Home server capable of implementing energy-saving and service convergence and method for controlling the same

• US 20070130280A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Choi, Young, Park, Wan, Jeong, Youn, Choi, Chang
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24

Abstract

A home server for service convergence and energy-saving, and a method for controlling the same are disclosed to provide broadcast services, Internet services, game platform services, and a broadband network distribution function required by each home network. The home server includes a broadcast processor, a service, a network distribution, a power-supply unit for providing a power-supply signal to each module of the home server, and a power-supply controller. The power-supply controller controls on/off operations of the power-supply signal transmitted from the power-supply unit to each module of the home server according to services and operation states of the service processor and the network distribution unit.

Claims

1. A home server for implementing service convergence and energy-saving comprising:

a broadcast processor for selectively receiving at least one broadcast signal, decoding the received broadcast signal, and distributing the received broadcast signal;

a service processor for providing/processing a broadcast service, a game service, and an Internet service, controlling overall operations of the home server, and reporting a current service mode and a current energy-saving mode to a power-supply controller;

a network distribution unit for supporting a home private network, performing home network distribution, and transmitting a broadcast selection signal for distributing the broadcast signal to the power-supply controller;

a power-supply unit for providing a power-supply signal to each module of the home server; and

a power-supply controller for controlling on/off operations of the power-supply signal transmitted from the power-supply unit to each module of the home server according to services and operation states of the service processor and the network distribution unit.

2. The home server according to claim 1, wherein the broadcast processor includes:

a multi-tuner unit equipped with a plurality of tuners, for converting/demodulating a frequency of the broadcast signal, and outputting at least one broadcast stream signal;

a broadcast distribution unit for distributing the broadcast stream signal received from the multi-tuner;

a broadcast selection/control unit for selectively outputting a request signal from among the broadcast stream signal received from the multi-tuner, and controlling a broadcast process of the requested signal; and

a decoder for decoding the broadcast stream signal selected by the broadcast selection/control unit, and outputting a video signal using the decoded broadcast stream signal.

3. The home server according to claim 1, wherein the service processor includes:

a processor core for controlling provision- or convergence-operations of the broadcast service, the Internet service, and the game service;

a GMCH (Graphics and Memory Controller Hub) element for interfacing data with graphic- and memory-elements of the processor core; and

an ICH (I/O Controller Hub) element for performing an I/O (Input/Output) interface with peripheral devices of the processor core.

4. The home server according to claim 1, wherein the network distribution unit includes:

a network processor for controlling a network distribution function between an out-home network and an in-home network (i.e., home network), and controlling the other network distribution function between at least two home networks (i.e., at least two in-home networks);

a L2 switching processor for receiving a control signal from the network processor, performing switching of traffic data between the out-home network and the home network, and performing switching of traffic data between the home networks, and performing switching between the modules of the home server; and

a wireless home network interface for allowing the network processor to communicate with wireless home devices.

5. The home server according to any one of claim 2, wherein the power-supply unit includes:

a control power-supply unit for transmitting the power-supply signal to each module of the service processor and the broadcast processor according to a control signal; and

a continuous power-supply unit for continuously transmitting the power-supply signal to the network processor and the power-supply controller.

6. The home server according to claim 1, wherein the network distribution unit is connected to each of the service processor and a broadcast distribution unit via an Ethernet interface.

7. The home server according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first power-supply switch for enabling the network distribution function; and

a second power-supply switch for operating the service processor capable of employing the services.

8. The home server according to claim 2, wherein the service processor transmits a multi-tuner selection signal according to the selected broadcast signal to the power-supply controller, and transmits an energy-saving mode signal to the power-supply controller according to operations of an energy-saving management program.

9. The home server according to claim 2, wherein the network processor transmits a multi-tuner selection signal to the power-supply controller according to a broadcast selection/distribution request signal.

10. The home server according to claim 2, wherein:

if the power-supply signal is re-provided to the decoder, the power-supply controller reports re-starting of the decoder to the network processor; and

if the re-staring of the decoder is reported to the network processor, the network processor operates the decoder drive using a decoder drive program stored in the service processor.

11. The home server according to claim 4, wherein:

the L2 switching processor selects first and second Ethernet ports, and connects the first and second Ethernet ports to the network processor,

the L2 switching processor selects a third Ethernet port, and connects the third Ethernet port to an external access network (i.e., a public network),

the L2 switching processor selects fourth and fifth Ethernet ports, connects the fourth Ethernet port to the service processor, and connects the fifth Ethernet port to a broadcast distribution unit, and

the L2 switching processor uses the remaining Ethernet ports other than the first to fifth Ethernet ports as home private network interfaces.

12. The home server according to claim 5, wherein the control power-supply unit includes:

a first control power-supply part for selectively transmitting the power-supply signal to the decoder of the broadcast processor;

a second control power-supply part for selectively transmitting the power-supply signal to the service processor; and

a plurality of control power-supply parts other than the first and second control power-supply parts, for selectively transmitting the power-supply signal to each tuner of the multi-tuner contained in the broadcast processor.

13. The home server according to claim 5, wherein the continuous power-supply unit continuously transmits the power-supply signal to the broadcast distribution unit and the broadcast selection/control unit from among the modules of the broadcast processor.

14. The home server according to claim 7, wherein:

upon receiving an ON signal from the first power-supply switch, the power-supply controller controls the power-supply unit, such that the power-supply signal is applied to the network processor and the broadcast distribution unit contained in the broadcast processor; and

upon receiving an ON signal from the second power-supply switch, the power-supply controller controls the power-supply unit, such that the power-supply signal is applied to the service processor.

15. The home server according to claim 11, wherein the L2 switching processor includes:

a first VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) for connecting the access network to the network process using a port-based VLAN scheme; and

a second VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) for connecting the network processor to the home network.

16. The home server according to claim 15, wherein:

the network processor receives all network traffic data from the access network via the first VLAN of the L2 switching processor, transmits the received network traffic data to a destination contained in the home network via either the second VLAN of the L2 switching processor or a wireless home network interface, and

the network processor receives other traffic data from the home network to the external access network via either the wireless home network interface or the second VLAN of the L2 switching processor, and transmits the received traffic data to the access network via the first VLAN of the L2 switching processor.

17. The home server according to claim 15, wherein:

the network distribution unit controls a L2 multicast MAC table based on an IGMP snooping in association with IP multicast traffic data for an IP-TV service, assigns priority to the IP multicast traffic data as compared to the first and second VLANs, and processes the resultant data.

18. A method for controlling a home server capable of performing service convergence and energy-saving, wherein the home server includes:

a broadcast receiver including a plurality of tuners and a decoder, for receiving/decoding a broadcast signal using the plurality of tuners and the decoder;

a service processor for controlling/performing services received via the home server; and

a network distribution unit for performing distribution of traffic data between home network devices or performing distribution of traffic data between a home network device and an out-home network device, such that it distributes a broadcast service, an Internet service, and a game service to the home network devices, and performs a network distribution function associated with the home network devices, the method comprising the steps of;

a) if a first power-supply acting as a master power switch is switched on by a user, providing the network distribution unit with a power-supply signal;

b) if the network distribution unit receiving the power-supply signal performs the network distribution function, and at the same time receives a broadcast distribution request from the home network devices, allowing the broadcast processor to select a tuner to be operated; and

c) transmitting the power-supply signal to a tuner selected by the broadcast processor and a distribution module contained in the broadcast processor, and performing requested broadcast distribution.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

d) if a second power-supply switch acting as a processor'"'"'s power-supply switch is switched on by the switch, transmitting the power-supply signal to the service processor;

e) allowing the service processor receiving the power-supply signal to perform a requested service, and selecting a tuner to be operated by the broadcast processor according to the service mode; and

f) transmitting the power-supply signal to a corresponding tuner to operate the corresponding tuner selected by the service processor.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

g) allowing the service processor receiving the power-supply signal to perform an energy-saving program, and generating an energy-saving signal indicative of an energy-saving mode; and

h) controlling the power-supply signals of the tuners and the decoder contained in the home server, other than the network distribution unit, according to the energy-saving mode signal.

21. The method according to any one of claims 20, further comprising the steps of:

i) determining whether the power-supply signal is re-applied to the decoder of the broadcast processor; and

j) if the power-supply signal is re-applied to the decoder, allowing a network processor of the network distribution unit to re-operate the decoder receiving the power-supply signal by referring to a decoder drive contained in an internal memory of the service processor.