Apparatus, method and system for providing content of media server

• US 8,306,944 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Joo-Hyun, Cho, Joon-Ho, Kim, Yoon-Soo
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, NICHOLAS E
• Application Number:
  US11/948,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 707/602
• US Class Current: 707/602
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

Provided are an apparatus, a method and a system for providing content in a media server, and, more particularly, an apparatus, a method and a system for providing content in a media server, in which content in the media server can be expressed as RSS data which can allow users to access the content through an RSS reader. The apparatus includes an RSS-converting unit which converts content information collected through a browse action or a search action into RSS data, and a web service unit which provides RSS data generated by the RSS-converting unit to external devices.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing content in a media server, the apparatus comprising:

a processor comprising a really simple syndication (RSS)-converting unit which transmits to the media server a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) request for UPnP content directory service (CDS) information of the content, receives from the media server the UPnP CDS information as at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components, and converts the at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components into RSS components using a database associating the UPnP channel components, the UPnP item components, and the RSS components; and

a web service unit which receives from an RSS reader a request for RSS information of the content in the media server and transmits the RSS components to the RSS reader.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RSS-converting unit comprises:

a media server controller which transmits the request to the media server, the request to perform a UPnP browse action or a UPnP search action for collecting the at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components; and

an RSS-converting device which converts the at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components collected through the UPnP browse action or the UPnP search action into the RSS components.

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

an RSS storage unit which stores the RSS components; and

a content storage unit which stores content corresponding to the CDS information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the RSS-converting unit and the web service unit are structurally separate from each other.

5. A system for providing content in a media server, the system comprising:

a really simple syndication (RSS) service agent comprising a processor which transmits to the media server a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) browse action or a UPnP search action for UPnP content directory service (CDS) information of the content, receives from the media server the UPnP CDS information as at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components, and converts the at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components into RSS components using a database associating the UPnP channel components, the UPnP item components, and the RSS components;

the media server which searches containers and items, and generates and transmits the UPnP CDS information in response to receiving the UPnP browse action or the UPnP search action from the RSS service agent; and

an RSS reader which requests the RSS service agent for RSS information of the content in the media server, receives the RSS components from the RSS service agent, and accesses the content using the RSS components.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the RSS service agent comprises:

an RSS-converting unit which converts the least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components into the RSS components; and

a web service unit which provides RSS data generated by the RSS-converting unit to the RSS reader.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the RSS-converting unit comprises:

a media server controller which transmits the request to the media server, the request to perform the UPnP browse action or the UPnP search action; and

an RSS-converting device which converts the at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components into the RSS components.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the web service unit comprises:

an RSS storage unit which stores the RSS components; and

a content storage unit which stores content corresponding to the CDS information.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the RSS-converting unit and the web service unit are structurally separate from each other.

10. A method of providing content in a media server, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a really simple syndication (RSS) service agent comprising a processor, to the media server a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) browse action or a UPnP search action for UPnP content directory service (CDS) information of the content;

receiving from the media server the UPnP CDS information as at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components;

converting the at least one of UPnP channel components and UPnP item components into RSS components using a database associating the UPnP channel components, the UPnP item components, and the RSS components;

receiving from an RSS reader a request for RSS information of the content in the media server; and

providing the RSS components to the RSS reader.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein content corresponding to the RSS components and the collected CDS information are stored separately.