KR20130021317A - Apparatus and method for providing media service with service interworking in convergence media service proving system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A media service providing device and a method thereof are provided to extend the service providing range through service interconnection, thereby offering an open API(Application Programming Interface) service platform for delivering a service, provided by other service provider, to a user and controlling the service, even when the user already signed up for a service provided by one service provider. CONSTITUTION: A media service providing device(1a) includes the following parts: a service portal part(10a) searching for a service according to the request of a user(2) connected to a service network; a service construction part(12a) constructing a convergent service including a service to be provided to the user according to the service search result; a service resource management part(142a) managing service resources and allocating the service resources provided by a service provider(3a) according to the service request of the user; a profile management part(140a) managing a user profile for the authentication of user permissions and a service profile for the authentication of service access permissions, for the service resource allocation of the service resource management part; a service level agreement management part(144a) providing service resources to other media service providing device(1b), or mediating services to request and receive service resources from the other media service providing device, by authenticating a service level agreement; and a service management part(14a) allocating service resources required for the construction of the convergent service, as well as allocating optimal service resources through communications with the other media service providing device based on the service level agreement, if needed. [Reference numerals] (10a) Service portal part; (10b) Service portal part'; (12a) Service construction part; (12b) Service construction part'; (140a) Profile management part; (140b) Profile management part'; (142a) Service resource management part; (142b) Service resource management part'; (144a) Service level agreement management part; (144b) Service level agreement management part'; (14a) Service management part; (14b) Service management part'; (1a) Media service providing device; (1b) Media service providing device'; (2) User; (3a) Service provider; (3b) Service provider'

Description

Apparatus and method for providing media service through service interworking in converged media service providing environment {Apparatus and method for providing media service with service interworking in convergence media service proving system}

One aspect of the present invention relates to a technique for efficiently providing a broadcast and communication service.

The media service is provided in real time through the convergence of the basic services represented by the Internet and multimedia and communication services. Such media services are provided to users by service providers. However, since the media service providing system is independent and exclusive, the available scope of the media service provided to the user by a plurality of service providers is limited to the service area of the system to which the user belongs. That is, on the media service providing system, the user can access only within his system service area.

According to an aspect, an apparatus and a method for efficiently providing a media service by expanding a service providing range through service interworking in a converged media service providing environment are proposed.

According to an aspect, an apparatus for providing a media service includes a service portal unit configured to search for a service according to a user request for accessing a service network, and a converged service including at least one service to be provided to a user according to a service search result. And a service management unit for allocating service resources necessary for constructing a converged service, and allocating optimal service resources based on a service level agreement through communication with other media service providing apparatuses when necessary.

According to another aspect, a method of providing a media service of a media service providing apparatus includes: receiving a message; allocating a service resource for a service requested by the user if the received message is a service request from a user connected to a service network; If the received message is a service arbitration request, the method may include providing a service resource to another media service providing apparatus after authenticating the service agreement level.

According to one embodiment, the target of available service resources provided to the user is not limited to one service area connected to one service network, but is extended to the entire service area including other service areas connected to another service network. Extend the available service delivery and its scope of delivery. Accordingly, a user may use a service provided by another service provider even if the user subscribes to a service provided by one service provider. Furthermore, it is possible to provide an open application programming interface service platform for delivering and controlling services to users.

1 is a block diagram of a media service providing apparatus 1a supporting interworking between different service areas in a converged service providing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a detailed block diagram of the media service providing apparatus 1a of FIG.
3 is a flowchart illustrating a series of message transmission processes performed in a media service providing apparatus 1a for interworking between different service areas in a converged service providing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates a series of processing processes in the media service providing apparatus 1a when receiving a service request from a user or a service arbitration request from the media service providing apparatus' 1b according to an embodiment of the present invention. Flowchart,
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a series of processing processes in the media service providing apparatus' 1b when a service arbitration request is received from the media service providing apparatus 1a according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a reference diagram illustrating a converged service providing environment interworking between different service areas according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described embodiments of the present invention; In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear. In addition, the terms described below are defined in consideration of the functions of the present invention, and this may vary depending on the intention of the user, the operator, or the like. Therefore, the definition should be based on the contents throughout this specification.

1 is a block diagram of a media service providing apparatus 1a supporting interworking between different service areas in a convergence media service providing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the media service providing apparatus 1a includes a service portal unit 10a, a service constructing unit 12a, and a service managing unit 14a.

The media service providing apparatus 1a is in the form of a media service platform (MSP) for delivering and controlling a service provided from the service provider 3a. In particular, the media service providing apparatus 1a may be in the form of an open application programming interface service platform.

The service provider 3a may be an application service provider (ASP) that provides an application service. Alternatively, the service provider 3a may be a content provider (CP) that provides content. In this case, the media service providing apparatus 1a may provide an interface for delivering and controlling an application and a service to the user 2 from an ASP or a CP through an IP delivery network.

The user 2 accesses the service network and receives user authentication. When authentication is completed, the user 2 accesses the service portal unit 10a of the media service providing apparatus 1a and searches for a service to be provided. The service portal unit 10a controls user authentication and service access, and supports the service inquiry and search of the user 2. The service provider 3a provides a service to the user 2 through the media service providing apparatus 1a. The service is a service in which the Internet, a multimedia and a communication service are converged, and may be, for example, an IPTV service or a smart TV service. Smart TVs are multifunctional and intelligent next-generation multimedia devices capable of providing TV and Internet capabilities.

The service configuration unit 12a includes a convergence service including at least one service to be provided to the user 2 through the service provider 3a according to the service search result of the user 2 through the service portal unit 10a. service). The converged service may be a type in which at least one service is fused, for example, a type in which the Internet, a multimedia and a communication service are fused together.

The service manager 14a performs a series of functions for providing services between service areas such as sending and receiving messages, checking user information, checking service provider information, securing available service resources, and storing service providing information.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the service manager 14a allocates a service resource necessary for configuring a converged service through the service constructor 12a. In addition, the service manager 14a may allocate an optimal service resource based on a service level agreement (SLA) through communication with the media service providing apparatus' 1b. The service level agreement refers to an agreement concluded between the service provider 3a and the user 2 in order to improve the satisfaction of the user 2, so as to maintain a certain level of service quality.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the service manager 14a includes a profile manager 140a, a service resource manager 142a, and a service level agreement manager 144a.

The service resource manager 142a manages service resources, and allocates service resources for services provided from the service provider 3a when a user requests a service.

The profile manager 140a manages a user profile for authenticating user usage rights and a service profile for authenticating service access rights for service resource allocation of the service resource manager 142a.

The service level agreement management unit 144a authenticates the service level agreement, and provides service resources to the media service providing device '(1b) or requests the media service providing device' (1b) to perform service arbitration. do. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, if the service requested by the user 2 is not in the service list, the service level agreement managing unit 144a requests the media service providing device 1b to arbitrate the service and provides the media service providing device 1b. Mediate the provision of service resources from According to another embodiment, when the service level agreement management unit 144a receives a service arbitration request from the media service providing apparatus '1b, the service level agreement management unit 144a authenticates the service agreement level and then provides the service resource to the media service providing apparatus' 1b. To mediate.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the service level agreement management unit 144a receives a service resource from the media service providing apparatus' 1b that can guarantee the service quality for the service requested by the user 2 according to the service level agreement. Media service providing apparatus' (1b).

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the service level agreement management unit 144a forces the user 2 with a service resource capable of guaranteeing a quality of service for the service requested by the user 2. This is to provide the user 2 with a service quality of a certain level or more.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the service level agreement management unit 144a collects and analyzes a service resource for a changed service according to a request for providing a service changed by the user 2 to provide an optimal service resource for the user 2. do.

According to the above-described configuration of the service management unit 14a, the present invention is not limited to the object of available service resources provided to the user 2 in one service area connected to one service network, but connected to another service network. It can be extended to the entire service area including other service areas, thereby extending the available service delivery and delivery scope. Accordingly, the user 2 can use the service provided by the other service provider 3b even if the user 2 is subscribed to the service provided by one service provider 3a.

The media service providing apparatus' 1b includes a service portal portion 10b, a service configuring portion 12b, and a service managing portion 14b in the same manner as the media service providing apparatus 1a. 14b may include a profile manager 140b, a service resource manager 142b, and a service level agreement manager 144b.

In FIG. 1, the media service providing apparatuses 1a and 1b are limited to two media service providing apparatuses 1a and 1b. However, the media service providing apparatus may be two or more, and the number of users and service providers may also be plural. In this case, the service resources connected to different service networks may be received according to the service level agreement, and analyzed to provide the optimal service resources required by the user 2.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the media service providing apparatus 1a of FIG. 1.

The operations performed between the components of the media service providing apparatus 1a will be described below with reference to FIG. 2.

First, the user 2 accesses the service network and receives user authentication. The user 2 who has been authenticated accesses the service portal unit 10a of the media service providing apparatus 1a to search for a service. The service information composed of the search result of the user 2 is transmitted to the service constructing unit 12a. Then, the service configuration unit 12a searches for the service resource of the service resource management unit 142a to configure the service.

Subsequently, the service configuration unit 12a inquires the user profile of the profile manager 140a to authenticate the user's permission, and inquires the service profile of the profile manager 140a to authenticate the service access right. If the above two authentication conditions are satisfied, the service resource manager 142a checks whether the service requested by the user 2 exists in the service list. As a result of the check, if the service exists, the corresponding service resource is allocated. On the other hand, if the service requested by the user 2 does not exist in the service list, the service level agreement management unit 1440 of the service level agreement management unit 144a requests service arbitration. Then, the service level agreement operating unit 1440 requests service arbitration to the service level agreement management unit of the other media service providing apparatus, and receives another service mediation response from the other media service providing apparatus when the other media service providing apparatus allocates the service resource. do. When the service level agreement authentication processing unit 1442 receives a service arbitration request from another media service providing apparatus, the service level agreement authentication processor 1442 authenticates the service level agreement for service arbitration.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a series of message transmission processes performed by the media service providing apparatus 1a for interworking between different service areas in a converged service providing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

1 and 3, the media service providing apparatus 1a receives a message (300). In this case, if the received message is a service request 310 from the user 2 accessing the service network, the user information and the service request information are checked (320). When the user information and the service request information are confirmed, the user authority and service access authority are authenticated (330), and the service resource for the service requested by the user is allocated (340). Then, the service profile information is updated 350 and a service response message is transmitted to the user 2.

On the other hand, if the received message is the service arbitration request 360, after authenticating the service agreement level (370), if the service resource can be provided, the service resource is allocated (340) to the media service providing apparatus' 1b requesting service arbitration. Send a service response message.

FIG. 4 illustrates a series of processing processes in the media service providing apparatus 1a when receiving a service request from a user or a service arbitration request from the media service providing apparatus' 1b according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flow chart.

1 and 4, the service portal unit 10a of the media service providing apparatus 1a receives a service request message from the user 2 (400). Then, the service portal unit 10a transmits the user information and the service configuration information to the service component unit 12a (410), and the service component unit 12a transmits user permission authentication and service access right to the service resource management unit 142a. Request an authentication (420). Then, the service resource management unit 142a performs user permission authorization and service access authorization authentication using the user profile and the service profile of the profile manager 140a.

When the user right authentication and service access authority authentication are completed, the service resource manager 142a checks whether the service requested by the user 2 exists in the service list (430), and if the requested service exists, for the corresponding service. Allocates a service resource (440). The service portal unit 10a notifies the service provider 450 of providing the service, and the service portal unit 10a provides the service to the user 2 (494).

In contrast, if the service requested by the user does not exist in the service list, the service resource manager 142a requests the service level agreement manager 144a to service arbitration (460). Then, the service level agreement management unit 144a requests the media service providing device (1b) for service arbitration, and when the media service providing device (1b) allocates a corresponding service resource, the media service providing device (1b) A service arbitration response is received from the server 490, the service portal unit 10a is notified of service provision 450, and the service portal unit 10a provides the corresponding service to the user 2 (494).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a series of processing processes in the media service providing apparatus 1b when receiving a service arbitration request from the media service providing apparatus 1a according to one embodiment of the present invention.

When the service level agreement management unit 144b of the media service providing apparatus '1b' receives the service mediation request message from the service level agreement management unit 144a of the media service providing apparatus 1a (500), it authenticates the service level agreement ( 510). When the authentication is completed, the service level agreement management unit 144b requests the service resource allocation unit 520 from the service resource management unit 142b so that the service resource management unit 142b allocates the service resources 530 to the profile management unit. 140b updates the profile information (540). Subsequently, the service resource management unit 142b transmits a service resource allocation response message to the service level agreement management unit 144b (550), and the service level agreement management unit 144b transmits the service mediation response message to the media service providing apparatus (144b). It transmits to the service level agreement management unit 144a of 1a (560).

6 is a reference diagram illustrating a converged service providing environment interworking between different service areas according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the media service providing apparatus 1 according to the present invention interworks between different users 2a and 2b and different service areas 5a, 5b and 5c. At this time, access to service resources in a plurality of independent service areas 5a, 5b, 5c is possible.

So far, the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be implemented in a modified form without departing from the essential features of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope of equivalents thereof should be construed as being included in the present invention.

1a: Media service providing apparatus 10a: Service portal unit
12a: service composition unit 14a: service management unit
140a: profile manager 142a: service resource manager
144a: service level agreement management unit 1440: service level agreement management unit
1442: service level agreement certification processing unit

Claims (13)

A service portal unit for searching for a service according to a user request for accessing a service network;
A service configuration unit constituting a converged service including at least one service to be provided to a user according to the service search result; And
A service manager for allocating a service resource necessary for configuring the converged service, and allocating an optimal service resource based on a service level agreement through communication with another media service providing apparatus when necessary;
Media service providing apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the service management unit,
A service resource manager for managing service resources and allocating service resources for services provided from a service provider according to a service request of a user;
A profile manager for managing a user profile for authenticating user usage rights and a service profile for authenticating service access rights for service resource allocation of the service resource manager; And
A service level agreement management unit for authenticating a service level agreement and arbitrating a service to provide a service resource to the other media service providing device or to request the other media service providing device to receive a service resource;
Media service providing apparatus comprising a. The method of claim 2, wherein the service level agreement management unit,
And requesting service arbitration from the other media service providing apparatus when the service requested by the user is not included in the service list, thereby providing service resource provision from the other media service providing apparatus. The method of claim 2, wherein the service level agreement management unit,
And a mediation of service resources to the other media service providing apparatus after authenticating the service agreement level when the service mediation request is received from the other media service providing apparatus. The method of claim 2, wherein the service level agreement management unit,
The media service providing apparatus according to the service agreement level, a service resource that can guarantee the service quality for the service requested by the user is provided from the other media service providing apparatus or from the other media service providing apparatus. The method of claim 2, wherein the service level agreement management unit,
And a service resource for forcing a user to guarantee a quality of service for a service requested by the user. The method of claim 2, wherein the service level agreement management unit,
Media service providing apparatus characterized in that it receives the service resources connected to different service networks in accordance with the service level agreement and analyzes them to provide the optimal service resources required by the user. The method of claim 2, wherein the service level agreement management unit,
And collecting and analyzing a service resource for the changed service according to a request for providing a service changed by the user, thereby providing an optimal service resource for the user. The method of claim 1,
And a convergence service provided by the media service providing device is a smart TV service. The method of claim 1,
And a convergence service provided by the media service providing apparatus is an IPTV service. In the media service providing method of the media service providing apparatus,
Receiving a message;
If the received message is a service request from a user accessing a service network, allocating a service resource for a service requested by the user; And
If the received message is a service arbitration request, providing a service resource to another media service providing apparatus after authenticating a service agreement level;
Media service providing method comprising a. The method of claim 11, wherein the allocating a service resource for the service requested by the user comprises:
Confirming user information and service request information before allocating service resources; And
Authenticating a user use right and a service access right when the user information and the service request information are confirmed;
Media service providing method comprising a. The method of claim 11, wherein the allocating a service resource for the service requested by the user comprises:
Checking whether the service requested by the user exists; And
Allocating a service resource of a corresponding service when the service requested by the user exists and receiving a service resource by requesting another media service providing apparatus when the service requested by the user does not exist;
Media service providing method comprising a.

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