System for providing video-on-demand services in wireless network environment and method therefor

• US 7,003,793 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2001
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Young-keun, Hwang, Jae-sik
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ustaris, Joseph G.
• Application Number:
  US09/771,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20010056578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 725/86, 725/87, 725/88, 725/91, 725/92, 725/98, 725/100
• US Class Current: 725/91
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234336 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures or audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A system for providing video-on-demand (VOD) services and Internet services in a wireless network environment. A VOD terminal displays predetermined video information. A wireless telecommunications server provides a wireless telecommunications service menu for selection by the VOD terminal. A VOD server provides service information related to the VOD which was selected from the service menu provided by the wireless telecommunications server, by the VOD terminal. An encoder encodes predetermined content input from the outside into a predetermined format to be stored in the VOD server. A converter coverts predetermined content input through the Internet into a predetermined format to be stored in the VOD server. According to the system, a VOD terminal user can receive VOD services and Internet services through a WAP in a wireless telecommunications environment so that information usage and satisfaction can be maximized.

Claims

1. A system for providing video-on-demand (VOD) services in a wireless network environment, the system comprising:

a VOD terminal which displays video information;

a wireless telecommunications server which provides a service menu for selection by the VOD terminal;

a VOD server which provides service information related to a VOD item selected by the VOD terminal from the service menu provided by the wireless telecommunications server;

an encoder which encodes video content input into the VOD server into a first format type to be stored in the VOD server; and

a converter which converts non-video content input into the VOD server into a second format type to be stored in the VOD server,

wherein the VOD server comprises;

a first storage unit that stores video information input into the VOD server;

a second storage unit that stores non-video information input into the VOD server;

a first common gateway interface that converts the stored video information into image files for wireless telecommunications;

a second common gateway interface that converts the stored non-video information into wireless markup language files for wireless telecommunications; and

a third storage unit that stores the image files and the wireless markup language files.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the VOD server comprises a plurality of servers, wherein VOD information providers provide information through the encoder and the converter, and VOD information providers can access the VOD server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the VOD server further comprises a WAP gateway coupled to the third storage unit to output the stored image files and the stored wireless markup language files.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the VOD server further comprises a plurality of servers accessed by VOD information providers.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of servers are coupled in a cascade structure.

6. A method for providing VOD services in a wireless network environment comprising a VOD terminal and a VOD server for providing video and voice services to the VOD terminal, wherein the method comprises:

selecting, in the VOD terminal, a VOD service from a VOD service menu; and

receiving the selected VOD service in the VOD terminal, wherein the VOD service comprises at least one of non-video content converted using wireless markup language and video content encoded into files for wireless telecommunications,

wherein the VOD server stores video content in a first storage unit, converts the stored video content into image files that are stored in a third storage unit, and the VOD server stores non-video content is a second storage unit, converts the stored non-video content into wireless markup language files that are stored in the third storage unit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein when the VOD terminal sends a stop command, the VOD server stops providing the VOD service.