KR20110047759A - The tv messaging system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A TV messaging system is provided to store set top box information capable of transmitting a message from a target management module that supports a messaging service between set top boxes. CONSTITUTION: A message transmission module receives a message from a remote controller, a keyboard, or network. A message reception module(2B) receives and stores the message. An image processing module(2C) overlaps a TV screen while reading a stored message. An object management module(2D) manages a set top box list capable of massage switching. A database stores a set top box list and a receiving message.

Description

TV messaging system {THE TV MESSAGING SYSTEM}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a technology for providing a messaging service using a TV. In particular, the present invention relates to a broadcasting service in a set-top box or a TV set capable of transmitting and receiving messages over a network using digital technology and superimposing a received message on a screen being displayed. And a system capable of transmitting a message for a specific TV or TV group desired if anyone who is not a broadcasting station having a transmission authority has a right to access the set-top box or TV set.

In the information transmission using conventional TV (collectively referred to as "TV", including analog TV, digital TV, IPTV, etc.), messaging services, such as news subtitles, song lyrics, sports scores, etc., are broadcast stations that have authority to broadcast. The contents are inputted from, and the message is composed of images and outputted.

Such a TV messaging service method can effectively recognize information without paying special attention or effort while watching TV, but can be serviced only by a sender authorized to produce and transmit a broadcast program such as a broadcasting station. Since there is little room for viewers to intervene, it does not provide a method for a messaging service of an individual or a specific group who wants to provide information despite the characteristics of a medium, such as a TV, in which a screen is exposed to a viewer for a considerable time of the day.

Recently, with the development of digital technology, TVs have the ability to process information other than video and audio through built-in or external set-top boxes, and are also connected to the network, and perform functions similar to those of computers. As a result, technological advances are being made.

In the related art, the TV merely performs a role of receiving an image including subtitle information or performs information exchange with a broadcasting station performing broadcast transmission even if it is further developed.

However, in recent years, intelligent electronic products capable of processing information and various networks are converged with each other. As a result, in addition to computers, messaging services between users or user groups are available from various terminals such as mobile phones, and TVs adopting digital technology are also available. There is an increasing demand to accommodate this technology trend.

Therefore, a technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is a communication module for transmitting and receiving a message by connecting to a set-top box network and a screen processing module for superimposing the received message on the screen being broadcast and outputting it on a TV screen or a set-top box group The present invention provides a messaging system including a target management module for supporting a messaging service between a mobile station and a data store storing message and set-top box information capable of sending and receiving messages.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention, a transmission module that accepts a user's input to send a message to the desired destination, and a reception module that receives a message flying to the user and overlaps the received message on the original broadcast screen The present invention provides a TV messaging system comprising a data management module and a target management module for managing and providing a set-top box or set-top box group for transmitting and receiving a message and a screen processing module.

In addition, the target management module may be implemented as a separate server or system for a large-scale service, as shown in the Internet messaging service, each module is preferably implemented in a set-top box.

The present invention as described above, by outputting the communication module capable of transmitting and receiving messages on the set-top box and superimposed the received message on the TV screen while watching the message so that the receiver can recognize the message without any extra effort while watching TV By providing a method, it is possible to use the TV tool, which is widely distributed in most households, as an effective messaging tool by providing greetings to children at certain times, messages to children, and providing personal information to viewers of specific programs. .

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 TV messaging apparatus including a set top box equipped with a TV messaging function according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus for the present invention may be implemented in a set top box 2 or a TV having a function of synthesizing a message in a caption form with a communication module connected to a network and an image.

Hereinafter, each component is demonstrated in detail.

The TV messaging agent is installed in a set top box to perform a messaging function using a TV. Specifically, the TV messaging agent is composed of a message sending module, a message receiving module, a screen processing module, a target management module, and a data store mounted on the set top box. Such a TV messaging agent (message sending module 2A, message receiving module 2B, screen processing module 2C, target management module, which transmits and receives a message and superimposes the received message on the screen and outputs the message). (2D, referred to as data storage 2E), the set-top box 2 receives the message from the user 1 to send the message through a remote control, a keyboard or a network, and transmits the message to a desired destination. Receives and stores a message transmitted to the network, and outputs the stored message to the screen through the screen processing module 2C at a desired time. The message transmitting module 2A in the set top box 2 receives a message and a receiving object as input from a remote controller, a keyboard or a network, and transmits the received message. The message receiving module 2B receives the message transmitted to the network and stores it in the storage so that the screen processing module 2C can use it. In consideration of the time to be output for the screen processing module 2C to be effectively used, You can sort and save them in order. The screen processing module 2C reads the messages stored in the storage in the order of output, superimposes the messages on the screen to be output on the TV screen, and outputs the messages superimposed on the screen so that the viewer can see them as one screen. Make it visible. The destination management module 2D performs functions such as registering / modifying / deleting / looking up a sending / receiving group by one or a group, and supports the message sending module 2A to easily select a destination when sending a message. It is also used to determine whether or not the receiving module 2B will receive the transmitted message. The data store 2E is used as a place to store the message transmission target information or the message.

Hereinafter, a TV messaging agent for effectively performing a messaging service will be described.

The TV messaging agent improves the subtitle-type messaging service that has been unilaterally performed only by broadcasting stations that have the authority to produce or transmit broadcast programs, so that anyone who wants to send a message can use the TV messaging service. Receives the message and the recipient as input and transmits it through the network. On the receiving side, if the message is from a valid sender, the message is added to the TV screen being displayed at the specified time, which makes it a new type of messaging service that was not provided in the existing TV. . Therefore, the method of processing the message sending module, the message receiving module, and the screen processing module for effectively outputting the received message to the screen will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a message transmission module mounted on a set-top box and receiving a message and a target to transmit a message from a user who has access to the set-top box, and transmitting a message through a network.

As the user turns on the set-top box, the message sending module 2A starts to operate. This operation is continuously performed unless the set top box is powered off or the module is manually shut down by the user (S10).

Compose a message via the remote control, keyboard or network and enter the set-top box to which the message will be sent. The set-top box to which a message is to be sent can be selected from one or a plurality of groups, and when the user selects himself or herself to be sent, a message is output on a TV screen at a designated time and can be used for a notification function. This transportable set-top box information requires information in the data store that is managed and stored through the target management module. The data storage may be provided as a separate server or system outside the set-top box, and the message writing and destination selection operation may use a separate computer system connected to a network in addition to the set-top box (S20).

Connect via a network to the set-top box that will send messages. The process of accessing the network and sending a message may be performed by accessing and performing the S40 process several times when there are a plurality of targets to be transmitted (S30).

When the connection is successfully made, the terminal returns to the state of S20 to transmit the received message and receives a new message (S40).

4 is a flowchart of a message receiving module for receiving a message transmitted through a network and storing the message in a data storage so that the message processing module can be effectively used in the screen processing module. FIG.

As the user turns on the set-top box, the message receiving module 2B starts to operate. This operation is continuously performed unless the set-top box is powered off or the module is manually shut down by the user (S50).

It waits in a state to accept a connection request through the network from another set-top box or a message sender (S60).

Determines if the requested connection is a valid connection with permission to send a message to my set-top box. If the request is invalid or unauthorized, the connection is rejected and the state returns to the S60 state and waits for a new access request (S70).

If the connection of S60 is valid, a message is received. At this time, if the received message is a message that needs to be processed immediately without being scheduled, the fact is immediately notified to the screen processing module 2C (S80).

The received message is stored in the message store in consideration of the time sequence for outputting the message so that the screen processing module 3C can easily take it out (S90).

Disconnect and return to the S60 state waits for a new connection request (S100).

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a screen processing module 2C which allows a screen to be superimposed on a TV screen being output by using a message stored in a data storage in a set-top box. Or use the image synthesis function implemented in software, and the description of each step is as follows.

As the user turns on the set-top box, the screen processing module 2C starts to operate. This operation is continuously performed unless the power of the set-top box or the user manually shuts down the module (S110).

Read the first message to be output from the data store 2E. The message to be output immediately without specifying a time may be directly received through the message receiving module 2B or may be immediately notified of the fact of storage (S120).

Wait until the time to output the read message (S130).

When it is time to print a message, it will be printed on the TV screen for the time specified in the form specified in the message. The format for displaying the message can specify various effects such as exposure time, blinking text, and flowing text from side to side. When the output of the message is completed for a specified time and is completed to return to the state of S120 to process a new message (S140).

1 is a block diagram of a TV messaging system to which a TV messaging agent is applied.

*** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings ***

1: user 2: set-top box

2A: message sending module 2B: message receiving module

2C: Screen Processing Module 2D: Target Management Module

2E: Data Storage 3: TV

4: relative set-top box 5: TV

Claims (4)

A message sending module which receives a message and a destination to be transmitted from a remote control, a keyboard or a network; A message receiving module for receiving and storing the message; A screen processing module which reads the stored message and shows the superimposed on the TV screen being output at a specified time; A target management module for managing a list of set-top boxes that can exchange messages; A data storage for storing the transmittable set-top box list and received messages; And a TV messaging device. The method of claim 1, And the message is applied to a video message when a plurality of images such as a PIP function can be displayed. The method of claim 1, Wherein each module is implemented in a set-top box. The method of claim 1, TV management method, characterized in that the target management module is configured as a separate server or system.

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