APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION SERVICES AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION SERVICES USING THE SAME

• US 20110145852A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: LEE, Hyun-Jin, CHO, Kee-Seong
• Application Number:
  US12/900,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service is provided. The IPTV service controlling apparatus includes a service control unit and a display information providing unit. The service control unit is configured to conduct a user authentication based on user information of an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) terminal, create Electric Program Guide (EPG) information according to a request for EGP information made by an authorized user, transport the created EPG information to the display information providing unit and provide the IPTV terminal with an IPTV service that is requested using the EPG information by the user. The display information providing unit processes the EPG information to correspond to an environment of the IPTV terminal based on information about the IPTV terminal and provides the IPTV terminal with the processed EPG information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service, the apparatus comprising:

a service control unit configured to conduct a user authentication based on user information of an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) terminal, create Electric Program Guide (EPG) information according to a request for EGP information made by an authorized user, transport the created EPG information to a display information providing unit and provide the IPTV terminal with an IPTV service that is requested using the EPG information by the user,

wherein the display information providing unit processes the EPG information to correspond to an environment of the IPTV terminal based on information about the IPTV terminal and provides the IPTV terminal with the processed EPG information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, if a request for a content is made by a user using the EPG information, the service control unit is configured to provide the IPTV terminal with a recorded content based on information about time at which a request for recording the content is made by the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service control unit comprises:

an authentication unit configured to conduct the user authentication; and

an EPG information creating unit configured to create the EPG information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service control unit further comprises a profile managing unit configured to store information about a user profile, an IPTV terminal profile and a content profile.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the EPG information creating unit creates the EPG information based on information about a user specific content access right that is included in the user profile.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the service control unit comprises a live broadcast encoder which is configured to receive a live broadcast and perform encoding in real time;

and

a content storage unit configured to store an encoded content.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the service control unit further comprises a media providing unit which is configured to provide the IPTV terminal with the recorded content based on the information about time at which the request for recording the content is made by the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the service control unit further comprises a call control unit which is configured to control a multimedia session connection between the IPTV terminal and the media providing unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a web service gateway configured to be associated with the service control unit to mediate at least one operation of a user authentication, an EGP information creation, a request for IPTV services, a session setting, a request for recording, a request for a profile and a change of EPG information.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the web service gateway comprises:

an IPTV service request handling unit configured to receive at least one message of a request for channel broadcasts, a request for Video on Demand (VoD), a request for Network Personal Video Recorder (NPVR), a request for EPG creation, and a request for session setting and enable the request to be handled through the service control unit; and

an IPTV service request-notification handling unit configured to notify a result of handling the request to the IPTV terminal.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the web service gateway comprises an authentication access handling unit configured to receive the user information and conduct the user identification through the authentication unit included in the service control unit;

and

a profile access handling unit configured to retrieve the profile information through the profile managing unit included in the service control unit.

12. A method of providing an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service, the method comprising:

at an authentication unit, conducting a user authentication based on user information of an Internet Protocol Television Service (IPTV) terminal;

at an Electric Program Guide (EPG) information creation unit, creating EPG information based on a user specific content access right that is included in a user profile;

at a display information providing unit, processing the EPG information to correspond to an environment of the IPTV terminal based on information about the IPTV terminal and providing the IPTV terminal with the processed EPG information; and

at a media providing unit, if a request for a content is made by a user using the EPG information, providing the IPTV terminal with a recorded content based on information about time at which the request for recording the content is made by the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein

at a call control unit, establishing a multimedia session connection between the IPTV terminal and the media providing unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, at the media providing unit, providing the IPTV terminal with the content after establishing of the multimedia session connection between the IPTV terminal and the media providing unit through the call control unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, at a web service gateway which is associated with the authentication unit, the EPG information creation unit, the display information providing unit, the media providing unit and the call control unit, mediating at least one operation of a user authentication, an EGP information creation, a request for IPTV services, a session setting, a request for recording, a request for a profile and a change of EPG information.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein,. at the EPG information creation unit, if an EPG information related change occurs, applying information of the EPG information related change to the EPG information and transmits a notification message of EGP change to the display information providing unit.