KR20070074898A - E-mail server for providing contents using epg e-mail and method for operating the same - Google Patents

Abstract

An email server for providing broadcasting contents by using an EPG email and an operation method thereof are provided to automatically store the selected broadcasting contents to a web hard disk of a user if the user selects a desired program from the email including the EPG. A broadcasting content storing part(402) stores the broadcasting contents. An EPG email generator(410) generates the EPG email embedded with an EPG of the broadcasting contents. An email address storing part(404) stores an email address for receiving the EPG email. A broadcasting content provision history database(412) stores broadcasting content provision history if the broadcasting contents are provided to the outside. A controller(406) includes an algorithm for generating/storing the broadcasting contents digitally converted by receiving the broadcasting contents from a broadcasting source, generating the EPG email, and transmitting the broadcasting contents to an external user terminal if a request is received in response to the transmitted EPG email.

Description

E-mail server for providing contents using EPG e-mail and its operation method {E-mail server for providing contents using EPG e-mail and method for operating the same}

1 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional electronic program guide (EPG).

2 is a broadcast content providing system using EPG email according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is an exemplary EPG email in accordance with the present invention.

4 is an internal configuration block diagram of a broadcast content email server.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a broadcast content providing process using an EPG email according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

200: broadcast content email server 210: broadcast source

220: user terminal 402: broadcast content storage unit

404: email address storage unit 406: control unit

410: EPG e-mail generation unit 412: Broadcast content providing history DB

The present invention broadcasts a selection of contents from a remote storage device storing broadcast contents by using an EPG e-mail that can conveniently receive contents through an e-mail with an electronic program guide (EPG) without the inconvenience of Internet access and file retrieval. An email server for providing content and a method of operating the same.

Recently, due to convergence of broadcasting and communication, broadcasting contents are converted into various forms and transmitted to a communication network. Currently, several companies are providing electronic program guide (EPG) services that enable broadcasting and communication to be combined through a communication network. The electronic program guide (EPG) is a program guide for guiding broadcast information (broadcast time, broadcast program, etc.) of each channel in IP TV broadcasting capable of sending on demand as shown in FIG. It serves as a guide to make this broadcast possible. As described above, in order to receive a service for transmitting broadcast content from a broadcast content server (web hard disk or a sharing device) in which the broadcast content is recorded using the electronic program guide, a user accesses the Internet providing the electronic program guide and is displayed. A specific program was selected among the programs to receive broadcast contents.

However, a structure in which a user receives a broadcast content by accessing the damage content server one by one has the following inconvenience.

First, in order to receive the broadcast content, the user actively accesses the corresponding Internet site, and there is an inconvenience of inputting an ID and password (PASSWORD) for entering the broadcast content server.

Second, in the case of broadcast content servers, most of them are divided into folder names and file names, which causes inconvenience in finding and selecting a desired file.

Third, there was an inconvenience in managing the creation of a new folder classification in order to easily select a storage folder and search for a file after saving when downloading broadcast contents.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, it characterized in that the broadcast content newly added to the broadcast content email server to the predetermined user by e-mail containing the electronic program guide. Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically storing selected broadcast content on a user's designated web hard disk when the user who receives the e-mail selects a program to be watched.

In order to achieve the above object, the broadcast content e-mail server of the present invention includes a broadcast content storage unit for storing predetermined broadcast content, an EPG e-mail generation unit for generating an EPG e-mail incorporating an electronic program guide of the broadcast content, and the EPG e-mail. An e-mail address storage unit storing the received e-mail address, a broadcast content providing history database recording the broadcast content providing details when the broadcast content is provided to the outside, and a broadcast content obtained by digitally encoding and converting a broadcast from a predetermined broadcast source. Generate and store an EPG e-mail in which the electronic program guide (EPG) of the broadcast content is embedded, and transmit the broadcast content to an external user terminal when a specific broadcast content transmission request is received by receiving the EPG e-mail. A control unit having an algorithm is provided.

In addition, a method for providing broadcast content using an EPG email includes receiving a broadcast from a predetermined broadcast source through a receiving port, digitally converting the broadcast to generate broadcast content, and then storing the predetermined broadcast content. Storing EPG e-mail containing the generated EPG by generating an electronic program guide (EPG) for providing the transmission guide information of the stored broadcasting content, and registering the generated EPG e-mail in advance. Transmitting to the e-mail address of the user, and receiving a transmission request message of the selected broadcast content from the user terminal when the EPG e-mail is read through a predetermined user terminal and selected by the user. Searching for the broadcast content in the broadcast content storage unit; Transmitting the colored broadcast content to the user terminal, and comprising the step of updating a transmission history on a predetermined broadcast content providing historical database.

Hereinafter, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description of the reference numerals to the components of the drawings it should be noted that the same reference numerals as possible even if displayed on different drawings. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, terms to be described below are terms defined in consideration of functions in the present invention, which may vary according to general practices of those belonging to the technical field of the present invention, and the definitions should be made based on the contents throughout the present specification.

2 is a diagram illustrating a broadcast content providing system using an EPG email according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the broadcast content email server 200 receives a broadcast from the broadcast source 210 through the over-the-air broadcast network 202, digitally converts it, records and stores it as predetermined broadcast content, and then may request a user. And transmits the stored broadcast to the user terminal 250. The user request does not directly request the user to directly access the broadcast content email server 200 to transmit broadcast content, but the broadcast content email server 200 transmits an EPG email containing an electronic program guide (EPG) to the user. It is characterized in that it is selected from the user who read it. An example of the EPG e-mail is illustrated in FIG. 3, in which a broadcast content e-mail server attaches 302 a program guide (EPG) to a predetermined e-mail and transmits it to a user.

The user who has received the EPG e-mail can browse the e-mail using his or her user terminal 250 and select a specific program to receive and broadcast or store the broadcast content of the corresponding program from the broadcast content e-mail server 200. The broadcast content transmission has a unique IP (IP) for each user terminal 250, so that the broadcast content is transmitted to the corresponding IP. As a result, the present invention has the above structure, so that the user terminal 250 is digitally converted and recorded through the content email server 200 without directly receiving the broadcast from the broadcast source 210 through the over-the-air broadcast network 202. Broadcast communication content can be received.

The broadcast source 210 is a server of a broadcasting station that produces and provides a predetermined broadcast, such as an over-the-air broadcast station or a cable TV broadcast station. The broadcast content is transmitted to the broadcast content email server 200 through the over-the-air broadcast network 202. Is provided. The over-the-air broadcasting network 202 is an analog broadcasting / digital broadcasting providing base station providing NTSC analog broadcasting, digital broadcasting such as terrestrial DMB, and over-the-air radio broadcasting, and providing analog / digital broadcasting to the public without additional broadcasting fees. If there is a base station there will be no limitation.

The user terminal 250 is a device concept including a personal computer 270 and a content web hard disk 260, and may receive predetermined broadcast content from the broadcast content email server 200. Accordingly, the user terminal 250 including the personal computer 270 and the content web hard disk 260 may have a unique IP address, thereby ensuring communication with the broadcast content email server 200. That is, since the user terminal 250 has a unique IP address, the user terminal 250 may receive predetermined broadcast content from the broadcast content email server 200.

The personal computer 270 is a terminal equipped with a central processing unit, a predetermined memory, and a display means such as a personal PC, a notebook, a PDA, a mobile phone, and a user uses the personal computer 270 to broadcast broadcasting content email server 200. You can select a specific program by receiving an EPG email from. The broadcast content of the specific program selected as described above is received from the broadcast content email server 200 and stored or displayed in the memory of the personal computer. For example, when a user browses the EPG e-mail shown in FIG. 3 on the personal computer 270 and selects a specific program from among them, the personal computer displays the broadcast content unique code of the selected program, the user information, and the IP address of the personal computer. The broadcast content e-mail server 200 receiving the broadcast content transmits the requested broadcast content to the corresponding personal computer 270. The personal computer that has received the broadcast content performs an operation of storing or displaying according to a user's selection.

Similarly, the content web hard disk 260 also receives specific broadcast content from the broadcast content email server 200, but the content web hard disk 260 is characterized in that the file storage hard disk on the web. That is, the broadcast content received without broadcasting the broadcast content is stored in the content web hard disk 260, and when the user requests, the broadcast content stored in the content web hard disk 260 is reproduced anytime and anywhere. For example, when a user accesses a website operating the content web hard disk 260 and checks his EPG e-mail and selects a specific program in the EPG e-mail, the broadcast content e-mail server 200 selects the selected program. Broadcast content is transmitted to the operation website of the content web hard disk 260. The received broadcast content is stored in the content web hard disk 260 for each user's unique ID, so that the broadcast content stored in the content web hard disk 260 is reproduced when a user request is made at any time later.

4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a broadcast content email server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The broadcast content e-mail server 200 of FIG. 4 illustrates an apparatus for receiving and recording an analog broadcast as an example. Hereinafter, the broadcast content e-mail server for receiving and recording the analog broadcast shown in FIG. 4 will be described. Will be explained. However, as another embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent that the present invention may be similarly applied to a broadcast content e-mail server that receives and stores digital broadcasts and records radio broadcasts.

Referring to FIG. 2, the internal configuration block of the broadcast content email server 200 of FIG. 4 will be described. When a broadcaster (or a cable TV broadcaster) generates a broadcast and transmits it through a broadcast network, the broadcast content email server The broadcast receiving ports 414; 414a, 414b, 414n in 200 receive it and forward it to the tuners 416; 416a, 416b, 416n. The tuner 416 is a module that performs a function of tuning a selected broadcast channel and performs tuning to tune the frequency of a channel selected by a user among the received broadcast channels. Encoder 418; 418a, 418b, 418n performs the task of digitally encoding the tuned analog broadcast. The broadcast content e-mail server 200, the first broadcast receiving port 414a, the first tuner 416b, the first channel to process the first channel because the storage operation for several channels in the same manner must be carried out at the same time as described above An encoder 418a is provided, and an N-th broadcast receiving port 414n, an N-th tuner 416n, and an N-th encoder 418n are similarly provided.

On the other hand, the digital encoding in the encoder 418 is to convert the broadcast in the YUV analog format to the broadcast in the RGB digital format, this conversion scheme may be converted by a variety of known methods in the prior art. [Equation 1] below is an equation showing an example of the YUV-RGB conversion.

[Equation 1]

R = Y + 0.956U + 0.621V

G = Y + 0.272U + 0.647V

B = Y + 1.1061U + 1.703 V

The digital encoding digitally converted by the encoder 418 is stored as broadcast content in the broadcast content storage unit 402 via the system bus 408. The broadcast content storage unit 402 is a hard disk (Hard Disk), Flash memory (Flash Memory), CF card (Compact Flash Card), SD card (Secure Digital Card), SM card (Smart Media Card), MMC card ( A module capable of inputting / outputting information such as a Multi-Media Card or a Memory Stick may be provided inside the broadcast content email server 200 or may be separately provided as an external memory card.

The communication modem 420 and the communication port 426 transmit the EPG e-mail embedded with the broadcast content stored in the broadcast content storage unit and the electronic program guide to the user terminal 250 externally. The communication modem 420 is wired or wireless. It supports a transmission protocol with the communication network 204 and the communication port 426 provides a layer interface of the wired and wireless communication network. Therefore, the communication modem 420 / communication port 426 is a wired communication method such as Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus, IEEE 1394, serial communication, and parallel communication. Wireless communication schemes such as infrared radiation, Bluetooth, home RF, and wireless LAN may be used.

In addition, the communication modem 420 and the communication port 426 performs a function of receiving the selected program information transmitted from the user terminal through the wired or wireless communication network 204. That is, the communication modem 420 and the communication port 426 receive the selected broadcast content unique code, user information, and the IP address of the user terminal from the user terminal 250 through the external wired / wireless communication network 204.

The e-mail address storage unit 404 is a record unit in which an e-mail address of a member who wishes to receive an EPG e-mail including an electronic program guide and a corresponding member's name are stored, and the control unit 406 is an e-mail registered in the e-mail address storage unit. Send an EPG email to the address.

The EPG e-mail generating unit 410 is a function unit for generating an EPG e-mail as shown in FIG. 3. The electronic program guide (EPG) generation attached to the EPG e-mail is generated by hyperlinking attribute information such as a unique code of a corresponding broadcast content for each program displayed in the electronic program guide, and generating such an electronic program guide (EPG). Can be implemented by a conventionally known method. Eventually, the EPG e-mail generating unit 410 imports the e-mail address and member name registered in the e-mail address storage unit, attaches the generated electronic program guide (EPG) as shown in FIG. 3, and generates an EPG e-mail. Perform the function.

Broadcast content provision history DB 412 broadcasts the specific broadcast content to the user terminal 250 in response to a user request for receiving an EPG email, broadcast content provision history (user information, provided broadcast content unique code, billing, etc.) ) Is a database that is updated and stored.

The power supply unit 428 serves to provide power to each of the internal building blocks of the broadcast content e-mail server, and the display unit 422 and the input pad 424 are a UI (User Interface) that interfaces with the user.

The controller 406 controls each of the building blocks and the system bus to store and externally transmit digitally converted broadcast content. In addition, an algorithm for transmitting an e-mail generated by the EPG e-mail generation unit 410 to an external user terminal and transmitting the broadcast content selected from the user to the corresponding user terminal is described below.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of transmitting broadcast content using an EPG email to an external user terminal after storing a broadcast received from an airwave broadcasting / cable TV broadcasting station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When a broadcast source 210 such as an airwave broadcasting station or a cable TV broadcasting station generates a broadcast to be transmitted through an airwave broadcasting network (S302) and transmits the generated broadcast (S304), the content e-mail server 200 receives the desired content. The channel is tuned to digitally encode the tuned channel to generate broadcast content (S306) and stored in the broadcast content storage unit (S308). It is already described that the digitally generated broadcast is called broadcast content. Therefore, hereinafter, a file digitally encoded and stored in the storage unit will be referred to as broadcast content.

Meanwhile, the controller 406 generates an electronic program guide using the broadcast content stored in the content storage unit (S310), and the EPG email generation unit 410 uses the email address registered in the email address storage unit 404. In step S312, an electronic program guide email (EPG email) is generated and transmitted to the user terminal 250 of a pre-registered recipient IP address. The user terminal 250 is a target medium having an IP address for receiving broadcast communication content stored in a storage unit through a wired / wireless communication network. The user terminal may include a content web hard disk and a personal computer. .

The EPG e-mail on the wired / wireless communication network is transmitted to the user terminal 250 according to the e-mail address. When the user browses the EPG e-mail and selects a specific program (S316), the user terminal 250 displays the broadcast content of the selected program. The unique code, the IP address of the user terminal, and the user information are returned to the broadcast content email server (S320). The broadcast content email server 200 updates the broadcast content providing history database 412 using the information received from the user terminal 250 (S322) and generates a broadcast content download command (S324) to broadcast content according to this command. The broadcast content in the storage unit is transmitted to the user terminal 250 (S326). The user terminal 150 receives the ordered broadcast content from the broadcast content email server 200 (S328) and stores / reproduces the user terminal (S330).

In the foregoing description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention is not to be determined by the embodiments described above, but will be apparent in the claims as well as equivalent scope.

As described above, in the present invention, when the terminal user periodically receives and stores the broadcast content, the user receives the broadcast content automatically selected by simply clicking a mouse on the passively received mail. In order to actively receive the contents stored in the web hard disk, the user connects to the web hard disk, inputs the user ID and password, searches for the newly registered file, and downloads the target hard disk. It is effective to remove all the inconvenient processes such as selecting a folder. In addition, by using the electronic program guide (EPG) to inform the content of the broadcast content added regularly, there is an effect that the inconvenience of frequent users to access the content server to confirm whether or not to register a new program. . In addition, the electronic program guide file stored by the user is automatically generated by collecting the electronic program guide received by the user, and the user does not need to search the folder to play the file. It is possible.

Claims (11)

A broadcast content storage unit for storing predetermined broadcast content; An EPG e-mail generating unit for generating an EPG e-mail in which an electronic program guide of broadcasting contents is embedded; An e-mail address storage unit for storing an e-mail address for receiving the EPG e-mail, A broadcast content providing history database that records the broadcast content providing details when the broadcast content is provided to the outside; Receive broadcasts from a predetermined broadcast source, generate and store digitally encoded broadcast content, generate EPG email with an electronic program guide (EPG) of the broadcast content, and receive the specific broadcast content by receiving the EPG email. A control unit having an algorithm for transmitting the broadcast content to an external user terminal in response to a request for transmission E-mail server for providing broadcast content using an EPG email. According to claim 1, The broadcast content email server providing the EPG email, A tuner for tuning a desired channel among broadcasts received through an over-the-air broadcasting network; An encoder for digitally converting the tuned broadcasts to generate broadcast content. Email server for providing broadcast content using the EPG email further provided. 2. The broadcast source according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast source provides an analog broadcast, and includes broadcast analog broadcast TV, cable TV broadcast, and air AM / FM radio broadcast. Providing email server. The e-mail server of claim 1, wherein the broadcast source provides a digital broadcast, and includes a DMB broadcast and a digital broadcast. The e-mail server of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is a content web hard disk configured to store the broadcast content received from the broadcast content email server on a web hard disk. The e-mail server of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is a personal computer having a storage space for storing broadcast content and a reproducing means. Receiving a broadcast from a predetermined broadcast source through a receiving port; Generating a broadcast content by digitally encoding and converting the broadcast content, and storing the broadcast content in a predetermined broadcast content storage unit; A third process of generating an EPG e-mail incorporating the generated EPG by generating an electronic program guide (EPG) for providing delivery guide information of the stored broadcasting content; A fourth process of transmitting the generated EPG email to an email address of a pre-registered user; A fifth process of receiving a request for transmission of the selected broadcast content from the user terminal when the EPG e-mail is browsed through a predetermined user terminal and a specific broadcast content is selected by the user; A sixth step of searching for the broadcast content in the broadcast content storage unit; A seventh step of transmitting the searched broadcast content to the user terminal and updating the transmitted details in a predetermined broadcast content providing history database; How to provide EPG email and broadcast content comprising a. The method of claim 7, wherein the second process, Receiving a broadcast from a broadcast source providing a broadcast and tuning a desired channel; Storing broadcast content generated by digitally encoding the channel-tuned broadcast product EPG email and broadcast content providing method comprising a. The method of claim 8, wherein the tuning of the channel further comprises simultaneously tuning a plurality of broadcast channels instead of one channel. The EPG e-mail using the EPG e-mail according to claim 7, wherein the electronic program guide (EPG) e-mail generates an electronic program guide by hyperlinking the attribute of the broadcast content and embeds the electronic program guide in the e-mail. And a method of providing broadcast content. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmission request message includes a unique code of the selected broadcast content, user information, and a unique IP address of the user terminal.

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