KR20050079175A - Method and system for unifying broadcasting programs from multiple sources and for providing broadcasting service through the unified channel - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a broadcast service providing method and system for integrating and providing a broadcast program provided from a plurality of multimedia data providers into a single channel. The broadcast service providing method of the present invention comprises the steps of: receiving a multimedia data file from a plurality of multimedia data providing systems; Generating a broadcast program schedule specifying a broadcast order and a time for the multimedia data file; Configuring the received multimedia data file into one broadcast channel according to the broadcast program schedule; Receiving a service request for a broadcast channel from a user; And providing a multimedia data file corresponding to a broadcast channel to a user's terminal through a mobile communication network or an internet network in response to a user's service request. According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the convenience of using a broadcast program by integrating broadcast programs provided from a plurality of broadcast program providers into a single channel and providing the same to a mobile communication service subscriber or an Internet user. Thus, production and use of broadcast programs can be activated.

Description

Method and system for unifying broadcasting programs from multiple sources and for providing broadcasting service through the unified channel

The present invention relates to a method and system for receiving a plurality of broadcast programs (video files) from two or more broadcast program sources and integrating them into one channel to provide a broadcast service to a user through a network.

With the development of multimedia technology, there is a growing variety of providers of moving pictures and broadcasting programs. In addition, there is a growing number of personal broadcast program providers who personally produce and provide broadcast programs or have a personal broadcasting system. In particular, thanks to the development of mobile communication technology and the Internet, various broadcast programs or videos can be provided by using a mobile communication (wireless) terminal or a wired terminal capable of accessing the Internet.

As the broadcast program sources are diversified as described above, the user who wants to receive the broadcast program must access the broadcast program provider or access each individual channel for providing these various broadcast programs.

For example, if there are a plurality of sources for providing sports broadcasting programs on the Internet, the user should access each sports broadcasting program provider site and select a desired broadcasting program.

Accordingly, in order to activate the use of various broadcast programs provided by a plurality of broadcast program providers, a wired / wireless broadcast service capable of integrating and providing broadcast programs provided from a plurality of distributed broadcast program providers into one channel may be provided. Development of technology is required. In particular, it is necessary to develop a technology capable of serving a wired / wireless communication user as a single broadcasting station by configuring a broadcasting channel provided from a plurality of providers into one channel for each type or field, and scheduling the channel appropriately.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to facilitate the use of broadcast programs by integrating and providing broadcast programs (i.e., multimedia data) provided from a plurality of distributed broadcast program providers into one channel, thereby activating the production and use of broadcast programs. It is to provide a broadcast service providing method and system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a broadcast service providing method and system for providing a broadcast service like one broadcasting station by configuring a broadcast program provided from two or more broadcast program providers into one channel according to a broadcast scheduler.

In order to achieve the above object, according to a preferred aspect of the present invention, in a broadcast service providing method for integrating and serving multimedia data of a plurality of multimedia data providers in a single channel, a multimedia data file from a plurality of multimedia data providing system Receiving; Generating a broadcast program schedule specifying the broadcast order and time for the multimedia data file; Organizing the multimedia data file into one broadcast channel according to the broadcast program schedule; Receiving a service request for the broadcast channel from a user; And providing a multimedia data file corresponding to the broadcast channel to the user's terminal through a network in response to the service request.

Preferably, the broadcast service providing method comprises the steps of generating raw multimedia data; Converting the raw multimedia data into digital data if the raw multimedia data is analog data; And compressing the digital multimedia data using a predetermined coding scheme.

Also preferably, receiving the service request for the broadcast channel from the user may include connecting the user terminal to a wireless data service by a predetermined key input; And selecting a menu for a service request for the broadcast channel while the user terminal is connected to a wireless data service.

In order to achieve the above object, according to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the broadcast service providing system that integrates and services the multimedia data of a plurality of multimedia data providers in a single channel, the multimedia data from a plurality of multimedia data providing system A multimedia data receiver for receiving a file; A scheduler for generating a broadcast program schedule for the multimedia data file and configuring the multimedia data file as one broadcast channel according to the broadcast program schedule; A network interface unit receiving a service request for the broadcast channel from a user and providing a multimedia data file corresponding to the broadcast channel to the user's terminal through a network in response to the service request; Provided is a broadcast service providing system that allows an operator to input broadcast program programming information, and includes an operator interface unit for querying broadcast program transmission details and operation information.

Preferably, the network interface unit is connected to a network interworking device for providing a wireless data service to the mobile communication terminal, and the broadcast to the mobile communication terminal through the base station that is wirelessly connected to the network interworking device and the mobile communication terminal. Provide a multimedia data file corresponding to the channel.

Also preferably, the plurality of multimedia data providing systems each of the raw multimedia data generator for generating raw multimedia data; And an RTE server compressing the raw multimedia data using a predetermined coding scheme.

In order to fully understand the present invention, the operational advantages of the present invention, and the objects achieved by the practice of the present invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention and the contents described in the accompanying drawings.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements.

1 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration for providing a broadcast service using a broadcast service providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The broadcast service providing system includes a broadcast scheduler gateway 100 and a broadcast program providing system 410, 420, or 430. The broadcast service providing system provides a broadcast program to the mobile communication terminal 500 through the mobile communication network 200 or a broadcast program to the wired terminal 600 through the Internet network 300.

Each broadcast program providing system 410, 420, or 430 may be referred to as a source for providing a broadcast program. The broadcast program is multimedia data including at least one of a moving picture, a still picture, text, sound, and audio data produced for broadcasting. That is, a broadcast program includes all kinds of data that can be transmitted by broadcast. In the present embodiment, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the broadcast program is a moving picture. In FIG. 1, each broadcast program providing system 410, 420, or 430 includes a camera 421, 422, and 423 and a real-time encoding server (411, 412, 413). It is composed.

The first broadcast program providing system 410 includes a camera 421 and an RTE server 411 connected thereto, and the second and third broadcast program providing systems 420 and 430 respectively include a camera 422 and an RTE server. 412 pair, camera 423-RTE server 413 pair. The video photographed by each of the cameras 421 to 423 is sent to the corresponding RTE server 411 to 413. The RTE servers 411 to 413 compress the moving image data photographed by the cameras 421 to 423 using a predetermined codec method to generate a compressed moving image file. At this time, if the video data received from the cameras 421 to 423 to the RTE servers 411 to 413 is analog data, the RTE servers 411 to 413 first convert the analog data into digital data and then perform compression. If the video data received by the RTE servers 411 to 413 is digital data, it may be immediately compressed without conversion.

As a codec method, for example, various codec methods such as MPEG4, H.264, and Windows Media Video (WMV) may be used.

In FIG. 1, one camera is connected to one RTE server. That is, the camera 421 and the RTE server 411 are interconnected, and the RTE server 411 receives and converts and compresses video data provided from the camera 421. Similarly, the camera 422 and the RTE server 412 are connected, and the camera 423 and the RTE server 413 are connected. Accordingly, the camera and the RTE server connected thereto become one individual broadcast program source. Therefore, in FIG. 1, it can be said that a broadcast program is provided from three broadcast program providers. In FIG. 1, a broadcast program providing system 410, 420, or 430 consisting of a camera and an RTE server is illustrated as a broadcast program provider. However, a broadcast program providing a broadcast program by being directly connected to the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 through a network or directly. The program provider may be configured in a different form from the broadcast program providing systems 410, 420, and 430 shown in FIG. 1. For example, an existing cable broadcasting station, a television broadcasting station, a personal broadcasting station having a personal broadcasting program production function, and the like may be a broadcast program provider. In this case, an apparatus (for example, an RTE server) that performs data conversion and / or compression function may be inserted between an existing broadcasting station, a personal broadcasting station, and the broadcasting scheduler gateway 100 to interface with the broadcasting scheduler gateway 100. .

The video file compressed by each of the RTE servers 411 to 413 may be transmitted to the broadcast scheduler gateway (G / W) 100 in real time, and may be stored in a memory in the RTE servers 411 to 413. The RTE servers 411 to 413 transmit the compressed video file to the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 in response to the control of the broadcast scheduler gateway 100.

The broadcast scheduler gateway 100 configures a video file received from the broadcast program providing system 400 into one channel according to a predetermined program schedule.

The broadcast program schedule includes schedule information for designating a broadcast order and time for a plurality of video files that are targets of a broadcast service. The broadcast program schedule may be scheduled according to a time when each video to be broadcast is produced or a time zone received by the broadcast scheduler gateway 100. Alternatively, the broadcast program schedule may be scheduled according to the service type of each video, for example, according to sports, news, entertainment program, or basketball, volleyball, soccer, etc. among sports. Alternatively, the broadcast program schedule may be simply configured to sequentially broadcast video files provided by the plurality of broadcast program providing systems.

In addition, the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 may configure a single broadcast channel by inserting a predetermined advertisement file between a video file received from each broadcast program providing system 410, 420, or 430, that is, a broadcast program.

The broadcast program schedule may be generated according to a predetermined rule, and may be generated, changed, or deleted according to information or control input by an operator. When a wireless terminal user or a wired terminal user selects a corresponding channel using a menu displayed on the terminal in order to receive a corresponding channel, the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 corresponds to the corresponding mobile communication network 200 or the Internet 300. Service the channel. That is, the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 provides a video file corresponding to the corresponding broadcast channel to the user's terminal through the mobile communication network 200 or the internet network 300 in response to the user's broadcast service request.

A more detailed configuration example of the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 is shown in FIG. Referring to this, the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 may include the RTE control unit 110, the video receiving unit 120, the mobile communication network interface unit 130, the internet network interface unit 140, the scheduler 150, and the user interface unit 160. And a storage unit 170.

The scheduler 150 generates a program schedule according to a predetermined rule or according to data input by an operator. In addition, a video file received from a plurality of broadcast program providers is scheduled according to a broadcast program schedule to configure one channel.

The user interface 160 may be connected to an operation console (not shown) so that an operator may input broadcast program schedule information using a web browser and the like, and may query / manage broadcast program transmission details and operation information.

The RTE control unit 110 controls the RTE server (411 to 413 of FIG. 1). In detail, the RTE control unit 110 controls the RTE server (411 to 413 of FIG. 1) according to the broadcast program schedule. To this end, the RTE control unit 110 may send a message for requesting video file transmission, a message for requesting stopping transmission of a video file, a message for storing a video file, and the like, to each RTE server (411 to 413 of FIG. 1). have.

The video receiving unit 120 receives a broadcast program (ie, a video file) from an RTE server (411 to 413 of FIG. 1) or another broadcast program provider. The storage unit 170 stores a broadcast program schedule. The storage unit 170 also preferably stores operation information of the broadcast scheduler gateway 100. The operation information may include an ID, password, log information, and the like of the operator. The storage unit 170 may also serve to temporarily store a video file received through the video receiving unit 120. That is, when there is a gap between the reception time of the video file and the broadcast time of the video file, the storage unit 170 may temporarily store the received video file. Alternatively, a buffer unit (not shown) for storing a video file may be provided separately from the storage unit 170.

When there is a service request for a corresponding channel from the mobile communication user, the mobile communication network interface unit 130 provides a broadcast service to the corresponding mobile communication terminal 500 through the mobile communication network 200. That is, the video data of the channel is provided to the wireless terminal that requested the service. At this time, the video data is preferably provided in a streaming (streaming) method.

When there is a service request for a corresponding channel from a wired internet user, the internet network interface unit 140 provides a broadcast service to a corresponding wired terminal through the internet network. That is, the video data of the channel is provided to the wired terminal that requested the service. At this time, the video data is preferably provided in a streaming (streaming) method.

3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a configuration of a mobile communication network. Referring to this, the mobile communication network 200 includes a base station 210, a base station controller 220, a switch 230, and a network interlocking device 240.

The base station 210 is a network termination device which is directly coupled to the mobile communication terminal 500 through a wireless channel by performing baseband signal processing, wired / wireless conversion, and wireless signal transmission / reception.

The base station controller 220 is located between the base station 210 and the switch 230 to control and manage one or more base stations 210, and performs call processing related traffic, signaling, and mobility management. More specific functions of the base station controller 220 include radio channel assignment and release functions for each mobile communication terminal 500, transmission output control functions of the mobile communication terminal 500 and the base station 210, handoff between base stations, Operation for the base station 210.

The exchange 230 is a wired / wireless hybrid digital exchange that provides a wired communication function (PSTN / ISDN) and a mobile communication function. Specific functions of the exchange 2300 include basic and additional service processing, incoming / outgoing call processing of a subscriber, location registration procedure and handoff procedure, and interworking with other networks.

A network interworking device (IWF: Inter-Working Function or PDSN: Packet Data Service Node) 240 moves with content providing servers (not shown) or the Internet network to provide wireless data services to the mobile communication terminal 500. The device for interworking with the communication terminal 500. Accordingly, the network interworking device 240 serves as a gateway for connecting the mobile communication terminal 500 to an internet network and content providing servers (not shown). The network interworking device 240 also serves to connect the mobile communication terminal 500 with the broadcast scheduler gateway 100.

Accordingly, the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 may be referred to as a type of content server that provides a broadcast program through the network interworking device 240. That is, the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 may be linked with a network interworking device in addition to the scheduling function of a broadcast program to perform a role of a content providing server that provides a broadcast channel service to a mobile communication terminal through the network interworking device.

On the other hand, the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 configures a channel according to the broadcast program formation information and delivers the broadcast program of the corresponding channel to the broadcast program providing server, and the broadcast program providing server provides the broadcast channel service to the mobile communication terminal through a network interworking device. May be provided. That is, a server may receive a broadcast program from the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 between the broadcast scheduler gateway 100 and the network companion device and provide the streaming program to the mobile communication terminal in a streaming form.

The mobile communication terminal 500 is a terminal having a function and a program capable of receiving a wireless data service by accessing a wireless data service through a keypad input and receiving a broadcast service of the present invention. Specifically, the mobile communication terminal 500 may play a video file provided through a platform based on a wireless internet protocol, for example, BREW, GVM, WIPI, and a broadcast service, in order to receive a wireless data service. It is preferable to have a regenerator.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a broadcast service providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to this, first, the camera is mounted and the video (broadcast program) is recorded or recorded at the video shooting site where the RTE server is installed (S410). Here, the shooting site may be any place that can provide broadcast information such as a lecture room or a conference room. In addition, video recording may be performed at various places at the same time or at different times.

Video data recorded / recorded by the camera is compressed in a predetermined codec method (for example, Mpeg4, H.264, WMV, etc.) in the RTE server (S412). Before compressing the video data, if the video data is analog data, a process of converting the video data into digital data is first performed (S412).

The compressed video file is transmitted to the broadcast scheduler gateway (S414). At this time, the RTE server may start and stop the transmission of the video file in response to the control of the broadcast scheduler gateway 100.

The broadcast scheduler gateway configures the received video file as one broadcast channel according to the broadcast program schedule (S416). 6 shows an example in which the broadcast scheduler gateway receives a plurality of video files from three broadcast program providing systems and configures them as one channel. Referring to this, video files of 'A1', 'A2', 'A3', and 'A4' are sequentially received from the first broadcast program providing system 410 to the broadcast scheduler gateway 100. From the second broadcast program providing system 420, 'B1', 'B2', 'B3' video files are sequentially received by the broadcast scheduler gateway 100. 'C1' and 'C2' video files are sequentially received from the third broadcast program providing system 430 to the broadcast scheduler gateway 100. The broadcast scheduler gateway 100 transmits the video files received from the three broadcast program providing systems 410, 420, and 430 according to a broadcast program schedule, 'A1', 'B1', 'C1', 'B2', It configures one broadcasting channel by scheduling in 'C2' order. The broadcast order according to the program schedule is 'A1-B1-C1-B2-C2', but the broadcast scheduler gateway does not need to receive a video file from the broadcast program providing systems 410, 420, and 430 in the same order. Also, a video file may be simultaneously received from three broadcast program providing systems 410, 420, and 430.

When the mobile scheduler gateway or the wired terminal user requests a service for a broadcast channel, the broadcast scheduler gateway provides a video file corresponding to the broadcast channel to the user's terminal through the mobile communication network or the Internet (S418). .

5 illustrates an example of a screen of the mobile communication terminal when the mobile communication terminal user requests a broadcast service. Referring to this, the user of the mobile communication terminal first enters a predetermined key of the terminal to access a wireless data service (eg, "Magic En") provided by the mobile communication provider. Here, the predetermined key is preferably a key assigned for wireless data service connection. The user of the mobile communication terminal may select a broadcast service through a menu provided on a wireless data service connection initial screen or another screen while the terminal is connected to a wireless data service. In the example shown in FIG. 5, a menu for selecting a game, fortune telling, news / information, broadcasting, and the like is displayed on the initial screen of the wireless data service connection. A screen for selecting one of the channels is displayed.

Here, each broadcast channel means a broadcast channel integrated into one by the broadcast scheduler gateway described above. That is, each broadcast channel is a channel in which video from a plurality of video providers is integrated into a single channel. When there are a plurality of integrated broadcast channels as described above, it is preferable that the above-described broadcast scheduler gateway is provided as many as the number of integrated broadcast channels.

As shown in FIG. 5, when one of several broadcast channels is selected, a broadcast service of a corresponding channel is requested, and a service request signal is transmitted to the corresponding broadcast scheduler gateway. Then, the broadcast scheduler gateway provides a video file corresponding to the broadcast channel to the user's terminal through the mobile communication network in response to the service request (S418).

5 illustrates an example of requesting a broadcast service by first accessing a wireless data service through a key input of a mobile communication terminal and then selecting a broadcast service. The process of requesting a broadcast service may vary.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to one embodiment shown in the drawings, this is merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. In the above-described embodiment, although a moving picture is described as an example of a broadcast program, the broadcast program may include other types of data, for example, text, still images, sounds, and the like. In addition, the broadcast program may be composed of multimedia data including various types of data. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention will be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to increase the convenience of using a broadcast program by integrating broadcast programs provided from a plurality of broadcast program providers into a single channel and providing the same to a mobile communication service subscriber or an Internet user. Thus, production and use of broadcast programs can be activated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to better understand the drawings cited in the detailed description of the invention, a brief description of each drawing is provided.

1 is a diagram illustrating a network configuration for providing a broadcast service using a broadcast service providing system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a more detailed configuration example of the broadcast scheduler gateway shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a configuration diagram schematically illustrating an example of a configuration of a mobile communication network illustrated in FIG. 1.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a broadcast service providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen of a mobile communication terminal when the mobile communication terminal user requests a broadcast service.

6 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a broadcast scheduler gateway receives a plurality of video files from three broadcast program providing systems and configures them as one channel.

Claims (14)

In the broadcast service providing method for integrating and serving multimedia data of a plurality of multimedia data providers in a single channel, Receiving a multimedia data file from a plurality of multimedia data providing systems; Generating a broadcast program schedule specifying the broadcast order and time for the multimedia data file; Organizing the multimedia data file into one broadcast channel according to the broadcast program schedule; Receiving a service request for the broadcast channel from a user; And Providing a multimedia data file corresponding to the broadcast channel to the user's terminal through a network in response to the service request; Broadcast service providing method comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast service providing method Generating raw multimedia data; Converting the raw multimedia data into digital data if the raw multimedia data is analog data; And And compressing the digital multimedia data using a predetermined coding scheme. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined coding scheme is Method of providing a broadcast service, characterized in that any one of MPEG4, H.264, WMV (Window Media Video). According to claim 1, wherein the program schedule is The broadcast service providing method is generated by reflecting at least one of a creation time, a reception time, and a service type of the multimedia data file. According to claim 1, wherein the program schedule is The broadcast service providing method, characterized in that it is generated according to the broadcast program programming information input by the operator. The method of claim 1, And the user terminal is a mobile communication terminal. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving a service request for the broadcast channel from the user Connecting the user terminal to a wireless data service by a predetermined key input; And Selecting a menu for a service request for the broadcast channel while the user terminal is connected to a wireless data service Broadcast service providing method comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the multimedia data file from the plurality of multimedia data providing systems comprises: Transmitting a message requesting to start transmission of multimedia data to one or more multimedia data providing systems of the plurality of multimedia data providing systems; And And receiving a multimedia data file transmitted from the multimedia data providing system in response to the message requesting to start transmission of the multimedia data. In order to perform the broadcast service providing method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a program of instructions that can be executed by a digital processing apparatus is tangibly embodied and records a program that can be read by the digital processing apparatus. Record carrier. In the broadcast service providing system for integrating and serving multimedia data of a plurality of multimedia data providers in a single channel, A multimedia data receiver configured to receive a multimedia data file from a plurality of multimedia data providing systems; A scheduler for generating a broadcast program schedule for the multimedia data file and configuring the multimedia data file as one broadcast channel according to the broadcast program schedule; A network interface unit receiving a service request for the broadcast channel from a user and providing a multimedia data file corresponding to the broadcast channel to the user's terminal through a network in response to the service request; Operator interface unit allows the operator to input the program information and broadcast program transmission history and operation information Broadcast service providing system comprising a. The method of claim 10, wherein the network interface unit It is connected to a network interworking device for providing a wireless data service to the mobile communication terminal, and the multimedia data file corresponding to the broadcast channel to the mobile communication terminal through the base station that is wirelessly connected to the network interworking device and the mobile communication terminal. Broadcast service providing system, characterized in that providing. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of multimedia data providing systems is  A raw multimedia data data generator for generating raw multimedia data data; And And a real time encoding (RTE) server for compressing the raw multimedia data data using a predetermined coding scheme. The system of claim 10, wherein the broadcast service providing system And a RTE control unit for controlling the RTE server. The method of claim 13, The RTE control unit transmits at least one of a message requesting to start transmission of multimedia data, a message requesting to stop transmission of multimedia data, and a message indicating storage of multimedia data, to the RTE server. The RTE server operates in response to a message transmitted from the RTE control unit.