SERVER, SYSTEM AND METHOD THAT PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CONTENTS

• US 20100278170A1
• Filed: 08/18/2008
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SK Planet Co., Ltd. (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Joong-Yun
• Granted Patent: US 8,699,479 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/345
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/00 Time-division multiplex systems H04J14/00 takes precedence; relay systems H04B7/14; selecting techniques H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355

Abstract

Disclosed is a server, a system, and a method for providing additional content simultaneously with main content. The system includes: a server for multiplexing a second content with a first content which is streaming-transmitted, and streaming-transmitting, to a terminal, a mixed content produced by multiplexing the second content with the first content; and the terminal for receiving the mixed content, demultiplexing the mixed content to separate the second content from the first content, streaming-reproducing the first content, and storing the separated second content therein. Accordingly, the system does not need a configuration of another system for providing additional content, which presents separate conditions for providing the additional content and determines if the separate conditions are satisfied. Namely, if a condition for receiving only a particular period of the particular content is satisfied, a user of the terminal can receive and use the additional content along with the particular content.

Claims

1. A content providing system for providing an additional content, the content providing system comprising:

a server for multiplexing a second content with a first content which is streaming-transmitted, and streaming-transmitting, to a terminal, a mixed content produced by multiplexing the second content with the first content; and

the terminal for receiving the mixed content, demultiplexing the mixed content to separate the second content from the first content, streaming-reproducing the first content, and storing the separated second content therein.

2. The content providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server multiplexes the second content with the first content during a part of a reproduction period of the first content, and the multiplexing corresponds to time-division multiplexing.

3. The content providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mixed content comprises information on a starting point of time and an end point of time when the second content is multiplexed with the first content, a total length of the second content, a type of a medium of the second content, and an effective period of being able to reproduce the second content.

4. The content providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server comprises:

a content providing unit for providing the first content and the second content;

a multiplexing unit for multiplexing the first content and the second content provided by the content providing unit; and

a transmission unit for transmitting the multiplexed contents to the terminal.

5. The content providing system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises:

a receiving unit for receiving the mixed content;

a demultiplexing unit for demultiplexing the mixed content received by the receiving unit and separating the second content from the first content;

a reproduction unit for reproducing the first content; and

a storage unit for storing the second content therein.

6. A content providing system for providing an additional content, the content providing system comprising:

a server for multiplexing a second content with a first content transmitted in a data stream, and transmitting, to a terminal, a data stream of a mixed content produced by multiplexing the second content with the first content; and

the terminal for receiving the mixed content, demultiplexing the mixed content to separate the second content from the first content, and storing the first content and the second content therein.

7. A content providing server for providing an additional content which provides two or more contents to a terminal, the content providing server comprising:

a server for multiplexing a second content with a first content during a predetermined reproduction period of the first content streaming-transmitted to the terminal, and streaming-transmitting, to the terminal, a mixed content produced by multiplexing the second content with the first content.

8. The content providing server as claimed in claim 7, wherein the server multiplexes the second content with the first content during a part of a reproduction period of the first content, and the multiplexing corresponds to time-division multiplexing.

9. The content providing server as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mixed content comprises information on a starting point of time and an end point of time when the second content is multiplexed with the first content, a total length of the second content, a type of a medium of the second content, and an effective period of being able to reproduce the second content.

10. The content providing server as claimed in claim 7, wherein the server comprising:

a content providing unit for providing the first content and the second content;

a multiplexing unit for multiplexing the first content and the second content provided by the content providing unit; and

a transmission unit for transmitting the multiplexed contents to the terminal.

11. A content providing server for providing an additional content which provides two or more contents to a terminal, the content providing server comprising:

a server for multiplexing a second content with a first content during a predetermined reproduction period of the first content transmitted in a data stream to the terminal, and transmitting, to the terminal, a data stream of a mixed content produced by multiplexing the second content with the first content.

12. A content providing method for providing an additional content which transmits both a first content which is streaming-transmitted and a second content corresponding to the additional content from a server to a terminal, the content providing method comprising the steps of:

1) multiplexing the second content with the first content during a reproduction period of the first content, and producing a mixed content, by a server;

2) transmitting the mixed content from the server to the terminal; and

3) receiving the mixed content, and demultiplexing the mixed content to separate the second content from the first content, by the terminal.

13. The content providing method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the server multiplexes the second content with the first content during a part of a reproduction period of the first content, and the multiplexing corresponds to time-division multiplexing.

14. The content providing method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the mixed content comprises information on a starting point of time and an end point of time when the second content is multiplexed with the first content, a total length of the second content, a type of a medium of the second content, and an effective period of being able to reproduce the second content.

15. The content providing method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a step of 4) reproducing the first content and storing the second content by the terminal.

16. The content providing method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a step of 4) storing the first content and the second content by the terminal.

17. A content providing method for providing an additional content which transmits both a first content transmitted in a data stream and a second content corresponding to the additional content from a server to a terminal, the content providing method comprising the steps of:

1) inquiring and checking if the first content and the second content are stored in the terminal by the server;

2) transmitting, to the terminal, a part of the second content corresponding to a stored part of the first content when the part of the first content is stored in the terminal but the second content is not stored therein;

3) multiplexing a remaining part of the second content corresponding to a remaining part of the first content with the remaining part of the first content not stored in the terminal, and producing a mixed content, when a part of the first content and the second content corresponding to the part of the first content are stored in the terminal;

4) transmitting the mixed content to the terminal; and

5) receiving the mixed content, demultiplexing the mixed content to separate the remaining part of the second content from the remaining part of the first content, combining the part of the first content with the remaining part of the first content, combining the part of the second content with the remaining part of the second content, and storing therein the first content and the second content, by the terminal.

19. The content providing method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the terminal streaming-reproduces the first content.

18. A content providing method for providing an additional content which transmits both a first content transmitted in a data stream and a second content corresponding to the additional content from a server to a terminal, the content providing method comprising the steps of:

1) inquiring and checking if the first content and the second content are stored in the terminal by the server;

2) multiplexing the entire second content with a remaining part of the first content not stored in the terminal, and producing a mixed content, when the part of the first content is stored in the terminal but the second content is not stored therein;

3) transmitting the mixed content to the terminal; and

4) receiving the mixed content, demultiplexing the mixed content to separate the second content from the remaining part of the first content, and storing therein both the first content produced by combining the part of the first content with the remaining part of the first content and the second content, by the terminal.

20. The content providing method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the terminal streaming-reproduces the first content.