WO2001059592A1

WO2001059592A1 - A system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network

Info

Publication number: WO2001059592A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/000105
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mankyung Ji
Original assignee: Mankyung Ji
Priority date: 2000-02-12
Filing date: 2000-02-12
Publication date: 2001-08-16

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network. The system comprises a server for storing contents; a connection line for rendering data communication with the server; and a data storing unit connected to the server through the connection line for downloading data from the server, the data storing unit enabling the data downloaded from the server or data stored in itself to be recorded on the recording medium. The system can further comprise a hub connected to the data storing unit; and a plurality of terminals connected to the hub.

Description

A SYSTEM FOR RECORDING DIGITAL CONTENTS ON A COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM USING NETWORK

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, which records contents such as audio and video files stored in a database section of a storage unit or downloaded from a server unit through network into the database section, on a recording medium.

Background Art

In recent years, the development of the information and data network known as the Internet together with advances in computer hardware and software has led to a remarkable increase in a desire for recording diverse information on various kinds of recording mediums . In this sense, a variety of vending methods capable of allowing a customer to easily purchase desired data files at any place and time have been proposed in the art. In this connection, discs are used for recording thereon various types of contents such as music, music videos or the like. Among discs, a compact disc (CD) is most widely used throughout the world from the standpoint that it is convenient to carry and keep in a place and its lifetime is semi-permanent. n the case of the CD, once contents are included on it, a customer cannot but unavoidably accept the entire contents which are recorded on the CD even if the CD contains some contents which are not required by the customer. In other words, an option of the customer for accepting available information is narrow. Moreover, while a CD recorder capable of enabling a user to record his or her favorite data thereon is commercially available, it is not put into wide use because of insufficiency in performance thereof when compared to the cost. Therefore, a problem is induced in that a user must buy the costly CD recorder in order to store a relatively small amount of information or data. To cope with this problem, a method for recording contents desired by a user on a CD through an automatic vending machine which serves as a storage unit, is disclosed in the art.

FIG. 1 is shown a block diagram illustrating a conventional system for recording contents selected by a user on a CD.

Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional system includes a key input section 5, a database section 10, a display section 20, a CD-recorder 15, and a control section 25. The key input section 5 allows contents which are desired by a user to be selected among the variety of contents which are displayed and various functions of a storage unit to be implemented. The database section 10 stores a variety of contents which are to be supplied to the user. The display section 20 displays the variety of contents which are stored in the database section 10, in diverse list patterns, thereby to allow the user to select his or her favorite contents. The CD-recorder 15 records on a CD the favorite contents which are selected by the user among the variety of contents displayed on the display section 20 through the key input section 5. The control section 25 controls all of the above-described components. A touch screen can be used in place of the key input section 5. The touch screen enables a contents-selecting operation to be effected by the fact that the user directly touches the display section 20 with his or her finger.

When describing operations of the conventional system constructed as mentioned above, the display section 20 of the storage unit displays lists of contents to allow the user to select his or her favorite contents. If the user selects his or her favorite contents through the key input section 5 among the variety of contents which are displayed on the display section 20, the control section 25 controls to transmit the selected contents which are stored in the database section 10, to the CD-recorder 15 in the form of files. After receiving the files transmitted from the database section 10, the CD-recorder 15 records the transmitted files on the CD which is inserted therein. By this, the user can be provided with the CD on which his or her favorite contents are recorded.

However, the conventional system constructed as mentioned above suffers from defects in that, because only the contents which are stored in the database section 10 can be provided to the user, the system cannot effectively provide new contents which are not present in the database section 10.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in an effort to solve the problems occurring in the related art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, in which contents not present in an earlier established database are downloaded, t the request of a user, from a main server through network into the database, thereby allowing the database to be updated at any time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, in which a plurality of terminals are connected to a storage unit through a hub, whereby a number of users are allowed to select their favorite contents through the plurality of terminals, respectively, and, in the case that specific contents are not present in an earlier established database, the specific contents are downloaded from a main server into the database to be stored therein and then are recorded on a recording medium through a recorder after being outputted from the database.

In order to achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, the system comprising: a server for storing contents; a connection line for rendering data communication with the server; and a data storing unit connected to the server through the connection line for downloading data from the server, the data storing unit enabling the data downloaded from the server or data stored in itself to be recorded on the recording medium. The system can further comprise a hub connected to the data storing unit; and a plurality of terminals connected to the hub.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above objects, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent after a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional system for recording contents selected by a user on a CD;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed construction of a storage unit used in the system of FIG. 3.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

First and second preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter in regular sequence on the assumption that contents are composed of music files . The first embodiment includes a server unit and a storage unit, and the second embodiment includes a server unit, a storage unit and a plurality of terminals which are connected to the storage unit by a hub.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a block diagram illustrating a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

Stating the first embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 2, the system largely includes a server unit 100 and a storage unit 200A, as described above .

The server unit 100 comprises a main server 100a and two support servers 100b and 100c. The main server 100a stores entire contents including newly created contents, transmits contents in the form of compressed MP3 files, which are requested by the storage unit 200A, through a leased line 250, and manages statistical data regarding contents which are supplied to a user from the storage unit 200A. The support servers 100b and 100c supply contents, by fields, to the main server 100a and manage statistical data regarding contents which are supplied therefrom to the main server 100a. The support servers 100b and 100c can constitute servers, for example, of a copyright association, a recording company, a planning agent, etc. The storage unit 200A comprises an I/O module 30, an MP3 decoder 35, a database section 10, a display section 20, a key input section 5, a touch screen section 45, a microphone 50, a voice memory section 40, a CD-recorder 15, and a control section 25. The I/O module 30 serves as a transmitting and receiving module. The I/O module 30 downloads, through the leased line 250 and using a winsock interface or a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) library, the contents in the form of compressed MP3 files, which are transmitted from the main server 100a and requests to the main server 100a a specific music which is selected by the user. The MP3 decoder 35 serves as a software. The MP3 decoder 35 decompresses the compressed MP3 files which are received by the I/O module 30, into wave files. The database section 10 stores, via an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) interface, a variety of contents which are to be supplied to the user. The database section 10 is updated by storing the contents which are decompressed by the MP3 decoder 35. The database section 10 further keeps statistical data regarding contents which are supplied to the user. The display section 20 displays the variety of contents which are stored in the database section 10, in diverse list patterns. The key input section 5 allows favorite contents to be selected among the variety of contents which are displayed on the display section 20, by pushing a button key. The key input section 5 further allows various functions of the storage unit 200A to be implemented. The touch screen section 45 enables a contents-selecting operation to be effected by the fact that the user directly touches the display section 20 with his or her finger. The microphone 50 receives a voice of the user thereby to enable the user to record voice on a CD. The voice memory section 40 converts the voice of the user, which is received through the microphone 50, from analog voice signals into digital wave files, and stores therein the converted digital wave files . The CD-recorder 15 records on the CD the favorite contents which are selected among the variety of contents displayed on the display section 20 through the key input section 5 and the touch screen section 45 and the voice of the user. The control section 25 controls all of the above-described components. The control section 25 enables a request to the main server 100a for specific contents which are not present in the database section 10 to be implemented through the I/O module 30. The control section 25 controls to transmit the voice of the user, which is stored into the voice memory section 40, to the database section 10 when the user wants to record voice on the CD and enables the voice of the user to be recorded on a first track of the CD when the favorite contents are recorded on the CD.

Hereinafter, operations of the system according to the first embodiment of the present invention, constructed as mentioned above, will be described in detail. First, the user selects his or her favorite music using the key input section 5 or the touch screen section 45 among a multitude of music which is provided in a particular list and displayed on the display section 20 of the storage unit 200A, in order that he can record the favorite music on the CD. The diverse list patterns are programmed in a manner such that the user can easily search and select his or her favorite music. Therefore, the user can search and select his or her favorite music through the key input section 5 or the touch screen section 45 in obedience to the use directions which are given on the display section 20. If the user's favorite music contents are selected, the control section 25 drives the database section 10 to transmit the selected music contents as files to the CD-recorder 15. Also, in the case that specific music contents which are selected by the user, are not stored in the database section 10, the control section 25 requests information regarding the specific music which is inputted by the user, to the main server 100a through the I/O module 30. After receiving through the I/O module 30 the request for the information regarding the specific' music, the main server 100a transmits the music contents corresponding to the requested information through the leased line 250 to the I/O module 30 in the form of compressed MP3 files. At this time, the I/O module 30 downloads the music contents which are transmitted from the main server 100a, using the winsock interface or the FTP library.

The compressed MP3 files which are received by the I/O module 30, are decompressed into wave files by the MP3 decoder 35 which serves as the decompressing software, and then, the decompressed wave files are stored in the database section 10 through the ODBC interface. The specific music contents which are transmitted from the main server 100a and stored in the database section 10, are outputted from the database section 10 to the CD- recorder 15 under the control of the control section 25, thereby to be recorded on the CD which is inserted into the CD-recorder 15.

Moreover, if the user requires to record a voice on a first track of the CD, the user can input an instruction corresponding to that option, using the key input section 5 or the touch screen section 45. If the user voice recording option is chosen through the key input section 5 or the touch screen section 45, the control section 25 turns on the microphone 50, and in this state, the user can input his or her voice which is desired to be recorded on the CD. The user's voice which is inputted through the microphone 50, is converted from analog signals to digital wave files, and the converted wave files are stored in the voice memory section 40. The control section 25 controls to transmit the user's voice which is stored in the voice memory section 40, to the database section 10. The database section 10 which stores the user's voice transmitted from the voice memory section 40, outputs the stored user's voice to the CD-recorder 15 under the control of the control section 25, and the CD-recorder 15 records the user's voice on the first track of the CD. After all of the above-stated procedures are completed, the user is given the CD on which not only his or her favorite music contents but also his or her voice are recorded.

Hereinbelow, the second embodiment of the present invention, which includes a server unit, a storage unit and a plurality of terminals which are connected to the storage unit by a hub, will be described with reference to the attached drawings .

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed construction of a storage unit used in the system of FIG. 3.

Stating the second embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIG. 3, the system comprises a server unit 100 which supplies music contents selected by a user and manages statistical data regarding contents supplied to the user, a storage unit 200B which records the music contents selected and desired to be recorded on a recording medium by the user, a hub 350 which is connected to the storage unit 200B, and a plurality of terminals 300 which are connected to the hub 350 for commonly using the storage unit 200B.

Describing the server unit 100 in detail, as in the first embodiment of the present invention, the server unit 100 of the present second embodiment of the present invention comprises a main server 100a and two support servers 100b and 100c. The main server 100a stores entire contents including newly created contents, transmits contents in the form of compressed MP3 files, which are requested by the storage unit 200B, through a leased line, and manages statistical data regarding contents which are supplied to the user from the storage unit 200B. The support servers 100b and 100c supply contents, by fields, to the main server 100a and manage statistical data regarding contents which are supplied therefrom to the main server 100a. The support servers 100b and 100c can constitute servers, for example, of a copyright association, a recording company, a planning agent, etc.

Describing in detail the storage unit 200B with reference to FIG. 4, the storage unit 200B comprises an

I/O module 30, a database section 10, an MP3 decoder 35, a CD-recorder 15, and a control section 25. The I/O module 30 serves as a transmitting and receiving module.

The I/O module 30 downloads, through the leased line 250 and using a winsock interface or a File Transfer Protocol

(FTP) library, the contents in the form of compressed MP3 files, which are transmitted from the main server 100a and requests to the main server 100a a specific music which is selected by the user. The database section 10 stores, via an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) interface, a variety of contents which are to be supplied to the user, in a compressed state. The database section 10 is updated by storing the contents which are received by the I/O module 30. The database section 10 further keeps statistical data regarding contents which are supplied to the user. The MP3 decoder 35 serves as a software. The MP3 decoder 35 decompresses the compressed MP3 files which are outputted from the database section 10, into wave files. The CD-recorder 15 is integrated with the MP3 decoder 35, thereby to record on a CD favorite contents which are selected by the user through key input means among a variety of contents displayed on a monitor of each terminal 300. At this time, the favorite contents are transmitted from the MP3 decoder 35 to the CD-recorder 15. The control section 25 controls all of the above-described components. The control section 25 enables a request to the main server 100a for specific contents which are not present in the database section 10 to be implemented through the I/O module 30.

Describing in detail the terminals 300, at least two terminals 300 are connected to the storage unit 200B through the hub 350. The variety of contents which are stored in the database section 10 of the storage unit 200B, are displayed on monitors of the plurality of terminals 300, in diverse list patterns to enable the user to easily and simply select his or her favorite contents . Therefore, the plurality of monitors 300 of this embodiment also perform a function of the display section 20 of the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, operations of the system according to the second embodiment of the present invention, constructed as mentioned above, will be described in detail . First, in order that the user can record his or her favorite music on the CD, after selecting one of the plurality of terminals 300, the user chooses a CD recording option in which music contents can be recorded on the CD. Thereupon, the user selects again the favorite music, using the key input means, among a multitude of music which is provided in a particular list and displayed on the monitor of the selected terminal 300. The lists of the multitude of music are transmitted from the database section 10 of the storage unit 200B through the hub 350 to the corresponding terminal 300, and the diverse list patterns are programmed in a manner such that the user can easily search and select his or her favorite music. If the user's favorite music contents are selected, the control section 25 drives the database section 10 to transmit the selected music contents in the form of compressed MP3 files to the MP3 decoder 35 which is integrated with the CD-recorder 15. The compressed MP3 files which are transmitted to the MP3 decoder 35, are decompressed into wave files, and the decompressed wave files are transmitted to the CD-recorder 15. After receiving the wave files from the MP3 decoder 35, the CD- recorder 15 records the wave files on the CD, and by this, the user is given the CD on which the favorite music contents are recorded.

Also, in the case that specific music contents which are selected by the user, are not stored in the database section 10, a title of the specific music is inputted through the terminal 300. Then, the control section 25 requests information regarding the specific music which is inputted through the terminal 300 by the user, to the main server 100a through the I/O module 30. After receiving through the I/O ^'module 30 the request for the information regarding the specific music, the main server 100a transmits the music contents corresponding to the requested information through the leased line 250 to the I/O module 30 in the form of compressed MP3 files. At this time, the I/O module 30 downloads the music contents which are transmitted from the main server 100a, using the winsock interface or the FTP library. The compressed MP3 files which are received by the I/O module 30, are stored in the database section 10 through the ODBC interface. The specific music contents which are transmitted from the main server 100a and stored in the database section 10, are decompressed and converted into wave files by the MP3 decoder 35, and then outputted to the CD-recorder 15 under the control of the control section 25. After receiving the wave files from the MP3 decoder 35, the CD-recorder 15 records the wave files on the CD, whereby the user's favorite music contents can be recorded on the CD which is inserted into the CD-recorder 15. In these statements, the reason why the database section 10 of the storage unit 200B stores the music contents in the form of compressed MP3 files unlike the case of the first embodiment, is to enlarge disc capacity of the database section 10, in view of the fact that the plurality of terminals 300 share the single database section 10.

In addition, in the case that a number of users simultaneously use the plurality of terminals 300, respectively, to record their respective favorite music contents on CDs, the storage unit 200B performs a recording function in the order of instruction inputted by the number of users.

In general, this second embodiment of the present invention can be well suited to a PC establishment which is equipped with a plurality of terminals.

The two support servers 100b and 100c of the server unit 100 provide contents which are necessary for the main server 100a and information which is related with the contents, thereby enabling state-of-the-art contents to be always supplied to a user. Moreover, the main server 100a can collect data regarding particulars of supplied contents, including an amount thereof, by configuring a statistical database on the basis of the contents supplying operations.

While the above embodiments are described on the assumption that the contents are composed of MP3 music files, a person skilled in the art will recognize that the contents can be embodied into MPEG files which are used in a music video and as other contents which have various kinds of files. Also, connection means which connects the server unit 100 and the storage unit 200A or 200B with each other, may be selected from a group consisting of a telephone line and an RF signal, rather than the leased line .

Consequently, the system for recording, using network, contents on a recording medium capable of being read by a computer, which is realized by the present invention, broadly includes all of the above described procedures .

Industrial Applicability As can be readily seen from the above descriptions, the present invention provides advantages in that, since a server capable of supplying new contents is built and connected through network to a database of a storage unit for enabling contents to be recorded on a recording medium, the database can be updated as occasion demands . Also, where a plurality of terminals are provided, due to the fact that the plurality of terminals are connected to the storage unit and a number of users can simultaneously utilize the storage unit through the plurality of terminals, respectively, various kinds of contents which are selected by the users, can be recorded on the recording medium without limit. Furthermore, because the server can collect data regarding particulars of supplied contents, including an amount thereof, a service provider can rationally conduct business by analyzing the data. in the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims. For example, while it is explained in the above-described embodiments that the server unit uses two support servers, persons skilled in the art will readily recognize that one or more support servers can properly constitute the server unit.

Claims

1. A system for recording digital contents on a computer readable medium using network, the system comprising: a server for storing contents; connection means for rendering data communication with the server; and data storing means connected to the server through the connection means for downloading data from the server, the data storing means enabling the data downloaded from the server or data stored in itself to be recorded on the recording medium.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server comprises: a main server for storing entire contents including newly created contents, for transmitting contents in the form of compressed MP3 files, which are requested by a storage unit, through a leased line, and for managing statistical data regarding contents supplied to a user from the storage unit; and at least one support server for supplying contents, by fields, to the main server and for managing statistical data regarding contents which are supplied therefrom to the main server.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection means comprises one selected from a group consisting of a leased line, a telephone line and an RF signal.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the data storing means comprises: an I/O module serving as a transmitting and receiving module for downloading, through the leased line, the contents in the form of compressed MP3 files, which are transmitted from the main server and for requesting to the main server a specific music which is selected by the user; decoding means serving as a software for decompressing the compressed MP3 files received by the I/O module into wave files; a database section for storing a variety of contents which are to be supplied to the user, the database section being updated by storing the contents which are decompressed by the decoding means, the database section further keeping statistical data regarding contents supplied to the user; a display section for displaying the variety of contents which are stored in the database section, in diverse list patterns; inputting means for allowing the user to select favorite contents among the variety of contents which are displayed on the display section; a CD-recorder for recording on a CD the favorite contents which are selected through the inputting means and a voice of the user; and a control section for enabling a request to the main server for specific contents which are not present in the database section to be implemented through the I/O module.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the inputting means comprises at least one of: a key input section for allowing the favorite contents to be selected among the variety of contents by pushing a button key, and for allowing various functions of the data storing means to be implemented; and a touch screen section for enabling a contents- selecting operation to be effected by directly touching the display section.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the data storing means further comprises : a microphone for receiving the voice of the user thereby to enable the user to record voice on the CD; and a voice memory section for storing the voice of the user, which is received through the microphone; the control section storing the voice of the user, which is stored into the voice memory section, into the database section when the user wants to record his voice on the CD and enabling the voice of the user to be recorded on a first track of the CD when the favorite contents are recorded on the CD.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a hub connected to the data storing means; and a plurality of terminals connected to the hub.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the data storing means comprises : an I/O module for downloading, through the leased line, the contents in the form of compressed MP3 files, which are transmitted from the main server and for requesting to the main server a specific music which is selected by the user; a database section for storing a variety of contents in a compressed state, which are to be supplied to the user, the database section being updated by storing the contents which are received by the I/O module, the database section further keeping statistical data regarding contents supplied to the user; decoding means serving as a software for decompressing the compressed MP3 files which are outputted from the database section, into wave files; a CD-recorder integrated with the decoding means for recording on a CD favorite contents which are selected through key input means among a variety of contents displayed on a monitor of each terminal, the favorite contents being transmitted from the decoding means to the CD-recorder; and a control section for enabling a request to the main server for specific contents which are not present in the database section to be implemented through the I/O module.

9. The system as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the downloading task from the server is implemented using a winsock interface or a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) library.

10. The system as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the contents are made up of various kinds of files depending upon their characteristics.