Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving broadcast and communication combined service information

• US 20070050833A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Jeong-hoon
• Application Number:
  US11/511,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050833A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/117
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/18 Arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream

Abstract

Provided are a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving broadcast and communication combined service information. The method of receiving broadcast and communication combined service information includes receiving a broadcast signal comprising receiving control information for communication service information to be serviced in association with broadcast service information to be broadcast at a specific instant of time, and broadcast service information to be broadcast before the specific instant of time; analyzing the receiving control information and requesting and receiving communication service information corresponding to the analysis result; and receiving a broadcast signal including the broadcast service information to be broadcast at the specific instant of time, synchronizing the received broadcast service information with the received communication service information, and displaying the synchronized result. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a broadcast and communication combined service by displaying previously received communication service information in synchronization with broadcast service information.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting broadcast and communication combined service information, the method comprising:

(a) generating a broadcast service stream comprising receiving control information, for communication service information to be serviced in association with broadcast service information which is to be broadcast at a predetermined instant of time, together with broadcast service information to be broadcast before the predetermined instant of time;

(b) generating broadcast service configuration information comprising a message indicating that the generated broadcast service stream provides a broadcast and communication combined service; and

(c) multiplexing the generated broadcast service stream and the generated broadcast service configuration information into a broadcast signal, and transmitting the broadcast signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (a) comprises:

(a1) receiving the receiving control information and the broadcast service information; and

(a2) generating a broadcast service stream by signal-processing the received receiving control information and the broadcast service information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the signal processing in (a2) comprises encoding the received receiving control information and the broadcast service information in a format of a broadcast service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the signal processing in (a2) further comprises error-correction coding the received receiving control information and the broadcast service information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein (c) comprises:

(c1) multiplexing the broadcast service stream generated in (a) and the broadcast service configuration information generated in (b) into the broadcast signal;

(c2) channel-encoding the multiplexed broadcast signal; and

(c3) transmitting the channel-encoded broadcast signal in a form of a broadcast transmission frame.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast signal further comprises additional broadcast service information to be serviced in association with the broadcast service information when the communication service information is not provided.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving control information for the communication service information comprises information indicating whether a location-based communication service is to be performed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving control information for the communication service information comprises location information of a server which provides the communication service information.

9. A method of receiving broadcast and communication combined service information, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a broadcast signal comprising receiving control information, for communication service information to be serviced in association with broadcast service information which is to be broadcast at a predetermined instant of time, together with broadcast service information to be broadcast before the predetermined instant of time;

(b) analyzing the receiving control information for the communication service information, which is comprised in the received broadcast signal, and requesting and receiving communication service information corresponding to a result of the analyzing; and

(c) receiving a broadcast signal comprising the broadcast service information, synchronizing the received broadcast service information with the communication service information received in (b), and displaying a result of the synchronizing.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the broadcast signal further comprises additional broadcast service information to be serviced in association with the broadcast service information when corresponding communication service information is not received.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein when the corresponding communication service information is not received in (b), (c) comprises receiving the broadcast signal, synchronizing the received broadcast service information with the additional broadcast service information, and displaying a result of the synchronizing.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein when the corresponding communication service information is received in (b), (c) comprises receiving the broadcast signal, synchronizing the received broadcast service information with the communication service information and the additional broadcast service information, and displaying a result of the synchronizing.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein (b) comprises:

(b1) analyzing the receiving control information;

(b2) determining whether the communication service information corresponding to the result of the analyzing is to be received; and

(b3) when it is determined that the communication service information corresponding to the result of the analyzing is to be received, receiving the corresponding communication service information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein when the result of the analyzing in (b1) reveals that the communication service information is to be charged in units of packets, (b2) is performed;

and

when the analysis result in (b1) reveals that the communication service information is to be charged at a flat rate, the communication service information corresponding to the analysis result is received by performing (b3) while skipping (b2).

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving control information comprises a user request inputting flag, and

wherein when the user request inputting flag is present, (b2) comprises determining that the communication service information is to be received.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein (b) comprises:

(b1) analyzing the receiving control information;

(b2) detecting information regarding a location of a receiving apparatus when the result of the analyzing reveals that regional communication service information is to be provided; and

(b3) receiving the regional communication service information corresponding to the result of the analyzing, based on the location information detected in (b2).

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the location information is detected based on at least one of:

identifier information regarding a transmission repeater which transmits the broadcast signal;

identifier information regarding a communication base station which transmits the communication service information; and

global positioning system information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein (b3) comprises:

(b31) determining whether the location of the receiving apparatus is changed to cause a handover while receiving the regional communication service information;

(b32) when it is determined that a handover does not occur, receiving regional communication service information corresponding to the result of the analyzing;

(b33) when it is determined that a handover occurs, determining whether sufficient time is provided to receive regional communication service information relating to a region where the handover occurs;

(b34) when it is determined in (b33) that sufficient time is provided, receiving the regional communication service information relating to the region where the handover occurs; and

(b35) when it is determined in (b33) that sufficient time is not provided, receiving regional communication service information being transmitted before the handover.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving control information comprises receiving location information using a multimedia data presentation when the communication service information is moving picture service information providing audio and video.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving control information comprises receiving location information allowing the communication service information to be received via a Uniform Resource Locator when the communication service information is service information using HyperText Markup Language or eXtensible Markup Language.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving control information comprises receiving location information in a form of a user data field when the communication service information uses a Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) MPEG-2_transmission stream.

22. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving control information comprises receiving location information in a form of an internet protocol address when the communication service information uses an internet protocol.

23. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving control information comprises an identifier for a server providing the communication service information.

24. The method of claim 9, wherein when the broadcast service information is digital audio broadcast service information, the analyzing of the receiving control information in (b) is a fast information channel analysis of digital audio broadcasting.

25. The method of claim 9, wherein when the broadcast service information is digital video broadcast service information, the analyzing of the receiving control information in (b) is program specific information of digital video broadcasting, service information analysis of digital video broadcasting, or program specific information and service information analysis of digital video broadcasting.

26. A method of receiving broadcast and communication combined service information, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a broadcast signal comprising an additional broadcast service, which is to be serviced in association with broadcast service information which is to be broadcast at a specific instant of time, together with broadcast service information to be broadcast before the specific instant of time; and

(b) receiving a broadcast signal comprising the broadcast service information to be broadcast at the specific instant of time, synchronizing the broadcast service information with the additional broadcast service information, and displaying a result of the synchronizing.

27. An apparatus for transmitting broadcast and communication combined service information, the apparatus comprising:

a broadcast service stream processor which generates a broadcast service stream comprising receiving control information, for communication service information to be serviced in association with broadcast service information which is to be broadcast at a specific instant of time, together with broadcast service information to be broadcast before the specific instant of time;

a broadcast service configuration information processor which generates broadcast service configuration information indicating that the generated broadcast service stream provides a broadcast and communication combined service; and

a multiplexer which multiplexes the broadcast service stream and the broadcast service configuration information into a broadcast signal.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a transmitter which transmits the multiplexed broadcast signal in a form of a broadcast transmission frame.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a channel encoder which receives and channel-encodes the multiplexed broadcast signal from the multiplexer and which provides the channel-encoded broadcast signal to the transmitter.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising a storage unit which stores the receiving control information and the broadcast service information;

wherein the receiving control information is matched to the broadcast service information to be broadcast before the specific instant of time.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a user interface unit which provides a user interface regarding whether broadcast and communication combined service information is to be transmitted by providing the broadcast service stream processor with the broadcast service information and the receiving control information.

32. An apparatus for receiving broadcast and communication combined service information, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver which receives a first broadcast signal and a second broadcast signal, wherein the first broadcast signal comprises receiving control information, for communication service information to be serviced in association with broadcast service information which is to be broadcast at a specific instant of time, and broadcast service information to be broadcast before the specific instant of time, and wherein the second broadcast signal comprises the broadcast service information to be broadcast at the specific instant of time;

a broadcast service stream processor which signal-processes the first and second broadcast signals, wherein the broadcast service information and communication service receiving control information are extracted from the first broadcast signal;

a communication service receiving control information processor which analyzes the communication service receiving control information received from the broadcast service stream processor, and which receives communication service information corresponding to the analyzed result; and

a display unit which receives the broadcast service information from the broadcast service stream processor, which synchronizes the received broadcast service information with communication service information received from the communication service receiving control information processor, and which displays the synchronized result.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a channel decoder which performs channel decoding on the first and second broadcast signals from the receiver, and which transmits the channel-decoded broadcast signals to the broadcast service stream processor.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the communication service receiving control information processor comprises:

a communication service receiving control information analysis unit which analyzes the communication service receiving control information to obtain location information of a communication service information providing server which provides desired communication service information;

a communication service information requesting unit which requests the communication service information providing server to transmit the desired communication service information; and

a communication service information receiving unit which receives the desired communication service information from the communication service information providing server.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the communication service receiving control information analysis unit further analyzes whether the communication service receiving control information comprises a user request inputting field indicating that the communication service information is to be received when a user requests the communication service information, and displays on the display unit whether the communication service information is to be received when the user request inputting field is present.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising a user interface unit which provides a user interface via which a command signal comprising the user'"'"'s request is received.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the communication service receiving control information analysis unit further analyzes whether the communication service receiving control information comprises a location-based service field indicating whether location-based communication service information is to be provided.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a location information detecting unit which detects information regarding a current location of the apparatus,

wherein the communication service receiving control information analysis unit analyzes the detected location information and the location information of the communication service information providing server.