KR20070100511A - Method and apparatus for providing contents using bookmark in digital living network alliance - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing contents by using a bookmark in a DLNA(Digital Living Network Alliance) network are provided to share the contents stored in a storage device on the DLNA network by generating imaginary contents from the bookmark file and registering the imaginary contents in a content managing table. A DLNA imaginary contents are generated and registered from a bookmark file(S135). The content information containing the DLNA imaginary contents is provided by responding to the DLNA content information(S150-S160). The selected contents are judged whether the contents are the DLNA contents if the contents to be operated are selected(S170). The contents are transmitted from a corresponding web-page if the selected contents are the DLNA imaginary contents.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING CONTENTS USING BOOKMARK IN DIGITAL LIVING NETWORK ALLIANCE}

1 is a system configuration diagram for a D.L.N. (DLNA) network to which the present invention is applied,

2 is a flowchart of a method for providing content according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a schematic block diagram of a digital multimedia server (DMS) for providing content in a DLNA network according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4A and 4B are exemplary diagrams of a database structure for managing content in a digital multimedia server (DMS) illustrated in FIG. 3.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing content in a digital living network alliance (hereinafter, referred to as 'DLNA') network. Relates to a device.

In general, at home, information equipment such as a personal computer (PC), communication equipment such as a telephone, broadcast equipment such as a television (Television), AV (Audio and Video) equipment including a digital video disc (DVD) player or a digital camera, etc. The same devices are being used, and 'home automation' has been proposed to control these devices automatically and is now in commercialization.

The 'home-automation' was initially a level of controlling the home appliances separately using a telephone or infrared rays. In other words, the early 'home-automation' was not connected to each home appliance.

Recently, however, due to the development of communication technology, a method of establishing a network between home appliances and having a controller for controlling the network has been used to integrate / manage. As such, a system for integrating / managing home appliances into a network is called a home network system.

The home-network system includes various network home appliances (eg, TV, washing machine, microwave oven, gas range, audio, air conditioner, boiler, etc.) in a controller such as a home gateway or a home server, Lighting, gas valves and front doors are connected and the devices are controlled via a specific terminal (eg, a remote control, hereinafter referred to as a remote control).

Recently, the standardization of such a home-network system is in progress. In particular, the Digital Living Network Alliance (DNLA), which is a standard for controlling home electronic appliances (eg, TVs, VTRs, digital cameras, and audio systems), has emerged. DLNA is the successor to the standardization organization of the existing Digital Home Working Group (DHWG), which was established in June 2003 by Microsoft, IBM, HP, Intel, Sony in Japan, Matsuda, and Samsung in Korea. .

In particular, 'DLNA' focuses on the sharing of all content provided by household information from electrical appliances (eg, TVs, VCRs, digital cameras, audio systems, etc.). For example, 'DLNA' allows users in the home to share many digital media content (eg, photos, music, videos, etc.) stored on personal devices such as mobile devices or personal computers (PCs). The purpose of the present invention is to conveniently enjoy digital media contents regardless of the location and the device in the home.

To this end, DLNA places great emphasis on solving the interoperability of devices. In other words, DLNA is conducting standardization of physical media, network transmission, media format, streaming protocol, and digital right management (DRM) based on UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) technology.

In more detail about 'DLNA', first, network connection in DLNA is based on Internet Protocol (IP). 'IP' is a basic network communication protocol of devices running on the Internet, and allows information to be exchanged in a transparent manner in applications running on various media. This allows all DLNA devices to communicate with other devices connected to the Internet anywhere in the world. For example, a PC or STB (Set-Top Box) equipped with DLNA middleware can wirelessly transmit media content to a home TV via an 802.11 access point (AP) connected to an Ethernet cable.

Wired Fast Ethernet (802.11u) and Wireless Ethernet (802.11 a / b / g) are used as the physical layers of DLNA, and stability has already been proved for wired Ethernet, and wireless Ethernet has been used to increase wireless home network communication. Therefore, Wi-Fi was adopted.

In addition, the technology for discovering and controlling devices within the DLNA network automatically configures networking settings such as IP addresses and manages them by recognizing other devices on the network. The existing UPnP AV architecture And UPnP Device Architecture. The same is true for the technology that discovers and controls services within the DLNA network.

In the DLNA, the device class is divided into a digital media server (DMS) and a digital media player (DMP). At this time, the 'DMS' serves as a server that provides a function of a multimedia server device (Media Server Device, hereinafter referred to as 'MSD') in the UPnP AV specification, that is, a media, and the 'DMP' refers to a MRD (Media Renderer Device). ) And MRCP (Media Renderer Control Point) functions to select, control and play the selected media.

Typically, such a 'DLNA' system shares content among in-house devices and also transmits / receives content with external devices via the Internet.

However, the conventional DLNA system as described above may share only content stored in a digital media server (DMS) or content stored in a storage device (eg, an AV storage device) connected to the DMS and DLNA. In other words, content stored in other devices not connected to the DLNA system could not be shared. Therefore, in order to share content stored in another device that is not connected to the DLNA system in the DLNA system, the user has to move and store the content file stored in the other device to the device connected to the DLNA system. To this end, the user has to bear the inconvenience of storing a content file stored in another device in a removable storage device and then moving and storing the content file stored in the removable storage device to a device connected to the DLNA system.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is to provide a content providing method and apparatus for sharing content stored in a device that is not directly connected to the DLNA system in the DLNA system.

In addition, the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for providing content that allows users of the DLNA system to conveniently share a variety of content.

In order to achieve the above object, the content providing method provided by the present invention is a D.L.N network content providing method, the D.L. from the bookmark file that manages the address for specific web-pages. A virtual content registration process of creating and registering an N. virtual content; A content information providing process of providing content information including the D & L virtual content in response to a D & L content information request; Determining whether the selected content is a D.L.A virtual content when a content to be executed is selected among contents included in the content information; And a content providing process of receiving and providing content from a corresponding web-page if the selected content is D.L.A virtual content.

The virtual content registration process may include a bookmark file analyzing step of detecting addresses of the web pages from the bookmark file; A web-page information receiving step of receiving web-page information from each of the web-pages after accessing the corresponding web-page using the detected address; Generating a multimedia file included in the web-page information and a corresponding web-page address as D.L.A virtual content; And storing the D.L.N. virtual content.

In the storing step, the content identification information, the type of the multimedia file, and the multimedia file address in the D.N.A network are preferably stored together.

In addition, in the determining process, when the selected content information is analyzed to include a corresponding web-page address, it is preferable to determine that the content is D.L.A. virtual content.

The content providing process may include requesting a content file by accessing a web-page corresponding to the selected content; Receiving a corresponding content file from the web-page; And delivering the content file to a content execution device connected to a DNC network.

In addition, the content information providing process may provide the content information to the content execution device in response to a content information request of the content execution device connected to the D.N.A network.

Meanwhile, in order to achieve the above object, the content providing device provided by the present invention includes a content providing server providing content through a DLNA network, the bookmark storing unit storing a bookmark file for managing addresses for specific web-pages; A bookmark analyzer which analyzes the bookmark file to detect an address of each of the web-pages; A web interface unit receiving web-page information on each of the web-pages after accessing each of the corresponding web-pages using the detected address; A web-page analyzer for analyzing the web-page information to detect a multimedia file included in each web-page; A controller configured to generate D.L.NA virtual content information of the multimedia file and the corresponding web-page address detected by the web-page analyzer; A content information management unit configured to store content information including the D.L.A virtual content information; And a DNA interface unit providing content corresponding to the content executing apparatus in response to a content request of the content executing apparatus connected to the D & L network.

At this time, the content information management unit preferably stores the content information including the content identification information, the multimedia file, the type of the multimedia file, the multimedia file address in the D.N.A network.

The content information may further include a web-page address where the multimedia file is stored when the corresponding content is virtual content.

The control unit may determine whether the selected content is a D.N.A virtual content when the content selection information of the content execution device is transmitted through the D.N.A interface unit, and the selected content is determined. In the case of D.L.A virtual content, it is preferable to receive content from a corresponding web page through the web interface unit and provide the content to the content execution device through the D.A.interface unit.

The controller may select content information corresponding to the selected content from the content information management unit and determine that the selected content is D.L.A virtual content when the content information includes the web-page address. It is desirable to.

The controller may further include a list of contents stored in the content information management unit in response to a request for content information of the D.A.A of the content execution device transmitted through the D.A.A interface. It is desirable to deliver to the content execution device through the interface unit.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. At this time, it should be noted that the same elements in the accompanying drawings are represented by the same reference numerals wherever possible. In addition, detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention will be omitted.

1 is a system configuration diagram of a DLNA network to which the present invention is applied. Referring to FIG. 1, the DLNA system includes an indoor DLNA system 100 constituting an indoor DLNA network, and a portable terminal 300 connected to the DLNA system 100 through the Internet 200.

In the example of FIG. 1, the indoor DLNA system 100 is provided through a digital media server (DMS) (eg, a PC, etc.) 110 that provides multimedia contents, and a DMS 110. A plurality of digital media players (hereinafter referred to as 'DMP') (e.g., AV equipment, etc.) 120 and 130 for executing digital media contents, including the DMS 110 and the DMP 120 and 130 ) Communicates by wire / wireless. In particular, when wired, the DMS 110 and the DMPs 120 and 130 communicate with each other via IEEE 1394 or Ethernet, and in the case of wireless, the DMS 110 and the DMPs 120 and 130 may use Bluetooth (Blue Tooth, BT), It is desirable to perform communication via IEEE 802.11 or Ultra Wide Band (hereinafter referred to as 'UWB'). In this case, the DMS 110 may serve as a home gateway in the home network, and the DMPs 120 and 130 may include a control point (CP) function.

Meanwhile, communication between the indoor DLNA system 100 and the Internet 200 uses IPv4 and IPv6 (HTTP, VPN), and the mobile terminal 300 is connected to the DLNA system 100 through the Internet 200.

The DLNA system 100 may share digital content among various devices connected to a DLNA network. For example, the AV content stored in the DMS 110 can be freely reproduced in the DMP 120 or the DMP 130.

In particular, the present invention generates a DLNA virtual content from a bookmark file that manages addresses for specific web-pages and registers the DNA 110 with the DMS 110, and then the DMP 120 or the DMP 130 requests the virtual content. The corresponding content is received from the page and provided to the DMP 120 or the DMP 130. That is, the present invention allows the content included in the web-page stored in the bookmark to be shared via the DLNA network. As a result, even if the user stores contents stored in a device which is not connected to the DLNA network, the user can register the bookmarks so that the DMP 120 or the DMP 130 can freely play like the locally stored contents.

2 is a flowchart of a method of providing content according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 2 illustrates that when the DMS 110 registers a multimedia file stored in the web-page 210 as DLNA virtual content by using a pre-stored bookmark file, and the execution of the DLNA virtual content is requested from the DMP 120. A series of processes for receiving the corresponding content from the web-page 210 and delivering it to the DMP 120 is illustrated. At this time, the web-page 210 collectively refers to all web-pages stored in the bookmark file. Also, in the example of FIG. 2, the DMP 120 and the DMS 110 transmit and receive data using the DLNA protocol, and the DMS 110 and the web-page 210 transmit and receive data using the Internet. do.

2, a method of providing content according to an embodiment of the present invention is as follows. First, the DMS 110 analyzes the previously stored bookmark file (S105). At this time, the 'bookmark file' is to manage the web-page location information (for example, URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and address information, etc.) to match the web-page name to facilitate the visit of a particular web-page File. Therefore, in step S105, the DMS 110 detects an address for each web-page from the bookmark file after analyzing the bookmark file.

The first web-page of the web-pages included in the bookmark file is selected (S110) and the web-page information is requested (S115). At this time, in step S115, the DMS 110 preferably accesses the web-page 210 by using the address of the selected web-page and then requests information of the web-page.

Then, the web-page 210 transmits the corresponding web-page information in response to the request (S120). At this time, the 'web-page information' includes a variety of information necessary to configure the web-page. In particular, when a video is displayed on the web-page or music is output, the multimedia file includes a multimedia file corresponding to the video or music. Therefore, the process (S120) preferably delivers the web-page information including the multimedia file.

Meanwhile, the DMS 110 receiving the web-page information analyzes the web-page (S125). As a result of the analysis (S125), if the web-page includes a multimedia file, the multimedia file is registered as DLNA virtual content (S135). To this end, the DMS 110 preferably generates a multimedia file included in the web-page information and a corresponding web-page address as DLNA virtual content, and then stores the DLNA virtual content. In addition, the process (S135) preferably stores the identification information of the content, the multimedia file type (for example, JPEG, MPEG, MP3, etc.) and the multimedia file address in the DLNA network. At this time, the multimedia file address in the DLNA network is a virtual address of the multimedia file, preferably the address of the DMS 110.

The DLNA virtual content registration procedure (S115 to S135) is repeated until there is no remaining web-page not receiving the web-page information among the web-pages analyzed from the bookmark file. That is, the DMS 110 checks the existence of the remaining web-page which has not received the web-page information after performing the process (S135), and if the remaining web-page exists, selects the next web-page (S145). A series of processes S115 to S135 are repeatedly performed.

When DLNA content information is requested from the DMP 120 (S150), the DMS 110 provides content information including the DLNA virtual content in response to the request (S155).

When the DMP 120 that has received the content information selects content to execute among the contents included in the content information (S160) and requests the selected content information (S165), the DMS 110 determines that the content is DLNA virtual content. It is determined whether or not the recognition (S170). To this end, the DMS 110 preferably analyzes the selected content information and determines whether it includes a web-page address corresponding to the content information. That is, when the web-page address corresponding to the content information is included, it is preferable to determine that the content is DLNA virtual content.

As a result of the determination, if the content requested to be executed is the virtual content, the DMS 110 requests a content file by accessing the web-page 210 corresponding to the selected content (S175), and the corresponding content from the web-page 210. The file is received (S180) and the content file is provided to the DMP 120 (S185).

In step S180, the DMS 110 preferably transmits the content file through a network connection channel with the DMP 120 that has already been generated.

By performing the processing illustrated in FIG. 2, the DMP 120 may process content existing on the web as if it is content stored in the DMS 110. That is, the DMP 120 can be used in the same manner as using the content stored in the DMS 110 even in the case of content existing on the web.

3 is a schematic block diagram of a digital multimedia server (DMS) for providing content in a DLNA network according to an embodiment of the present invention. In particular, FIG. 3 shows an example for a DMS 110 that performs the processing procedure illustrated in FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, the DMS 110 may include a bookmark storage 111, a bookmark analyzer 112, a web-interface unit (I / F) 113, a web-page analyzer 114, and a content information manager ( 115, an operation signal input unit 116, a control unit 117, and a DLNA interface unit (I / F) 118.

The bookmark storage unit 111 stores a bookmark file that manages addresses for specific web-pages. At this time, 'Bookmark file' is to manage the web-page location information (for example, URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and address information, etc.) by matching the web-page name to facilitate the visit of a specific web-page. As a file, a file that manages URLs for specific web-pages in a web-browser such as Netscape, Explorer, and the like.

The bookmark analyzing unit 112 analyzes the bookmark file and detects an address of each of the web-pages.

The web-interface unit (I / F) 113 provides an interface between the DMS 110 and the web. That is, the web-interface unit (I / F) 113 performs a process for connecting the DMS 110 to the Internet. In particular, the web-interface unit (I / F) 113 accesses each of the corresponding web-pages using the detected address and then receives web-page information for each from the web-pages.

The web-page analyzer 114 detects the multimedia file included in each web-page by analyzing the web-page information. That is, a multimedia file (eg, a video or a music file) is detected from a web-page on which a video is displayed or music is output.

On the other hand, if the bookmark itself points to the multimedia file itself on the storage space existing on the web rather than the web-page, the web-page analyzer 114 omits the process of detecting the multimedia file.

The content information manager 115 stores content information including DLNA virtual content information generated using the multimedia file. An example of a database structure for storing / managing content information in the content information management unit 115 is illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Therefore, a database structure for storing / managing content information in the content information management unit 115 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B.

The operation signal input unit 116 receives an operation signal for controlling the DMS 110 and transmits it to the control unit 117. For example, the manipulation signal input unit 116 receives a manipulation signal of a user for controlling the DMS 110 and transmits the manipulation signal to the controller 117.

The controller 117 controls the operation of the DMS 110 based on a preset control algorithm for controlling the manipulation signal or the DMS 110 input through the manipulation signal input unit 116. For example, when the analysis result of a specific web page is received from the web page analysis unit 114, and the analysis result includes the multimedia file in the corresponding web page, the multimedia file and the corresponding web page address are DLNA. Create as virtual content. The DLNA virtual content is stored in the content information manager 115.

In addition, if the content selection information of the content execution device (eg, 'DMP 120' of FIG. 2) is transmitted through the DLNA interface unit (I / F) 118, the selected content is DLNA virtual content. It determines whether or not the recognition, and executes the content according to the result. That is, the controller 117 selects the content information corresponding to the selected content from the content information manager 115 and determines that the content is the virtual content when the content information includes the web-page address. If it is determined that the selected content is DLNA virtual content, the control unit 117 accesses the corresponding web page through the web interface unit 113 and receives the content from the web page to correspond to the content execution device. Provide content. At this time, it is preferable to use the DLNA interface unit 118 as the interface with the content execution device.

In addition, the control unit 117 detects the content list from the content information management unit 115 in response to the DLNA content information request of the content execution device being transmitted through the DLNA interface unit 118. The content list is transmitted to the content execution device through the DLNA interface unit 118.

DLNA interface (I / F) 118 provides interfacing between the DMS 110 and devices connected to the DLNA network. In particular, the DLNA interface unit (I / F) 118 provides the content corresponding to the content executing apparatus in response to a content request of the content executing apparatus connected to the DLNA network.

4A and 4B are exemplary diagrams of a database structure for managing content in the DMS 110 illustrated in FIG. 3. 4A illustrates a field structure of a content management table for managing content in the content information management unit 115 of FIG. 3, and FIG. 4B illustrates an example in which content is stored in the content management table.

Referring to FIG. 4A, a field of the content management table 50 includes an ID 51 / name 52 / type 53 / DLNA address 54 / web-address 55.

ID 51 stores the content identification information, name 52 stores the corresponding content name, type 53 stores the type of the corresponding content (eg, audio, video, etc.), and DLNA address 54 Stores an address for accessing the content in the DLNA network, and the web-address 55 stores an address for accessing the content in the web when the content is virtual content. If the content is virtual content, the address stored in the DLNA address 54 is the virtual address of the content, and the address stored in the web-address 55 is the actual address of the content. On the other hand, if the content is not virtual content, the DLNA address 54 stores the actual address for accessing the content, and the web-address 55 stores meaningless information (eg, a NULL value).

4B illustrates an example in which actual content is stored in the content management table 50. Referring to FIG. 4B, the content management table 50 includes a JPEG IMAGE file named 'CHRISTMAS PRESENT' and a 'SWEET BOX-SUPERSTAR'. An MP3 AUDIO file named ',' and an MPEG VIDEO file named 'BASEBALL GAME' are stored. The DLNA addresses of these files are as illustrated in FIG. 4B, respectively. However, the JPEG IMAGE file named 'CHRISTMAS PRESENT' includes a web address '/' in addition to the DLNA address ': //192.168.0.4'. This indicates that 'CHRISTMAS PRESENT' is virtual content created from a bookmark file.

As described above, the present invention generates the virtual content from the bookmark file and registers the virtual content in the content management table 50 together with the web address so that the content stored in the remotely located storage device can be shared on the DLNA network.

In the above, specific preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made by any person having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention attached to the claims. .

As described above, the present invention generates virtual content from a bookmark file and registers the virtual content with a web address in a content management table of the DMS, so that content stored in a remote storage device can be shared on a DLNA network. . For this reason, the present invention allows a user of a DLNA system to conveniently share various contents.

Claims (12)

In the method of providing content in D.L.A network, A virtual content registration process of creating and registering D.L.A virtual content from a bookmark file that manages addresses for specific web-pages; A content information providing process of providing content information including the D & L virtual content in response to a D & L content information request; Determining whether the selected content is a D.L.A virtual content when a content to be executed is selected among contents included in the content information; And And if the selected content is D.L.A virtual content, receiving the content from the corresponding web-page and providing the content. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual content registration process A bookmark file analyzing step of detecting an address of each of the web-pages from the bookmark file; A web-page information receiving step of receiving web-page information from each of the web-pages after accessing the corresponding web-page using the detected address; Generating a multimedia file included in the web-page information and a corresponding web-page address as D.L.A virtual content; And And storing the D.L.N virtual content. The method of claim 2, wherein the storing step And storing the content identification information, the type of the multimedia file, and the multimedia file address in a D.N.A network. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining process And analyzing the selected content information and determining that the content is a D.L.A virtual content when it includes a corresponding web-page address. The method of claim 4, wherein the content providing process Requesting a content file by accessing a web-page corresponding to the selected content; Receiving a corresponding content file from the web-page; And And delivering the content file to a content execution device connected to a DNC network. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the content information is performed. And providing the content information to the content execution device in response to a request for content information from a content execution device connected through a D & L network. In the content providing server for providing content through a D.N. Network, A bookmark storage unit for storing a bookmark file managing an address for specific web-pages; A bookmark analyzer which analyzes the bookmark file to detect an address of each of the web-pages; A web interface unit receiving web-page information on each of the web-pages after accessing each of the corresponding web-pages using the detected address; A web-page analyzer for analyzing the web-page information and detecting a multimedia file included in each web-page; A controller configured to generate D.L.NA virtual content information of the multimedia file and the corresponding web-page address detected by the web-page analyzer; A content information management unit configured to store content information including the D.L.A virtual content information; And And a DNA interface unit for providing content corresponding to the content executing apparatus in response to a content request of the content executing apparatus connected to the network. The method of claim 7, wherein the content information management unit And content information including content identification information, the multimedia file, the type of the multimedia file, and the multimedia file address in a D.N.A network. The method of claim 8, wherein the content information is If the content is a virtual content content providing server, characterized in that it further comprises a web-page address where the multimedia file is stored. The method of claim 9, wherein the control unit When the content selection information of the content execution apparatus is transmitted through the D.N.A interface unit, it is determined whether the selected content is a D.A.A virtual content, If the selected content is D.L.A virtual content, the content is received from the corresponding web-page through the web interface unit and provided to the content execution device through the D.A.A interface unit. Content provision server. The method of claim 10, wherein the control unit Selecting content information corresponding to the selected content from the content information management unit and determining that the selected content is a D.L.A virtual content when the content information includes the web-page address; Content provision server. The method of claim 7, wherein the control unit In response to a request for the content information of the D & A of the content execution device, the contents list stored in the content information management unit is transferred to the D & A interface unit. Content providing server, characterized in that for transmitting to the content execution device through.

Images