KR20060028528A - System and method for supporting a mosaic epg(electronic program guide) service using ip network - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a video middle EPG service to IP-TV users through an IP network, and provides a system and method for providing a video middle EPG service using an IP network that can be constructed at a low construction cost. Therefore, it is possible to improve the service competitiveness of the moving picture EPG service providing system.

IP network, mosaic EPG, IP-STB,

Description

System and Method for supporting a Mosaic EPG (Electronic Program Guide) Service Using IP network}

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a system for providing a low-frequency EPG service using an IP network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic operation of a real-time video mosaic EPG service system according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 1.

3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an IP-STB in a subscriber station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for describing a schematic operation of a subscriber end of a real-time video mosaic EPG service system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating in more detail an operation process of displaying a moving image EPG by controlling the mother EPG program by application software in the subscriber-side IP-STB.

6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user screen on which a real-time video mosaic EPG is implemented according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a moving image EPG service system using IP network and a method thereof.

In analog broadcasting, only one channel can be allocated to one frequency band. However, in digital broadcasting, multiple channels can be allocated to one frequency band, and thus, multichannelization is very easy in digital broadcasting. As the broadcast is multi-channeled as described above, the demand of viewers to easily know what programs are provided through each channel has increased, and the demand for this will increase as the number of channels increases. .

Accordingly, currently commercially available digital broadcasting receivers provide electronic program guide (hereinafter, referred to as Electronic Program Guide) service for providing program information to viewers. The EPG service is provided by various broadcast receivers such as digital satellite broadcasting, digital terrestrial broadcasting, digital audio broadcasting, and mobile multimedia broadcasting receivers.

According to the prior art, it provides a mosaic EPG service by middleware using the Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP: Digital Video Broadcasting-Multimedia Home Platform) (OCAP) using satellite and cable networks. . Mojak's EPG service consists of multiple channels in one screen to provide live broadcasting and multiple channels of NVOD (Narrow-VOD) through TV.

However, as described above, the mother EPG service using the satellite network and the cable network is provided, but the mother EPG service using the IP network is not provided.

That is, multi-channel simultaneous service cannot be supported for users using IP-TV. Therefore, users can view each video one by one through channel movement or view text information about one video or multiple channels through Box EPG, Text EPG, and Mini EPG to view videos or information of other channels in the channel they are currently viewing. Also, this is not a multi-channel simultaneous viewing.

In addition, in view of the efficiency of the transmission network, the conventional EPG service providing method using the satellite network is complicated and expensive because the process of modulation and demodulation is added after encoding. Furthermore, in case of using satellite network, video EPG is transmitted to IRD (Integrated Receiver Decoder (STB)) of subscriber's terminal, and JVM (for driving middleware such as MHP and OCAP, data broadcasting transmission standard used to provide EPG channel information) Equipped with a Java Virtual Machine (CV) makes the STB heavy, resulting in high cost. In addition, a system such as a dedicated EPG server / editor / agent is required for EPG management of the headend stage.

In addition, in the case of the satellite network, an expensive broadcasting VOD server is used to form an NVOD channel input to the multi-viewer system, and thus, high cost is required.

As such, according to the prior art for providing a service EPG service, the service competitiveness is reduced due to the high cost incurred in the construction of a system for providing a service.

Accordingly, a technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a system and method for providing a video mosaic EPG service using an IP network that can be constructed at a low construction cost.

A system for providing a video middle EPG service using an IP network as a transmission network according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object is

A channel server for storing HTML, an application, and an image containing channel information for constructing a text medium EPG; A multi-viewer which generates a moving image EPG for generating a moving image channel stream by combining with the text mosaic EPG received from the channel server; A real time encoder for real time encoding a source video mosaic EPG configured in the multi-viewer; And an IP set-top box that combines the encoded source video video EPG and the text video channel information to generate and provide one video video EPG to a user.

The IP set-top box is characterized by using an application program to implement the video mosaic EPG.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for providing video mosaic EPG channel information at a head end connected to a subscriber terminal and an IP network and supplying the video mosaic EPG channel information to the subscriber terminal according to a user's request is provided.

Receiving N NVOD channels and M terrestrial channels to generate N + M multi-channel video mosaic channel information (a) and encoding the multi-channel video mosaic channel information generated in step (a) in real time. (b) and outputting the multi-channel video mosaic channel information encoded in the step (b) as an IP stream and multicasting it to the IP network of the subscriber end requesting the video mosaic EPG.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for providing a video MAC EPG service in an IP set-top box of a subscriber end connected through a headend and an IP network to provide a real-time video EPEP service according to a user's request is provided.

Requesting a video EPG service to the headend end (a), receiving and storing text parent channel information related to the video EPG from the headend end, and storing the video EPG and the text medium channel information. Combining (c) and controlling an operation of a user's input through the video mosaic EPG combined in the step (c).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention. Like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the specification.                     

Hereinafter, a system and a method for providing a real-time parent EPG service according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a system for providing a low-frequency EPG service using an IP network according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, it is a schematic configuration of a system consisting of a head end end and a subscriber end as a system for providing a parent EPG to the user using the IP internet network.

As shown in FIG. 1, the subscriber station 100 of the real-time parent EPG service providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a TV 110, an IP-STB 120, and a subscriber network (eg, VDSL) 130. ) And subscriber-side switch (ie, IP-switch) 140.

When the IP-STB 120 transmits the text mosaic EPG channel information and the video mosaic EPG stream transmitted from the headend stage 300 through the subscriber end switch 140 and the VDSL subscriber network 130, the IP-STB 120 combines them with the TV 110. To the user.

The head end stage 300 may include a head end stage switch 310, a plurality of integrated receiver decoders (IRDs) 350, an NVOD server 320, a multi viewer 360, a real time encoder 370, and a plurality of STBs 330. And a terrestrial receiver 340.

The integrated receiver decoder (IRD) 350 decodes the terrestrial live broadcast received through the terrestrial receiver 340 and transmits it to the multiviewer 360 as a composite signal.

The NVOD server 320 stores and manages the video produced by the CATV broadcaster and multicasts the channel information to the multi viewer 360 through the STB 330 in the head end in real time.                     

The multi-viewer 360 receives the multi-channel information transmitted from the NVOD server 320 and the IRD 350 to generate one source video mosaic EPG channel according to a preset channel editing frame. The real time encoder 370 encodes a single video channel stream generated by the multi viewer 360 in real time and outputs the IP stream to the IP network 200 through the head end switch 310.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic operation of a real-time video mosaic EPG service system according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 1. In particular, the schematic operation of the head end stage will be described.

When a user's real-time video EPG request is received, the channel server (not shown) first displays an image for setting the display environment, which is text medium channel information, an application for processing various events and messages, an image of channel information, and a background. It extracts from the database and transmits to the IP-STB 120 of the subscriber in the form of a page (S100).

Next, the headend stage 100 registers VOD content for securing a near video on demand (NVOD) source video, which is one of channel sources for configuring a mosaic EPG. This is the NVOD content (stored-Asset) for constructing the parent EPG according to the embodiment of the present invention. In addition, as a source video channel, a terrestrial live broadcast is received through a satellite receiver to prepare a real-time content (Live-Asset). When the preparation is completed, as described above, the NVOD server 320 stores and manages the registered video through the IP-STB 330 in the headend stage in real time through the multiviewer 360. IP multicasting to be received. In addition, real-time content (N pieces) prepared by receiving terrestrial live broadcasting is transmitted to the multi viewer 360 (S102).

Then, the multi-viewer 360 receives M channels received from the NVOD server 320 and N terrestrial channels received through the terrestrial receiver 340 to generate one video channel stream (S102). In this case, the multi-viewer 360 first configures the video channel screen by using Mojak EPG screen composition software installed in the multi-viewer 360, and then determines whether the source video is received in real time and receives the source video in real time. A single video channel stream is generated by arranging the prepared channels in a preset position of a preconfigured channel screen.

Next, the single video channel stream is encoded in real time through a real-time encoder 370 (S103), and it is output as an IP stream and multicasted to the IP network (S104). That is, the single video channel stream generated in step S102 is encoded and multicasted to the headend switch 310 of the IP network in the form of an IP stream. Then, the head-end switch 310 transmits it to the IP-STB 120 of the subscriber end by a unicasting method when requested by the subscriber end. At this time, the configuration of the IP network 200 is composed of a backbone network and a subscriber network, the backbone network is configured by Gigabit Ethernet, the subscriber network is configured by VDSL.

3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an IP-STB in a subscriber station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 3, the subscriber station IP-STB 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention may display a channel information database 121, a real-time decoding unit 122, a video / channel information link unit 123, and a mosaic EPG display. Part 124 is included.

The channel information database 121 receives and stores the text mosaic channel information from the channel server of the head end 300. The real time decoding unit 122 decodes the video mosaic EPG transmitted in the form of an IP stream through the headend switch 310 in real time. The video / channel information link unit 123 links an image and a video, which are text mosaic EPG information stored in the channel information database 121, and displays the real-time video mosaic EPG generated by the mosaic EPG display unit 124. Display it on and provide it to the user.

 FIG. 4 is a flowchart for describing a schematic operation of a subscriber end of a real-time video mosaic EPG service system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 3.

When the user requests the middle EPG, the IP-STB 120 first performs an application for processing channel information together with HTML information containing channel information from a channel server (not shown) in the headend stage 300. And the channel image is received and stored in the channel information database 121 (S200). Then, the video middle EPG stream outputted through the head end stage switch is received through the subscriber end switch 140 (S201). Next, the received video mosaic EPG stream is decoded by the real-time decoder 122 to reproduce the video mosaic EPG channel (S202). At this time, the video / channel information link unit 123 drives the mosaic EPG application software to link the text information of the channel with the video, and links the video mosaic EPG channel information and the video stored in the channel information database 121. (S203). Finally, the mosaic EPG display unit 124 displays the generated video mosaic EPG on the screen of the TV 110 (S204).

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating in more detail an operation process of displaying a moving image EPG by controlling the mother EPG program by application software in the subscriber-side IP-STB.

Shows the relationship between the parent EPG page generated by the user's request and the related functions that control it.

When the user requests the middle EPG (1), the IP-STB 120 calls the middle EPG page 400 that constitutes an HTML screen for displaying the middle EPG. As shown in FIG. 5, the MOIC EPG page 400 is a function 411 for generating an array of image files for a channel name created as a pre-image for each channel stored in the NVOD server 320, and the channel name for the channel selection of the user. A function 412 for changing an image for a channel, a function 413 for moving to a channel when the user moves to a channel, and a function 414 for playing a video for the channel after the channel is moved. ) Respectively.

Next, link each program for running the EPG program simultaneously with the processing of the functions to the parent EPG page. This is to perform linking for each mosaic EPG program and library present in the IP-STB 120. That is, referring to FIG. 5, the EPG library 420 defining functions for executing the EPG program, the user interface library 430 defining the user interface functions for the EPG program, and the actual module EPG are IP-STB 120. The EPG program 440, which implements a function for driving in VII), is crosslinked to the parent EPG page 400. Among them, the EPG program 440 includes a window window screen generation function 441 for generating a full window for the parent EPG, a message processing function 442 for performing processing for buttons and user input for the parent EPG, and other. Call an application initialization function 443 that initializes the application upon page navigation or user request.

As described above, when the linking of the related functions for the parent EPG page is completed, the linking result is transmitted to the parent EPG page 400. At this time, the video for each EPG screen is played and stored in the IP-STB 120, and the final video mosaic EPG 500 is generated through the screen integration process in the mosaic EPG page 400, and the TV 110 Is displayed on the screen.

By doing so, it is possible to provide the middle EPG through the IP network, and since the middleware for data broadcasting is not mounted in the IP-STB 120, the system can be constructed at the minimum cost by lightening the client module in the IP-STB 120. .

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, since the multi-channel mosaic EPG is encoded and processed in one video format, only a bandwidth of one stream is required.

6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user screen on which a real-time video mosaic EPG is implemented according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 6, the final video mosaic EPG displays a video channel on a user screen by a 3 × 5 array and displays a channel number and a channel name for each channel.

 When a particular channel is selected through channel movement, the bottom of the channel provides a broadcast program for each channel.

However, the implementation of the video mosaic EPG according to the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to that shown in FIG. 6, but may be appropriately changed according to the operator providing the mosaic EPG.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements of those skilled in the art using the basic concepts of the invention defined in the following claims are also provided. It belongs to the scope of rights.

As described above, according to the present invention, a video mosaic EPG can be provided to a user using the IP network through the IP network. In addition, by using application software for processing channel information, the client module in the IP-STB can be lightened to implement a low-cost EPG providing system at a minimum cost. Therefore, service competitiveness can be improved.

Claims (10)

In a system for providing a video mosaic EPG service using an IP network as a transmission network, A channel server for storing HTML, an application, and an image containing channel information for constructing a text medium EPG; A multi-viewer which generates a moving image EPG for generating a moving image channel stream by combining with the text mosaic EPG received from the channel server; A real time encoder for real time encoding a source video mosaic EPG configured in the multi-viewer; And An IP set-top box which combines the encoded source video video EPG and the text video channel information to generate and provide a video video EPG to a user, The IP set-top box is a video mosaic EPG providing system using an application program to implement the video mosaic EPG. The method of claim 1, Moving picture EPG providing system further comprises an NVOD server for providing VOD content having N channels in the multi-viewer. The method of claim 1, The source video mosaic EPG is a video mosaic EPG providing system consisting of VOD content having N channels and terrestrial live broadcasting content having M channels. The method of claim 1, The real-time encoder is a video packet EPG providing system for multi-casting the encoded stream to the transmission network as an MPEG-2 TS (Transport Stream) stream to the IP packet. The method of claim 1, IP set-top boxes A channel information database storing HTML, applications, and images received from the channel server; A real-time decoder for decoding the video mosaic channel stream in real time; A video / channel information link unit for linking the text mosaic channel information stored in the channel information database and the video mosaic channel information decoded by the real-time decoder to each other using a control function of the application; And And a video EPG display unit configured to control a final video mosaic EPG generated by the video / channel information link unit to be displayed on a user screen. In the method for providing the video mosaic EPG channel information at the head end end connected to the subscriber end and the IP network and supplying the video mosaic EPG channel information to the subscriber end at the request of the user, (a) receiving N NVOD channels and M terrestrial channels to generate N + M multi-channel video channel channel information; (b) encoding the multi-channel video channel channel information generated in step (a) in real time; (c) multicasting the multi-channel video mosaic channel information encoded in step (b) as an IP stream and multicasting to the IP network of the subscriber end requesting the video mosaic EPG. Video EPG channel information providing method comprising a. The method of claim 6, In step (c), the multi-channel video channel channel information stream is IP packetized, and the MPEG-2 TS (Transport Stream) stream is multicasted to a head-end switch of an IP network. The method of claim 7, wherein In the step (c), when the subscriber's video middle EPG request The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting from the switch of the head-end to the subscriber-end IP set-top box in a unicasting manner. In the method for providing a video multimedia EPG service in the IP set-top box of the subscriber end connected via the headend and the IP network to provide a real-time video EPG service at the user's request, (a) requesting a moving picture EPG service to the head end; (b) receiving and storing text mosaic channel information related to the moving picture EPG from the head end; (c) combining the video EPG with the text channel information; And (d) controlling the operation of the user input through the video mosaic EPG combined in step (c); Video EPIC service providing method comprising a. The method of claim 9, In the steps (c) and (d), the combination and operation control of the moving picture EPG and the text mosaic channel information are processed by the application software.

Images