KR20030031548A - A television and web server linking system using a remote-controller and digital set-top box and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A system and a method for interworking a television and a web server using a remote controller and a digital set top box are provided to overcome inconvenience of changing a pointing device and a remote controller as occasion demands. CONSTITUTION: A remote controller(10) is provided for transmitting a predetermined input signal. A remote controller receiving part(444) receives the input signal. A RAM(440) is loaded with a remote controller key table. A ROM(442) and a storing part(422) store data and programs. A picture buffer part temporarily stores data to be output to a TV screen. A voice video switching part(418) divides voice and video data. A picture generating part(430) processes the divided video data for a picture display. An OSD(On Screen Display) synthesizing part(432) synthesizes the picture with graphic OSD. A video output part(434) transmits the synthesized picture to a TV monitor(21). A voice digital-to-analog converter(436) converts the divided voice data into an analog signal. A voice output part(438) transmits the analog signal to a TV speaker(22). A television(20) includes the TV monitor displaying the synthesized video data and the TV speaker outputting the analog signal in a sound wave. A web server(50) is operated by a contents provider providing the remote controller key table and various contents to a digital set top box(40).

Description

A system and method for connecting a TV and a web server using a remote control and a digital set-top box {A TELEVISION AND WEB SERVER LINKING SYSTEM USING A REMOTE-CONTROLLER AND DIGITAL SET-TOP BOX AND METHOD THEREOF}

The present invention not only enables the conventional TV broadcasting using a remote control and a digital set-top box, but also a system of interlocking a TV and a web server using a remote control and a digital set-top box that can interoperate with a TV and a web server through the Internet. It's about how.

It is usually viewed through a monitor or television integrated with a digital set-top box or connected via an external terminal. In addition, the digital set-top box stores a program for receiving information through a communication line in a memory, and performs internet communication through the program.

As described above, the conventional digital set-top box requires a keyboard or a pointing device to communicate with the Internet, and even after connecting to any web server through the Internet, a mouse, trackball or There was a need for a pointing device such as a touchpad.

Digital set-top boxes, on the other hand, typically have the functionality of a television and use a remote control for channel selection.

On the contrary, in Korean Utility Model Publication No. 2000-10944, as shown in FIG. 1, a technology related to a remote controller 100 capable of connecting wired input devices 102 and 104 capable of operating a digital set-top box was introduced. .

However, the above-described conventional technology has an inconvenience in that a pointing device and a remote controller, which are implemented as fundamentally different objects, need to be changed whenever necessary, and there is a problem in storage.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art, in a system and method for interworking a TV and a web server using a remote control and a digital set-top box,

It is equipped with a remote control, a TV, and a digital set-top box that can be connected to the Internet. An object of the present invention is to provide an interlocking system and a method thereof.

1 is a block diagram of a device capable of operating a conventional set-top box

2 is a configuration diagram of a TV and web server interworking system using a remote control and a digital set-top box according to the present invention

Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the configuration of a digital set-top box in the system according to the present invention

4 is an exemplary view showing a keypad configuration of a remote controller in a system according to the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of a digital set-top box when a remote control key is pressed in a method of interlocking a TV and a web server using a remote control and a digital set-top box according to the present invention.

6 is an exemplary diagram of a remote control key table configuration in the method according to the present invention;

7 is an exemplary view of a TV screen in the method according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

10: remote control 20: TV (TV)

40: digital set-top box 50: web server

60: Internet

The present invention having the above-mentioned object is a system having a remote control, a television, and a digital set-top box capable of connecting to the Internet. A remote control having a key for switching to a function of reading a remote control key table including; A remote controller receiving unit for receiving an input signal from the remote controller, a RAM loaded with a predetermined remote controller key table, a ROM and storage unit for storing predetermined data and programs, and temporarily storing data to be output on a TV screen An OSD for synthesizing an appropriate graphic OSD on the screen buffer unit, an audio image switching unit for dividing the audio image data, a screen generation unit for processing the displayed image data, and a screen processed by the screen generation unit A synthesizer, an image output unit for transmitting the screen synthesized with the graphic OSD to a TV monitor, a voice digital analog converter for converting the divided voice data into an analog signal, and transmitting the converted analog signal to a TV speaker The voice output unit, a network interface card which is a means for connecting to the Internet, Digital set-top box provided with the main control unit to receive and control; A TV monitor displaying image data synthesized by the OSD synthesizing unit of the digital set-top box; A television having a TV speaker for outputting the signal transmitted from the voice output unit of the digital set-top box as sound waves; A web server operated by a content provider for providing a remote control key table and various contents to the digital set top box; It includes the remote control, the digital set-top box, television, the Internet connecting the web server.

In addition, the present invention provides a method for interlocking a TV and a web server using the system, the method comprising: turning on (ON) the power of the digital set-top box; Pressing a predetermined key on the remote controller to transmit a corresponding signal to the digital set-top box; Receiving a signal transmitted to the digital set top box by a remote control receiver of the digital set top box; Retrieving a remote control key table stored in a RAM using a corresponding key corresponding to the received signal; Determining whether or not there is information on the corresponding key in the remote control key table; Receiving a page corresponding to the detected information from a web server via the Internet; Transmitting the received corresponding page to a voice image switching unit for processing by the main control unit; Outputting the processed corresponding page to a TV screen and a TV speaker; And updating the remote control key table after outputting the corresponding page.

According to the present invention, the user overcomes the inconvenience of changing the use of the pointing device and the remote control implemented as a conventional different object whenever necessary when using the digital set-top box, and interoperates between the TV and the web server through the remote control and the digital set-top box. Provide means.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of a system and method for interlocking a TV and a web server using a remote control and a digital set-top box according to the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of an interlock system of a TV and a web server using a remote controller and a digital set-top box according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a system for interworking a TV and a web server using a remote controller and a digital set-top box according to the present invention is provided.

Means for sending a predetermined input signal by the user, the remote control having a key for switching to a function of reading a remote control key table including a use corresponding to the remote control key and corresponding page information;

A remote controller receiver 444 for receiving an input signal from the remote controller, a RAM 440 for loading a predetermined remote controller key table, a ROM 442 for storing predetermined data and programs, and a storage unit 422; A screen buffer for temporarily storing data to be output to the TV screen, an audio image switching unit 418 for dividing the audio image data, and a screen generation unit 430 for processing the screen to display the divided image data. And an OSD synthesizer 432 for synthesizing an appropriate graphic OSD on the screen processed by the screen generator, an image output unit 434 for transmitting the graphic OSD-synthesized screen to a TV monitor, and the divided voice. A voice digital analog converter 436 for converting data into an analog signal, a voice output unit 438 for transmitting the converted analog signal to a TV speaker, and a network interface card, which is a means for connecting to the Internet. And a digital set-top box 40 having main and control units 426 for exchanging and controlling data with each unit, the ROM 442, and the RAM 440;

A TV monitor 21 for displaying the image data synthesized by the OSD synthesizing unit 432 of the digital set-top box; A television (20) having a TV speaker (22) for outputting the signal transmitted from the voice output section of the digital set-top box as sound waves;

A web server 30 operated by a content provider for providing a remote control key table and various contents to the digital set-top box;

It includes the remote control 10, the digital set-top box 40, the TV 20, the Internet 50 for connecting the web server 30.

3 is a block diagram showing a specific example of the configuration of the digital set-top box in the system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, a specific configuration of the digital set-top box in the system according to the present invention includes a plurality of audio / video input sources (eg, a TV tuner, a movie camera, a video recorder (VTR), cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and CCD). A plurality of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) 410, 412, 414, and 416 for digitally converting audio / video signals from a camera, a microphone, etc .; The audio / video signal of one channel selected from the audio / video signals of the plurality of channels provided from the plurality of analog-digital converters 410, 412, 414, 416 is output through the storage signal output port Q1, and An audio / video switching unit 418 for outputting audio / video signals and MPEG-decoded audio / video signals of a plurality of channels through audio / video signal output ports Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6; An MPEG encoder 420 which receives an audio / video signal output through the storage signal output port Q1 of the audio image switching unit 18 and encodes the MPEG signal; A storage unit 422 in the form of a hard disk drive (HDD) in which an audio / video signal encoded by the MPEG encoder 420 is stored, and an MPEG content input through a VDSL line or a LAN line is stored; A sub-control unit which stores the output data from the MPEG encoder 20 and the MPEG contents input through the VDSL line or the LAN line to the storage unit 422 and outputs the data stored in the storage unit 422 ( 424); Provide control commands for storing and outputting data to the storage unit 422 to the sub-control unit 424, and corresponding operations based on the remote signal from the remote control unit 10 received at the remote control unit 444; Main control unit 426 to control the; An MPEG decoder 428 which MPEG-decodes the data output from the sub-control unit 424 and transmits the MPEG-decoded data to the audio image switching unit 418; A screen generation unit 430 which uses a video signal of one channel as a main screen and a video signal of other channels as a sub picture among the video signals of the plurality of channels from the audio video switching unit 418; The contents of the 24-bit overlay memory (not shown) of RGB 8: 8: 8 are assigned to a specific color key value (ie, the color key value corresponding to the OSD character (or picture) required for the screens to be output). An OSD synthesizer 432 for implementing an appropriate graphical OSD on the screen from the screen generator 430 in comparison with the above; An image output unit 434 for displaying the video screen from the OSD synthesizing unit 432 on the television monitor 21; An audio-digital analog converter 436 for analog-converting the audio signal of the active channel to the main screen provided by the audio image converting unit 418; An audio output unit 438 for outputting audio from the audio digital analog conversion unit 436 to the outside through the speaker 22 of the television; RAM (440) that stores the code of the operating program required for the digital set-top box; And a ROM (442) in which all programs related to driving and control of the digital set-top box are stored.

Here, the audio image switching unit 418, the sub-control unit 424 and the OSD synthesizer 432 is a field programmable gate array (FPGA) that is a type of programmable logic chip.

The main controller 426 and the sub-control unit 424 communicate with each other via the local bus 446. The ROM 442 further stores personal information (eg, name, address, credit card information, ID card information, etc.) of the user using the digital set-top box.

The personal information may be stored in a memory including a separate magnetic card or an IC card or similar hardware to the user, and the set-top box of the present invention may be attached with a device (not shown) to access the security and billing information. It can be used as such.

In addition, the screen generator 430, the OSD synthesizer 432, the image output unit 434, the audio digital analog converter 436, and the audio output unit 438 may be collectively referred to as the audio image switch unit ( Audio and video output means for outputting audio and video of a plurality of channels output from 418 according to a user's selection condition under the control of the main controller 426.

The MPEG encoder 420 has a built-in first-in-first-out (FIFO) buffer, and the sub-control unit 424 directly accesses the buffer of the MPEG encoder 420, and the main control unit 426 controls the control. Only handle The main control unit 426 processes only the control command and the address index for the storage unit 422, and the sub control unit 424 is responsible for the remaining large burst transmission.

The signal received by the remote control receiver 444 is not only an infrared signal but also a wireless signal such as high frequency and low frequency.

The VDSL line is a telephone line, which realizes VOD through the VDSL line, and the LAN line is composed of two Internet lines as the Internet line. Network Interface Cards (NIC) 448, 450, 452 are provided between the VDSL line and the two LAN lines and the local bus 446. The network interface cards 448, 450, and 452 allow the digital set-top box and the network to be connected at all times. The network interface cards 450 and 452 connected to the two Internet lines are provided with a network address translation (NAT) function to be used as a home gateway device. In other words, if the user is not in a VDSL environment, the digital set-top box of the present invention may be used by directly connecting to an Internet line (ie, a LAN line).

The ROM 442 includes VOIP software for enabling the digital set-top box to perform a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) function, and a slick (SLIC-SUBSCRIBER) on the local bus 446 to perform the VOIP function. One output terminal of the LINE INTERFACE CIRCUITS 454 is connected, and the other output terminal of the SLIC 454 is connected to the audio image switching unit 418.

In addition, although not shown in the drawings of the present invention, a digital set-top box may be provided with a device capable of accessing a memory including a magnetic card or an IC card or similar hardware, and may include a device capable of supporting a USB port. Can be.

The slick 454 outputs the analog voice signal as a digital voice signal, and the digital voice signal output from the output terminal of the slick 454 is input to the voice image switching unit 418 and the local bus ( It is also input to the main control unit 426 through 446.

When the power of the digital set-top box is turned on, the main controller 426 stores the VOIP software stored in the ROM 442 in the RAM 440 and controls the VOIP function based on the VOIP software. That is, the digital set-top box preferably has a built-in VOIP function for transmitting voice and video using IP to perform the role of a VOIP phone.

An audio / video signal input from the audio / video input source (ie, a signal input through the analog-digital converters 410, 412, 414, and 416) includes an RCA input and a super video (S-video). Of the four input sources, only the audio / video signal of one input source is stored in the storage unit 422 via the MPEG encoder 420 and the sub-control unit 24 according to the command of the main controller 26. Since the four input sources are transmitted to the screen generator 430 in real time, the four input sources are displayed in a combination of up to three channels while displaying the stored contents.

The digital set-top box can be selected and used in a VDSL telephone environment or a LAN environment capable of high-speed communication of up to 25 megabytes per second and 12 megabits per second in both directions. The content information is updated and required data is provided at the request of the user. In addition, the data input through the network is stored in the storage unit 422 which is a hard disk drive (HDD) for temporal buffering so that multi-tasking can be performed smoothly, and then the data is read from the storage unit 422 and the MPEG decoder 428 and the audio image switching unit 418 is transmitted to the screen generation unit 430.

According to the digital set-top box, a variety of contents can be provided as desired through the VDSL line or the LAN line as well as a function of a conventional personal video recorder (PVR), and output is also possible.

4 is an exemplary view illustrating a keypad configuration of a remote controller in a system according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 4 the keypad configuration of the remote control in the system according to the invention,

A power key 11 for turning on / off a power of the digital set-top box; A key 12 for switching to a function of reading a remote control key table including a use corresponding to the remote control key and corresponding page information or a function of receiving a television channel; Special keys 13 for returning to the previous screen, returning to the next screen, and exiting; Direction keys 14 for moving the active portion; Numeric keys 15 for assigning numbers; It includes a color key 16 for going to the home screen, going to the broadcast guide screen, and going to the search screen.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation process of a digital set top box when a remote control key is pressed in a method of interlocking a TV and a web server using a remote control and a digital set top box according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, in the method according to the invention the operating process of the digital set-top box when the remote control key is pressed,

Turning on the power of the digital set-top box (S100); Pressing a predetermined key on the remote controller to transmit a corresponding signal to the digital set-top box (S110); Receiving a signal transmitted to the digital set top box by a remote control receiver of the digital set top box (S120); Retrieving a remote control key table stored in the RAM using a corresponding key corresponding to the received signal (S130); Determining whether there is information on the corresponding key in the remote control key table (S140); Receiving a page corresponding to the detected information from the web server via the Internet (S150); Transmitting the received corresponding page to the voice image switching unit and processing the main page (S160); Outputting the processed corresponding page to a TV screen and a TV speaker (S170); And updating the remote control key table after outputting the corresponding page (S180).

After determining whether there is information about the corresponding key in the remote control key table, if there is no corresponding information, the process proceeds to step S110 in which a signal for the remote control key is received, and if the information exists, a page corresponding to the information is displayed on the Internet. Proceed to step S150 to download from.

After determining whether there is information about the corresponding key in the remote control key table, if there is no information, it is preferable to display the information that there is no information on the TV screen.

6 is an exemplary view illustrating a configuration of a remote controller key table in a method of interlocking a TV and a web server using a remote controller and a digital set-top box according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6, the remote control key table configuration in the method according to the present invention includes information on a use corresponding to the remote control key and a corresponding page. The information on the corresponding page includes a site address and corresponding document name information.

The function of the digital set-top box is to press the remote control key 1 on the remote control, grasp the information on the corresponding use and the corresponding page, and receive the document, for example, the movie (movie.htm) page.

As another example, if the purpose corresponding to remote control key 4 on the remote control key table is PLAY and there is a corresponding page information for the VOD stream file (not shown in FIG. 6), the user presses 4 on the remote control. The set-top box receives and plays the VOD stream file, so that the user can watch the corresponding video through the digital set-top box.

7 is an exemplary view of a TV screen in the method according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7, in the method according to the present invention, when a predetermined remote control key is pressed, a corresponding portion is activated, and a corresponding page corresponding to the received remote control key is displayed.

According to the interlock system and method of the TV and the web server using the remote control and the digital set-top box according to the present invention as described above, each web server provides content information and corresponding page information, entertainers, movie music, Content such as a video will be provided.

First, each web server provides content information and corresponding page information related to the remote control key table loaded in the digital set-top box. The digital set top box provides content information and corresponding page information related to the remote control key table. After reading the information, the web server searches for and downloads content related to the corresponding page information.

The configuration and operation as described above are not limited to the claims of the present invention as an embodiment, and various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of not changing the technical spirit of the present invention. It is obvious to those who are engaged.

A system and method for interlocking a TV and a web server using a remote controller and a digital set-top box according to the present invention having the above-described configuration and operation are a pointing device and a remote controller implemented with different objects by a user when using a digital set-top box as in the related art. It overcomes the inconvenience of changing it whenever necessary, and provides a means of interworking between the TV and the web server through the remote control and the digital set-top box.

Claims (6)

In a system with a remote control, a television and a digital set-top box with internet connection, Means for sending a predetermined input signal by a user, the remote control having a key for switching to a function of reading a remote control key table including a use corresponding to the remote control key and corresponding page information; A remote controller receiving unit for receiving an input signal from the remote controller, a RAM loaded with a predetermined remote controller key table, a ROM and storage unit for storing predetermined data and programs, and temporarily storing data to be output on a TV screen An OSD for synthesizing an appropriate graphic OSD on the screen buffer unit, an audio image switching unit for dividing the audio image data, a screen generation unit for processing the displayed image data, and a screen processed by the screen generation unit A synthesizer, an image output unit for transmitting the screen synthesized with the graphic OSD to a TV monitor, a voice digital analog converter for converting the divided voice data into an analog signal, and transmitting the converted analog signal to a TV speaker The voice output unit, a network interface card which is a means for connecting to the Internet, Digital set-top box provided with the main control unit to receive and control; A television with a TV monitor for displaying the image data synthesized by the OSD synthesizing unit of the digital set-top box and a TV speaker for outputting the signal transmitted from the audio output unit of the digital set-top box as sound waves; A web server operated by a content provider for providing a remote control key table and various contents to the digital set top box; The remote control, the digital set-top box, TV, the Internet connecting the web server; a remote control system using a digital set-top box and the TV and the web server interworking system comprising a The method of claim 1, The remote control, a power key for turning on and off the power of the digital set-top box; A key for switching to a function of reading a remote control key table including an application corresponding to the remote control key and corresponding page information; Special keys for returning to the previous screen, returning to the next screen, and exiting; Direction keys for moving the active part; Numeric keys for assigning numbers; Color key for the main screen (home), go to the broadcast guide screen, go to the search screen; TV and web server interworking system using a remote control and a digital set-top box comprising a The method of claim 1, The digital set-top box may include a plurality of analog / digital converters (ADCs) for receiving and converting audio / video signals from a plurality of audio / video input sources; The audio / video signal of one channel selected from the audio / video signals of the multiple channels provided from the analog / digital converter is output through the storage signal output port Q1, and the audio / video signals and the MPEG of the multiple channels are outputted. MPEG) audio / video switching unit for outputting the decoded audio / video signal through audio / video signal output ports Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q6; An MPEG encoder which receives an audio / video signal output through the storage signal output port Q1 of the audio / video switching unit and encodes an MPEG; A storage unit in the form of a hard disk drive (HDD) in which an audio / video signal encoded by the MPEG encoder is stored and an MPEG content input through a VDSL line or a LAN line is stored; A sub-control unit for storing the output data from the MPEG encoder and the MPEG contents input through the VDSL line or the LAN line to the storage unit, and outputting the data stored in the storage unit; A main control unit for providing a control command for storing and outputting data to the storage unit to the sub-control unit, and controlling a corresponding operation based on a remote signal from a remote controller received from the remote control unit; An MPEG decoder which MPEG-decodes the data output from the sub-control unit and transmits the MPEG-decoded data to the audio image switching unit; A screen generation unit configured to make a video signal of one channel as a main screen and a video signal of other channels among the video signals of the plurality of channels from the audio / video switching unit; An OSD synthesizer for implementing an appropriate graphical OSD on the screen from the screen generator by comparing the contents of a 24-bit overlay memory of RGB 8: 8: 8 with a specific color key value; An image output unit which displays an image screen from the OSD synthesizer on a television monitor; An audio digital / analog converter for converting an audio signal of an active channel into an analog to the main screen provided by the audio / video converter; A voice output unit which outputs the voice from the voice digital / analog converter to the outside through a speaker of a television; RAM that stores the code of an operating program required for the digital set-top box; And a ROM in which programs related to driving and controlling the digital set-top box are stored, wherein the remote control and the TV and the web server are connected using the digital set-top box. In a method for interfacing a TV with a web server using a system having a remote control, a television, and an Internet Internet Internet digital set-top box, Turning on the power of the digital set-top box; Pressing a predetermined key on the remote controller to transmit a corresponding signal to the digital set-top box; Receiving a signal transmitted to the digital set top box by a remote control receiver of the digital set top box; Retrieving a remote control key table stored in a RAM using a corresponding key corresponding to the received signal; Determining whether or not there is information on the corresponding key in the remote control key table; Receiving a page corresponding to the detected information from a web server via the Internet; Transmitting the received corresponding page to a voice image switching unit for processing by the main control unit; Outputting the processed corresponding page to a TV screen and a TV speaker; Updating the remote control key table after outputting the corresponding page; Method of interlocking the TV and the web server using the remote control and the digital set-top box, characterized in that comprises a The method of claim 4, wherein After determining whether there is information on the key in the remote control key table, if there is no information, proceed to the step of receiving a signal for the remote control key, and if the information exists, downloading a page corresponding to the information from the Internet. Interworking method of a TV and a web server using a remote control and a digital set-top box, characterized in that the steps to proceed The method of claim 4, wherein After determining whether there is information about the corresponding key in the remote control key table, if there is no information, the remote control and the TV and the web server using the digital set-top box, characterized in that the content is displayed on the TV screen.