KR20090065400A - Method and apparatus for providing broadcast service information in cable network - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing broadcast service information in a cable network are provided to supply broadcast service information to which a virtual channel is allocated, thereby easily selecting broadcast contents. An IPTV(Internet Protocol Television) service information server(31) comprises service information about IPTV broadcast contents provided to a terminal device(50). A CMTS(Cable Modem Termination System)(32) receives IPTV service information from the IPTV service information server. The CMTS allocates a respectively different virtual channel to the IPTV service information according to IPTV broadcast contents.

Description

Apparatus and method for providing broadcast service information in cable network {Method and Apparatus for providing Broadcast Service Information in Cable Network}

The present invention relates to a broadcast service information providing apparatus and method in a cable network, and to a broadcast service information providing apparatus and method capable of providing various broadcast service information.

The present invention is derived from research conducted as part of the IT growth engine technology development project of the Ministry of Information and Communication and the Ministry of Information and Communication Research and Development. ].

In the current broadcast service, all channels being broadcasted are provided to a terminal device such as a set-top box regardless of whether a particular channel is viewed or not.

On the other hand, in the case of an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, the content reaches the terminal device only after the viewer selects the content. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the terminal apparatus with service information on the IPTV broadcasting content so that the viewer can select the content. Currently, IPTV uses an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) to convey information about contents being served to viewers.

The viewer uses the electronic program guide to select content through an interface such as a remote controller. At this time, the electronic program guide provides only a small amount of information showing the corresponding contents on one small screen. Therefore, it is difficult for the viewer to be provided with various information. As a result, the user may feel inconvenient in selecting the IPTV broadcasting content.

The problem to be solved by the present invention, by providing the broadcast service information allocated to the virtual channel, it is possible to receive a variety of broadcast service information using the virtual channel, thereby providing broadcast service information that can easily select the broadcast content It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method.

The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

The broadcast service information providing apparatus according to the present invention for solving the above problems is a broadcast service information providing means for providing service information for broadcast content, the virtual channel is assigned to the broadcast service information, the virtual channel is assigned And broadcast service information transmitting means for transmitting broadcast service information.

The terminal device according to the present invention for solving the above problems is to display a cable modem for receiving broadcast service information assigned to the virtual channel, and the configuration information of the virtual channel, and if the virtual channel is selected, the selected virtual channel And a set top box for decoding and displaying the allocated broadcast service information.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data transmission method of a broadcast service information providing apparatus. The method includes: receiving broadcast content, configuring broadcast service information for broadcast content, and transmitting a virtual channel to the broadcast service information. And allocating the broadcast service information to which the virtual channel is allocated to a terminal device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data receiving method of a terminal device, the method comprising: receiving broadcast service information to which a virtual channel is allocated, displaying configuration information of the virtual channel, and selecting the virtual channel. And decoding and displaying the broadcast service information allocated to the selected virtual channel.

According to the apparatus and method for providing broadcast service information according to the present invention, by providing broadcast service information to which a virtual channel is allocated, various IPTV service information can be received by using a virtual channel, thereby easily selecting broadcast content. . As a result, it is possible to reduce the inconvenience of the service delay caused by changing the channel frequently because various broadcast service information is not provided.

Hereinafter, a broadcast service information providing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The basic principle of the present invention is to transmit and receive IPTV service information to which a virtual channel is allocated, so that a user can easily select desired IPTV broadcast content using various IPTV service information.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a system for providing an IPTV broadcasting service using a cable network.

Referring to FIG. 1, an IPTV system for providing an IPTV broadcasting service using a cable network includes an IPTV broadcasting content server 10, a cable headend system 30, and a terminal device 50.

The IPTV broadcast content server 10 provides IPTV broadcast content.

The cable headend system 30 is connected to the IPTV broadcast content server 10 and the Internet network 20, and includes an IPTV service information server 31 and a CMTS 32.

The IPTV service information server 31 configures service information about IPTV broadcast contents provided to the terminal device 50. At this time, the service information about the IPTV broadcast contents constitutes image information shortened than the original image size of the provided contents. For example, in the case of content having 1920 * 1080 resolution, service information on the corresponding IPTV broadcasting content is composed of video information, audio, and additional information reduced to 320 * 240 resolution.

The CMTS 32 transmits the IPTV broadcast content and the IPTV service information to the terminal device 50.

Specifically, the CMTS 32 receives the IPTV service information from the IPTV service information server 31, and allocates different virtual channels for each IPTV broadcast content to the IPTV service information. Here, the virtual channel is a channel virtually allocated to the IPTV service information and means an identifier assigned to distinguish each IPTV service information. In addition, the virtual channel is not limited thereto, and may be used as an identifier for identifying each IPTV broadcast content.

In order to describe the virtual channel in more detail, the present broadcast service and the IPTV broadcast service are compared.

In the current broadcast service, KBS1 is assigned a fixed channel number such as channel 7, MBC channel 11, and SBS channel 6, and the user selects and changes the channel using the fixed channel number. On the other hand, in the IPTV broadcast service, IPTV broadcast content and service information thereof do not have a fixedly assigned channel number, and the broadcast content is selected through a graphic user interface.

However, in the IPTV broadcasting service according to the present invention, IPTV service information can be distinguished by allocating a virtual channel to service information for each IPTV broadcasting content. Thus, the user can select and change the IPTV service information using the virtual channel, which facilitates the selection of the IPTV broadcast content.

The CMTS 32 transmits the IPTV service information allocated to the virtual channel to the terminal device 50 subscribed to the IPTV service through a communication channel with guaranteed channel quality.

The terminal device 50 is connected to the cable headend system 30 and the cable network 40. The terminal device 50 includes a cable modem 52 for providing a bidirectional communication service and a set-top box 51 for decoding and outputting an IPTV broadcast content.

The cable modem 52 receives IPTV service information to which a virtual channel is allocated from the CMTS 32. Thereafter, IPTV service information allocated to the virtual channel is transmitted to the set-top box 51.

The set top box 51 displays the configuration information of the virtual channel. The configuration information of the virtual channel may include, for example, brief text information such as a virtual channel number selectable by a user and an IPTV broadcast content title assigned to each virtual channel as part of the IPTV service information. In addition, when the virtual channel is selected by the user, the set-top box 51 decodes and displays IPTV service information corresponding to the selected virtual channel. Thereafter, when the user selects the IPTV broadcast content using the IPTV service information to which the virtual channel is allocated, the terminal device 50 receives the corresponding IPTV broadcast content from the IPTV broadcast content server 10.

2 shows an example of a configuration for IPTV service information.

Referring to FIG. 2, the IPTV service information may include a virtual channel on a cable, a user virtual channel, an IPTV broadcast content title and a condensed video, audio, and additional information about the content.

Here, the virtual channel on the cable is a concept of a virtual channel that is divided for data transmission on one physical transport channel. For example, one transmission channel having a transmission rate of 40 Mbps may be virtually divided into 40 virtual channels each having a transmission rate of 1 Mbps. The virtual channel on the cable is not a one-to-one correspondence with IPTV service information for each IPTV broadcast content.

However, in the present invention, as an example, a method of allocating service information for one IPTV broadcast content on each virtual channel on a cable and using the same, provides service information for IPTV broadcast content. This is to control transmission bands required for transmitting each IPTV service information, and to provide a better quality service by distinguishing from general data.

The user virtual channel is an identifier assigned by the CMTS to distinguish IPTV service information for each IPTV broadcast content, and means channel information that the user can select using a remote controller.

Accordingly, the user may classify IPTV service information for each IPTV broadcast content using a user virtual channel and select IPTV service information to be received.

Here, a comparison between the virtual channel on the cable and the user virtual channel will be described. In contrast, the virtual channel on the cable subdivides the physical transport channel in terms of data transmission. It serves as an identifier to distinguish contents.

The IPTV broadcast content title means title information of content allocated to a user virtual channel.

Hereinafter, a process of receiving IPTV service information by using a user virtual channel will be described.

For example, service information for KBS 1 news content is assigned to a user virtual channel of 1001, and service information for SBS news content is assigned to a user virtual channel of 1003. Here, when the user selects the user virtual channel of 1001, the terminal device may receive and display IPTV service information allocated to the virtual channel on the cable of Oxabcda, that is, video and additional information about KBS 1 news content, and the like. . In addition, when the user wants to display a video and additional information about the SBS news content, the user can easily receive and display the corresponding IPTV service information by selecting 1003.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a cable headend system according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, first, the cable headend system receives IPTV broadcast content from an IPTV broadcast content server (S10).

Subsequently, IPTV service information is configured (S20).

The IPTV service information server configures IPTV service information, which summarizes shortened video, audio, and additional information for IPTV broadcast content.

Subsequently, the virtual channel is allocated to the IPTV service information (S30).

The CMTS receives IPTV service information from the IPTV service information server and allocates a virtual channel to the IPTV service information. At this time, a different virtual channel is allocated to each IPTV service information for each IPTV broadcast content.

In addition, the CMTS may provide relative location information of each IPTV service information using the virtual channel information. For example, the relative position of the service information of the MBC infinite challenge with respect to the service information of the KBS 1 news allocated to the virtual channel of 1001 may be the virtual channel of 1002.

Subsequently, IPTV service information allocated to the virtual channels is transmitted to the terminal device through a communication channel for which channel quality is guaranteed (S40).

In this case, relative location information of each IPTV service information may be transmitted together.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a terminal device according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, IPTV service information allocated to virtual channels is received (S100).

First, the cable modem receives IPTV service information allocated to a virtual channel for each IPTV broadcast content through a communication channel of which channel quality is guaranteed. The cable modem delivers the received IPTV service information to the set-top box.

Here, the set top box may receive the relative location information of the IPTV service information as well as the respective IPTV service information.

Subsequently, configuration information of the virtual channel is displayed (S200).

The set top box displays some data such as configuration information of the virtual channel. Configuration information of the virtual channel may include, for example, brief text information such as a user virtual channel and an IPTV broadcast content title.

Next, the virtual channel is selected (S300).

The virtual channel allocated to the IPTV service information for the IPTV broadcast content to be received is selected.

Subsequently, the IPTV service information is displayed (S400).

The set top box decodes and displays the IPTV service information of the selected virtual channel. Here, the IPTV service information includes a video and additional information about the IPTV broadcast content. Then, when the user selects the IPTV broadcast content using the displayed IPTV service information, the set-top box receives and decodes the IPTV broadcast content corresponding to the displayed IPTV service information.

However, if the user wants to receive IPTV service information about other IPTV broadcasting content, the user may select another virtual channel again. In this case, the user may select a virtual channel using a user interface, that is, a remote controller.

The virtual channel selection method through the user interface may vary.

For example, there is a method of inputting a virtual channel and a method of sequentially changing the virtual channel.

The method of inputting a virtual channel is a method of selecting a virtual channel by directly inputting a virtual channel number using the number buttons of the remote controller.

A method of sequentially changing virtual channels is a method of selecting virtual channels by using up / down buttons. In this case, the virtual channel may be selected by using relative position information of each IPTV service information.

In addition, the user can further maximize the effect of the sequential change function of the channel by restricting the channel selectable by the up / down buttons according to the preference.

Hereinafter, a method of selecting a virtual channel for service information to be received will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 again.

For example, while receiving service information on KBS 1 news allocated to the virtual channel of 1001, the service information about MBC infinite challenge allocated to the virtual channel of 1002 is received. At this time, by selecting a virtual channel of 1002, it is possible to receive service information for the MBC infinite challenge.

Here, in the method of selecting a virtual channel, a user directly selects a virtual channel number, that is, 1002, by selecting the virtual channel by directly using a number button of the remote controller.

In addition, the user inputs an up button among up / down buttons of the remote controller and utilizes the relative position information, thereby selecting the virtual channel number 1002 to be selected. Here, it is assumed that the relative position information of the service information allocated to the virtual channel of 1001 is set to the virtual channel of 1002.

As described above, the present invention can receive desired service information using a virtual channel. In addition, by changing the virtual channel, it is easy to search for service information for each broadcast content. In this case, as the virtual channel is changed, the time for displaying the service information is very short so that the user does not feel inconvenience, so that the user can be provided with the service information quickly. As a result, the apparatus and method for providing IPTV service information according to the present invention can provide more convenient broadcast service by providing various service information to a user and easily selecting broadcast content by using the same.

The apparatus and method for providing IPTV service information according to the present invention may be embodied in the form of program instructions that can be executed by various computer means and recorded in a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape, optical media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, and magnetic disks, such as floppy disks. Magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions, such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. The medium may be a transmission medium such as an optical or metal wire, a waveguide, or the like including a carrier wave for transmitting a signal specifying a program command, a data structure, or the like. Examples of program instructions include not only machine code generated by a compiler, but also high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware device described above may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

As described above, the present invention has been described by way of limited embodiments and drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains various modifications and variations from such descriptions. This is possible.

Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be determined not only by the claims below but also by the equivalents of the claims.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a system for providing an IPTV broadcasting service using a cable network.

2 shows an example of a configuration for IPTV broadcast service information.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a cable headend system according to the present invention.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of a terminal device according to the present invention.

Claims (17)

Broadcast service information providing means for providing service information on IP broadcast content; And And broadcast service information transmitting means for allocating a virtual channel to the broadcast service information and transmitting the broadcast service information to which the virtual channel is assigned. According to claim 1, The broadcast service information is a broadcast service information providing device, characterized in that different virtual channels are allocated to each of the IP broadcast content. According to claim 1, The broadcasting service information providing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the broadcasting service information comprises at least one of information information, audio information, and supplementary information. A cable modem configured to receive broadcast service information allocated to a virtual channel; And And a set-top box configured to display configuration information of the virtual channel and to decode and display the broadcast service information allocated to the selected virtual channel when the virtual channel is selected. The method of claim 4, wherein The virtual channel is a terminal device, characterized in that for identifying the broadcast service information. The method of claim 4, wherein The broadcast service information is a terminal device, characterized in that configured in the form of at least one of the image information, audio, and additional information for shortening the IP broadcast content. Receiving IP broadcast content; Configuring broadcast service information on IP broadcast content; Allocating a virtual channel to the broadcast service information; And And transmitting the broadcast service information allocated to the virtual channel to a terminal device. The method of claim 7, wherein The virtual channel is a data transmission method of a broadcast service information providing apparatus, characterized in that the identifier for distinguishing the broadcast content or broadcast service information. The method of claim 7, wherein The broadcast service information is a data transmission method of a broadcast service information providing apparatus, characterized in that formed of at least one of the information information, the audio information and the supplementary information in the form of the broadcast IP content. The method of claim 7, wherein And configuring relative position information of the broadcast service information, and transmitting the relative position information to the terminal device. Receiving broadcast service information to which a virtual channel is assigned; Displaying configuration information of the virtual channel; Selecting the virtual channel; And And decoding and displaying the broadcast service information allocated to the selected virtual channel. The method of claim 11, wherein And the configuration information of the virtual channel is text information including the virtual channel and an IP broadcast content title corresponding to the virtual channel. The method of claim 11, wherein And receiving and decoding the IP broadcast content corresponding to the displayed broadcast service information. The method of claim 11, wherein And the virtual channel is selected using a user interface. The method of claim 11, wherein And the virtual channel is selected by a method of inputting a number of the virtual channel. The method of claim 11, wherein And receiving relative position information of the broadcast service information. The method of claim 16, The virtual channel is a data receiving method of the terminal device, characterized in that selected in the sequential change method of the channel using the relative position information.

Images