Subway broadcast method and apparatus

• US 7,555,289 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2003
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Jae-Hyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dao; Minh D
• Application Number:
  US10/701,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20040259500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,064 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/41.2, 455/412.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/421, 455/414.2, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8271 Based on the number of used services, e.g. call forwarding or call barring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7873 Based on the number of used services, e.g. call forwarding or call barring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A subway broadcast method and apparatus. The broadcast method for the subway broadcast apparatus for providing subway passengers with broadcast data that is received from a subway broadcast server providing a subway broadcast service over a wireless network, includes the steps of a) upon receiving a request signal from a Bluetooth terminal containing a Bluetooth chip, establishing a call setup mode with the Bluetooth terminal according to a Bluetooth scheme, b) responding to a pay-for-use content request message and user information received from the Bluetooth terminal, and transmitting the pay-for-use content request message and the user information to the subway broadcast server, c) receiving the pay-for-use content data requested over the wireless network from the subway broadcast server, and transmitting the received pay-for-use content data to the Bluetooth terminal, and d) if a power level of the Bluetooth terminal is lower than a reference power level, canceling the call setup mode associated with the Bluetooth terminal, and requesting the subway broadcast server to terminate execution of the pay-for-use content data. Therefore, subway passengers can receive a variety of pay-for-use contents from a plurality of content servers, such that they can select their desired broadcast program in a subway train.

Claims

1. A subway broadcast apparatus, comprising:

a receiver for receiving broadcast data containing subway common broadcast data and pay-for-use content data from a subway broadcast server providing users with a subway broadcast service over a wireless network;

a display for displaying a video signal extracted from the common broadcast data received at the receiver;

a Bluetooth unit for transmitting the pay-for-use content data and an audio signal extracted from the common broadcast data received at the receiver according to a Bluetooth scheme, and receiving a pay-for-use content request message and user authentication information from a mobile terminal containing a Bluetooth chip;

a transmitter for transmitting the pay-for-use content request message and the user authentication information received from the Bluetooth unit to the subway broadcast server; and

a controller for controlling the display, the Bluetooth unit, and the transmitter so as to broadcast the pay-for-use content data and the common broadcast data to the users according to the Bluetooth scheme.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the receiver receives broadcast data which is classified into pay-for-use data and common broadcast data on the basis of ID (IDentification) information determined by the subway broadcast server.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the controller reads the ID information contained in the broadcast data, transmits the read ID information to the Bluetooth unit, divides the common broadcast data into an audio signal and a video signal, transmits the video signal to the display, and transmits the audio signal to the Bluetooth unit.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the Bluetooth unit includes:

a signal convener for converting an audio signal extracted from the common broadcast data received at the receiver and pay-for-use content data into a Bluetooth signal, and converting a pay-for-use content request message and user authentication information received from another Bluetooth terminal into wireless network data;

a Bluetooth transceiver for transmitting/receiving the Bluetooth signal to/from a plurality of Bluetooth enabled mobile terminals; and

a Bluetooth signal processor for transmitting either the audio signal of the common broadcast data convened into the Blue signal or the pay-for-use content data to the Bluetooth transceiver, and transmitting the pay-for-use content request message and the user authentication information received from the Bluetooth transceiver to the signal convener.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the Bluetooth signal processor analyzes transmission/reception state information of the Bluetooth signal and processing capacity information upon receiving result signals from the signal converter and the Bluetooth transceiver, and displays the analyzed result.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the Bluetooth unit further includes a status display for displaying the analyzed result of the Bluetooth signal processor adapted to process the transmission/reception state information of the Bluetooth signal and the processing capacity information.

7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the Bluetooth transceiver transmits pay-for-use content data received from the Bluetooth signal processor to a user requesting the pay-for-use content data, and broadcasts the audio signal of the communication broadcast data received from the Bluetooth signal processor to unspecified Bluetooth enabled mobile terminals.

8. A subway broadcast method for a subway broadcast apparatus providing subway passengers with broadcast data that is received from a subway broadcast server providing a subway broadcast service over a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

a) upon receiving a request signal from a Bluetooth terminal containing a Bluetooth chip, establishing a call setup mode with the Bluetooth terminal according to a Bluetooth scheme;

b) responding to a pay-for-use content request message and user information received from the Bluetooth terminal, and transmitting the pay-for-use content request message and the user information to the subway broadcast server;

c) receiving the pay-for-use content data requested over the wireless network from the subway broadcast server, and transmitting the received pay-for-use content data to the Bluetooth terminal; and

d) if a power level of the Bluetooth terminal is lower than a reference power level, canceling the call setup mode associated with the Bluetooth terminal, and requesting the subway broadcast server to terminate execution of the pay-for-use content data.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step (b) includes the steps of:

converting data received from the Bluetooth terminal according to the Bluetooth scheme into wireless network data, and transmitting the converted data to the subway broadcast server.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step (c) includes the steps of:

converting data serving as wireless network data received from the subway broadcast server into a Bluetooth signal, and transmitting the converted data to the Bluetooth terminal.

11. The method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

e) if the pay-for-use content data request message and the user information are not received from the Bluetooth terminal after establishing the call setup mode at the step (a), receiving common broadcast data from the subway broadcast server;

f) classifying the communication broadcast data into a video signal and an audio signal; and

g) providing the Bluetooth terminal with the audio signal classified at the step (b).

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the step (g) includes the step of:

providing the Bluetooth terminal with the audio signal according to the Bluetooth scheme.