KR20120068465A - Method and apparatus for providing progressive download streaming service of large multimedia file - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method and an apparatus for supplying a progressive download streaming service for mass multimedia file are provided to generate divided sub files of a content file in case the file exceeds a predetermined value. CONSTITUTION: A file requesting/receiving unit(111) communicates with a server in order to request a content file. A sub file generating unit(112) generates a plurality of sub files for progressive download streaming about an original content file. A plurality of sub files includes a file header and data based on capacity of a memory. A reproducing unit(114) reproduces the content file.

Description

Method and Apparatus for Providing Progressive Download Streaming Service of Large Multimedia File}

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a progressive download streaming service, and to a large content file exceeding a predetermined threshold capacity based on a memory capacity of a user terminal at the time of progressive download streaming of a multimedia content file. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing a streaming service by generating divided sub files.

With the development of internet technology and mobile communication technology, users can use various content services provided by a web server through a computer or mobile terminal in a home or office. In particular, anytime, anywhere through the user terminal can be downloaded in real time multimedia content such as movies, news, UCC, music provided from various web servers on the Internet in a streaming form.

The web server that provides the real-time streaming service can manage and provide multimedia content files in various forms. However, in the case of a large multimedia content file that exceeds the memory capacity in a smartphone such as an Android phone, There is a case where the content file can not be downloaded and played back.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a large content file exceeding a predetermined threshold capacity based on a memory capacity of a user terminal at the time of progressive download streaming of a multimedia content file. The present invention also provides a method and an apparatus for providing a streaming service by generating divided sub files.

First, to summarize the features of the present invention, a streaming service method from a server on a network in a user terminal according to an aspect of the present invention, the method comprising: requesting a content file to the server; And generating a plurality of sub files for progressive download streaming on the original content file provided from the server, wherein each of the plurality of sub files is divided by a predetermined threshold capacity based on the capacity of the memory. And a plurality of sub-files, each of which includes an identifier for specifying a reproduction order of the data.

While the user terminal receives information about the content file from the server and stores it in the memory, if the information exceeds a threshold capacity, the identifier is generated based on the original file header included in the information. Storing and reproducing the file header of the corresponding subfile and the corresponding data of the threshold capacity in the memory, and generating the file header of the next subfile and the corresponding data of the threshold capacity acquired through communication with the server. The process of storing in the memory and deleting the pre-played subfile may be performed one or more times.

The file for the next subfile is calculated before the reproduction of the subfile being reproduced is completed by calculating a reproduction time for the threshold capacity and comparing the reproduction time of the subfile being reproduced with the reproduction time for the threshold capacity. The header is generated, stored in the memory along with the corresponding data, and played.

The corresponding sub-file is generated to include the identifier for the playback position based on the original file header included in the information, and calculates the playback position based on the playback time for the threshold capacity to move the playback position. The file header and the corresponding data acquired through communication with the server can be stored in the memory and played back in the corresponding moving position.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a streaming service apparatus for receiving a streaming service from a server on a network at a user terminal includes a file request / receiver communicating with a server for requesting and receiving a content file; A sub file generator for generating a plurality of sub files for progressive download streaming of the original content file provided from the server through the file request / receiver; And a reproducing unit reproducing a content file, wherein the sub file generating unit generates the plurality of sub files including respective file headers and data divided by a predetermined threshold capacity based on a capacity of a memory, and the reproducing unit includes: The plurality of subfiles may be sequentially reproduced according to an identifier specifying a reproduction order of corresponding data included in each file header of the plurality of subfiles.

The sub-file generating unit includes the identifier based on an original file header included in the information when the information exceeds a threshold capacity while receiving the information about the content file from the server and storing the information in the memory. Storing the file header of the corresponding subfile and the corresponding data corresponding to the threshold capacity in the memory so as to reproduce the file header of the next subfile generated and communicating with the server. At least one process of storing the corresponding data in the memory and deleting the pre-played subfile is performed.

The sub file generating unit calculates a reproduction time for the threshold capacity, compares the reproduction time of the sub file being reproduced with the reproduction time for the threshold capacity, and then, before the reproduction of the sub file being reproduced is completed, is performed. Generates a file header for the sub file of the file and stores the file header in the memory together with the corresponding data so that the playback unit can play the file.

The sub-file generating unit calculates a corresponding playback position based on the playback time with respect to the threshold capacity to move a playback position, and if the playback position belongs to a subfile before or after a subfile currently being played, Based on the original file header included in the information, the playback unit stores the file header of the corresponding sub-file generated so that the identifier for the corresponding playback position is included and the corresponding data acquired by communication with the server in the memory. Play from the movement position.

According to the method and apparatus for providing a progressive download streaming service according to the present invention, the amount of memory remaining in the user terminal during the progressive download streaming of the multimedia content file to grasp the remaining capacity of the content file exceeding a predetermined threshold capacity Sub-files are also generated for progressive download streaming playback in succession.

1 is a view for explaining a streaming service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a view for explaining a user terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a view for explaining the generation of a sub file of a multimedia content file.
4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a streaming service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram illustrating a fast forward (FF) / rewind (REW) function by displaying an entire subfile in one time bar according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout.

1 is a view for explaining a streaming service system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the streaming service system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a user terminal 110, a network 120, and a streaming server 130.

Here, the network 120 may be a wired or wireless Internet, but is not limited thereto, and may use a mobile communication network such as WCDMA, WiFi, or WiBro. The user terminal 110 may be a smartphone, but is not limited thereto, and may include a notebook PC, a desktop PC, a Palm Personal Computer, or the like, which may communicate with the streaming server 130 through the network 120. Cell phone (PCS phone), Personal Communications Services phone (PCS phone), Synchronous / Asynchronous IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication-2000) capable of wireless communication, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), Wapphone ( WAP phone: Wireless application protocol phone, mobile play-station, other portable multimedia player (PMP) and portable or mobile terminal, and can be used to communicate with other electronic devices. It may include an electronic device or a device.

In the present invention, in particular, the user terminal 110 may download a multimedia content file from the streaming server 130 on the network to provide a progressive download streaming service, by grasping the remaining memory capacity of the user terminal to determine a predetermined threshold capacity; Sub-files are also created for exceeding large content files to enable progressive download streaming playback in succession. Progressive download streaming services are based on the standard procedures of Request for Comments (RFC) issued by the Internet Engineering Task Force ( IETF ), Realtime Transport Protocol (RTP), Realtime Transport Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and Realtime Transport (RTCP). As a streaming service such as Control Protocol), the streaming service may be a method of reproducing pre-stored data while downloading and storing a content file.

2 is a view for explaining a user terminal 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the user terminal 110 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a file request / receiver 111, a subfile generator 112, a memory 113, and a playback unit 114. do. Such components may be included in a player for playing the multimedia content file of the user terminal 110, and they may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

The file request / receiver 111 selects a content for progressive download streaming by clicking or touching while browsing a web page through the user terminal 110 and requests the content file to the streaming server 130. Communicate with streaming server 130 to request and receive. The file request / receiver 111 may include an interface for communicating with the streaming server 130 through a network 120 using wired or wireless Internet, WCDMA, WiFi, WiBro, or the like.

When the content file is requested through the file request / receiver 111, the subfile generator 112 receives the corresponding content file from the streaming server 130. In this case, the received original content file is stored in the memory 113. A plurality of sub-files for progressive download streaming are generated for the file exceeding a predetermined threshold capacity based on the capacity of the, so that the playback unit 114 can sequentially reproduce the plurality of sub-files.

At this time, the subfile generator 112, which generates a plurality of subfiles so that the playback unit 114 reproduces in real time, the predetermined content capacity of the original content file FILE based on the capacity of the memory 113 as shown in FIG. In case of exceeding large file size (e.g., when the remaining storage space of the memory 113 is 500 MByte and the threshold capacity considering the free capacity is 200 MByte, the original content file is more than 200 MByte and 700 MByte, etc.). A plurality of sub files are generated by reconstructing them by the threshold capacity. In generating a plurality of subfiles, the subfile generator 112 includes a file header newly created for each subfile and data corresponding thereto, and the header of the subfile includes a reproduction order of the data. The inclusion of the designation identifier allows the playback unit 114 to sequentially play back the plurality of sub files. For example, the header of the sub file may include a file header and an identifier of the original content file. Accordingly, the playback unit 114 may play back based on the information of the original file header. The order can be reproduced successively by information (for example, 1 to 2 digital bits) indicating an identifier, for example, SUB_1, SUB_2, SUB_3 .. which are sequential reproduction orders.

For reference, the header of the content file for RTP, RTSP, or RTCP streaming includes V (version), P (padding), X (extension), CC (CSRC count), M (marker), PT (payload type), Predetermined information may be included in a predetermined number of bits for each field such as Sequence Number, TimeStamp, SSRC, and CCRC List. You can refer to the standard RFC for details on the header of such content files.

Hereinafter, the operation of the streaming service system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4.

First, it is assumed that a predetermined player (or browser) is mounted or installed in the user terminal 110 to receive streaming services such as RTP, RTSP, and RTCP. By executing a player (or a browser) as described above, the user terminal 110 may display a menu, a site, a recent news, etc. provided by the corresponding player on the screen of the user terminal 110, and the user may browse various sites provided by the player. In the meantime, in order to access a site operated by the streaming server 130, an ID and a password may be input through the user terminal 110 to access the corresponding streaming server 130. Here, it is assumed that the user is subscribed as a member to the site operated by the streaming server 130. A user can browse a visited page by inputting an ID and a password, and can download multimedia contents such as movies, news, UCC, music, etc. provided from the corresponding server in real time, and watch them in streaming form.

To this end, referring to FIG. 4, the user selects and requests a content for which the streaming service is desired by clicking, touching, or the like from a list of screens (S10). As a user selects and requests a content from a page visited, a URI (Uniform Resource Indicator) designated to be linked to the content according to the streaming service type may be extracted by the player (or browser), and thus the file request / receiver 111 may request the corresponding content file by including the URI in the request message and transmitting it to the streaming server 130 (S11).

Accordingly, the streaming server 130 searches for the content file corresponding to the URI and transmits the corresponding information to the user terminal 110 (S13). Accordingly, the subfile generator 112 stores the received information in the memory 113 Will begin to save).

The subfile generating unit 112 determines whether the content file is a large file exceeding a threshold capacity while storing the received information in the memory 113. For example, when the information stored in the memory 113 exceeds the threshold capacity, the original file header included in the received information is extracted (S20), and based on this, an identifier for specifying a reproduction order of the data is included. A sub file is generated as shown (S21). For example, the header of the sub file may include the order information bit (s) as the file header and identifier of the original content file. As described above, the subfile generator 112 generates the header of the subfile and stores the file header of the subfile and the corresponding data corresponding to the threshold capacity in the memory 113 (S22). For example, when the remaining storage space of the memory 113 is 500 MByte, the sub file may be stored with a threshold capacity of 200 MByte. After storing as much as the threshold capacity, the request for information on the original content file may be canceled by the subfile generator 112 to the streaming server 130, and the download may be stopped until the data request for the next subfile is made.

Under the control of the subfile generator 112, the playback unit 114 may play back data corresponding to the header of the corresponding subfile stored in the memory 113 (S30). The progress is checked (S40).

For example, the subfile generating unit 112 may calculate the playing time for the above-described critical capacity and store the same in the memory 113 in advance. Accordingly, the subfile being reproduced has been reproduced to the present time and the threshold capacity. By comparing the playback times for the files, the file header for the next subfile before the playback of the subfile being reproduced is completed, for example, several seconds before continuing to know where the subfile being played is. Regenerate in the same manner as described above (S41). That is, the subfile generating unit 112 includes the file header of the original content file and the file header of the next subfile including the order information bit (s) (for example, an identifier indicating that it is the second subfile) as an identifier. Can be generated.

Subsequently, the subfile generation unit 112 requests the data corresponding to the threshold capacity corresponding to the file header of the subfile to the streaming server 130 (S42), and the streaming server 130 searches for and transmits the data (S43). Data may be received (S44).

Accordingly, the subfile generator 112 stores the received data (second sub data) in the memory 113 together with the corresponding subfile header (S50). Subsequently, when the reproduction of the currently reproduced subfile is completed, the subfile generator 112 deletes the reproduced subfile from the memory 113 to secure a space for storing another next subfile (S51). ).

In addition, when the reproduction of the sub file being reproduced is completed, not only the memory file 113 is deleted but also the next sub file stored in the memory 113 as described above is reproduced by the reproduction unit 114 based on the header of the sub file. The corresponding data can be sequentially played back (S30), and during the playback, the above steps (S40 to S51) can be repeated until the entire contents of the original content file are played back while checking the elapsed time again.

While the playback unit 114 plays the sub-files, which of the entire playback positions of the original content file may be displayed on the playback screen of the user terminal 110 by the time bar as shown in FIG. 5.

In this case, the user may perform fast forward (FF), rewind (REW), and the like at the playback position of the currently reproduced subfile. For example, when the fast forward (FF) or the rewind (REW) is selected by clicking or touching the screen, the playback unit 114 may play forward or backward at a speed of 2 times, 3 times, 4 times. . In addition, by dragging the current position identifier of the time bar with a mouse or a touch, an arbitrary position in front of or behind may be requested, and accordingly, the playback unit 114 may move to the position and play it.

In particular, when the playback position requested by the user (the playback position selected in the time bar) does not belong to the currently played subfile but belongs to a previous or subsequent subfile, first, the subfile generator 112 has a threshold capacity. The playback position (time) can be calculated based on the playback time for. For example, when the currently played subfile is SUB_1, the current location identifier moves by a certain distance per second during playback, and the subfile generator 112 is selected in the time bar according to the relative movement of the current location identifier. It can be calculated that the playback position corresponds to a certain time of the subfile SUB_3.

Accordingly, the subfile generator 112 generates the order information bit (s) (for example, the third subfile) as the file header and identifier of the original content file in the same manner as described above in order to generate the subfile for the corresponding moving position. File header of a subfile including the identifier). Subsequently, the subfile generator 112 may store the data in the memory 113 by requesting and receiving data corresponding to the subfile from the streaming server 130, and the playback unit 114 requests the corresponding playback position requested by the user. It is possible to control to reproduce the data at the (moving position). Fast forward (FF) or rewind (REW) are also supported here.

As described above, in the streaming service system 100 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a large amount of content file exceeding a predetermined threshold capacity is determined by grasping the remaining memory capacity of the user terminal during the progressive download streaming of the multimedia content file. In addition, the divided sub files are generated to enable progressive download streaming playback in succession.

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.

Streaming Service System (100)
User terminal 110
Network (120)
Streaming server (130)
File Request / Receiver (111)
Subfile generator 112
Memory (113)
Playback unit 114

Claims (8)

A streaming service method from a server on a network in a user terminal,
Requesting a content file from a server; And
Generating a plurality of sub files for progressive download streaming of the original content file provided from the server,
The plurality of sub files includes respective file headers and data divided by a predetermined threshold capacity based on a capacity of a memory, and the plurality of sub files includes an identifier for specifying a reproduction order of the corresponding data in each file header. Streaming service method, characterized in that. The method of claim 1,
While the user terminal receives information about the content file from the server and stores it in the memory, if the information exceeds a threshold capacity, the identifier is generated based on the original file header included in the information. Storing and reproducing the file header of the corresponding subfile and the corresponding data of the threshold capacity in the memory, and generating the file header of the next subfile and the corresponding data of the threshold capacity acquired through communication with the server. Streaming service method comprising the step of storing at least one sub-file stored in the memory and pre-played. The method of claim 2,
The file for the next subfile is calculated before the reproduction of the subfile being reproduced is completed by calculating a reproduction time for the threshold capacity and comparing the reproduction time of the subfile being reproduced with the reproduction time for the threshold capacity. Streaming service method characterized in that the header is generated, stored in the memory with the corresponding data and played back. The method of claim 2,
The corresponding sub-file is generated to include the identifier for the playback position based on the original file header included in the information, and calculates the playback position based on the playback time for the threshold capacity to move the playback position. Streaming service method, characterized in that for reproducing at the moving position while storing the file header and the data obtained by the communication with the server in the memory. In the streaming service apparatus for receiving a streaming service from a server on a network in a user terminal,
A file request / receiver that communicates with a server to request and receive a content file;
A sub file generator for generating a plurality of sub files for progressive download streaming of the original content file provided from the server through the file request / receiver; And
A playback unit for playing the content file,
The sub file generating unit generates the plurality of sub files including respective file headers and data divided by a predetermined threshold capacity based on the capacity of a memory, and the reproducing unit is configured to each file header of the plurality of sub files. And reproducing the plurality of subfiles sequentially according to an identifier specifying a reproduction order of corresponding data included therein. The method of claim 5,
The sub-file generating unit includes the identifier based on an original file header included in the information when the information exceeds a threshold capacity while receiving the information about the content file from the server and storing the information in the memory. Storing the file header of the corresponding subfile and the corresponding data corresponding to the threshold capacity in the memory so as to reproduce the file header of the next subfile generated and communicating with the server. And storing at least one corresponding data in the memory and deleting at least one previously reproduced subfile. The method of claim 6,
The sub file generating unit calculates a reproduction time for the threshold capacity, compares the reproduction time of the sub file being reproduced with the reproduction time for the threshold capacity, and then, before the reproduction of the sub file being reproduced is completed, is performed. Streaming apparatus, characterized in that for generating a file header for the sub-file of the file and stored in the memory with the corresponding data to play the playback unit. The method of claim 6,
The sub-file generating unit calculates a corresponding playback position based on the playback time with respect to the threshold capacity to move a playback position, and if the playback position belongs to a subfile before or after a subfile currently being played,
Based on the original file header included in the information, the playback unit stores the file header of the corresponding sub-file generated so that the identifier for the corresponding playback position is included and the corresponding data acquired by communication with the server in the memory. Streaming service device, characterized in that to play at the movement position.

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