KR20040008572A - Method And System for Providing Telecast with E-Mail Information Inserted Therein - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A television broadcasting method and system having e-mail information are provided to rapidly offer the official announcement or advertisement information to viewers in real time through television broadcast. CONSTITUTION: A television broadcasting system having e-mail information includes a plurality of computers(110), an e-mail storage server(130), and a broadcasting station server(140). Users make e-mails and transmit the e-mails to a specific e-mail account using the computers through the Internet. The e-mail storage server has the specific e-mail account and sequentially stores the e-mails transmitted from the plurality of computers. The broadcasting station server downloads a new e-mail from the e-mail storage server to insert the downloaded e-mail into a new broadcasting picture and converts the broadcasting picture into a television broadcasting signal to broadcast the signal through a specific channel.

Description

Method and System for Providing Telecast with E-Mail Information Inserted Therein}

The present invention relates to a method and system for inserting and providing e-mail information in a signal for television broadcasting. More specifically, the e-mail information providing server periodically checks and receives an e-mail from an e-mail storage server in which an e-mail containing predetermined information is stored, converts the contents of a specific e-mail into a broadcast signal, and then executes the e-mail on a specific broadcast channel. The present invention relates to a television broadcasting method and system in which e-mail information sent to a subscriber's television device is inserted.

It is well known that broadcasting services using radio waves have a very important area indispensable in modern people's lives. One of the biggest advantages of the broadcast service is that it can provide viewers with a great deal of news happening around the world very quickly and extensively. In other words, modern people are accessing and acquiring information more quickly and frequently than in print media such as newspapers and magazines through radio or television broadcasting.

In particular, the size and performance of television receivers are rapidly improving due to the development of electronic and communication technologies, and the number of broadcast channels is increasing from tens to hundreds. For example, in Korea, dozens of cable channels and satellite broadcasting channels exist in addition to several airwaves. In the case of over-the-air, it is common to provide information to viewers in various fields by time zone, and in the case of cable channels, it is common to provide viewers with detailed and specialized information for each field such as movies, games, securities, entertainment, music, and news. .

However, despite the many diversified and subdivided channels as described above, announcements such as life information, traffic information, complaint information, job listings, job search, etc. on each broadcasting channel, department store sale, product information, tour guide, etc. It does not provide advertising information such as information in real time. For example, in general, various announcements are aggregated and broadcast on a certain time basis only at a certain time on some channels, and only the degree of product sales is broadcast on a specific channel, and advertisement information in various fields is not provided in real time.

In other words, until now, a broadcast service that provides various announcements or advertisement information to viewers in a certain time period or in real time on any channel has not been performed. In other words, a method of providing data to a broadcaster by providing various announcements or advertisement information has been greatly limited to making a phone call or transmitting a document offline. However, the method of using a telephone call is difficult to ensure the accuracy of information provided due to distortion or interference of communication waves, and the method of using an offline document has a problem in that information is not quickly delivered.

On the other hand, it is the e-mail service commercialized by the rapid spread of the Internet network that solves the problem of data exchange between people in the first place. The email service may transmit a text, an image, a video, and the like to a counterpart's email account using a computer or a mobile communication terminal. Thus, people can check the information sent to them at any time as long as they have a computer with internet access.

Therefore, the application of such an e-mail service can solve the problem of difficulty in providing data such as various announcements and advertisement information to the conventional television broadcasting system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to meet the above-described requirements, and the email information providing server periodically checks and receives an email from an email storage server that stores emails containing predetermined information, and sends the contents of a specific email as a signal for broadcasting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a television broadcasting method and system in which e-mail information inserted on a specific broadcasting channel and transmitted to a subscriber's television device is inserted.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a system for transmitting information included in an e-mail to a television receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a block diagram briefly illustrating an internal configuration of an email information providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is an example screen for broadcasting generated by an email information providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of transmitting various types of information included in an e-mail to a television broadcast screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

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

110: Computer 130: Email Storage Server

140: broadcasting station server 150: email information providing server

151 control unit 152 data transmission and reception unit

153: data storage unit 155: broadcast signal conversion unit

156: broadcast screen generation unit 160: member database

170: broadcast signal transmission equipment 180: email management computer

190: subscriber television

To this end, the present invention is a television broadcasting system that provides the information of the e-mail containing a variety of announcements or advertising content in real time through a television broadcast channel, to write the e-mail to send the e-mail to a specific e-mail account over the Internet A plurality of computers with Internet access for receiving, an e-mail storage server having the specific e-mail account storing the e-mails received from the plural computers, and storing the e-mails in the received order, and downloading the new e-mails from the e-mail storage server to a new broadcast screen And a broadcasting station server which converts the broadcasting screen into a television broadcasting signal and broadcasts it through a specific channel.

According to another object of the present invention, a plurality of computers capable of accessing the Internet, an email storage server for storing emails transmitted from the plurality of computers, and converts the information of the email received from the email storage server into a television broadcast signal for transmission. A broadcasting method using a system including a broadcasting station server, wherein the email is transmitted from each computer to the email storage server and stored therein, wherein the email information providing server in the broadcasting station server periodically sends a new email to the email storage server. Checking whether the e-mail is stored, and checking whether the new e-mail is transmitted from the member if there is a new e-mail, and downloading the new e-mail to insert the e-mail information into a broadcast screen, providing the e-mail information. And a server converting the broadcast screen into a television broadcast signal, and the broadcast station server transmitting the television broadcast signal.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a system for transmitting information included in an e-mail to a television receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Broadcast system for providing email information according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality of computers (110); Email storage server 130; A broadcasting station server 140 including an e-mail information providing server 150, a member database 160, and a broadcasting signal transmitting device 170; And a plurality of subscriber televisions 190 connected to the email management computer 180 through the Internet 120 and receiving broadcast signals.

The computer 110 is a device used by an information provider subscribed to the broadcasting system according to the present invention. The information provider inputs various notices, advertisement information, etc. using the computer 110 having an internet connection, and sends an email in the form of an email. It may transmit to the storage server 130. An information provider according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an administrative office such as a ward office or a government office that provides various notices, or various organizations or corporations that provide advertisement information.

Of course, in order for the information provider to use the computer 110 to provide information to the broadcasting system according to the present invention, the information provider must subscribe to the broadcasting system as a member. The method of subscribing to a broadcasting system according to an embodiment of the present invention as a member may be a method of subscribing on a web page operated by the broadcasting station server 140 or by calling or visiting in person.

Meanwhile, in the embodiment of the present invention, the provision of information using the computer 110 is performed by using an email service. That is, the information provider sends an email written in text to a specific email account using a predetermined email service. In an embodiment of the present invention, the information included in the email is preferably limited to text information, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

The e-mail storage server 130 receives and stores the e-mail transmitted from the computer 110 through the Internet 120. That is, the e-mail storage server 130 receives the e-mail transmitted to the specific e-mail account and stores the received e-mail in the order of the e-mail address of the information provider. The email storage server 130 is a conventional mail server that transmits and receives emails using protocols such as Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Post Office Protocol (POP), and Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).

Broadcasting station server 140 refers to a kind of cable channel broadcasting station that transmits the information contained in the e-mail to the broadcast signal according to an embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the conventional broadcast system, the e-mail information providing server 150, member database ( 160) and the like, interworking with the email storage server 130. Here, the broadcast signal refers to all elements constituting the screen such as video, audio, graphics, text, and e-mail, and also includes aspect ratio.

The email information providing server 150 periodically checks the contents of the email stored in the email storage server 130 through the Internet 120, and if there is a newly stored email, the email storage server 130 through the Internet 120. Download this email from. Here, the e-mail information providing server 150 authenticates the member using the ID and password stored in the e-mail to check whether the e-mail stored in the e-mail storage server 130 is an e-mail transmitted from legitimate members. Do this. Member data is also stored in the member database 160 to be described later for authentication.

In addition, the email information providing server 150 converts an email downloaded from the email storage server 130 into a broadcast signal suitable for television broadcasting, and then loads the converted email signal on a specific channel. The e-mail information providing server 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2.

The member database 160 stores information such as an e-mail address of an information provider registered as a member in the broadcasting system according to the present invention, a name of a company or an office that is an information provider, various corporate names, and a contact telephone number or address. That is, the above-mentioned e-mail information providing server 150 checks whether the e-mail stored in the e-mail storage server 130 is an e-mail sent from a valid member using the member database 160.

The broadcast signal transmission device 170 transmits an email signal converted from the email information providing server 150 into a broadcast signal through an antenna AT to a radio wave space, or transmits a wire through a specific channel. The broadcast signal transmission equipment 170 includes a multiplexer (Mux) for integrating multiple broadcast channels into one line, a modulator for modulating the broadcast signal, an amplifier for amplifying the broadcast signal, and the like. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a technique for transmitting a broadcast signal including e-mail information is well known to those skilled in the art, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The e-mail management computer 180 accesses the e-mail information providing server 150 through the Internet 120 and checks the broadcast screen generated by the e-mail information providing server 150 through a monitor, and the e-mail information is properly displayed on the broadcast screen. Check if it is included. In order to realize such a function, a predetermined email management program is installed in the email management computer 180.

In addition, the e-mail management program for all e-mails received from the e-mail storage server 130, the content and information of the information contained in the e-mail, such as the sender ID, whether the content is urgent, whether it is a notice, whether it is advertising information, etc. It is used to classify and manage emails according to its broadcast period. The email management computer 180 or the email management program is not separately implemented externally, but may be implemented by being integrated with the broadcasting station server 140.

Accordingly, the administrator runs an email management program installed in the email management computer 180 to broadcast an email or broadcast related to a one-time announcement that is already broadcast among the emails stored in the data storage unit 153 of the email information providing server 150. You can check old emails and delete them. Of course, the administrator can also delete the email stored in the email storage server 130 using the email management program. In addition, the administrator may select an e-mail to be broadcasted using an e-mail management program.

On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention has been described that the email management program is installed in the email management computer 180, the email management program may be installed in the email information providing server 150. In this case, the administrator may access the email information providing server 150 using a computer other than the specific email management computer 180, go through the authentication process of the administrator, and remotely operate the email management program to manage the email or broadcast screen. have.

The subscriber television 190 refers to a television of a user who subscribes to a broadcasting station server 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention as a broadcast listener. That is, since the broadcast service of the present invention is the same as a general cable television broadcast, viewers who subscribe as members of cable television broadcast may use the broadcast service according to the present invention by selecting a specific channel.

2 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the e-mail information providing server 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Email information providing server 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a control unit 151, data transmission and reception unit 152, data storage unit 153, memory unit 154, broadcast signal conversion unit 155 and broadcast screen It is configured to include a generation unit.

Referring to FIG. 1, the controller 151 periodically checks and downloads the contents of the email stored in the email storage server 130, and broadcasts the information included in the email according to a predetermined scheduling. Control the overall operation of the e-mail information providing server 150, such as instructing the user to convert.

The data transmission / reception unit 152 downloads a new e-mail stored in the e-mail storage server 130 to the e-mail information providing server 150, or uses an e-mail storage program in the e-mail information providing server 150 to use an e-mail storage server ( 130 to transmit the data for deleting the e-mail stored in.

The data storage unit 153 stores the email received from the email storage server 130. The controller 151 selects the email stored in the data storage 153 using a predetermined email management program and converts the email stored in the appropriate time zone according to a predetermined scheduling.

Meanwhile, the data storage unit 153 stores moving picture data and text data displayed on a television screen along with information included in an e-mail. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the video data may be an advertisement video of a notice program such as a movie or a drama, and the text data may be represented by a time zone broadcast guide, weather information, and other characters organized by date on a plurality of television broadcasting channels. Information may be present. A broadcast screen including e-mail information according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

The memory unit 154 stores temporary data generated while the email information providing server 150 is operating. In addition, as described above, when the e-mail management program is installed in the e-mail information providing server 150, the e-mail management program loads the e-mail management program to drive the e-mail management program.

The broadcast signal converter 155 converts the text information included in the e-mail stored in the data storage 153 into a National Television System Committee (NTSC) signal, which is a standard signal for television broadcast. That is, the broadcast signal converter 155 converts a VGA (Video Graphic Adapter) output signal from which text included in an e-mail is transmitted through a graphic card to a television broadcast signal. Accordingly, the broadcast signal converter 155 is generally referred to as a scan converter which is widely used to convert a video graphic adapter (VGA) output signal output from a central processing unit (CPU) to a monitor into a video signal for television. It consists of equipment. In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a card type scan converter included in the e-mail information providing server 150 is used, but any number of external scan converters that may be connected to the outside of the e-mail information providing server 150 may be used. Could be used.

The broadcast screen generator 156 generates a broadcast screen including e-mail information according to the present invention by using the broadcast video, image and text data stored in the data storage unit 153 and the e-mail signal converted into the broadcast signal. The broadcast screen generator 156 generates a broadcast screen by using a predetermined broadcast screen style, which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

3 is an exemplary screen for broadcasting generated by the email information providing server 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, it can be seen that a broadcast screen generated according to an embodiment of the present invention consists of three regions.

First, an area indicated by reference numeral 310 is an area where a notice screen such as a movie or drama is displayed, and an area indicated by reference numeral 320 is a guide screen of a time-based broadcast program organized by date on various TV broadcasting channels. The area indicated by reference numeral 330 is an area where various pieces of information included in an e-mail provided from an information provider are displayed in a kind of subtitle format.

In more detail, the broadcast screen generation unit 156 of the e-mail information providing server 150 generates a broadcast screen using a screen format as shown in FIG. 3 by a control signal of the controller 151. That is, the broadcast screen generation unit 156 may refer to the moving picture data stored in the data storage unit 153 at reference numeral 310, the text data such as the broadcast schedule time reference at 320, and the e-mail information converted into a broadcasting signal for reference. The broadcast screen is generated by being located in an area corresponding to the number 330.

Meanwhile, the email information displayed in the area corresponding to the reference number 330 may be changed in real time. That is, the broadcast screen generation unit 156 receives the e-mail information converted into the broadcast signal from the broadcast signal conversion unit 155 even when the video data and the broadcast schedule are displayed on the broadcast screen at any time in the subtitle format as shown in FIG. 3. Can be inserted. Therefore, an urgent announcement can be inserted into the broadcast screen at any time. Of course, the format of the broadcast screen is not limited to FIG. 3, and various broadcast screen formats may be used.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of transmitting various types of information included in an e-mail to a television broadcast screen according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The information provider creates an e-mail in which contents such as a notice or advertisement information are input using the computer 110 capable of internet access, and transmits the e-mail to the account of the e-mail storage server 130 (S402). Emails sent to the email storage server 130 are stored in the email storage server 130 in the order in which they are received.

The e-mail information providing server 150 checks whether there is an e-mail newly transmitted and stored to the e-mail storage server 130 through the Internet 120 at a predetermined cycle (S404).

When it is determined that there is a newly transmitted email, the email information providing server 150 compares an email address stored in the email storage server 130 and an email address stored in the member database 160 to check whether the email is transmitted by the member ( S406). If it is determined in step S404 that the email information providing server 150 does not have a newly transmitted email, the process proceeds to step S404.

If it is determined in step S406 that the newly transmitted e-mail is an e-mail transmitted by the information provider registered as a member, the e-mail information providing server 150 downloads and stores the e-mail from the e-mail storage server 130 (S408). If, in step S406, the email information providing server 150 determines that the newly transmitted email is not the member's email, it proceeds to step S404. Of course, it is also possible to select an email to be broadcasted according to a predetermined criterion.

The e-mail information providing server 150 transmits the VGA output signal of the downloaded e-mail information to the broadcast screen generation unit 156 and inserts it into the broadcast screen of a specific channel (S410).

The broadcast screen including the e-mail information is converted into a broadcast signal suitable for television broadcasting through the broadcast signal converter 155 (S412).

The broadcast signal including the e-mail information by the broadcast screen generation unit 156 is transmitted to the subscriber television 190 through a process of multiplexing, modulating, and amplifying the signal through the broadcast signal transmission device 170 (S414).

The broadcast signal transmitted from the broadcast station server 140 is received by the subscriber television subscribed to the broadcast channel provided by the broadcast station server 140, and a broadcast screen including the e-mail information is displayed on the television receiver (S416).

The above description is merely illustrative of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may various modifications without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to limit the present invention but to describe the present invention, and the spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited by these embodiments. It is intended that the scope of the invention be interpreted by the following claims, and that all descriptions within the scope equivalent thereto shall be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing the contents of an e-mail containing various announcements or advertisement information in real time through a television broadcast screen, it is possible to provide a variety of information to viewers more quickly.

In addition, a company providing information using the broadcasting system according to the present invention can easily broadcast broadcasting advertisements such as new products at any time using e-mail, thereby increasing the advertising effect.

In addition, broadcast service providers offer more diverse and richer announcements, news, and advertising messages to subscribers in a very convenient and quick way, greatly improving subscriber satisfaction, reducing subscriber cancellation rates, increasing new subscribers, and preparing for competitive media (satellite broadcasting, etc.). Profit can be improved by securing competitive advantage. In addition, increased advertising revenue can be obtained.

Claims (12)

A television broadcasting system that provides information of an e-mail containing various announcements or advertisement contents in real time through a television broadcasting channel. A plurality of computers having an Internet connection for creating the email and sending the email to a specific email account via the Internet; An email storage server having the specific email account which receives the emails from the plurality of computers and stores the emails in the order of receipt; And The broadcasting station server which downloads the new email from the email storage server and inserts it into a new broadcasting screen, converts the broadcasting screen into a television broadcasting signal, and broadcasts it through a specific channel. The television broadcasting system with the e-mail information inserted, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcasting station server An e-mail information providing server configured to download the e-mail from the e-mail storage server and store the e-mail, and convert the information included in the e-mail into a television broadcast signal to generate a broadcast screen including the information; A member database that stores an email address and personal information of an information provider that subscribes to the broadcasting station server as a member and sends the email; And Broadcast signal transmission equipment comprising a multiplexer (Mux), an amplifier and a modulator for multiplexing, amplifying and modulating the broadcast signal and transmitting the same through an antenna The television broadcasting system with the e-mail information inserted, comprising a. The method of claim 2, E-mail management hardware or software for managing the content of the e-mail transmitted to the broadcasting station server and the broadcasting time, and for confirming and controlling whether the e-mail content is properly inserted into the broadcasting screen, is provided in the external and the e-mail information providing server. And a television broadcasting system in which e-mail information is inserted. The method of claim 2, The e-mail information providing server includes a built-in or external scan converter for converting a VGA (Video Graphic Adapter) output signal of the e-mail into the television broadcast signal. . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The e-mail management hardware or the e-mail information providing server includes predetermined e-mail management for classifying and managing e-mails according to one of the e-mail address of the information provider, the type of information included in the e-mail, and the date of sending the e-mail. A television broadcasting system in which e-mail information is inserted, wherein a program is provided. A system comprising a plurality of computers having an internet connection, an email storage server storing emails transmitted from the plurality of computers, and a broadcasting station server converting and sending information of emails received from the email storage server into a television broadcast signal. As a broadcasting method, (a) transmitting and storing the email from each computer to the email storage server; (b) checking, by the e-mail information providing server in the broadcasting station server, whether the new e-mail is stored in the e-mail storage server at regular intervals, and checking whether the new e-mail has been transmitted from the member; (c) downloading, by the e-mail information providing server, the new e-mail and inserting the e-mail information into a broadcast screen; (d) converting the broadcasting screen into a television broadcasting signal by the email information providing server; And (e) the broadcasting station server transmitting the television broadcasting signal; Television broadcasting method is inserted, the e-mail information, characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 6, And the information of the e-mail comprises a text. The method of claim 6, wherein in step (b) And the e-mail information providing server compares the e-mail address with the e-mail address of the member database stored in the broadcasting station server and confirms whether the e-mail has been transmitted from the member. The method of claim 6, wherein in step (c) And the email information providing server generates a broadcasting screen in which video data, text data, and the television broadcasting signal for the converted email information are combined. The method of claim 9, And the video data includes an advertisement video of a trailer of one or more movies and television programs, and the text data includes a time-division program schedule of one or more television broadcast channels. The method of claim 6, wherein in step (c) Television broadcasting with email information inserted, wherein an administrator can select, modify and delete the information of the email by using hardware or software for email management provided in or outside the email information providing server or the email information providing server. Way. The method according to claim 6 or 9, And the broadcasting screen comprises three areas in which the moving picture data and the text data are displayed and three areas in which the information of the e-mail is displayed in a subtitle format.