and more particularly, to a content providing and sharing method for providing viewing information of content viewed in an IPTV or VOD service and enabling service users to share the same, and a control apparatus thereof.

In recent years, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) or video online demand (VOD) of a digital broadcasting environment has been provided so that contents such as movies and music can be viewed in real time regardless of time and place .

The IPTV and VOD services support bidirectional services.

Therefore, a system configuration of a digital system different from the conventional system configuration of an analog system is required. An IPTV broadcasting module for transmitting a pre-stored content or a TV broadcast program to the IP network, and an IPTV set-top box for receiving the content or the TV broadcast program from the IP network and outputting the content or the TV broadcast program to the display device.

Operation in this system configuration is as follows.

When the IPTV set-top box is connected to the IPTV broadcasting module, a main menu for content search is displayed on the display device. The service user searches the content DB of the IPTV broadcasting module for a content desired to be watched by the user using the remote controller while checking the main menu, and selects a desired one of the contents.

If the content is selected, the IPTV broadcasting module transmits the selected content to the IPTV set-top box with a predetermined transmission bandwidth. The IPTV set-top box buffers the transmitted content information at regular intervals and transmits the buffered content to a display device for playback.

Such an interactive service allows the service user to select the latest movie or popular drama to watch at a desired time zone.

On the other hand, in order for a service user to select a content, information about the content is required. Some of the service users select content by acquiring information about the content offline, but most of them acquire the content information through the online medium.

A typical example of an online medium is to provide content information on a portal site. The service user obtains the plot line of the content from the portal site, and uses the plot line as a judgment data for the content selection.

However, the IPTV or VOD service that supports bidirectional service and can easily view various contents is not provided with the contents information. Of course, when a content is selected in the IPTV or VOD service, basic information about the content, such as a content genre and playback time, is provided, but it is not known exactly what content the content is based on.

In other words, when selecting contents, the popularity of the contents, the quality of the contents, the recommendation level of other service users, and the appraisal experience felt by other service users may be an important factor. The IPTV or VOD service, It does not provide.

Therefore, even if the user selects the content, it is inevitable to view the content without knowing the plot, the popularity, and the performance of the content. This is pointed out as a very big disadvantage in IPTV or VOD service supporting two-way service.

For example, despite the fact that it is a service that allows users to select and view content, since specific information about the content is not provided, the service is still treated as a unidirectional service, Causing problems.

By recognizing such a service as a unidirectional service, users of IPTV or VOD service have an inconsistency in searching content information separately from a portal site and then selecting a content based on the content information.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a content providing method and a control apparatus for providing viewing information on content viewed in an IPTV or VOD service.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a content sharing method and a control apparatus thereof for enabling service users to share content viewing information of an IPTV or VOD service.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of searching for a content, Playing the searched content of interest; Providing a table capable of inputting audience information when the content of interest is reproduced; Inputting viewing information on the contents of interest into the table; And processing and storing the table into which the audience information is inputted.

In the table, at least one of popularity, workability, recommendation level, and opinion of the content of interest is inputted.

In the mode of inputting the hit performance, the playability, the recommendation level, and the opinion evaluation, the content reproduction unit formed in the table reproduces the content.

The content is reproduced either as a moving image or as a still image.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising: retrieving a content; Requesting at least one table in which audience information corresponding to the retrieved content is input; Selecting a content of interest based on the requested table; And reproducing the selected content of interest.

In the step of selecting the content of interest, the content reproduction unit provided in the table stops reproduction of the content.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a content DB for storing content; A table DB for storing a table capable of inputting audience information; And a controller for extracting and displaying the table from the table DB when reproduction of the content being reproduced is completed in response to the reproduction request.

And a requesting unit for requesting to display the table while the content is being played back.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information processing apparatus including: a content DB for storing content; A viewer DB for storing a table in which viewing information is input for each content; The control unit controls the viewer DB to access and display a table corresponding to the searched content each time the stored content is searched.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an IPTV broadcasting module including a content DB for storing contents, a table DB for storing a table in which audience information can be input, and a viewer DB for storing a table in which viewing information is input; When a selected one of contents stored in the contents DB is reproduced, a table capable of inputting viewing information is extracted from the table DB and displayed. Whenever the contents stored in the contents DB are retrieved, And a controller for extracting and displaying the table corresponding to the IPTV set-top box from the viewer DB.

Wherein the table includes a basic information providing unit for providing basic information of the content; An input unit for inputting viewing information of the content; A unique number input unit for automatically recording the device unique number of the IPTV set-top box when the table is provided to the IPTV set-top box in the IPTV broadcasting module; And a content playback unit for playing back the content according to a predetermined mode.

Wherein the content reproduction unit includes: a reproduction mode in which the content is reproduced when audience information is input to the table; And a standby mode in which the content reproduction is stopped when the table to which the viewing information is input is displayed.

According to the content providing and sharing method of the present invention having such a configuration and the control apparatus thereof, the following effects can be obtained.

First, during or after viewing the content provided by IPTV, VOD, or the like, the viewing information of the content, such as plot, performance, title, recommendation level, and viewing information, is input to a table provided by the IPTV broadcasting module , It can be stored in the IPTV broadcasting module.

In addition, the table of contents stored as such can be shared by other service users, and other service users can be utilized as information for selecting a specific content, so that information on the contents can be easily confirmed.

Hereinafter, a content providing and sharing method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and its control device will be described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration diagram of a system for providing content sharing and sharing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an exemplary diagram of a table configuration provided in this embodiment.

1, a content DB 101 in which a plurality of contents are stored and a TV broadcast program 102 are provided.

And an IPTV broadcasting module 100 for providing the contents stored in the contents DB 101 via the Internet or providing the TV broadcasting program 102 through the Internet. The IPTV broadcasting module 100 is provided with a web server 103 for providing a web service, an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) server 104 for guiding broadcasting programs, a subscriber management server 106 for managing subscribers, A billing server 108, and the like.

The IPTV broadcasting module 100 includes a controller 110 for controlling the transmission of the content and controlling the operation of the web server 103, the EPG server 104, the subscriber management server 106 and the charging server 108 .

In particular, the IPTV broadcasting module 100 is provided with a management server 120 for storing / managing information (hereinafter, referred to as 'viewing information') transmitted by a service user. The viewing information refers to the information after the service user views the predetermined content, that is, the popularity, the performance, the recommendation level, and the opinion of the content.

Therefore, the management server 120 is provided with a table DB 124 storing a table having a predetermined format for inputting the viewing information, and a viewer DB 122 storing a table in which the viewing information is input . The table does not take only one standardized format, but can be changed to various formats by the administrator. Also, although the table is stored in the table DB 124 in various forms, it is preferable that not all the tables are used at the same time, but only one table selected by the administrator is used.

An example of such a table is shown in Fig.

2, the table 130 includes a basic information providing unit 130a for providing basic information of the content, an input unit 130b for inputting viewing information of the content, and a control unit A unique number input unit 130c for recording a device unique number of a terminal device, that is, a IP set top box 140 to be described later, and a content reproducing unit 130d for reproducing the content.

Specifically, the basic information providing unit 130a displays information such as a title, a genre, a playback time, and a rating of the content.

The input unit 130b is a part that the service user can input directly, such as popularity, workability, recommendation level, and spectacles. When the entertainability, workability, recommendation degree, and the like are inputted, the score and the specific shape may be inputted together.

The unique number input unit 130c refers to the unique number of the IPTV set-top box 140. The device unique number is used to check which IPTV set-top box is connected to the IPTV broadcasting module 100. When the IPTV set-top box 140 is connected to the IPTV broadcasting module 100, Is transmitted to the IPTV broadcasting module 100. FIG. The device unique number is automatically recorded in the unique number input unit 130c when the IPTV broadcasting module 100 transmits the device unique number to the IPTV set-top box 140. [ Even if the real name of the service user is required due to the device unique number recording, the authentication procedure such as the ID input may not be performed.

The content reproducing unit 130d is a portion in which a part of the content of the watched content is reproduced. The content playback unit 130d has a playback mode and a standby mode. The playback mode refers to a mode in which a content is played back when a service user directly inputs information. This is for the purpose of inputting information more accurately referring to the content reproduced in the content reproducing unit 130d at the time of inputting the information. The standby mode is a mode in which playback of content is suspended. This corresponds to a case where only the table in which the audience information is input is selected in order to select the content, and playback of the content is not necessarily required. In other words, when referencing a table, contents need not be reproduced because only the information created by the other service users is referred mainly. However, the content may be reproduced even if only the table is referred to.

Such a table is transmitted from the management server 120 to the IPTV set-top box 140 and displayed on the display device 150 at a point of time when the content is completely played back (i.e.

Referring again to FIG. 1, an IPTV set-top box 140 connected to the IPTV broadcasting module 100 is provided. The IPTV set-top box 140 functions to buffer the contents when the contents are transmitted in a predetermined bandwidth in the IPTV broadcasting module 100, and to reproduce the contents to be buffered on the display device 150. A cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP) TV, a monitor, and the like are used for the display device.

The IPTV set-top box 140 is connected to a remote controller 160. The remote controller 160 is provided with various function buttons. The function buttons include a button 160a for requesting a table to input viewing information (hereinafter referred to as a 'first request button') 160a, a button for requesting a table in which viewing information is input for a predetermined content (hereinafter, A second request button 160b for requesting content reproduction, a playback button 160c for requesting content reproduction, and a completion button 160d for completing input of audience information.

Reference numeral 170 denotes a keyboard. The keyboard 170 is for the service user to input the popularity, workability, recommendation level, and evaluation of the contents.

Hereinafter, a content sharing method, a content input method, and a control apparatus thereof according to the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of selecting a content by referring to a table in which content viewing information is recorded according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the main menu of the IPTV is displayed on the display device 150 (s200).

Then, the service user moves to the desired content menu, for example, the movie menu in the main menu using the remote controller 160 or the like, and searches for a content desired to be viewed (s202). When the content is searched, the searched content is displayed on the display device 150. The content search may be performed by a keyword method or by operating an up / down key (not shown) of the remotone 160 in a list-based manner.

When the content is searched, the service user operates the second request button 160b to request the table in which the viewing information about the searched content is input (s204). The request signal is transmitted from the IPTV set-top box 140 to the IPTV broadcasting module 100 and the controller 110 of the IPTV broadcasting module 100 searches the viewer DB 122 for a table corresponding to the searched content (S206). The table search searches for the same content title among the tables stored in the viewer DB 122 based on the basic information because the request signal includes basic information such as a content title. Of course, even if the second request button 160b is not operated, the table corresponding to the second request button 160b may be searched in a state in which only the content is searched.

When the table for the content is retrieved, the controller 110 delivers the retrieved table to the IPTV set-top box 140. The IPTV set-top box 140 displays the transferred table on the display device 150 (s208). At this time, as shown in FIG. 4A, the table can display the table in which the audience information is inputted for a predetermined content as it is, or can be displayed in a processed form for each menu of the table as shown in FIG. 4B . When the table is displayed, the controller 110 causes the content reproducing unit 130d to maintain the standby mode so that the content is not reproduced. In other words, when referring to a table for selecting a content, the content is not necessarily reproduced at this time because only the information created by the other service users is mainly referred to. However, the reproduction of the contents does not necessarily have to be stopped. The content of the currently searched content can be reproduced according to the request of the service user.

In this manner, it is determined whether or not the searched contents are watched while checking tables in which audience information directly inputted by a plurality of service users is recorded for a predetermined content (s210). If the playback button 160c of the remote controller 160 is operated, the playback request signal is transmitted from the IPTV set-top box 140 to the IPTV broadcasting module 100. In this case,

Then, the IPTV providing module 100 accesses the corresponding content in the content DB 101, and then transmits the accessed content to the IPTV set-top box 140 in a streaming manner.

Then, the IPTV set-top box 140 buffers the content at a predetermined period and transmits the buffered content to the display device 150 for playback (s212).

By doing so, the service user can provide information about the content viewed in the IPTV or VOD service, and the information provided in this manner helps to select the content according to the sharing of other service users.

Also, the service users can refer to the table that they input, and then they may want to see again the contents they viewed later, or recommend them to others.

On the other hand, if the audience information of the searched contents is not satisfied in step 210, the other contents are continuously searched. When another content is searched, the process of displaying the table in which the audience information is recorded for the searched content is repeatedly performed as described above.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of inputting and providing audience information after watching a content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the controller 110 of the IPTV broadcasting module 100 controls the IPTV set-top box 140 to play content selected by the service user (i.e., content of interest) on the display device 150 (s300). While the content is being reproduced, the controller 110 continuously checks whether the reproduction of the content is completed.

The controller 100 accesses the table 130 shown in FIG. 2 from the table DB 124 and transmits the table 130 to the IPTV set-top box 140. The IPTV set- If the reproduction of the contents is not completed, the contents are continuously reproduced. However, the table 130 can be accessed from the table DB 124 even during content reproduction. This process will be described later.

The IPTV set-top box 140 displays the table 130 on the display device 150 (s304). The displayed table 130 is a state in which no information is input, and the state in which audience information can be input by the service user.

In operation 306, the service user inputs viewing information of the content viewed by the service user. The input unit 130b of the table 130 has input menus such as hitability / workability / recommendation level / opinion rating, and information is input to the menu as shown in FIG. 4A. Information input can be entered in various ways as well as text, score. Also, while the audience information is being input, the control unit 110 causes the content playback unit 130d to play a moving image or a still image of the viewed content. That is, the content to be reproduced must be the same content as the content that has been reproduced by the control unit 110, and the control unit 110 extracts all or a part of such content from the content DB 101 and reproduces it. Or if the still image is stored in the content DB 101 in association with the content, the control unit 110 extracts and reproduces the still image. This is because the service user may not be able to accurately memorize the content even if the user views the content. In this case, incorrect viewing information may be input. Therefore, when inputting the audience information, a predetermined portion of the content is once again viewed through the content to be reproduced, so that accurate information can be input.

When the table 130 is transmitted to the IPTV set-top box 140, the device unique number of the IPTV set-top box 140 is automatically recorded in the unique number input unit 130c of the table 130. [ Therefore, even if only the audience information is inputted without a separate authentication procedure, it is possible to know who is the user who has input the audience information.

When the completion button 160d is operated by the service user (s308), the table in which the audience information is input is transmitted from the IPTV set-top box 140 to the IPTV broadcasting module 100. [

The control unit 110 of the IPTV broadcasting module 100 stores the transmitted audience information table in the viewer DB 122 (s310). When the table is stored, a table generated by a plurality of service users for one content is stored. However, the viewing information in the table may be processed and stored according to popularity, workability, recommendation level, and evaluation of the game. That is, FIG. 4A shows that the table inputted and transmitted by the service user for the predetermined content is stored as it is, and FIG. 4B shows that only one content is processed into one table . It is a matter of course that the game can be processed and stored in order of popularity, popularity, and popularity, as well as the above-mentioned popularity.

The table thus stored is used as reference information when a service user selects a content.

On the other hand, the viewing information can be input even when the content is being reproduced.

For example, there may be a case where the content being watched is not funny and you do not want to watch it anymore. In this case, the service user operates the first request button 160a of the remote controller 160. [ Then, the request signal of the first request button 160a is transmitted from the IPTV set-top box 140 to the IPTV broadcasting module 100. The control unit 110 of the IPTV broadcasting module 100 accesses the table 130 through which the viewing information can be input in the table DB 124 according to the request signal and displays the accessed table on the display device 150.

When the table 130 is displayed, the service user enters viewing information on the currently viewed content, and is stored in the viewer DB 122 when the viewing information is input.

Then, the audience information inputted by a plurality of service users is stored in the viewer DB 122, and the audience information can be shared by service users. Therefore, it is usefully used as content selection information as described in FIG.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and alternative constructions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be apparent that other, alternative and equivalent embodiments are possible. Therefore, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the technical idea of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a system apparatus providing content sharing and sharing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

2 is an exemplary view of a table configuration provided in this embodiment;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a process of selecting a content by referring to a content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate storage formats of tables in which audience information is input according to the present invention; FIG.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of inputting and providing audience information after watching a content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Related Art [0002]

100: IPTV broadcasting module 110:

120: management server 122: viewer DB

124: Table DB 140: IPTV set-top box

150: Display device 160: Remote control

Claims (13)

A step of retrieving a content of interest by accessing a content DB storing a content, a step of reproducing the retrieved interest content, a step of providing a table capable of inputting audience information when the content of interest is reproduced, An input step of inputting audience information on a content, and a step of processing and storing a table in which the audience information is input; Wherein the searching step comprises a requesting step of requesting at least one table in which audience information corresponding to the searched content is input and a selecting step of selecting a content of interest based on the requested table; The table includes a basic information providing unit for providing basic information of the content, an input unit for inputting the viewing information of the content, and a device unique number of the IPTV set-top box when the table is provided to the IPTV set- A unique number input unit to be automatically recorded, and a content playback unit having a playback mode in which playback of the content can be performed and a standby mode in which playback is stopped; Wherein at least one of popularity, workability, recommendation level, and opinion of the content is input to the input unit; Wherein the content playback unit maintains the playback mode when the audience information is input to the input unit, and the playback mode or the standby mode is maintained in the selection step. delete delete delete delete The method according to claim 1, And in the step of selecting the content of interest, the content reproduction unit provided in the table stops reproduction of the content. delete delete A content DB for storing content; A viewer DB for storing a table in which viewing information is input for each content; And, And a controller for accessing and displaying a table corresponding to the searched content in the viewer DB each time the stored content is searched; The table includes a basic information providing unit for receiving basic information of the content, an input unit for inputting the viewing information of the content, and an IPTV set-top box for providing the IPTV set- A unique number input unit to record the content, and a content playback unit having a playback mode in which the content can be played back and a standby mode in which playback is stopped; Wherein at least one of popularity, workability, recommendation level, and opinion of the content is input to the input unit; Wherein the content playback unit maintains a playback mode when viewing information is input to the input unit and maintains a playback mode or a standby mode when the table is displayed by the control unit. An IPTV broadcasting module having a contents DB for storing contents, a table DB for storing tables in which audience information can be input, and a viewer DB for storing tables in which the contents are viewed by contents; And Extracting a table capable of inputting audience information in the table DB and displaying the extracted table when any one of the contents stored in the contents DB is reproduced, and when the contents stored in the contents DB are retrieved, And an IPTV set-top box having a control unit for extracting and displaying a table from the viewer DB, The table includes an input unit for inputting basic information for providing basic information of the content and viewing information of the content, a device unique number of the IPTV set-top box when the table is provided to the IPTV set- And a content playback unit having a playback mode in which playback of the content can be performed and a standby mode in which playback is stopped; Wherein at least one of popularity, workability, recommendation level, and opinion of the content is input to the input unit; Wherein the content playback unit maintains a playback mode when viewing information is input to the input unit and maintains a playback mode or a standby mode when the table is displayed by the control unit. delete delete delete

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