KR20080105251A - Method for giving characteristics number to contents in video on demand service and method for selecting contents - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for assigning characteristic number to contents in a video on demand service and a method for selecting contents by using the same are provided to assign a characteristics number of a variation digit number to a category of a VOD menu and VOD contents to select and play a corresponding menu category and corresponding VOD contents directly without cumbersome processes, thereby improving user's convenience. A characteristic number of a variation digit number is assigned to a category of a VOD service menu and VOD contents(S101). Detailed information of the category and VOD contents corresponding to the characteristic number is provided if the characteristic number is input(S104). When selection of the category or VOD contents is input, a category screen included in a lower one of the category is provided or the VOD contents are reproduced(S106).

Description

Method for giving characteristics number to contents in video on demand service and method for selecting contents}

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of menuting a conventional VOD content in a tree structure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a user interface presented on the screen by the service structure of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a user interface showing a detailed information list of VOD contents when the "movie" menu of FIG. 2 is selected.

4 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a unique number of variable digits is assigned to VOD content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of selecting VOD content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6A to 6D are diagrams illustrating an embodiment of a screen in which VOD content is selected and provided by the VOD content selection method of FIG. 5.

<Description of Symbols for Major Parts of Drawings>

11: tv channels

12: Movie

13: Watch TV

The present invention relates to a method for assigning a unique number to content in a video-on-demand service and a content selection method using the same, and more particularly, by assigning a unique number of variable digits to a category and VOD content of a menu provided by the video-on-demand service, When the corresponding unique number is input through the remote control, it is a technology that allows you to go directly to the detailed information screen of a specific category or specific VOD content.

In general, the VOD service is a video service that provides a video-based service such as a movie or news through a telephone line or a cable according to a user's request. The VOD service digitally compresses a video program and stores the video program in a video server. , Playback, control, index search, service that provides subscriber's desired program through high-speed communication network.

In order to directly select a menu structure and specific VOD content in such a VOD service, a tree-type menu method is conventionally implemented.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a menu of conventional VOD contents in a tree structure, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a user interface presented on a screen by the service structure of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a "movie" of FIG. "Is a diagram illustrating a user interface showing a detailed information list of VOD contents when a menu is selected. 1 illustrates an example in which a terrestrial broadcast or cable broadcast channel, that is, a TV channel menu, is included in a VOD service menu when a terrestrial broadcast or cable broadcast service is provided by mounting a TV tuner in a set-top box.

In the conventional tree structure, as shown in FIG. 1, upper categories such as TV channel 11, movie 12, TV review 13, and the like are arranged, and a plurality of sub-categories or VOD contents belonging to each upper category are arranged. .

A conventional set-top box providing a menu structure of such a tree structure provides a screen displaying upper categories 11 to 13 as shown in FIG. 2 so that a user can select a desired category by using a direction key of a remote controller.

When one of the upper categories of FIG. 2 is selected, detailed information, such as title and running time, of the VOD content belonging to the selected category is provided to the user in alphabetical or channel order as shown in FIG. 3.

Conventionally, when a user wants to play a desired VOD content using such a tree structure, the user can select the desired VOD content by selecting one of the upper categories using the arrow keys of the remote controller and selecting the lower category again to search the VOD contents list. Because it is a structure that allows the user, it takes a lot of time and effort to select the desired VOD content.

Therefore, the present invention for solving the above-described problem is to give a unique number of variable digits to the category and VOD content of the VOD menu, and when the user enters a specific unique number with a remote control, the menu without step and inconvenient menu operation immediately The purpose is to select the category and the corresponding VOD content immediately so that the detailed information is displayed.

Content selection method in the video-on-demand service according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, the first process of assigning a unique number of variable digits to the category or VOD content of the VOD service menu, and the unique number is input A second process of providing detailed information of a category or VOD content corresponding to the unique number and a selection of the category or VOD content from a user, and providing a category screen belonging to the lower part of the category or the VOD content, respectively. And a third process of reproducing.

In addition, the method of assigning a unique number to the content in the video-on-demand service according to an embodiment of the present invention, to assign a unique number to the category or VOD content in the VOD service menu, the number in the highest category of the category sequentially as a unique number And a second process of sequentially adding another number to a unique number assigned to the top category, and assigning it as a unique number to a category or VOD content belonging to a lower level of the top category. do.

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

4 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a unique number of variable digits is assigned to VOD content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the following principles are applied to assign unique numbers with variable digits for each category.

First, assign a unique number to every item (category or VOD content) of the menu.

Second, in the same level category, a unique number is assigned to each category item.

Third, the lower category is dependent on the upper category, and the unique numbering system in the lower category is given independently from the upper category.

Here, the three principles will be described in detail with reference to the following examples.

Applying the unique numbering method in accordance with the above principle, as shown in Figure 4, 1, 2, 3, 4 ... to the plurality of primary category list, respectively; … And a unique number of 11, etc. in the list of secondary categories, which are subcategories of the primary category. , 21,… , 31,… , 41... … And the like, and 111,112,... , 211,212,… , 311,312... And a unique number such as 1111,... In the list of the fourth category, which is a subcategory of the third category. 2111,... , 3111, etc.

That is, when a TV tuner is mounted in a set-top box to provide a terrestrial broadcast or cable broadcast service, when the terrestrial broadcast or cable broadcast channel, that is, a TV channel menu is included in the VOD service menu, the TV channel menu is set to "1". Specify a unique number starting from, and assign the number beginning with "2" or higher to the highest category menu of the VOD service menu other than the TV channel.

At this time, if the number of the top menu categories of the VOD other than the TV channel is 8 or less, a one-digit number (2 to 9) is assigned, and if it is eight or more, a two-digit number (20 to 99) is assigned. That is, the number of digits to be assigned varies depending on the number of items of the category.

On the other hand, since the category of the lower menu is dependent on the category of the upper menu, the unique numbering scheme of the same method is applied to the category of the lower menu.

In addition, as the category goes down to the submenu, the category and the VOD list may be included at the same time depending on the characteristics of the category. In this case, the same principle applies.

For example, in FIG. 4, the "movie" category is assigned the unique number "2", and the subcategory "TOP10" of the movie category adds "1" to the unique number "2" of the "movie" category and "21". This unique number is assigned, and a unique number "211" is assigned to "Star Wars" which is a subcategory of "TOP10". At this time, "Star Wars" is assigned to the sub-categories "Star Wars 1", "Star Wars 2", "Star Wars 3" as the series, "2111", "2112", "2113". On the other hand, the unique number "212" is assigned to "Totoro" that is not a series. As such, the lower category is given a unique number dependently on the upper category.

In this way, even when the VOD content is a series, a unique number is assigned in the same way, and the number can be assigned according to the turn of the series.

Hereinafter, a method of selecting VOD content according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

First, in the set-top box for providing a VOD service, a unique number of variable digits is assigned to each VOD content as shown in FIG. 4 for each category (S101).

Thereafter, when the set-top box receives a unique number from the user through a remote control or the like (S102), the set-top box checks whether a certain time has elapsed after receiving the corresponding unique number or whether a specific key has been input within a certain time after receiving the unique number. (S103).

At this time, after receiving the unique number through the numeric key input of the remote control from the user, if there is no additional key input for a certain time, it is determined that the unique number input is finished, and only the input numeric key is recognized as the unique number. In addition, when a unique number and a specific key are input together, that is, when a specific key is input within a predetermined time after receiving a unique number (numeric key) of the remote controller from the user, it is determined that the input of the unique number is finished. Here, the predetermined time and the specific key may be specified through the setting screen of the set-top box.

Thereafter, the detailed information of the VOD content corresponding to the received unique number is displayed on the screen so that the user can check and select the detailed information of the VOD content (S104).

For example, 5 seconds (if the predetermined time is set to 5 seconds) after receiving “211” from the user through the remote control or “OK_key” (if a specific key is set to OK_key) within 5 seconds. In this case, detailed information about "Star Wars" corresponding to "211" is displayed on the screen.

Thereafter, it is checked whether a play request of the VOD content is received from the user (S105), and when the play request is received, the corresponding VOD content is played (S106). In this case, the play request of the VOD content refers to a case where a play button input is received from a user through a remote controller. In addition, in order to play the corresponding VOD content, the set-top box orders and receives the VOD content with respect to the VOD server (not shown) and performs the play. Since the series is the same as the general VOD service process, the detailed description thereof is omitted. Shall be.

6A to 6D, an example of a screen display for allowing a user to select a desired VOD content by directly displaying detailed information of a corresponding VOD content upon receiving a unique number without menu search will be described.

First, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, when a user inputs a category of a menu by using a remote controller of the set-top box, the user moves to a selected category of the menu.

For example, when “3” is input through the remote control from the user, a screen on which the “TV watch” category is selected is displayed as shown in FIG. 6A. When “31” is input from the user, the screen of “TV watch” is displayed as shown in FIG. 6B. A screen in which the TOP10 category, which is a subcategory, is selected, is displayed. When "311" is input from the user, as shown in FIG. 6C, a screen in which the sub-category of "TOP10", which is a subcategory of the "TV Replay" category, is selected is displayed. When "3111" is input by the user, a screen in which "Part 1", which is a subcategory of "Contrast" is selected, is displayed, while when "2113" is continuously input by the user, as shown in FIG. 6D, "Star Wars 3" Detailed information about is displayed on the screen.

As described above, when the user inputs a unique number from the user, the present invention displays the list of lower categories belonging to the category corresponding to the received unique number on the screen, and selects one of the lower category lists of the screen from the user. The detailed information screen of the lower category or VOD content belonging to the category is displayed. That is, when a user receives a unique number corresponding to the highest category from the user, the lower category or VOD content dependent on the highest category can be sequentially selected.

As described above, the present invention assigns a unique number of variable digits to all menu categories and VOD contents for providing a VOD service in an on-demand video service using a set-top box. You can go directly to the detailed information screen of a specific VOD content.

As described above, the present invention assigns a unique number of variable digits to the category and VOD content of the VOD menu, if a specific unique number is input from the user through the remote control, the menu category and the corresponding menu without step and inconvenient menu operation By directly selecting and playing VOD content, there is an effect of increasing user convenience.

In addition, according to the present invention, by assigning a unique number of variable digits according to the association of the category of the VOD menu and the VOD content, there is an effect that can be assigned organic unique number.

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

Claims (10)

A first step of assigning a unique number of a variable digit to a category or VOD content in a VOD service menu; A second process of providing detailed information of a category or VOD content corresponding to the unique number when the unique number is input; And And receiving a selection of the category or the VOD content from a user, and providing a category screen belonging to the lower part of the category or playing the VOD content, respectively. The method of claim 1, wherein the first process comprises: Assigning a number to the highest category of the category as a unique number in sequence, and adding another number to the unique number assigned to the highest category in order to assign as a unique number to the category or VOD content belonging to the lower level of the highest category. Content selection method on demand video service characterized in that. The method of claim 2, wherein the first process comprises: The method of selecting content in an on-demand video service, characterized in that if the number of top-level categories of the VOD service menu is 9 or less, a single digit is assigned, and if the number of top-level categories is 9 or more, a 2-digit number is assigned. The method of claim 2, wherein the first process comprises: Assign one-digit numbers differently to the highest category among the categories as unique numbers, and sequentially assign two-digit numbers as unique numbers to lower categories belonging to the lower category of the highest category, and to lower categories belonging to the lower category of the upper category. And sequentially assigning three digits as unique numbers, and sequentially assigning four digits as unique numbers to the VOD content belonging to the subcategory. The method of claim 4, wherein the first process comprises: The two-digit number is configured by sequentially adding another one-digit number to the one-digit number, the three-digit number is configured by sequentially adding another one-digit number to the two-digit number, the four-digit number is another one-digit number to the three-digit number Content selection method in the on-demand video service, characterized in that the configuration to add sequentially. The method of claim 1, wherein the second process comprises: And receiving the input of the unique number when a specific key is input together within a predetermined time after receiving the unique number. The method of claim 1, When the corresponding category is selected according to the input of the unique number, a lower category list or a VOD content list depending on the category is displayed, and a fourth process of selecting one of the lower category list and the VOD content list from a user is performed. Content selection method in an on-demand video service, characterized in that it further comprises. A first step of assigning a unique number to a category or VOD content of a VOD service menu, and sequentially assigning a number to a top category of the category as a unique number; And And a second process of sequentially adding another number to a unique number assigned to the top-level category and assigning it as a unique number to a category or VOD content belonging to the bottom of the top-level category. How to number it. The method of claim 8, wherein the first process comprises: And assigning a unique number to a content in the video-on-demand service, if the number of the top category is 9 or less, a single digit is given, and if the number of the top category is 9 or more, a two digit is assigned. The method of claim 8, wherein the second process, A second step of adding two digits as a unique number by sequentially adding another one digit to a one digit of a unique number assigned to the top category to an upper category belonging to the lower one of the top category; A second step of adding the two-digit number and the one-digit number different from the unique number assigned to the upper category to the lower category belonging to the lower category of the upper category in order to give three-digit number as the unique number; And And a third process of adding four digits as unique numbers by sequentially adding three digits of the unique number assigned to the subcategory and another one digit to the VOD content belonging to the lower category of the subcategory. How to assign a unique number to content in an on-demand video service.

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