KR20140073543A - Content management systems, methods, apparatus and user interfaces - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a content management system, method, apparatus, and user interface that enables transfer, display, and manipulation of content from a plurality of sources. In one embodiment, a system for managing content fed from a plurality of sources for each signal comprises a server for transmitting a multicast stream comprising a stream representing the signal from the plurality of sources, and a server for communicating with the server And one or more devices subscribing to the multicast stream. Each device includes a plurality of player objects each paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream. The apparatus also includes at least one viewing object that, in combination with one of the player objects, displays content from a stream paired with each player object.

Description

SYSTEM, METHOD, APPARATUS AND USER INTERFACES MANAGING CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, METHODS, APPARATUS AND USER INTERFACES

The present invention relates to a system, method, apparatus and user interface for managing content. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system, method, apparatus, and user interface for managing content that enables transfer, display, and manipulation of content from a plurality of sources.

Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) does not deliver over conventional channels, e.g., free to air, satellite and cable television, and does not end up using TCP / IP, typically via a packet- It is a system that delivers audio and visual content to users. One example of such use is in the service sector, such as in a hotel or bar. For example, in a hotel room, a user may have real-time access to a pre-air television, which may include a program, television show relay, video on demand (VOD), satellite and / or cable channels, Interaction, and content that includes information about, for example, a hotel or a city where the hotel is located.

In an IPTV system, the signals from a plurality of sources, as described above, are received by a modulator in the venue, where the plurality of signals are coupled to the modulated signal. A modulated RF signal comprising a plurality of signals is transmitted to an IPTV server and multicasts the plurality of signals to a plurality of receivers in the field, typically via one or more routers. The signal displayed by the receiver, such as an LDC screen, depends on the selected channel. The system uses transcoding as needed to convert the signal format for display purposes and reduce bandwidth requirements.

One problem with the above system is that it typically experiences a time delay of several seconds or more when switching between channels. This is caused by the "handshaking" required to synchronize the receiver with the IPTV server. Especially in a bar environment, this delay in switching between channels affects the user experience. In addition to the user lost portion of the content during the transition, the cumulative lost time is the time that can be used, e.g., for advertising, and thus the cumulative lost time potentially represents lost revenue.

Another problem with the above-mentioned systems is that they are particularly evident in the bar environment, lacking interactions within these systems. For example, there are multiple screens on the scene that display different channels and content, but the user simply sees and hears the content. Also, all users tend to face in the same direction as viewing the screen, thereby reducing the interaction between users making this system somewhat antisocial. Also, if a user wants to view another channel but wants to stay in the same area of the site, the user must ask the staff to return the channel. It can also cause conflicts with some users who often want to keep watching the same channel in the same area of the scene. In addition, the field always seeks to attract more customers and increase sales and profits.

It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide a system and / or method and / or apparatus and / or a user interface for resolving or at least improving one or more of the problems of the prior art.

In general, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a system, method, apparatus, and user interface for enabling transmission, display, and manipulation of content from a plurality of sources, which enables viewing of a plurality of channels from different sources simultaneously Thereby making it possible to delay the switching between the channels less than in the prior art.

According to one aspect, although not necessarily the broadest view, the present invention provides a method of managing content supplied from a plurality of sources with respective signals,

Dividing a multicast stream including a plurality of streams representing the signal into a constituent stream;

Pairing the player object with respective configuration streams; And

Displaying content from a stream paired with each player object by combining a viewing object with one of the player objects

.

Preferably, the method further comprises switching the stream displayed by the viewing object by combining the viewing object with a different player object.

Suitably, the method comprises transcoding one or more of the signals and / or scaling the content prior to combining the signals into the multicast stream.

According to one aspect, although not necessarily the broadest view, the present invention provides an apparatus for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources in a multicast stream,

A plurality of player objects each paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream; And

At least one viewing object, coupled to one of the player objects, for displaying content from a stream paired with each player object,

.

Suitably, the apparatus includes a plurality of viewing objects capable of simultaneously displaying content from a stream paired with each of the player objects associated with the viewing object.

Suitably, the device is in the form of a tabletop display, a bar top display, a desktop display, or a display tablet.

Suitably, the apparatus comprises one or more input devices, such as a touch screen, a keyboard, a controller, a card reader, a bank note acceptor, a coin acceptor, a barcode scanner, a ticket scanner.

Suitably, the apparatus comprises one or more output devices, such as a printer.

According to one aspect, although not necessarily the broadest view, the present invention provides a system for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources with respective signals,

A server for transmitting a multicast stream including a stream representing the signal from the plurality of sources;

One or more devices coupled to communicate with the server and subscribing to the multicast stream

/ RTI >

Each of the devices comprises:

A plurality of player objects each paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream; And

At least one viewing object, coupled to one of the player objects, for displaying content from a stream paired with each player object,

.

Suitably, the server is an IPTV server.

Suitably, the system further comprises a master control server coupled to communicate with the server via a communications network.

Suitably, the system further comprises a content management module coupled to communicate with the server, preferably via the master control server, to provide additional content to the device.

According to one aspect, although not necessarily the broadest view, the present invention provides a graphical user interface for displaying content supplied from multiple sources in a multicast stream,

At least one viewing object coupled with one of a plurality of player objects paired with one of the streams in the multicast stream to display content from the player object; And

At least one user input field for receiving input from a user and combining the at least one viewing object with a different player object to cause the viewing object to display content from a stream paired with the different player object

.

Preferably, the interface includes a plurality of viewing objects.

Advantageously, the interface is configured such that the information about the content being displayed by the at least one viewing object includes performance statistics and / or betting odds for a sporting event displayed by the at least one viewing object ).

Further aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention and for the purpose of illustrating its practical advantages, embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like elements. The drawings are provided by way of example only.
1 is a schematic block diagram of a system for managing content provided from a plurality of sources according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of the system, method, and apparatus of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram illustrating a graphical user interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating a graphical user interface according to another embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a general flow diagram illustrating a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the elements in the figures are not drawn to scale or scale for simplicity and clarity. For example, the relative dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be shown in great detail to better understand the embodiments of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to a system, method, apparatus and user interface that enable transfer, display and manipulation of content from a plurality of sources, which allows for simultaneous viewing of multiple channels from different sources The switching between the channels can be less delayed than in the prior art, which is not negligible compared with the prior art.

In the present specification, reference will be made to communication between various components via one or more communication networks. In some embodiments, the communication network is the Internet. However, the present invention is not limited to communication over the Internet, and other communication networks may be expected to be used. For example, a public communication network, a private communication network, a local area network (LAN) A network (MAN), an intranet, an extranet, or any combination thereof, which may be realized through wired and / or wireless communication means well known and known to those skilled in the art.

In this specification, reference to contents may include any form of content, such as audio, video, still picture, text, graphics, or any combination thereof. Consequently, displaying content here involves reproducing audio.

Referring to FIG. 1, in accordance with an aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a system 10 for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources 12, wherein the plurality of sources include, for example, , A video on demand (VOD), a satellite television, a cable television, an indoor television, a wireless channel, a specific web site, and static content, for example, web browser content from a particular file. Dedicated receivers 14A, 14B and 14C, for example, a "set-top box" are required to receive the respective signals from the plurality of sources 12. [

As in conventional systems, the signals from the receivers 14A, 14B and 14C are received by a modulator 16 in the field, which combines the modulated signal 18 with a plurality of signals. The modulated RF signal 18 containing a plurality of signals is transmitted to the server 20, such as an IPTV server. If necessary, the server 20 transcodes one or more of the signals, for example, from the MPEG2 format to the MPEG4 format, as is known in the art. The server 20 may also adjust the size of the content to match the final output. Transcoding and scaling reduce the amount of data and hence the required bandwidth. The server 20 combines the signal with the multicast stream 21 and transmits the multicast stream including the stream representing the signals from the plurality of sources via the one or more routers 22.

The system 10 includes one or more devices 24 that are coupled to communicate with the server 20. Each device subscribes to and receives a multicast stream 21 transmitted by the server 20. As will be described in detail below, each device 24 includes a plurality of player objects and at least one viewing object. Each player object is paired with the configuration stream of the multicast stream 21. At least one viewing object is paired with a player object to display content from a stream paired with each player object.

The device 24 may be in the form of a table tab display 24A, a bar or desktop display 24B, a display tablet 24C or a conventional IPTV receiver 24D, as described in detail below.

Modulator 16 and server 20 are shown as separate components in Figure 1 but modulator 16 and server 20 may be integrated into device 24, according to the number of embodiments.

According to some embodiments, the system 10 includes, but is not limited to, a master control server 26 that is coupled to communicate with the server 20 via a communications network 28. [

According to some embodiments, the system 10 includes a content management module 30, preferably coupled to communicate with the server 20 via a master control server 26, Content. In some embodiments, the additional content may be on-site where the embodiment of the invention is practiced, such as information about the goods and / or services provided on site.

Referring to FIG. 2 and in accordance with another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus 24 for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources 12 to a multicast stream 21. The device 24 includes a plurality of player objects 32 implemented in software. Each player object 32 is paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream 21. 2, device 24 includes a player object 32 in the form of player objects P1, P2, P3, P4, each player object being associated with a respective stream of multicast streams 21 S1, S2, S3, and S4.

The device 24 includes at least one viewing object 34 running in software coupled to one of the player objects 32 to display content from a stream that is paired with each player object. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the device 24 includes four viewing objects 34 in the form of viewing objects V1, V2, V3, V4. The viewing object V1 is combined with the player object V1 and displays the contents from the stream S1 paired with the player object V1.

In order to switch the stream displayed by the player object V1, the player object V1 is combined with different player objects such as P2, P3 and P4 to display the respective streams S2, S3 and S4 paired with the respective player objects . By doing so, the player object V1 is separated from displaying the object P1.

The player object 32 serves as a pseudo channel or proxy between the server 20 and the viewing object 34 coupled with the player object. The player object 32 manages the view of the stream content and is independent of the viewing area in use by the device 24. [ The viewing object 34 manages parameters relating to the display of the content and the switching between the streams S1, S2, ... of the multicast stream 21. Since the switching between the streams includes switching between the player objects 32 and each player object 32 is always paired with a particular stream of the multicast 21, Thereby minimizing the delay associated with the switch channel as shown in FIG.

According to some embodiments, the apparatus 24 includes a plurality of viewing objects 34, such as the four viewing objects V1-V4 shown in Fig. The plurality of viewing objects 34 can simultaneously display the contents from each player object 32 to which the viewing object 34 is combined. The content displayed by the viewing object 34 differs depending on the stream paired with each of the viewing objects 34. [ For the sake of clarity, in FIG. 2, only the viewing object V1 coupled to the player object P1 is indicated by a solid line arrow, and the option for switching to the player object P2-P4 is indicated by a dotted arrow.

According to some embodiments, the device 24 includes one or more input devices that allow a user to interact with the device 24. The input device may be in the form of a touch screen 36 that can also display content. Alternatively, another touch screen may be provided for user interaction. The input device may be in the form of a keyboard 38, a controller 40, a card reader 42, a bank node acceptor BNA and / or a coin acceptor 44, a barcode or a ticket scanner 46 , A virtual or physical input device. The device 24 may include one or more output devices 48, for example, a printer that prints receipts, etc., and one or more loudspeakers. A loudspeaker may be a unidirectional loudspeaker that directs audio for a particular channel to a particular area. The input and output devices may be integrated into the device 24 and coupled.

Fig. 3 shows an example of another aspect of the present invention, in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) 50 for displaying content supplied from multiple sources in a multicast signal. The GUI 50 includes at least one viewing object 34 coupled to one of the plurality of player objects 32 as described above. Each of the viewing objects 34 displays the contents from the player object 32 coupled with the viewing object 34 in accordance with the stream in the multicast stream 21 paired with the player object. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the GUI includes four viewing objects, so that, for example, four people can view different contents in their respective viewing areas.

Although FIG. 3 shows a viewing object 34 such as a generally rectangular area, it is conceivable that the viewing object can be in any form. In some embodiments, the viewing object 34 is not apart as shown in FIG. 3, and the viewing object 34 may be contiguous so as to be mosaic on the touch screen 36, have. The viewing object 34 may be oriented in any desired direction as desired. For example, if the device is mounted on a wall, the viewing object 34 may be in the same direction. If the device is in the form of a tabletop display 24A, the viewing object 34 may be positioned on the top of the table top display 24A, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 3A, Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > direction. ≪ / RTI >

The GUI 50 includes at least one user input field 52 for receiving input from a user.

Through the input field 52, the user can change the content of the content being displayed in the respective viewing area by each viewing object, that is, effectively switch the channel. As described above, when the viewing object is coupled to a different player object, the channel can be switched, so that the viewing object can display the content from the stream paired with the different player object. In the example shown in Fig. 3, the GUI includes four input fields 52, one input field being associated with each of the viewing objects 34. Fig. In this embodiment, the input field 52 is shown separate from the associated viewing area. However, in an alternative embodiment, the input field may be displayed with the viewing area. In some embodiments, the input field 52 displays a hypothetical number pad that allows the user to press a key in the channel number and / or a virtual arrow that can change the channel up and down the channel.

According to some embodiments, the GUI 50 includes at least one field 54 for displaying information about the content to be displayed by at least one of the at least one viewing object 34. In some embodiments, For example, performance statistics and / or betting odds for a sporting event being displayed by at least one of the viewing objects 34 may be displayed in the field 54. For example, 3 illustrates one field 54 centered in the GUI 50, the GUI may include a plurality of fields 54, for example, one field 54 may include a plurality of fields 54, And is associated with the viewing object 54.

Alternatively, one or more of the fields 54 may appear within the viewing object 34. In another embodiment, the related information may be displayed in a higher overlay than the content being associated so that the information can be viewed without disturbing the content below.

According to some embodiments, the field 54 allows the user to select the content, for example a bet. For example, the user may view the gamble odds in the field 54 associated with the race being displayed in each viewing area. Through the input field 54, the user selects one of the contenders, for example, a horse, enters a bet money, enters, for example, $ 10 and then selects a betting mode, ), Place (3 place), and trifecta (3 place). The user can pay the bet money and receive payment authentication through the card reader 42, the bank node acceptor (BNA) 44 and the communication network 28 to access the relevant financial institution. The bet money recipient can be printed by the printer 48. [

On the other hand, other users can view other content in another viewing area. For example, other users can view the Grand Prix, etc., and select the desired viewing angle, for example, in a car driven by the user's favorite driver.

In some embodiments, food and beverage for the scene on which the invention is located can be viewed and displayed on the viewing object 34, field 54, card reader 42 or bank note acceptor (BNA) 44, May use the communication network 28 and the printer 48 to order and pay for their selections via the GUI 50. [ This additional content may be provided to the content management module 30 that is coupled to communicate with the server 20 or may be provided by an in-house television source.

While the device 24 is in the form of a tabletop display 24A, the device 24A includes a touch screen 36, a large LCD screen, and a safety toughened glass layer. Tabletop display 24A may also include one or more overlays as needed. The table top display 24A can replace the existing table and allow each user to occupy one side of the table top display and view content for their selection on their viewing destination 34, It is appropriate for people.

For individuals or small groups, a bar or desktop display 24B with the same function but smaller size may be used. Alternatively, individuals may be provided with the same display tablet 24C as a replacement for the menu, where the user can move to their own table or the user can move around the site.

4, a further aspect of the present invention is a method 60 for managing content provided from a plurality of sources with respective signals, wherein such content may include pre-air television, Video content (VOD), satellite television, web browser content such as content from a particular web site, static content, content management system 30, and the like. In some embodiments, the method 60 may include a server 20 that receives the modulated RF signal 18 from the modulator 16 at step 62.

The method 60 includes, at step 64, the server 20 transcodes one or more of the signals as needed and / or adjusts the size of the content in the signal.

At step 66, the method 60 comprises combining the transcoded and / or scaled signal with the multicast stream 61.

In step 68, the method 60 comprises splitting the multicast stream 21 comprising a plurality of streams representing a signal into constituent streams.

The method 60 includes, at step 70, pairing the player object 32 with each of the constituent streams.

The method 60 includes, in step 72, combining the viewing object 34 with one of the player objects 32 to display content from a stream paired with each player object.

The method further includes, in step 74, combining the viewing object with a different player object to switch the signal displayed by the viewing object 34. [

It is contemplated that the server 20, the master control server 26 and the device 24 may comprise a storage medium in the form of a memory including a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium includes computer readable program code components, some of which are selectively executed by respective processors to implement the embodiments of the invention described herein.

The use of the term "multicast " herein is intended to refer to any stream that contains signals from a plurality of sources.

The system, method, apparatus and user interface according to an embodiment of the present invention therefore allow the player object 32 to be paired with each stream of the multicast stream 21 and the viewing object 34 in the device 24 to be a player object And at least alleviates the problems of the prior art described above by displaying the content from each stream in combination with one. Thus, in an embodiment of the present invention, the user can switch between streams without delaying the transition experienced in prior art systems, methods and apparatuses. A plurality of viewing objects 34 in a single device 24 allow the user to simultaneously view multiple streams.

Embodiments of the present invention therefore benefit the user and society in general by allowing them to effectively transmit, display and manipulate content from multiple sources, such as pre-air, cable and satellite television signals. Embodiments of the present invention provide an improved user experience and more social interaction as described herein, thereby allowing a user to visit a site where an embodiment of the present invention is installed and to stay longer at the site Thus enabling them to spend more in the field and thus contributing to the economic benefits of the respective field and the country in which the invention is implemented.

In this specification, the terms "comprises," " comprising, "or like terms are taken to imply a non-exclusive inclusion and an apparatus comprising a list of components does not include these components alone, But can satisfactorily include other components that do not.

In the present specification, references to the prior art are intended to represent or suggest such prior art forms to form part of the common general knowledge.

The purpose of the specification is to illustrate the present invention without limiting it to any one embodiment or a set of specific features. Those skilled in the art will nevertheless be able to carry out modifications from the specific embodiments which will be within the invention.

Claims (19)

A method for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources with respective signals,
Dividing a multicast stream including a plurality of streams representing the signal into a constituent stream;
Pairing the player object with respective configuration streams; And
Displaying content from a stream paired with each player object by combining a viewing object with one of the player objects
The content management method comprising the steps of: The method according to claim 1,
Converting the stream displayed by the viewing object by combining the viewing object with a player object different from the viewing object
The method comprising the steps of: 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Transcoding one or more of the signals and / or scaling the content prior to combining the signals into the multicast stream
The content management method comprising the steps of: An apparatus for managing contents supplied from a plurality of sources in a multicast stream,
A plurality of player objects each paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream; And
At least one viewing object, coupled to one of the player objects, for displaying content from a stream paired with each player object,
For managing content. 5. The method of claim 4,
And a plurality of viewing objects capable of simultaneously displaying contents from a stream paired with each of the player objects combined with the viewing object. The method according to claim 4 or 5,
Wherein the device is in the form of a tabletop display, a bar top display, a desktop display, or a display tablet. 7. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 6,
A device for managing content comprising a single physical or virtual input device. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the input device is at least one of a touch screen, a keyboard, a controller, a card reader, a bank note acceptor, a coin acceptor, a bar code scanner, and a ticket scanner. 9. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 8,
The following output devices: Devices that manage content, including one or more of printers, loudspeakers, and unidirectional loudspeakers. 10. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 9,
Wherein the plurality of viewing objects are mosaic on a touch screen. 11. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 10,
Wherein the plurality of viewing objects are directed to a user on each side of the touch screen. A system for managing content supplied from a plurality of sources with respective signals,
A server for transmitting a multicast stream including a stream representing the signal from the plurality of sources;
One or more devices coupled to communicate with the server and subscribing to the multicast stream
/ RTI >
Each of the devices comprises:
A plurality of player objects each paired with a constituent stream of the multicast stream; And
At least one viewing object, coupled to one of the player objects, for displaying content from a stream paired with each player object,
And the content management system. 13. The method of claim 12,
Further comprising a master control server coupled to communicate with the server via a communications network. The method according to claim 12 or 13,
Further comprising a content management module coupled to communicate with the server via the master control server to provide additional content to the device. 15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14,
Wherein the server is an IPTV server. A graphical user interface for displaying content supplied from a plurality of sources in a multicast stream,
At least one viewing object coupled with one of a plurality of player objects paired with one of the streams in the multicast stream to display content from the player object; And
At least one user input field for receiving input from a user and combining the at least one viewing object with a different player object to cause the viewing object to display content from a stream paired with the different player object
/ RTI > 17. The method of claim 16,
At least one field for displaying information about the content to be displayed by the at least one viewing object
The graphical user interface further comprising: 18. The method of claim 17,
Wherein the information about the content to be displayed by the at least one viewing object includes at least one of a graphical representation of performance statistics and / or betting odds on a sporting event displayed by the at least one viewing object, User interface. 17. The method of claim 16,
A graphical user interface comprising a plurality of viewing objects.

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