WO2005101841A1

WO2005101841A1 - The method of performing the set-top founction on basis of software

Info

Publication number: WO2005101841A1
Application number: PCT/CN2005/000500
Authority: WO
Inventors: Honggang Zhao
Original assignee: Honggang Zhao
Priority date: 2004-04-14
Filing date: 2005-04-14
Publication date: 2005-10-27
Also published as: CN1315326C; CN1564598A

Abstract

A method of performing the set-top founction on basis of software is disclosed. This method comprises the steps as follows: client terminal computer (2) assessing the server (1) via Internet, and acquiring the program contents from the server (1) by the applications (12) installed in the client terminal computer (2) ; sending the key-press command to the controller (3) with the remote controller (4) of the computer (2) by client; performing the operations as follows responding to the keypress command by the applications (12) of client terminal computer (2) : acquiring the program contents from the server (1) via Internet; or calling the service function module in the client terminal computer and outputting the image interface on the TV set (5) through the audio and video cable (6) or the radio frequency; or outputting the video image on the TV set (5) through the video converter (8) .The present invention will easier the client and expand the function more convenient. The present invention performs the functions without the set-top box hardware, so the cost will be reduced greatly.

Description

Method for realizing set-top box function based on software TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to general image data processing, and in particular, to a technology for realizing the function of an Internet set-top box based on software. Background technique

According to different received signals, set-top boxes are mainly divided into two types. The first type is a set-top box that receives and processes television signals and is often used in the digital television field. The second type is a set-top box that receives and processes Internet data, referred to as the Internet set-top box for short. To watch movies and TV shows on the Internet, play games, browse information, etc. The present invention mainly relates to a second type of Internet set-top box. The traditional Internet set-top box is based on independent hardware and dedicated software. The price is usually over RMB 1,000. A set-top box with strong business functions costs close to RMB 2,000. When expanding new business functions on a traditional set-top box, such as supporting endless new video and audio encoding formats, supporting online games, or providing video phone functions through a set-top box, it is necessary to expand the set-top box hardware module and cooperate with the development of software functions. The cycle is long. Summary of the invention

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to avoid the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, and propose a software-based method for implementing the function of a traditional Internet set-top box, using a user's existing computer resources, to realize at a low cost 5: Functions, and can easily expand new business functions, users are very convenient to use.

The present invention can solve the technical problems by adopting the following technical solutions:

A method for implementing a set-top box function based on software is provided, which includes a server, a client computer, and a television. The method includes the following steps.

① The client computer accesses the server through the Internet, and obtains program content from the server through application software installed in the client computer;

② According to the interface menu on the TV, the user sends the key commands to the controller using the computer remote control;

③ The controller sends the received remote control key command to the client computer;

④ The application software of the client computer responds to the key commands of the remote control, and performs the following operations: obtaining service content from the server through the Internet; or calling a service content module in the client computer, on the client computer Support TV video signal output or TV support computer In the case of a video signal input, an image interface is output to the TV set that has a direct communication connection with the client computer, and is provided for the user to watch; the client computer does not support TV video signal output and the TV does not support a computer In the case of a video signal input, a video image is output on the television through a video converter and provided to a user for viewing.

The user identification code is stored in the controller, and authentication authority and charging are provided on the server.

The client computer uses a multi-task and multi-screen display software mechanism.

Compared with the prior art, the technical effects of the present invention are: using the existing computer's communication, storage, and processing power resources to implement set-top box functions based on computer software, which is easy for users to use; no need for a set-top box hardware platform, and the cost is greatly reduced; it can be convenient Expand business functions. The present invention can be applied not only to the Internet, but also to similar networks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the connection of hardware used in the method of the present invention in the case that a client computer supports television video signal output or a television supports computer video signal input;

2 is a schematic diagram of a connection of hardware used in the present invention in a case where the client computer does not support TV video signal output and the TV does not support computer video signal input;

Figure 3 is a block diagram of the client computer application software and server software, Figure 3-1 is a module block diagram of the server software, and Figure 3-2 is a module block diagram of the client computer application software;

Figure 4 is a flow chart of the client computer application software flow and the call server software flow;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an application software interface of a client computer;

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the controller circuit;

Figure 7 is a flowchart of the controller software, Figure 7-1 is a schematic diagram of the main flow of the controller software; Figure 7-2 is a schematic flowchart of the function of the controller sending a single byte to the serial port of the client computer; Figure 7-3 is Schematic diagram of the remote control button interrupt response. detailed description

In the following, the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings is used for further details.

As shown in FIG. 1, the client computer 2 supports television video signal output, and is connected to the television 5 through the video and audio cable 6 (where the video cable can be an S-terminal video cable or an AV-terminal video cable); the controller 3 Connect to the serial port of client computer 2 through cable 7, or you can connect to the USB port, or connect to PS / 2 The remote control 4 sends key commands to the controller 3 in a wireless manner, which may be an infrared mode or an ultra-short wave mode. '

To prevent interference, the remote control 4 has a different code from the TV remote control. The remote control 4 already has mature products in the market, and its implementation scheme will not be described in detail here.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the solution of the present invention in a case where a user-side computer does not support TV video signal output and a television does not support computer video signal input. The client computer 2 does not support TV video signal output. The computer video signal output by the client computer 2 is output to the video converter 8 through the cable 9. The video converter 8 converts the computer video signal into a standard PAL, NTSC or SECAM TV signal. The video and audio cable 6 is output to the television 5; the controller 3 provides power to the video converter 8 through the cable 10, and controls the size and position adjustment of the television image; the controller 3 is connected to the user-side computer 2 through the cable 7 The serial port can be connected to either the USB port or the PS / 2 port. The controller 3 and the video converter 8 may be physically integrated, or they may be inserted into the client computer for use as a board.

The video converter 8 already has mature products in the market, and its implementation scheme will not be described in detail here.

For the convenience of wiring, the audio and video cable 6 can be replaced by radio frequency to transmit the audio and video signals. There are already mature products for wirelessly transmitting video and audio signals on the market, and their implementation solutions are not described in detail here.

In the implementation of paid program operations, users accessing paid programs need to use a unique user identification code as a basis for identifying user rights and charging. The existing user identification code input method is that the user inputs the keys through the remote control, which requires frequent input by users for paid programs, which is very inconvenient to operate. In the present invention, the user identification code data is stored in the controller 3, and the client computer 2 reads the user identification code directly from the controller 3 and sends it to the server 1, which is used as a basis for identifying user rights and charging.

In the client computer, the multi-task and multi-screen display software mechanism is adopted to realize different screen output of the computer monitor and the television, so that the user can use the computer to perform other tasks while watching the television using the software set-top box. At present, some computer operating systems on the market already support multi-tasking and multi-monitor output of different screen technologies. The implementation scheme is not described in detail below.

As shown in Figure 3-1, the server software 11 includes an interface service module 111 and a server business function module.

112 and user database module 113; interface service module 111 provides user interface in the form of web page; server-side business function module 112 includes but is not limited to audio and video service module, video phone service module, game service module, video mail service module, etc., video The phone service module provides management of the user's video phone module, including the analysis of the client computer's IP address and video phone number; the game service module provides management of the user's game module; the user database module 113 provides permissions, accounting for user identification Management of information such as fees The user identification sent by the client computer 2 is used to find the corresponding authority according to the user identification, allowing or forbidding the user to use various services, and charging when the user uses the charged content.

As shown in FIG. 3-2, the application software 12 of the client computer 2 includes a main control module 122, a control command module 124, a client service function module 123, an interface module 121, and an interface module 125. The interface module 125 includes, but is not limited to, a USB interface module, a PS / 2 interface module, or an RS232 interface module. The USB interface module is responsible for processing the data reported by the controller 3 connected through the USB port, and the PS / 2 interface module is responsible for processing through the PS / 2. The RS232 interface module is responsible for processing the data reported by the controller 3 connected through the RS232 serial port. Corresponding to the interface mode of the controller 3, it runs the corresponding USB interface module, PS / 2 interface module, and RS232 interface. Module; the client-side business function module 123 includes, but is not limited to, an audio and video playback module, a video phone module, a game module, a video mail module, and the like. As shown in FIG. 4, the workflow of the application software 12 is as follows:

The main control module 122 of the client computer application software 12 obtains the interface from the server software 11 and displays it on the TV. According to the TV interface prompt, the user presses the remote control button, sends it to the interface module 125 through the controller 3, and reports it to the control. Command module 124; Control command module 124 parses the remote control command and reports it to the main control module 122; The main control module 122 performs the corresponding action according to the remote command, calls the audio and video playback module, video phone module, game module or video mail module, and displays the interface Go to the TV for users to watch.

When expanding business functions, it is only necessary to follow the interface invoking method of the main control module 122, add user-side business function modules to the client computer application software, and add corresponding service modules to the server, which is very flexible and convenient.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the software interface of a client computer. The interface is designed in HTML and JavaScript, and is displayed on the TV in full screen mode, with font effects suitable for TV display. The movie preview window plays the specified program segment in a loop. Press "1" on the remote control to play the popular movie A; Press "2" on the remote control to play the popular movie B; Press "7" on the remote control to enter the movie program classification interface and find the specified movie program , Select watch, then play on the TV in full screen mode; press "8" on the remote control to enter the online game; press "9" on the remote control to enter the song classification interface to find and play the specified song; on the remote control Press "0" to play the current news.

Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the controller circuit. The controller 3 is connected to the client computer 2 by RS232, and obtains a 5V power from the serial port of the client computer through a power stealing circuit. The circuit uses an 8-bit single-chip microcomputer EM78P156 as the central control module and implements serial communication in software. One I / O pin sends data to the serial port of the client computer, and one I / O pin receives serial data from the client computer. The MCU interrupt port monitors signals from the remote control. When the user When the remote control button is pressed, after the infrared receiving module of the controller 3 decodes, the single-chip microcomputer interrupt is triggered, and the single-chip microcomputer reads the key command code stream and sends it to the client computer 2. ·

When using a radio frequency remote control, it is only necessary to replace the infrared receiving module with a radio frequency receiving module. The software flow of the controller is shown in Figure 7. The remote controller 4 and controller 3 use the RC5 encoding and decoding method. The code stream corresponding to each remote control button includes four parts: 1. 5 digit start code, 1 control bit, 5 digits. Address code, 6-digit command code; the width of each bit is 1. 778ms, which is called a remote control code period in FIG. 7. The controller 3 is connected to the client computer 2 through the serial port, and communicates in RS232 asynchronous serial mode. The transmission rate is 1200bps, 1 start bit, 8 data bits, no parity bit, 1 stop bit; each bit The width is 0. 833ms, which is called a serial port cycle in Figure 7. When adjusting the transmission rate, you only need to adjust the serial port cycle time constant.

The main flow of the controller software is shown in Figure 7-1. After the controller software is initialized, it first sends the user ID to the client computer 2 as the basis for billing. Then it enters an empty command loop and waits for the remote control button to trigger interruption.

The function flow of the controller sending a single byte to the serial port of the client computer is shown in Figure 7-2. The controller sends data to the client computer 3 using the RS232 asynchronous serial communication protocol, which is defined as a serial port sending function for other modules to call. When the function is called, the start bit is sent first, and the microcontroller sends a pin to output a low level, which is delayed by 1 serial port period; after that, 8 data bits are sent in sequence; 1 stop bit and 1 idle bit are sent, that is, high The level is maintained for 2 serial port cycles.

The remote control button interruption response process is shown in Figure 7-3. In the controller software response to the remote control button interruption processing, it mainly receives and decodes the RC5 code stream from the remote control, and obtains 5 address bits and 6 command bits. Call the serial port send function to send to the client computer. The detailed procedure of the interrupt response module is as follows: first skip the start bit and control bit of 2. 5 remote control code cycles, and then delay 0. 25 remote control code cycles (that is, delay 2.75 remote control code cycles in total), arrive The first address bit is sampled at 1/4 of the time point, the first address bit is read, and then one remote control code period is delayed each time, and then the 5 address codes and 6 command codes are read in sequence. The command code is stored in two bytes, and the high bits are filled with 0. Finally, the serial port sending function is called to send two bytes to the client computer according to the RS232 serial port asynchronous communication protocol.

Claims

Rights request

1. A method for implementing a set-top box function based on software, comprising a server (1), a client computer (2), and a television (5), characterized in that it comprises the following steps,

① The client computer (2) accesses the server (1) through the network, and obtains program content from the server (1) through the application software (12) installed in the client computer (2);

② According to the interface menu on the TV, the user sends the key commands to the controller (3) by using the computer remote control (4);

③ the controller (3) sends the received remote control key command to the client computer (2);

④ The application software (12) of the client computer (2) responds to the key commands of the remote control, and performs the following operations: obtaining service content from the server (1) through the network; or calling the client computer (2) In the service content module of the computer, if the client computer (2) supports television video signal output or the television (5) supports computer video signal input, the image interface is output directly with the client computer (2). The television (5) connected for communication is provided for users to watch; if the client computer (2) does not support TV video signal output and the television (5) does not support computer video signal input, The image is output on the television (5) through a video converter (8) and provided to a user for viewing.

The method for realizing a set-top box function based on software according to claim 1, characterized in that: a user identification code is stored in the controller (3).

The software-based method for implementing a set-top box function according to claim 1, characterized in that said client computer (2) adopts a multi-task and multi-screen display software mechanism.

4. The method for realizing a set-top box function based on software according to claim 1, characterized in that the application software (12) of the client computer (2) comprises a main control module (122), a control command module (124), User-side business function module (123),

The interface module (121) and the interface module (125). The working process of the application software (12) includes the following steps:

A. The interface module (125) receives the remote control key code sent by the controller (3), and reports the remote control key code to the control command module (124); B. The control command module (124) parses the remote control key code into a command and reports it to the main control module (122);

C. The main control module (122) performs a corresponding operation according to a command from a remote controller, and calls a client-side business function module (123);

D. The interface module (121) matches the display output of the content called by the main control module (122) to a TV screen, and adjusts the display effect of fonts, images, and movies on the TV (5).

5. The method for realizing a set-top box function based on software according to claim 4, characterized in that: the interface module (125) is a USB interface module, a PS / 2 interface module or an RS232 interface module.

6. The method for realizing a set-top box function based on software according to claim 4, characterized in that: the client-side business function module (123) comprises an audio and video playback module, a video phone module, a game module, and a video mail module.

7. The method for realizing a set-top box function based on software according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller (3) and the video converter (8) are physically integrated.

8. The method for realizing a set-top box function based on software according to claim 7, characterized in that: the controller (3) and the video converter (8) which are physically integrated are inserted as a board card into the user-side computer (2).