KR100863423B1 - Apparatus and method for providing video service on demand using channelized directory - Google Patents

Abstract

A VOD(Video On Demand) service providing apparatus using a channeled directory and a method thereof are provided to improve a method for selecting VOD contents in a VOD service, thereby enabling a user to select and watch VOD contents that the user wants by a familiar method. A contents selection table stores information with regard to plural contents included in plural directories and each directory. A storing unit(110) stores a channel number assigned to each directory and basic contents information of each directory. A controlling unit(120) displays contents selected by a menu selection signal, a channel number, or a channel updown signal based on a contents selection table. If the controlling unit receives a power off command, the controlling unit stores information with regard to currently displaying contents on a screen as final contents information and powers off.

Description

VOD service providing apparatus and method for providing video service using channelized directory

1 is a view showing the appearance of a menu screen made of a tree structure in a conventional VOD service using a set-top box.

2 is a view showing a serial number specified in the VOD content list in the structure of FIG.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a VOD service system using a VOD service providing apparatus (set-top box) according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the set-top box in FIG.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a VOD content providing method according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing, as an embodiment, that content of the 'KBS' directory of channel number 90 is displayed as final content; FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a list of contents of a directory is displayed on a portion of a screen when a menu button is pressed;

* Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings

100: set-top box 110: storage unit

120: control unit 200: content server

300: TV

The present invention relates to an on-demand video service providing apparatus and a method of providing the same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of selecting a content in a VOD service and introduces a channel concept of a conventional TV broadcast to a user to watch an existing TV broadcast. The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for allowing a VOD service to be provided.

In general, in order to use an on-demand video service using a set-top box (STB), a user needs to go through various steps such as searching for and selecting a desired item (field) by using a remote controller and entering the sub screen again to select desired content.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a menu screen having a tree structure in a conventional VOD service using a set-top box, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a serial number assigned to a VOD content list in the structure of FIG.

When the user selects the VOD service, the set-top box shows a menu screen of a directory tree structure as shown in FIG. Then, the user selects a specific directory by using a remote controller and searches for contents in the directory to select desired content. However, when using the menu screen of such a tree structure, it sometimes causes a lot of trial and error, and it takes a lot of time to find the desired VOD content. Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, a method of presenting a search result that matches the entered keyword by providing a search box for entering keywords such as title, main actor's name, director's name, etc. in addition to the tree structure menu is also provided. Is being provided. However, in the case of searching using a keyword, when there are a plurality of results matched with the input keyword, a situation in which the contents cannot be presented on one screen occurs. In the case of the VOD contents produced as a series, it is missing when searching. There is also a problem that occurs.

To solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 2, a method of immediately finding VOD contents by assigning a serial number to each VOD contents and inputting a serial number of the desired VOD contents has been proposed, but in this case, a large amount of VOD contents is provided. In this case, since it is virtually impossible for a user to remember all of them, a menu showing contents of contents matching each serial number must be provided separately, which leads to a problem in that the method shown in FIG. 1 must be used.

After all, the conventional VOD service finds the desired VOD contents by using the menu screen of the directory type tree structure as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, which is similar to the user searching for the desired file using the Windows Explorer when using a computer. It is operating in a way.

Therefore, the content retrieval method using the tree structure menu screen may be an easy and convenient method for those who have frequently used computers. However, since the VOD service is a broadcast service using television, the main viewers are housewives who are unfamiliar with computers or older people, especially those who watch TV during the daytime of the week. It is very inconvenient to search and watch VOD contents by using the tree structure menu screen.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a VOD service as if the content selection method in the VOD service as if watching a conventional TV broadcast to receive the VOD service in a manner more familiar to VOD service users. It can be.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an on-demand video service providing apparatus of a content selection table for storing information about a plurality of directories and a plurality of contents included in each directory, a channel number assigned to each directory, and each directory. A storage unit to store basic content information of the; And a controller configured to display, on the screen, content selected by a menu selection signal, a channel number, or a channel up-down signal input from a user based on the content selection table.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of providing an on-demand video service includes a content selection table for storing information about a plurality of directories and a plurality of contents included in each directory, a channel number assigned to each directory, and basic content information of each directory. A first step of making; And a second step of displaying, on the screen, content selected by a menu selection signal, a channel number, or a channel up-down signal input from a user based on the content selection table.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a VOD service system using a VOD service providing apparatus (set-top box) according to the present invention.

The VOD service system of FIG. 3 includes a set top box 100, a content server 200, and a TV 300.

The set-top box 100 matches and stores channel numbers and basic contents for each directory of the VOD menu. When the channel up / down signal is received by a user's remote control, the set-top box 100 displays the VOD contents currently displayed on the TV 300 screen ( Hereinafter, the user moves to a directory corresponding to the received channel up / down signal among directories adjacent to the directory including contents, and displays basic contents of the directory on the screen. The set-top box 100 enters a specific directory and displays a list of contents included in the current directory when the user presses a preset menu button on the remote control while displaying specific contents included in the directory on the TV 300 screen. Displayed on a part of the screen, the user can directly select the desired content to watch the content. When the power is turned off, the set-top box 100 stores information on the content that was finally displayed on the screen, and when the power is turned on again, the set-top box 100 immediately displays the content on the screen of the TV 300. In addition, the set-top box 100 enters a directory corresponding to the channel number when the channel number is received rather than the channel up / down signal, and displays basic contents of the directory on the screen.

The content server 200 transmits the requested content to the set top box 100 according to a request from the set top box 100.

4 is a configuration diagram briefly showing the configuration of the set-top box 100 in FIG.

The set top box 100 includes a storage unit 110 and a control unit 120.

The storage unit 110 stores VOD menu information (menu directory and contents of each directory), channel number assigned to each directory of the VOD menu, basic information (content selection table), and power off. Information about the last content that the user viewed last is stored. In this case, the channel number assigned to each directory may be arbitrarily set, but preferably, similarly to the number assigned to the channel in the existing TV broadcast. For example, since MBC is assigned to channel number 11 in the existing TV broadcast, the same 11 as the channel number is assigned to the directory (MBC directory in FIGS. 1 and 2) in the present invention. A similar 110 is given as the channel number. Of course, the channel number assigned to each directory can be changed by the user.

The control unit 120 displays the content selected by the channel information (channel up / down signal, channel number) provided from the user based on the VOD menu information, the content selection table, and the information on the final content of the storage 110. 300) Display on the screen. That is, when the power is turned on, the controller 120 searches for the final content in the storage 110 and displays the final content on the screen first. If the channel number or the channel up / down signal is received by the user's remote controller while the contents are displayed on the screen, the controller 120 may display the basic contents of the directory corresponding to the received channel number based on the content selection table or It displays the basic contents of the directory adjacent to the directory containing the content currently displayed on the screen. If the specific menu button is pressed while displaying specific content on the screen, the controller 120 displays a list of contents of a directory including the contents currently displayed on the screen using a VOD menu information on a predetermined portion of the screen. If any one of them is selected, the selected content is displayed on the screen. In addition, when the power-off signal is received, the controller 120 replaces the information on the final content stored in the storage unit 110 with the information on the content currently displayed on the screen before turning off the power and then turns off the power. .

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of providing VOD content according to the present invention.

When the user turns on the set-top box 100 to view the VOD content, the controller 120 lastly viewed the information before the user turned off the information on the final content, that is, the set-top box 100 in the storage 110. Information about the content is read out so that the content is displayed on the screen (step 510).

Here, when the program information is changed and the user can no longer display the last content (final content) that was previously viewed, the basic content of the corresponding directory may be displayed on the screen. At this time, the channel number and the directory name of the channel are displayed together on the screen. In this embodiment, it is assumed that one of the contents of the directory 'KBS' to which the channel number 90 is assigned is displayed as the final content as shown in FIG. 6.

While the content is being displayed on the screen, the controller 120 checks whether a channel up / down signal has been received (step 520), a channel number has been received (step 540), or whether a menu button has been pressed (step 560).

In this case, when the channel up / down signal is received, the controller 120 corresponds to the received channel up / down signal among directories adjacent to the directory including the currently displayed content by using the content selection table stored in the storage 110. The basic content of the directory is displayed on the screen (step 530). At this time, the basic content set in each directory may be basically the first content in the directory (VOD content 1, VOD content 11, VOD content 21, VOD content 31,… in the case of FIG. 1). It can be an advertisement or an advertising trailer.

For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the content currently displayed on the screen is a broadcast content of 'KBS', when a channel up signal is received, the controller 120 moves to an adjacent directory, 'foreign movie' directory, to determine the directory. It displays basic content, or VOD content 11, on the screen. On the other hand, when the channel down signal is received, the control unit 120 moves to the adjacent directory 'MBC' directory when the channel down signal is received and displays the basic content of the directory, that is, VOD content 31, on the screen.

If a specific channel number is received in step 540, the controller 120 searches for a directory corresponding to the received channel number in the content selection table and displays basic content of the directory on the screen (step 550).

In addition, when a specific menu button is pressed in step 560, the controller 120 displays a content list of a directory including the currently displayed content on a predetermined portion of the screen using the VOD menu information (step 570). .

As shown in FIG. 7, when a user selects specific content by using a remote controller while the contents list of the directory is displayed on the screen (step 580), the controller 120 causes the corresponding content to be displayed on the screen (step 590).

The controller 120 checks again whether a channel up / down signal or a specific channel number is received from the user or whether a menu button is pressed. In step 520 to step 590, the user powers up the set-top box 100. It is repeated until is turned off.

If the user turns off the set-top box 100 while repeatedly performing the above-described processes, the controller 120 first stores information about the content (final content) currently displayed on the screen in the storage 110. Turn off the power.

As described above, the present invention improves the method for the user to select the VOD content in the VOD service, so that the user can select and view the VOD content to be viewed in a similar manner to the method already familiar.

Claims (11)

A content selection table for storing information about a plurality of directories and a plurality of contents included in each directory, a storage unit for storing channel numbers assigned to each directory and basic content information of each directory; And And a controller configured to display, on the screen, content selected by a menu selection signal, a channel number, or a channel up-down signal input from a user based on the content selection table. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit When the power off command is received, the VOD service providing apparatus, characterized in that the power is turned off after storing the information on the content currently displayed on the screen as the information on the final content. The method of claim 2, wherein the control unit The VOD service providing device, characterized in that for displaying the final content on the screen when the power on. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit When the channel up-down signal is received, the basic content of the directory corresponding to the received channel up-down signal is displayed on the screen by using the content selection table. VOD service provision device. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit And receiving the specific channel number, displaying basic content of a directory corresponding to the received channel number on the screen using the content selection table. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit And receiving a menu selection signal, displaying a content list of a directory including contents currently displayed on the screen on a screen. The method of claim 6, wherein the control unit When the specific content is selected in the content list, the VOD service providing apparatus for displaying the selected content on the screen. A first step of storing a content selection table for storing a plurality of directories and information on a plurality of contents included in each directory, a channel number assigned to each directory, and basic content information of each directory; And And displaying, on a screen, content selected by a menu selection signal, a channel number, or a channel up-down signal input from a user based on the content selection table. The method of claim 8, wherein the second step A third step of displaying basic contents of a directory adjacent to a current directory on the screen when the channel up-down signal is received; A fourth step of displaying basic contents of a directory corresponding to the received channel number on the screen when the channel number is received; And And a fifth step of displaying, on the screen, a list of contents of a directory including contents currently displayed on the screen when the specific menu selection signal is received. The method of claim 8, A sixth step of displaying, when the power is turned on, the last content viewed by the user on the screen; And And a seventh step of storing the information on the content currently displayed on the screen as the information on the final content when the power is turned off. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, The basic content is a VOD service providing method, characterized in that any one selected from the first content, a predetermined advertisement, and a trailer in the directory.

Images