KR20090076709A - Video contents servicing server, set-top box and method for offering video contents using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A video contents servicing server, a set-top box and a method for offering video contents by using the same are provided to directly set a viewing rating of video contents, thereby providing image contents according to various criteria that a user wants. A contents storage unit(110) records video contents in a streaming file. A viewing limited module(120) provides an interface so that a user randomly sets a viewing rating about the recorded video contents. The viewing limited module determines whether to provide the video contents to the user according to the viewing rating. A user manager(150) manages information about the set viewing rating according to a user. The viewing rating according to a user is notified to the viewing limited module.

Description

Video contents service server, set-top box and method for offering video contents using the same}

The present invention relates to a video content service. More particularly, the present invention relates to a video content service server, a set-top box, and a video content providing method using the same.

Recently, with the development of information communication technology, various video contents such as analog movies, dramas, music videos, etc. have been digitized, and the digitized video contents have been provided to users through an information communication network. If the user has a device capable of displaying the image content, the user can receive the desired image content at a desired time and view the image content.

The server providing the video content may be installed in a specific facility to provide additional video content services to users who use the specific facility. For example, a video content service server may be provided in an accommodation facility such as a hotel to provide various video contents to a user of a room through a TV installed in each room. The video content service server may not only provide a movie or drama through a few channels, but also provide a list of video contents to a user and provide different video contents for each room according to a user's selection.

On the other hand, the video content is set in advance based on the viewer's age according to violence, sensibility, language use, etc., and allows the user to watch the video content carefully. For example, the Korea Broadcasting Commission, established in 1981, considers wired and wireless broadcasts, and mandates the classification of the ratings from "all age audiences" to "over 19 audiences." This rating allows parents to direct and restrict their children's viewing of TV and video. However, in an industrial society, parents cannot always watch TV, video, etc. with their children, and various devices are being developed to automatically limit harmful image contents. A basic principle of devices that restrict harmful image contents for adolescents is to block performance of image contents according to information on viewing grades of image contents provided with image contents provided from a service server. However, the violence or sensibility of the image content actually felt by the user may be different from that of the viewer rating that is previously assigned to the image content. In particular, video content provided by accommodations such as hotels may be provided mainly for adults, and a user who uses accommodation in a family unit may want to use the video content based on criteria different from a predetermined rating.

With the increasing popularity of leisure culture, the number of users who use annual memberships in resorts, hotels, and pensions is increasing, and it is not a way to restrict the video contents based on the predetermined rating level. What is needed is a device that can provide.

An object of the present invention is to provide a video content service server, a set-top box and a video content providing method using the same that can set the viewing grade of the video content according to the user's setting.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a content service server for providing video content to a user includes a content storage unit for recording the video content as a streaming file, and the user ratings a rating for the video content recorded in the content storage unit. Provides an interface to be arbitrarily set and manages the parental control module for determining whether to provide the video content to the user according to the parental rating and the information on the parental rating set by the user, It includes a user management unit to inform the parental control module. The user manager may inform the viewing restriction module of information on a room used by the user. The apparatus may further include a user authenticator configured to authenticate whether the user may arbitrarily set the viewing grade of the image content. The apparatus may further include a charging processor configured to charge a charge for using the image content.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the set-top box provides an interface for receiving a video content from a service server for providing a video service, an interface for allowing a user to arbitrarily set a viewing grade for the video content received from the communication unit, and A parental control module that determines whether to provide the video content to the user according to the parental rating, and records information on the parental rating set by the user for the video content, and sets the parental rating set by the user to the parental control module. It includes a user management unit to inform.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for providing video content to a user in a video content service server of a lodging facility may include receiving check-in information of a room of the user, and confirming management information about the user. And limiting and providing the video content according to the preset viewing rating if the user rating is set in advance for the video content in the management information for the user. The preset viewing rating may be applied to video content transmitted to a room allocated to the user. The method may further include releasing the preset viewing rating applied to the image content transmitted to the room allocated to the user when receiving the user's room check-out information. The preset viewing rating may be set by a viewing rating change screen provided as a request for changing the viewing rating of the user while providing the video content.

Since the user can directly set the viewing grade of the video content, the user can provide the video content according to the criteria desired by various users. In addition, by storing information on the ratings set by each user who uses the accommodations for each user and allowing the ratings set by the user to be automatically applied when the user uses the accommodations again, the user can conveniently adjust the video contents suitable for them. Available.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a video content providing system according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, an image content providing system includes a service server 10 having a plurality of image contents, an authentication server 20 responsible for authentication of a user using image contents, and an image device 40 of a user. And a set-top box (STB) 30 for mediating content.

The service server 10 stores the plurality of image contents in a large storage medium and provides the image contents in a streaming manner to the image device 40 that requests the image contents. The content of the video content is not limited to movies, dramas, music videos, animations, advertising. At this time, the service server 10 may limit the video content provided to the user according to the viewing grade specified in the video content. In general, the viewing grade of the image content is predetermined and provided together with the image content. For example, the viewing grade of the image content is provided along with the image content as electronic program guide (EPG) information. EPG information includes information such as program name, channel ID, broadcast provider ID, cast member, audience rating, and the like. The viewing grade is generally determined based on the viewing age of the user, and the service server 10 may provide the image content when the age of the user is larger than the designated viewing age. Information about the age of the user is provided from the authentication server 20 or the set-top box 30. The service server 10 may arbitrarily change and set the viewing grade of the image content according to a user's request. The viewing grade of the changed video content may be managed for each user and applied whenever the user uses the corresponding video content.

The authentication server 20 authenticates whether the user can use the image content provided by the service server 10. The authentication server 20 may perform the charging process for the video content provided for a fee. Alternatively, the authentication server 20 may check whether the video content is charged by interworking with a server of the financial operator that performs the charging process.

The set top box 30 relays the image content from the service server 10 to the user's image device 40. The set top box 30 requests the image content selected by the user to the service server 10, and relays the image content provided by the service server 10 to the image device 40. One set top box 30 may be linked to one or more imaging devices 40. The video device 40 is a device having a function of requesting video content from the service server 10 and may be a personal computer (PC), an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), or the like.

On the other hand, the set-top box 30 may have a distributed distribution and viewing function of the image content that the service server 10 has. The set-top box 30 may limit the video content provided to the image device 40 by checking the viewing grade of the video content, and may arbitrarily change and set the viewing grade of the video content according to the user's setting. In addition, the set top box 30 may record information on the changed viewing rating and apply the changed viewing rating while the user uses the image content through the set top box 30.

The service server 10, the authentication server 20, and the set-top box 30 may interoperate with each other through a wired network, a wireless network, or a wired / wireless mixed communication network. Examples of wired networks include power line communication (PLC) using power lines, home phone networking alliance (HomePNA) using telephone lines, and IEEE (Institute), a serial bus method used for real-time high-speed data transmission of AV devices. 1394, RS-485 using multipoint communication lines. Examples of wireless networks include IEEE 802.11 series, Wireless LAN using 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz band, Bluetooth, the industry standard for wireless access in the 2.4 GHz band to support communication between short-range devices, and UWB, a short-range broadband communication technology. (Ultra Wide Band), ZigBee, the industry standard for home automation and data networks with low data rates.

The service server 10 and the authentication server 20 for providing the image content may be operated as one integrated server. For example, since accommodations such as hotels, resorts, and pensions do not need to manage a wide range of users, user authentication and video content services can be performed using a single video content service server. Hereinafter, an image content service server in which the service server 10 and the authentication server 20 are integrated will be described.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a video content service server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the video content service server 100 may include a content storage unit 110, a parental control module 120, a user authentication unit 130, a charging processor 140, a user manager 150, and a communication unit 160. ).

The content storage unit 110 stores a plurality of various image contents. Each video content recorded in the content storage unit 110 may include information on a designated viewing rating. Designated audience ratings are reviewed and assigned by an authorized body such as the Broadcasting Commission. The image content recorded in the content storage unit 110 may be stored in various formats and qualities according to a service method. For example, in order to provide video content to a user in a streaming manner, the video content may be stored with an extension such as Active Streaming Format (ASF) or Window Media Video (WMV). In order to provide differentiated image contents to the user, one image contents may be stored in various resolutions, and image contents having different resolutions may be provided according to whether or not the user is charged.

The parental control module 120 determines whether to provide the video content to the user according to the viewing grade of the video content recorded in the content storage unit 110. If the user's age is greater than the viewing grade of the video content, the video content is provided. If the user's age is less than the viewing grade of the video content, the video content is not provided. . In addition, the parental control module 120 provides an interface so that a user can arbitrarily set a rating of each video content. The user may change and set a viewing grade of the corresponding video content through the interface screen. The changed viewer rating is provided to the user manager 150 to be managed, and the parental control module 120 determines whether to provide the image content by applying the changed viewer rating to the user.

The user authentication unit 130 authenticates whether the user can use the image content and whether the user can arbitrarily set the viewing grade for the image content. The user authenticator 130 may limit the type of video content that the user can use with information about the user's ID and age. When the user changes the viewing grade of the video content, the user authentication unit 130 provides information about the user's authority to the viewing restriction module 120 to determine whether the user can set the viewing grade for the video content. Inform.

The charging processor 140 processes charging for the image content. The billing processing unit 140 may perform a payment processing with a payment means authentication function or may authenticate a billing payment in connection with a financial service server that provides a payment means separately. As an example of billing settlement, RSA (Rivest Shamir Adleman) 1024bit encryption algorithm and SEED 128bit encryption algorithm developed by Korea Information Security Agency (KISA), public key infrastructure consisting of private key and public key using electronic certificate Infrastructure, PKI) There is an Internet Secure Payment (ISP).

The user manager 150 records and manages the audience rating for the video content set by the user for each user. The user manager 150 records and manages a rating set by the user for each image content. The user management unit 150 has information on the ID of the set-top box (STB) 30 used by the user, and the parental control module 120 provides information on the set-top box ID of the user and the rating set in advance by the user. Inform. The parental control module 120 may limit the video content provided to the user according to the set top box ID of the user and the viewing grade set by the user. The user manager 150 may monitor the user's check-in and check-out information so that the parental control module may determine whether to apply the rating set by the user. If the user uses two rooms in the accommodation, the user manager 150 may provide information about the room 1 (R1) and the room 2 (R2) checked in by the user, and information on the audience rating preset by the user. In addition, the parental control module 120 may apply the user-set rating level only to the image content provided to the set top box 30 of the room 1 (R1) and the room 2 (R2). When the user checks out, the user manager 150 notifies this to the parental control module 120, and the parental control module does not apply the parental level set by the user.

The communication unit 160 is provided as a communication module capable of transmitting and receiving data with the set top box 30 in a wired and / or wireless manner. As the wired communication module, power line communication, home PNA, IEEE 1394, RS-485 module, etc. may be used, and the wireless communication module may be a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, UWB, Zigbee module, or the like.

Hereinafter, a set top box having a video content viewing restriction and setting function of the video content service server 100 will be described.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a set-top box for mediating image content to a user from a service server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the set top box 200 includes a communication unit 210, a parental control module 220, a user manager 230, and an A / V decoder 240.

The communication unit 210 receives the image content provided from the service server 10. The communication unit 210 is provided as a communication module capable of transmitting and receiving data with the service server 10 in a wired and / or wireless manner. As the wired communication module, power line communication, home PNA, IEEE 1394, RS-485 module, etc. may be used, and the wireless communication module may be a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, UWB, Zigbee module, or the like.

The parental control module 220 determines whether to provide the video content to the user according to the viewing grade of the video content received through the communication unit 210. The parental control module 220 provides an interface screen so that the user can arbitrarily set a parental level of the video content that the user is watching. The user may change and set a viewing grade of the corresponding video content through the interface screen. The changed viewer rating is provided to the user manager 230 to be recorded and managed, and the parental control module 220 determines whether to provide the image content by applying the changed viewer rating.

The user manager 230 records and manages a rating of the video content set by the user. The user manager 230 may have information about the user ID. The user manager 230 stores the ratings that the user arbitrarily sets for each video content, and informs the viewing restriction module 220 of the viewing ratings set for the corresponding video content when the user uses the video content.

The A / V decoder 240 reproduces image content that is not limited through the parental control module 220 through a display device (not shown). The A / V decoder 240 uses various codecs for digitally converting voice and video data for reproduction of image content.

4 is an exemplary view illustrating a screen for setting a rating of video content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the parental control module (120 of FIG. 2 or 220 of FIG. 3) provided in the video content service server or the set-top box may set an interface screen, that is, a rating of the viewer, for each video content. Provide screen 300. If the user requests to set the video content viewing grade by using a remote controller or the like while viewing the video content, the viewing restriction module shows the currently set viewing grade to the user.

The parental level setting screen 300 includes a basic information field 320 and a user setting field for image content such as a user information field 310 made up of a user ID, a password, electronic program guide (EPG) information, and the like. 330). The basic information field 320 may include various information such as an image content code, a title, a genre, a designated audience rating, a channel code, a cast, a director, and a production year. The user setting field 330 is provided with a field for allowing a user to directly set a rating for the image content. The user setting field 330 may be provided with a field for selecting an application range of a rating set by the user. The user may select whether to apply the set viewer rating only to the corresponding video content (only this), to all genres (this genre), or to apply to all the video contents (All).

When the user sets the viewing grade through the viewing grade setting screen, information about this is recorded and managed in the user management unit (150 of FIG. 2 or 230 of FIG. 3) of the video content service server or the set-top box.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing image content according to an embodiment of the present invention. A video content service server of a lodging facility provides video content when a user checks in.

Referring to FIG. 5, the user checks in at the accommodation (S110). The check-in information of the user is provided to the user manager of the image content service server.

The user manager determines whether there is management information for the user (S120). The user manager checks whether a user has previously set a rating for the image content. If the user does not have a rating set previously for the video content, the parental control module may limit the viewing of the video content by applying a rating designated basically for each video content.

If the user has a rating set previously, the user manager checks the user's room information (S130). The user manager informs the user's room information and the audience rating module of the video content previously set by the user through the parental control module.

The parental control module applies a previously set parental level to the corresponding video content (S140). The parental control module applies the parental level set by the user to the video content transmitted to the user's room.

In response to the user's request, the video content service server provides video content (S150). When the video content to which the user rating set by the user is requested is requested, the provision of the viewer rating is applied to restrict the provision of the video content, and when the video content that does not apply to the user rating set by the user is requested, it is basically specified. It restricts the provision of video contents by applying the rating.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing image content according to another embodiment of the present invention. A method of providing a video content by a video content service server of a lodging facility, in which a user sets a viewing grade of the video content.

Referring to FIG. 6, the video content service server provides video content (S210).

The user may request to change the viewing grade of the image content while viewing the image content (S220). The user may request to change the viewing grade of the image content by using a button of a remote controller or an image device.

If there is a request to change the viewing grade of the image content, the viewing restriction module requests the user authentication unit to determine whether the user has a right to change the viewing grade of the image content, and the user authentication unit determines whether the user is authenticated (S230). The user authentication unit authenticates the user's authority on the basis of information on the age or billing of the user requesting the change of the viewing grade. The user authentication unit informs the parental control module whether the user has permission.

If the user does not have the authority to change the viewing grade of the video content, the parental control module notifies the user of a message to contact the service provider (S240).

If the user has the authority to change the viewing grade of the video content, the viewing restriction module provides the user with a rating setting screen (S250).

The user may set the viewing grade through the viewing grade setting screen, and when the viewing grade for the image content is set, the user manager records the changed viewing grade (S260). The audience rating set by the user may be applied only to corresponding video content or may be applied to other video content according to the user's setting.

The parental control module provides the video content to the user by applying the changed parental level (S270).

7 is a flowchart illustrating a video content providing method according to another embodiment of the present invention. A video content service server of a lodging facility provides a video content when a user checks out.

Referring to FIG. 7, the user checks out the accommodation (S310). The checkout information of the user is provided to the user manager of the image content service server.

The user manager determines whether there is a rating set while the user uses the image content (S320). If there is no audience rating set by the user, the user manager updates the information on the video content used by the user and the checkout information of the user.

If there is a rating set by the user, the user manager checks the user room information and initializes the set rating for the user room (S330). The user management unit informs the parental control module of information on the initialized parental level, and the parental control module provides the video content by applying the initialized parental level.

After initializing the audience rating for the user's room, the user manager updates the information on the image content used by the user and the checkout information of the user (S340).

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be variously modified and changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. I can understand. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the present invention will include all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a video content providing system according to an exemplary embodiment.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a video content service server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a set-top box for mediating image content to a user from a service server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is an exemplary view illustrating a screen for setting a rating of video content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing image content according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing image content according to another embodiment of the present invention.

7 is a flowchart illustrating a video content providing method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (9)

In the content service server for providing video content to a user, A content storage unit which records the video content as a streaming file; A parental control module configured to provide an interface for allowing the user to arbitrarily set a viewer rating for the video content recorded in the content storage unit and determine whether to provide the user with the video content according to the viewer rating; And And a user manager that manages the information on the viewing rating set by the user for each user and informs the viewing rating of each user by the viewing restriction module. The content service server of claim 1, wherein the user manager informs the viewing restriction module of information about a room used by the user. The content service server of claim 1, further comprising a user authentication unit configured to authenticate whether the user can arbitrarily set a viewing grade for the video content. The content service server of claim 1, further comprising a charging processor configured to charge a fee for using the video content. A communication unit for receiving image content from a service server for providing a video service; A parental control module configured to provide an interface for a user to arbitrarily set a rating for the video content received from the communication unit, and determine whether to provide the video content to the user according to the rating; And And a user manager configured to record information on the ratings set by the user for each video content and to inform the viewing restriction module of the ratings set by the user. A method of providing video content to a user in a video content service server of a lodging facility, Receiving room check-in information of the user; Confirming management information for the user; And And providing the video content by limiting the video content according to the preset viewing rating if the management rating of the user includes the viewing rating preset by the user for the video content. . The method of claim 6, wherein the preset viewing rating is applied to image content transmitted to a room allocated to the user. The method of claim 7, further comprising releasing the preset viewing rating applied to the video content transmitted to the room allocated to the user when receiving the user's room check-out information. Image content providing method, characterized in that. The method of claim 6, wherein the preset viewing grade is set by a viewing grade changing screen provided as a request for changing the viewing grade of the user while providing the image contents.

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