WO2012065550A1

WO2012065550A1 - Method and system for interaction between a multimedia terminal and an ip set top box

Info

Publication number: WO2012065550A1
Application number: PCT/CN2011/082279
Authority: WO
Inventors: 高迎宾; 唐纬
Original assignee: 中兴通讯股份有限公司
Priority date: 2010-11-18
Filing date: 2011-11-16
Publication date: 2012-05-24
Also published as: CN102006519A

Abstract

Disclosed in the invention are a method and a system for interaction between a multimedia terminal and an internet protocol (IP) set top box, a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box. The interaction method comprises the following steps: the multimedia terminal browses an introduction and/or film clips of live programs and on-demand programs in the multimedia terminal electronic program guide (EPG) portal, after receiving an instruction for selecting and sending a program to a television to play, obtains the media stream link address, and sends the media stream link address and a play request message to the IP set top box via a hyper text transport protocol (HTTP) message; wherein the media stream link address of the program is same as the media stream link address of the program stored in the IP set top box EPG portal; and the IP set top box receives the play request message and the media stream link address, parses the play request message to obtain the play request, and connects to the media stream link address to play the program. The technical solution of the present invention realizes instant interaction between the multimedia terminal and the IP set top box.

Description

Method and system for interaction between multimedia terminal and IP set top box

Technical field

The present invention relates to the field of digital home technologies, and in particular, to an interaction method, system, multimedia terminal, and IP set top box between a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box.

Background technique

Internet Protocol TV (or Interactive Personal TV, IPTV) is an IP-based TV. It provides "TV and IP set-top boxes" as the main terminal devices, providing users with live, on-demand, time-shift and other TV services and based on Internet applications, such as web browsing, widgets, etc. The widget is a small piece of code that can be executed on any Web page based on Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). It may be represented by video or map. , news or games, and more. The characteristics of the IP network make the adaptation terminal of the IPTV system widely applicable, such as a personal computer (PC), a smart phone, a personal multimedia information device (MID), etc., as an IPTV terminal. With the rapid development of mobile Internet and the popularity and speed of home broadband, the demand for triple-screen convergence is becoming clearer and stronger. The implementation of three-screen convergence will enable the IPTV service users and service market to grow faster. The so-called three-screen fusion refers to the image description of content interconnection, intercommunication and interactive services between PC screens, multimedia terminal screens and TV screens. The specific business forms include displacement TV, multi-screen collection, and multi-screen ordering. A good multimedia resource complementation and unified service can be formed between such terminal devices, thereby promoting the use value of each other and expanding the business scope of the IPTV system service provider (usually a telecommunication operator).

Multimedia terminals such as smart phones, MIDs, and tablets play an important role in the integration of three screens because of their handheld and mobile advantages. Within the home, electronic devices are interconnected, often using the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) networking initiative. The DLNA Digital Home provides users with the ability to share, store, and access digital music anywhere in the home, recording and replaying content accessed by multiple users. The industry also has programs and applications that use DLNA standard interconnection between multimedia terminals and set-top boxes. Multimedia terminals, IP set-top boxes and TVs each have different screen sizes, application scenarios and user usage habits, their respective media formats, networks Network connection characteristics and device performance are also different. This situation requires that the Home Network Devices (HND) and Mobile Handheld Devices (MDD) defined by the DLNA standard meet each other's requirements, or need a home infrastructure device (HID). Provide bridging and content conversion services. However, the actual situation is that such conditions cannot be met in most cases. In addition, the interaction between DLNA devices is for the same media file. The multimedia terminal is suitable for browsing and watching video media in a hand-held manner in a short time, while the IP set-top box and the TV are suitable for long-term viewing.

In the invention patent of CN101789950, entitled "Implementation method based on interactive network television in three-screen fusion", the interaction between the mobile terminal, the PC and the set-top box is realized by establishing a three-screen fusion support system, and the specific The method is to record the operation of the user on a certain terminal in the collection/bookmark server of the three-screen fusion support system, and then access the record in the favorite/bookmark server when the user switches to another terminal, and continue the last operation or use. Second business. In this way, the user needs to manually access the bookmark/bookmark record, and the real-time interaction between the mobile terminal and the set-top box cannot be realized, and the support of the bookmark/bookmark server in the mobile terminal service management platform and the set-top box service management platform of the IPTV platform side is required. Summary of the invention

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides an interaction method, a system, a multimedia terminal, and an IP set-top box between a multimedia terminal and an IP set-top box, so as to realize real-time interaction between the multimedia terminal and the IP set-top box, and the IPTV platform side does not need to be Perform complex processing.

The present invention provides an interactive system between a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box, the system comprising a multimedia terminal electronic program navigation (EPG) portal, an IP set top box EPG portal, a multimedia terminal, an IP set top box, and a home router, wherein:

The EPG portal is configured to: provide an introduction preview and/or a tile view of the live and/or on-demand program; an IP set-top box EPG portal, corresponding to the multimedia terminal EPG portal, which is configured to provide a browsing function of the complete program;

The multimedia terminal is configured to: browse an introduction and/or a slice of a live broadcast and/or an on-demand program in the EPG portal of the multimedia terminal, and receive an instruction to push a program to a television broadcast, Taking the media stream link address of the program, and sending the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box through a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP message;

The IP set top box is configured to: receive a receive play request message and a media stream link address sent by the multimedia terminal, parse the play request message to obtain a play request, connect the media stream link address, and play the program;

The home router is configured to: be responsible for data forwarding between the multimedia terminal and the multimedia terminal EPG portal, between the IP set top box and the IP set top box EPG portal, and between the multimedia terminal and the IP set top box.

Preferably, the interactive system can have the following characteristics:

The multimedia terminal is configured to: obtain a media stream link address of the program by using an HTTP response message, and send the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box by using an HTTP get message.

Preferably, the interactive system can also have the following characteristics:

The IP set top box includes a page server, and the page server is configured to: receive and parse the play request message.

Preferably, the interactive system can also have the following characteristics:

The interactive system also includes:

The service management platform is configured to: complete user authentication of the multimedia terminal, obtain the EPG portal entry address of the multimedia terminal; and obtain user authentication of the IP set top box and the EPG portal entry address of the IP set top box;

a media content server, which is configured to: handle the processing of live and/or on-demand programs and the processing of media content of selected programs;

The content distribution network is configured to: publish the media content processed by the media content server to the edge of the network, and forward to the multimedia terminal and/or the IP set top box through the home router.

The invention also provides a method for interaction between a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box, the interaction method comprising:

Multimedia terminal browsing presentation of live and on-demand programs in the multimedia terminal EPG portal and/or a piece of flower, after receiving an instruction to push a program to the television to play, obtain a media stream link address of the program, and send the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box through a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP message; The media stream link address of the program is the same as the media stream link address of the program saved in the IP set-top box EPG portal;

The IP set top box receives the play request message and the media stream link address, parses the play request message to obtain a play request, connects the media stream link address, and plays the program.

The foregoing interaction method may have the following features: the step of the multimedia terminal acquiring the media stream link address of the program, and sending the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box by using a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP message includes:

The multimedia terminal acquires a media stream link address of the program by using an HTTP response message, and sends the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box by using an HTTP get message.

The foregoing interaction method may further have the following features: the IP set top box receives the play request message and the media stream link address, parses the play request message to obtain a play request, and connects the media stream link address and plays the program:

The IP set top box receives the play request message and the media stream link address through the built-in page server, parses the play request message to obtain a play request, connects the media stream link address, and plays the program.

The present invention also provides a multimedia terminal, wherein the multimedia terminal is configured to: browse an introduction and/or a slice of a live broadcast and an on-demand program in the EPG portal of the multimedia terminal, and receive an instruction to select a program to be pushed to the television, and obtain The media stream link address of the program, and the media stream link address and the play request message are sent to the IP set top box by using a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP message; wherein the media stream link address of the program is saved in the IP set top box EPG portal The media stream link address of the program is the same.

Preferably, the multimedia terminal may have the following features: the multimedia terminal is configured to: obtain a media stream link address of the program by using an HTTP response message, and send the media stream link address and the play request message to the HTTP access message to the IP set top box. The present invention also provides an IP set top box, the IP set top box includes a page server, and the page server is configured to: receive a receive play request message and a media stream link sent by the multimedia terminal Address, parsing the play request message to obtain a play request, connecting the media stream link address and playing the program.

The above interactive system, interactive method, multimedia terminal and IP set-top box communicate with the existing HTTP mechanism, and realize data transmission through the built-in page server and page browsing client of the device, without adding special communication on the two devices. The interaction module, therefore, has a strong versatility while conserving system resources and reducing system complexity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

2 is a signaling flowchart of a method for performing user authentication and EPG portal entry address obtaining by a multimedia terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flow chart of a signaling process for browsing a live broadcast and an on-demand program using a multimedia terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a signaling flowchart of an embodiment in which a multimedia terminal pushes a program to an IP set top box and plays it on a television according to an embodiment of the present invention. Preferred embodiment of the invention

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, in the case of no conflict, the features in the embodiments and the embodiments in the present application may be arbitrarily combined with each other.

An embodiment of the present invention provides an interactive system between a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box, the system comprising: a multimedia terminal electronic program navigation (EPG) portal, an IP set top box EPG portal, a multimedia terminal, an IP set top box, and a home router; wherein, the multimedia The terminal electronic program navigation (EPG) portal is configured to provide an intro preview and/or a tile view of the live and/or on-demand program; the IP set-top box EPG portal, corresponding to the multimedia terminal EPG portal, is configured to provide a full program browsing function. a multimedia terminal configured to browse an introduction and/or a slice of a live broadcast and/or an on-demand program in the multimedia terminal EPG portal, and obtain a media stream link address of the program after receiving an instruction to push a program to the television broadcast, And passing the media stream through a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP message The link address and the play request message are sent to the IP set top box; the IP set top box is configured to receive the receive play request message and the media stream link address sent by the multimedia terminal, parse the play request message to obtain a play request, and connect the media stream link address and The program is played; the home router is set to be responsible for data forwarding between the multimedia terminal and the multimedia terminal EPG portal, between the IP set top box and the IP set top box EPG portal, and between the multimedia terminal and the IP set top box.

Preferably, the multimedia terminal is configured to obtain a media stream link address of the program by using an HTTP response message, and send the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box by using an HTTP acquisition message. The IP set top box includes a page server, and the page server is configured to receive and parse the play request message.

The above interactive system, through the interaction between the multimedia terminal, the IP set top box, the home router and the associated multimedia terminal EPG portal and the IP set top box EPG portal, enables the user to browse the text, picture preview, or watch the live and on-demand programs through the multimedia terminal. The video slice, when the user selects a certain program and pushes it to play on the television, the multimedia terminal acquires the media stream link address of the program and sends it to the IP set top box, and the IP set top box switches to connect to the media stream, and plays the program on the television. In addition, the interactive system uses the existing HTTP mechanism for communication, and does not need to add a special communication interaction module on the multimedia terminal and the IP set-top box, thereby saving system resources and reducing system complexity. Universality. Schematic diagram of the networking of the embodiment, the system includes: a service management platform 11, an EPG service system 12, a media content system 13, a content distribution network 14, a home router 15, a multimedia terminal 17, and an IP top

18.

The service management platform is set to be responsible for the management of the IPTV service; the user authentication of the multimedia terminal and the IP set-top box, the entry of the electronic program guide (EPG) portal entry address, and the user's cancellation are completed.

The EPG service system is configured to provide IPTV navigation services for IPTV terminals, display live and on-demand content, and the like. In this embodiment, the EPG service system includes a multimedia terminal EPG portal 121 and an IP set top box EPG portal 122, which are respectively accessed by a dedicated multimedia terminal and an IP set top box. The multimedia terminal EPG portal 121 and the IP set-top box EPG portal 122 have different entry addresses, and the multimedia terminal EPG portal mainly provides text, picture preview, and tile viewing of live and on-demand programs; The set-top box EPG portal provides complete channel and program browsing functions. In the multimedia terminal EPG portal, each live broadcast and on-demand program browsing page contains both the media stream link address of its video clip and the media stream link address of its complete program.

The media content system is responsible for performing media control functions such as on-demand, multicast, on-demand time shifting, and multicast time shifting, as well as media processing functions such as encoding and fragmentation of media content sources, and media stream transmission. In this embodiment, it is mainly responsible for processing the video content of the video trailer (slice) and the complete live or on-demand program.

The content distribution network is set to publish the IPTV service content to the edge of the network closest to the user, so that the user can access the IPTV service nearby, solve the network congestion condition, and improve the corresponding speed of the user access.

The home router is configured to connect the multimedia terminal and the IP set-top box to the broadband network and the IPTV platform, and is responsible for data forwarding between the two and the IPTV platform; the manner of accessing the network includes various types of digital subscriber line (xDSL) mode, and Ethernet. Mode, passive optical network (xPON) mode, etc. At the same time, the home router is also used for data routing and forwarding between the multimedia terminal and the IP set-top box, so that the two can access each other through the HTTP protocol.

In this embodiment, the multimedia terminal specifically refers to a smart phone, a MID, a tablet computer, etc., which can be hand-held, movable, has an IP network connection function, text and picture browsing functions, audio and video network streaming media playback functions, and local audio and video playback. Functional electronic device. The role in this embodiment is to browse the text, picture introduction and video trailer of the live and on-demand programs in the EPG portal, and push them to the TV.

The IP set-top box has access to the IPTV system, real-time interactive TV, on-demand, time-shift and other TV services and Internet-based applications. A web server (Web Sever) is embedded in the device system for interacting with the multimedia terminal device.

The above interactive system makes full use of the advantage that the multimedia terminal is suitable for the use of the handheld mode in a short time at random, and is convenient for the user to browse the text, picture introduction and video film of the live broadcast and the on-demand program, and select the program, which does not affect the television during the operation. Normal viewing, very suitable for many people to watch IPTV TV together, improve the user experience and ease of use of IPTV. In addition, the system realizes real-time interaction between the multimedia terminal and the IP set-top box, and the IPTV platform side does not need to perform complicated processing. The present invention also provides a multimedia terminal, wherein the multimedia terminal is configured to browse an introduction and/or a slice of a live broadcast and an on-demand program in the EPG portal of the multimedia terminal, and receive an instruction to select a program to be pushed to the television to acquire the program. The media stream link address, and sends the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box through a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP message; wherein, the media stream link address of the program and the program saved in the IP set top box EPG portal The media stream link address is the same.

Preferably, the multimedia terminal is configured to obtain a media stream link address of the program by using an HTTP response message, and send the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box by using an HTTP acquisition message.

The structure and function of the multimedia terminal in the embodiment of the interactive system are the same, and are not described here.

The embodiment of the present invention further provides an IP set top box, where the IP set top box includes a page server, and the page server is configured to receive a receive play request message and a media stream link address sent by the multimedia terminal, and parse the play request message to obtain a play request. , connect the media stream link address and play the show.

The IP set-top box has the same structure and function as the IP set-top box in the above embodiment of the interactive system, and details are not described herein again.

An embodiment of the present invention further provides an interaction method between a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box, where the foregoing method includes:

The multimedia terminal browses the introduction and/or the slice of the live broadcast and the on-demand program in the EPG portal of the multimedia terminal, and after receiving the instruction to push a program to the television broadcast, obtains the media stream link address of the program, and passes the hypertext transfer protocol HTTP Sending, by the message, the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box; wherein, the media stream link address of the program is the same as the media stream link address of the program saved in the IP set top box EPG portal;

During the execution of the method, the multimedia terminal needs to obtain an entry address of the multimedia terminal EPG portal, as shown in FIG. 2, performing user authentication and EPG portal entry for the multimedia terminal of the present invention. a signaling flow chart of an embodiment, in which the user can run on the multimedia terminal

IPTV client application or page browsing client application. This document uses the IPTV client application as an example. The process includes:

Step 201: Establish a TCP connection between the multimedia terminal and the service management platform, and interact with the service management platform by using a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) protocol, first performing user authentication and an EPG portal entry address acquisition process;

The IPTV client application of the multimedia terminal establishes a TCP connection between the multimedia terminal and the service management platform;

Step 202: The multimedia terminal sends a user authentication request to the service management platform by using an HTTP Get (Get) message, where the user authentication request includes a user identifier (UserlD);

Step 203: The service management platform responds to the randomly generated challenge word page for authentication and encryption by using an HTTP response (Response) message;

Step 204: The multimedia terminal encrypts user information such as a user identifier, a device identifier, an IP address, and a MAC address by using a challenge word field, and sends the message to the service management platform by using a HTTP (Post) message.

Step 205: The service management platform performs identity verification, and determines, according to the device identifier, whether the device is a multimedia terminal. After the verification is passed, the authentication result and the EPG portal entry address of the dedicated multimedia terminal are returned through an HTTP response (Response) message.

Through the above process, user authentication and acquisition of the EPG portal entry address can be completed.

After obtaining the entry address of the EPG portal of the multimedia terminal, the multimedia terminal can browse the introduction and/or the video of the live broadcast and/or the on-demand program in the EPG portal of the multimedia terminal. As shown in FIG. 3, the multimedia terminal is used to browse the live broadcast and on-demand according to the present invention. The signaling flowchart of the program embodiment, the process includes: Step 301: The IPTV client application of the multimedia terminal automatically connects to the EPG portal entry address;

For the method for obtaining the EPG portal entry address, refer to the foregoing embodiment of the multimedia terminal performing user authentication and the EPG portal entry address obtaining;

Step 302: After the multimedia terminal enters the portal page, the user selects an IPTV column of interest through the human-computer interaction interface of the multimedia terminal. Step 303: The user browses the text and picture description of the on-demand or live program;

The above browsing interaction is completed by using the HTTP protocol, and the multimedia terminal obtains the media stream link address of the piece of flower through the HTTP Response;

Step 304: If the user selects to watch a video trailer (slice) of a certain program, the multimedia terminal establishes a connection with the media content system;

Step 305: The multimedia terminal uses the media player to play the video content of the link address of the media stream.

Step 306: If the user selects to push a program to the television to play, the multimedia terminal acquires a media stream link address that is pushed to the TV play instruction and the complete content of the program through the HTTP Response.

The media stream link address of the complete content of the program is the same as the media stream link address of the user who selects to play the program in the EPG of the IP set top box.

Through the above process, the user can browse the live and on-demand programs using the multimedia terminal.

The process in which the multimedia terminal pushes the program to the IP set top box and plays it on the television is as shown in FIG. 4, and the process includes:

Step 401: The IPTV client application of the multimedia terminal establishes a TCP connection between the multimedia terminal and the IP set top box, and interacts with the IP set top box by using an HTTP protocol.

The specific process is as follows:

Step 402: The multimedia terminal sends the media stream link address and the play request message of the program to the IP set top box through HTTP Get.

Step 403: After parsing the packet, the IP set-top box immediately stops the current task and connects to the media stream link address of the program.

Step 404: Play the media content.

In this process, the multimedia terminal interacts with the IP set-top box, and the user who previews the program does not affect the user who watches the IPTV.

The above interaction method uses the existing HTTP mechanism for communication, and realizes data transmission through the built-in page server and the page browsing client of the device, and does not need to add special ones on the two devices. The communication interaction module, therefore, has a strong versatility while conserving system resources and reducing system complexity.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that all or a portion of the above steps may be accomplished by a program that instructs the associated hardware to be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as a read only memory, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk. Alternatively, all or part of the steps of the above embodiments may also be implemented using one or more integrated circuits. Correspondingly, each module/unit in the above embodiment may be implemented in the form of hardware or in the form of a software function module. The invention is not limited to any specific form of combination of hardware and software.

The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention, and various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Industrial applicability

The above interactive system, interactive method, multimedia terminal and IP set-top box communicate with the existing HTTP mechanism, and realize data transmission through the built-in page server and page browsing client of the device, without adding special communication on the two devices. The interaction module, therefore, has a strong versatility while conserving system resources and reducing system complexity.

Claims

Claim

1. An interactive system between a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box, comprising a multimedia terminal electronic program navigation (EPG) portal, an IP set top box EPG portal, a multimedia terminal, an IP set top box, and a home router, wherein:

The EPG portal is configured to: provide an intro preview of the live and/or on-demand program and/or a viewing view;

The IP set-top box EPG portal corresponds to the multimedia terminal EPG portal, and the IP set-top box EPG portal is configured to: provide a browsing function of a complete program;

The multimedia terminal is configured to: browse an introduction and/or a slice of a live broadcast and/or an on-demand program in the multimedia terminal EPG portal, and obtain a media stream of the program after receiving an instruction to push a program to the television broadcast Linking the address, and sending the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box through a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) message;

The home router is configured to: be responsible for data between the multimedia terminal and the multimedia terminal EPG portal, between the IP set top box and the IP set top box EPG portal, and between the multimedia terminal and the IP set top box Forward.

2. The interactive system of claim 1 wherein:

3. The interactive system of claim 2, wherein:

The IP set top box includes a page server, and the page server is configured to: receive the play request message and the media stream link address, parse the play request message to obtain a play request, connect the media stream link address, and play the program.

4. The interactive system of any of claims 1-3, further comprising: The service management platform is configured to: complete user authentication of the multimedia terminal, obtain the EPG portal entry address of the multimedia terminal; and obtain user authentication of the IP set top box and the IP address of the IP set-top box EPG portal;

5. A method of interaction between a multimedia terminal and an IP set top box, comprising:

The multimedia terminal browses the introduction and/or the slice of the live broadcast and the on-demand program in the multimedia program electronic program navigation (EPG) portal, and receives the instruction to push a program to the television broadcast, obtains the media stream link address of the program, and passes the The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) message sends the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box; wherein the media stream link address of the program is the same as the media stream link address of the program saved in the IP set top box EPG portal; as well as

The interactive method according to claim 5, wherein the multimedia terminal acquires a media stream link address of the program, and sends the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box through a hypertext transfer protocol HTTP message. The steps include:

The interaction method according to claim 6, wherein the IP set top box receives the play request message and the media stream link address, parses the play request message to obtain a play request, connects the media stream link address, and plays the The steps of the program include:

8. A multimedia terminal, configured to: browse an introduction and/or a piece of live and on-demand programs in a multimedia terminal electronic program navigation (EPG) portal, and receive a selection to push a program to a television After the instruction is played, the media stream link address of the program is obtained, and the hypertext transfer protocol is adopted.

The (HTTP) message sends the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box; wherein the media stream link address of the program is the same as the media stream link address of the program saved in the IP set top box EPG portal.

9. The multimedia terminal according to claim 8, configured to: obtain a media stream link address of the program by using an HTTP response message, and send the media stream link address and the play request message to the IP set top box by using an HTTP acquisition message. .

An IP set-top box, comprising a page server, wherein the page server is configured to: receive a receiving play request message and a media stream link address sent by the multimedia terminal, parse the play request message to obtain a play request, and connect the media stream link. Address and play the show.