KR20060133703A - The providing method and systems for convergence broadcasting services - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for providing an integrated service of communication and broadcasting and an apparatus thereof are provided to enable an integrated STB(Set-Top Box) to simultaneously receive a real-time broadcasting signal and an IP-based supplementary service signal, thereby providing stable real-time broadcasting and various supplementary services, and securing a return path for two-way data broadcasting. An apparatus for providing an integrated service of communication and broadcasting comprises the followings: a real-time broadcasting processing part(401) which receives a broadcasting signal from a broadcasting company; an IP(Internet Protocol) signal processing part(402) which receives an IP broadcasting signal from an IP-based network and shares use information of users with the real-time broadcasting processing part(401); an operating panel(404) which receives service selection of the user; and an output selecting part(403) which selects the output path of the real-time broadcasting processing part(401) and the IP signal processing part(402) by the operating panel.

Description

Method and apparatus for providing integrated service of communication and broadcasting

1 is a block diagram of a communication and broadcast integrated service providing apparatus according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed view of the integrated set-top box according to the present invention.

3 is a flowchart of a method for providing integrated service of communication and broadcasting according to the present invention;

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing integrated services of communication and broadcasting, and more particularly, to provide a stable real-time service by integrating a conventional real-time broadcasting service and an IP-based broadcasting service, and at the same time, based on IP. To provide a variety of additional services.

Real-time broadcasting can be divided into cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and airwave broadcasting.

Cable broadcasting is a method of delivering program contents received from a broadcaster and a program provider through a coaxial cable wired to a subscriber's home. In the case of digital cable broadcasting, a set-top box for cable broadcasting is required for processing a broadcast signal, and the channel can be viewed through this.

Satellite broadcasting decodes the satellite broadcast signal received through the satellite antenna through a satellite broadcast set-top box, and the airwaves can receive a radio wave containing the broadcast signal transmitted by the broadcaster through the aerial wave antenna to view the channel.

However, the real-time broadcast described above is unidirectional communication and is transmitted from the transmitting end to the receiving end of the user. Since this process is performed in only one direction, there is a problem that the user can only receive a uniform service provided in this communication method.

As a bidirectional communication technology for improving such a problem, there is a broadcasting technology called IP-TV. IP is a representative protocol used in the Internet, and is mainly used for data transmission, and is currently used for real-time communication service. The video service is also provided in real time using the IP-based communication network, and IP-TV is a broadcast service using the same. In the IP-based broadcast service, the conventional broadcast service is unidirectional, whereas the viewer can control and select the functions and contents of the broadcast in both directions. Due to the characteristics of the IP-based network, viewers can receive various customized services. Representative services include time-shifted broadcasting that provides functions such as stop, rewind, play, and fast playback, and when a user applies for a scheduled recording of a specific program or time, the server saves the contents and provides them at the desired time. There are services such as network-based reservation recording. However, since IP-TV technology utilizes an IP-based network, the traffic of the network must be considered.

That is, unidirectional real-time broadcasts such as cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and over-the-air broadcasting transmit broadcasting contents using broadcasting method, and excessive broadcasting when transmitting all existing real-time broadcasting in IP-TV technology format for two-way service As a result, there may be a problem that the technical implementation is not easy because it may cause problems of QoS (Quality of Service) and stability of the network.

In addition, PVR (Personal Video Recorder) is a technology that can provide a service similar to the above service to the viewer. The PVR stores broadcasting contents according to a user's intention by using a kind of set-top box having a storage medium capable of storing broadcasting contents.

However, in the case of PVR, a storage device is required in the PVR itself, and these storage devices are mainly expensive equipment. PVR has a problem that the price is expensive due to the expensive storage device. In addition, there is a problem in that a storage device must be purchased more when the storage capacity is additionally changed, and a storage capacity is limited due to a limitation of the storage capacity.

In addition, the PVR uses a single receive tuner. Due to the unity of the reception tuner, there is a problem in that recording on a plurality of channels is impossible at the same time.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a real-time broadcast service by receiving a broadcast signal of an existing broadcaster and at the same time to provide an IP network-based bidirectional broadcast supplementary service at the request of a user.

In order to achieve the above object, an integrated set-top box for providing an integrated service of communication and broadcasting according to the present invention comprises: a real-time broadcast processor for receiving a broadcast signal from a broadcaster; An IP signal processor for receiving an IP broadcast signal from an IP based network; An operation panel for receiving a user's service selection; And an output selector configured to select an output path of the real time broadcast processor and the IP signal processor by the operation panel.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing integrated service for communication and broadcasting, the method including: receiving and outputting a broadcast signal of a broadcaster to a user; Inputting a service selection according to an IP-based additional service request by the user; Requesting the service transmission to the IP based service system according to the input service selection; When receiving the requested service, replacing the broadcast signal of the broadcaster and outputting the requested service to a user; And switching to a broadcast signal of a broadcaster and outputting the broadcast signal to the user in response to occurrence of the stop request for the additional service of the user.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram of a system for providing integrated service of communication and broadcasting according to the present invention.

The integrated service providing system of communication and broadcasting includes a broadcast headend 100, an IP-based service system 200, an IP-based network 300, and an integrated set-top box 400.

The broadcast headend 100 transmits the broadcast content provided through the program provider to the integrated set-top box 400 through the airwave, satellite wave, or cable and simultaneously to the IP-based service system 200.

The IP-based service system 200 provides a service such as time-shifted broadcasting or reservation recording according to a user's request by using the broadcast content received from the broadcast headend 100. The IP-based service system 200 transmits the service to the user who requested the service by the unicast method.

In addition, the IP-based service system 200 may have a respective server in charge of services such as time-shifted broadcast and scheduled recording, because services such as time-shifted broadcast and scheduled recording require different performance. This is because time-shifted broadcasting must store broadcasts in real time and provide immediate broadcast transmissions upon service requests in order to provide services according to user demands. On the other hand, in case of reserved recording, broadcasting storage capacity is more important than time required for providing a service. The scheduled recording service requires extensive storage capability such as simultaneous recording of multiple channels and recording by broadcasting content according to user's request.

The IP-based network 300 is, for example, an IP-based network capable of transmitting data such as Ethernet, Local Area Network, Wide Area Network, Mobile Communication Network, Wireless Network, or Telephone Network. .

The integrated set-top box 400 receives a real-time broadcast signal of the broadcast headend 100 and an IP broadcast signal of the IP-based service system 200 to selectively output a service according to a user's selection.

2 is a detailed circuit diagram of the integrated set-top box 400.

The integrated set top box 400 includes a real time broadcast processor 401, an IP signal processor 402, an output selector 403, and an operation panel 404.

The real time broadcast processor 401 receives a broadcast signal broadcasted from the broadcast headend 100. The received broadcast signal includes a broadcast signal tuner that classifies the broadcast content of the channel according to a channel desired by the user, a digital broadcast content and a decoder for classification according to information, and a digital / analog converter for output to a TV in the case of digital broadcasting. do.

The IP signal processing unit 402 is a central processing unit for receiving and processing an IP network based additional service signal and a network processor for operating the IP signal processing unit 402 in a network environment, and compressed video and audio. And a decoder for processing signals. In addition, the IP signal processing unit 402 serves to deliver the user's selection to the IP-based network 300.

In the present invention, the real-time broadcast processing unit 401 and the IP signal processing unit 402 mutually exchanges user information, such as the channel and time that the user watches in order to provide broadcast content by switching to a service desired by the user from a specific point designated by the user. to provide.

The operation panel 404 is configured in the form of a control panel to the wired or wireless or integrated set-top box 400 receives the user's selection. The user's selection is input to control the output of the service desired by the user, and the user's intention is transmitted to the IP signal processor 402.

The output selector 403 controls the output path by the operation panel 404. The output selector 403 selectively outputs the broadcasts input from the real time broadcast processor 401 and the IP signal processor 402 according to a selection input by the user through the operation panel 404.

Integrated set-top box 400 may be implemented in the form of adding the functionality of the integrated set-top box 400, such as wireless communication equipment, gateway equipment or DVD player.

3 is a flowchart of a method for providing integrated service of communication and broadcasting according to the present invention.

The integrated service providing method of communication and broadcasting includes transmitting service request information according to a request, receiving, processing, and outputting a requested service when a request for an additional service occurs in the step of watching a broadcaster's broadcast. If there is a request for termination of the supplementary service, a request is made to terminate the use of the supplementary service, and a process of changing the output to a channel while watching is performed.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3.

While receiving and watching a broadcast signal from a broadcaster such as an airwave, satellite wave, or cable (S2), a user needs a broadcast additional service such as time-shifted broadcast or reservation recording. At this time, the selection of the service desired by the user is input through the operation panel 404 (S4).

By the service selection input through the operation panel 404, the channel and time information watched by the user or desired broadcast content information are transmitted to the IP-based service system 200 to request a required service (S6).

The IP-based service system 200 transmits the corresponding broadcast supplementary service according to the requested service, so that the integrated set-top box 400 receives the broadcast supplementary service through the IP network (S8).

The broadcast supplementary service received by the IP signal processor 402 of the integrated set-top box 400 is processed in a viewable form, and the broadcast supplementary service converted into the viewable form is controlled through an output path controlled by the output selector 403. It is output (S10).

When the request for stopping the additional service occurs by the user (S12), the IP-based service system 200 is requested to stop the additional service and the broadcast output is switched to the real-time broadcast processor (S14).

As described above, the method and apparatus for integrated communication and broadcast service providing according to the present invention provide a service combining the existing real-time broadcasting service and the IP-based broadcasting service, and provide the real-time broadcasting signal and the IP-based additional service signal therefor. By using the integrated set-top box receiving at the same time, there is an effect of providing a stable real-time broadcasting, providing various additional services and a return path for the two-way data broadcasting, and the network and service platform implemented by the present invention It can be used in IP-based real-time broadcasting service in the future, so there is an economic benefit.

In addition, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will be possible to various modifications, changes, replacements and additions through the spirit and scope of the claims claimed, such modifications, changes, etc. are the following patents It should be seen as belonging to the claims.

Claims (6)

A real time broadcast processor for receiving a broadcast signal from a broadcaster; An IP signal processor for receiving an IP broadcast signal from an IP-based network and sharing user information with the real-time broadcast processor; An operation panel for receiving a user's service selection; And And an output selector configured to select an output path of the real-time broadcast processor and the IP signal processor by an operation panel. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP broadcast signal is Apparatus for integrated communication and broadcast service, characterized in that it is generated in the form of a broadcast supplementary service using a broadcast provided from a broadcaster. The method of claim 1, wherein the IP signal processing unit And a broadcast request to a system for generating an IP broadcast signal according to a service selection of a user input through the operation panel. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation panel Communication and broadcasting integrated service providing device, characterized in that formed in one of the form of the control panel of the wired, wireless and set-top box. The method of claim 1, wherein the output selector And a switching means for receiving the results of the real-time broadcast processing unit and the IP signal processing unit and selecting an output according to the signal of the operation panel. In the integrated service providing method integrating the broadcaster and IP-based service system, Receiving the broadcast signal of the broadcaster and outputting the broadcast signal to a user; Inputting a service selection according to an IP-based additional service request by the user; Requesting the service transmission to the IP based service system according to the input service selection; When receiving the requested service, replacing the broadcast signal of the broadcaster and outputting the requested service to a user; And And switching to a broadcast signal of a broadcaster and outputting the broadcast signal to a user in response to occurrence of a stop request for an additional service of the user.

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