WO2008082190A1

WO2008082190A1 - System for providing moving picture and moving picture registration/inquiry/play method

Info

Publication number: WO2008082190A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/006950
Authority: WO
Inventors: In-Yong Lee
Original assignee: LIME BT SOLUTION CO Ltd
Current assignee: LIME BT SOLUTION CO Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-29
Filing date: 2007-12-28
Publication date: 2008-07-10
Anticipated expiration: 2009-06-29
Also published as: KR100780061B1

Abstract

A system and method for providing a moving picture, which are capable of transmitting a picture file to a server so as to generate metadata when a picture is registered and achieving bi-directional communication with the server while a user views a moving picture so as to download or upload data including additional services, is disclosed. The system for providing a moving picture includes a user player which transmits metadata according to an intention of a user and receives and plays a desired picture file, a control server which receives the metadata from the user player and provides a service corresponding to the metadata to the user player when on-line connection with the user player is established, a media file server which receives the metadata from the user player through the control server, performs user authentication, and provides a picture file corresponding to the metadata to the user player in a buffering state, and a data communication network which on-line connects the user player, the control server and the file server.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[invention Title]

SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING MOVING PICTURE AND MOVING PICTURE REGISTRATION/INQUIRY/PLAY METHOD [Technical Field]

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing a moving picture, and more particularly, to a system and method for providing a moving picture, which are capable of transmitting a picture file to a server so as to generate metadata when a picture is registered and achieving bidirectional communication with the server while a user views a moving picture so as to download or upload data including additional services. [Background Art] Recently, as digital television (TV) broadcasting has become widespread, a set-top box (hereinafter, referred to as a STB) including local storage such as a digital video recorder (hereinafter, referred to as a DVR) has been used as a component of a TV receiver. A viewer can store a broadcasting program in local storage such as a DVR using such new electric appliances by a digital video compression scheme such as MPEG-2 and can view a desired broadcasting program at a desired time using the DVR function. Currently, the viewer can sequentially search for a specific portion while repeatedly performing a "fast forward"?function and a "rewind"?function of a conventional video cassette recorder (VCR) and can directly access and search for any point of a program by recording a broadcasting program in a digital manner. Accordingly, if segment information (metadata) of the recorded program is given, the viewer can select and view a desired portion of the recorded program or view only a summary or a highlight portion of the recorded program according to the given metadata. The metadata can be represented by an international standard such as MPEG-7 or TV-anytime or a proprietary format and is provided by a TV broadcasting station or a third service provider. The viewer may store the received metadata in local storage such as the DVR and use the metadata later.

As described above, there is a need for a method for efficiently providing a user of a DVR with an improved function such as a function for browsing a recorded TV program with low cost. That is, there is a need for a method for efficiently performing a series of processes of indexing a TV broadcasting program, transmitting the indexed metadata to a STB, and accessing any portion of the program recorded in a DVR using the received metadata with low cost. [Disclosure] [Technical Problem]

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing a moving picture, which are capable of transmitting a picture file to a server so as to generate metadata when a picture is registered and achieving bi-directional communication with the server while a user views a moving picture so as to download or upload data including additional services. [Technical Solution]

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a system for providing a moving picture, the system including: a user player which transmits metadata according to an intention of a user and receives and plays a desired picture file; a control server which receives the metadata from the user player and provides a service corresponding to the metadata to the user player when on-line connection with the user player is established; a media file server which receives the metadata from the user player through the control server, performs user authentication, and provides a picture file corresponding to the metadata to the user player in a buffering state; and a data communication network which on-line connects the user player, the control server and the file server.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a moving picture providing system, the method including: (1) at a control server, determining whether on-line connection with a user player is established by a user; (2) at the control server, determining whether metadata is received from the user player if the online connection is established; (3) at the control server, searching for a picture using the received metadata if the metadata is received; (4) at the control server, outputting the result of searching for the picture to the user player; (5) at the control server, transmitting the metadata when on-line connection with a media file server included in the metadata is established; (6) maintaining the control server in a standby state while it is checked whether the user is an authorized user who can make a request for the play of a picture using the received metadata, after the media file server is on-line connected to a metadata server; and (7) at the control server, on-line connecting the user terminal to the media file server if it is checked that the user is the authorized user.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for registering a moving picture, the method including: (1) at a control server, allowing a user, who wants to register a picture, to upload a picture, contents and data; (2) at the control server, changes the uploaded picture to successive images, recognizes contents of the successive images of the picture, and displaying, a frame number, centroid of the contents and size of the contents; (3) at the control server, regenerating a picture file; (4) at the control server, transmitting the regenerated file to a media file server; and (5) at the control server, separately storing and managing content data and a file header.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for inquiring about a moving picture, the method including: (1) at a control server, allowing a user to make a request for additional information of a file which can be played; (2) at the control server, making a request for the additional information of a picture to a database in which data of overall picture information is registered; (3) at the control server, transmitting overall information of the picture corresponding to the inquiry result of the user; and (4) at the control server, transmitting to the user only picture data, which can be opened, of the received picture data.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for playing a moving picture, the method including: (1) at a control server, making a request for play using user data and data which is received at the time of inquiry of a picture according to the manipulation of a user;

(2) at the control server, comparing the data which is received at the time of the inquiry of the picture with data which is received at the time of play of the picture, determining whether the request for the play of the picture is authorized, and making a request for the play of the picture to a database;

(3) at the control server, receiving overall content information of the picture; (4) at the control server, transmitting overall information of the picture excluding the content information; (5) at the control server, searching for and reading a physical area in which the picture is located and receiving a picture file; and (6) at the control server, streaming the picture file and content data to a user player. [Advantageous Effects]

According to the present invention, a server configures information on persons and products (for example, clothes, furniture or the like) displayed in a predetermined picture as metadata so as to register a picture file. A user who uses an IPTV uses additional services using metadata provided by the server and downloads/uploads data, while viewing a predetermined moving picture of which the metadata is generated. Accordingly, the user can use a moving picture service to which various additional services are applied, in addition to the viewing of the moving picture. In addition, a provider who provides a moving picture service can increase the quality of the moving picture service using bi-directional communication and achieve business diversification using a moving picture. [Description of Drawings]

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system for providing a moving picture according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating the moving picture providing system according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view explaining a method for registering a moving picture according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a view explaining a method for inquiring about and playing a moving picture according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of metadata; FIG. 6 is a view showing another example of a user interface (UI) and basic metadata;

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of additional metadata; and

FIG. 8 is a view showing a screen formed by object metadata. [Best Mode]

Hereinafter, a system for providing a moving picture according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings .

As shown in FIG. 1, the system for providing the moving picture according to the present invention includes a user player 100 for transmitting metadata and receiving and playing a desired picture file according to an intention of a user, a control server 200 which receives the metadata from the user player 100 and provides a service corresponding to the metadata to the user player when on-line connection with the user player 100 is established, a media file server 300 which receives the metadata from the user player 100 through the control server 200, performs user authentication, and provides the picture file corresponding to the metadata to the user player 100 in a buffering state, a metadata server 400 for receiving a metafile, which is transmitted by the user using the user player 100, for making a request for the play of the picture and additional information, comparing the metafile with a metafile which is already registered, determining whether there is reliability or additional information, and transmitting the picture file included in the media file server or an external file server to a buffer of the control server according to the determined result, and a data communication network 500 for on-line connecting the user player 100, the control server 200 and the media file server 300.

The metadata server 400 stores and manages the metadata of the picture file in a storage unit different from a storage unit for storing the picture file, manages file using the metadata, searches for and accesses a file using the metadata, and provides the file to the user.

The metadata may be divided into metadata for searching for and managing the picture file, script metadata for playing the picture, and metadata for inputting the additional information.

The media file server 300 divides an original picture into several objects and decides the levels of the objects such that description of the picture included in the picture file or a specific object of the picture and additional contents are inserted. That is, the description of the original picture and the additional description of the specific object of the picture may be inserted. Therefore, the user can view the picture and, at the same time, select the object added to the picture so as to check the inserted information. When the user selects an object, with respect to the level of the picture, the levels of all the objects are displayed on a screen. When a specific object is selected, as shown in FIG. 8, the user player 100 configures the screen by the metadata of the selected object.

The control server 200 provides picture data to a predetermined user, checks the current capacity of a memory, and uses a transfer buffer for transferring the picture data as a virtual memory without discarding the transfer memory if the capacity of the memory is sufficient.

A method for operating the moving picture providing system will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Method for Operating Moving Picture Providing system In the method for operating the moving picture providing system, as shown in FIG. 2, the control server 200 determines whether on-line connection with the user player 100 is established by the user (SlOO) . If it is determined that the on-line connection is established, then the control server 200 determines whether the metadata is received from the user player 100 (SIlO) . If it is determined that the metadata is received, then the control server 200 searches for the picture using the received metadata (S120) and outputs the searched result to the user player 100 (S130) .

The control server 200 transmits the metadata when online connection with the media file server 300 included in the metadata is established (S140) . Then, the control server 200 is maintained in a standby state while it is checked whether the user is an authorized user who can make a request for the play of the picture using the received metadata, after the media file server 300 is on-line connected to the metadata server 400 (S150) .

If it is checked that the user is the authorized user, then the control server 200 allows the user player to be online connected to the media file server 300 (S160) and completes the method.

At this time, the media file server 300 buffers the picture file such that the repetition of the operation is suppressed when the same file is additionally requested. Now, the metadata will be briefly described. Data which is configured by a personal computer (PC) for picking up the picture is used as the metadata when the data is transmitted to the control server 200. The user configures the data through a convenient user interface (UI) , but the transmitted data is modified to be suitable for the form of the metadata. FIG. 6 is a view showing basic metadata and FIG. 7 is a view showing additional metadata. A manager who monitors the picture in real time is allowed to insert the metadata into the picture in a predetermined template. In the drawing, a state in which an advertisement image is inserted is shown.

The metadata is generated even when a storage picture is registered. The metadata and the picture file are included in the data for registering the storage picture as picture information. As shown in FIG. 5, if data is inserted into a specific frame, information may be inserted about a specific matter or person which appears on the picture after movement of a frame or information on overall frame, such as a caption, may be inserted.

Method for Registering Moving Picture

In a method for registering the moving picture, which is performed in the system for providing the moving picture, as shown in FIG. 3, the control server 200 allows a user, who wants to register the picture, to upload the picture, contents and data, changes the uploaded picture into successive images, recognizes contents of the successive images of the picture, and displays a frame number, centroid of contents and size of the contents. At this time, the control server 200 recognizes the contents of the picture by comparing a reference picture with a picture which is previously provided, checking whether a change portion exists, and recognizing the change portion as an object.

The control server 200 regenerates the picture file, transmits the regenerated file to the media file server 300, and separately stores and manages content data and a file header. When the picture file is regenerated, the control server 200 reads a reference frame with respect to a moving picture to be compressed, reads a current frame which will be compared with the reference frame, generates line spectrums of the reference frame and the current frame, overlaps the generated line spectrums with each other, detects a change portion, compresses data, and generates compression data.

At this time, the contents are an image for allowing the user, who views the picture, to check additional information and the description thereof, and the data includes a register ID, the description of the picture, a source, and a title.

The regenerated picture file includes a file header, contents data and picture data. The file header is a file header of a picture to be provided, which includes a file size and file provider information. The content data includes position and size information of the generated contents.

Method for Inquiring about Moving Picture

In a method for inquiring about the moving picture, which is performed in the system for providing the moving picture, as shown in FIG. 3, the control server 200 allows the user to make a request for additional information of a file which can be played and makes a request for additional information of the picture to a database in which data of overall picture information is registered.

The control server 200 transmits overall information of the picture corresponding to the inquiry result of the user and transmits to the user only picture data, which can be opened, of the received picture data. That is, if the request for play is received from the user when the inquiry result is transmitted, the control server 200 combines the data which is previously transmitted to the user and the data which is not transmitted to the user and transmits the combined data. At this time, the data which is opened to the user includes a picture title, a picture showing time and a list of contents. The data which is not opened to the user includes a picture serial number and/or a content serial number. Method for Playing Moving Picture

In a method for playing the moving picture, which is performed in the system for providing the moving picture, as shown in FIG. 3, the control server 200 makes a request for play using the user data and the data which is received at the time of the inquiry of the picture according to the manipulation of the user, compares the data which is received at the time of the inquiry of the picture with the data which is received at the time of the play of the picture, determines whether the request for the play of the picture is authorized, and makes a request for playing the picture to the database.

The control server 200 receives overall content information of the picture, receives overall information of the picture, searches for and reads a physical area in which the picture is located, receives a picture file, and streams the picture file and the content data to the user player. At this time, the user data includes a user ID and a user IP.

Application Contents Application contents of the present invention include a broadcasting solution, a movie showing solution, and a concert broadcasting solution. Now, the broadcasting solution will be briefly described. Since a broadcasting stream is transmitted to a server through a library or a file, a manager accesses the server at a specific time so as to readily perform insertion/correction of contents or additional information. It is possible to cope with the diversification and the mass production of the contents generated through the moving picture and to prevent capability of the stream from deteriorating when the control server manages the contents.

In the movie showing solution, an encoding system and a player are supported so as to be adapted to expansion in image quality which has an influence on general movie showing. The basic image quality is improved by improving the quality of the picture, the screen is not expanded similar to the existing picture, and an alias phenomenon due to the expansion of the screen of the player is reduced.

In the concert broadcasting solution, at least one control PC is installed in a concert hall or a control place and contents (advertisement or publicity) can be inserted while transmission information (a rate, image quality or the like) of the concert picture is controlled. The PC of the concert hall may monitor data communication between users and may participate in the communication as another user. Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. [industrial Applicability]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to use a moving picture service to which a variety of additional services is applied, in addition to the viewing of a moving picture, increase quality of the moving picture service using bi-directional communication at the side of a provider for providing the moving picture service, and achieve business diversification using the moving picture.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

[Claim l]

A system for providing a moving picture, the system comprising: a user player which transmits metadata according to an intention of a user and receives and plays a desired picture file; a control server which receives the metadata from the user player and provides a service corresponding to the metadata to the user player when on-line connection with the user player is established; a media file server which receives the metadata from the user player through the control server, performs user authentication, and provides a picture file corresponding to the metadata to the user player in a buffering state; a data communication network which on-line connects the user player, the control server and the file server; and a metadata server which receives a metafile, which is transmitted by the user using the user player, for making a request for the play of the picture and additional information, compares the received metadata with a metafile which is already registered, determines whether there is reliability or additional information, and transmits the picture file stored in the media file server or an external file server to a buffer of the control server. [Claim 2]

The system according to claim 1, wherein the metadata server stores and manages the metadata of the picture file in an storage unit different from a storage unit for storing the picture file, manages the file through the metadata, and searches for and accesses the file using the metadata so as to provide the file to the user.

[Claim 3]

The system according to claim 2, wherein the metadata is divided into metadata for searching for and managing the picture file, script metadata for playing the picture, and metadata for inputting the additional information.

[Claim 4]

The system according to claim 1, wherein the media file server divides an original picture into several objects and decides the levels of the objects such that description of a picture included in the picture file or a specific object of the picture and additional contents are inserted.

[Claim 5] The system according to claim 1, wherein the control server checks current capacity of a memory after providing picture data to the user and maintains the picture data in a virtual memory if the current capacity of the memory is sufficient. [Claim 6]

A method for operating a moving picture providing system, the method comprising:

(1) at a control server, determining whether on-line connection with a user player is established by a user;

(2) at the control server, determining whether metadata is received from the user player if the on-line connection is established;

(3) at the control server, searching for a picture using the received metadata if the metadata is received;

(4) at the control server, outputting the result of searching for the picture to the user player;

(5) at the control server, transmitting the metadata when on-line connection with a media file server included in the metadata is established;

(6) maintaining the control server in a standby state while it is checked whether the user is an authorized user who can make a request for the play of a picture using the received metadata, after the media file server is on-line connected to a metadata server; and

(7) at the control server, on-line connecting the user terminal to the media file server if it is checked that the user is the authorized user.

[Claim 7] A method for registering a moving picture, the method comprising:

(1) at a control server, allowing a user, who wants to register a picture, to upload a picture, contents and data;

(2) at the control server, changes the uploaded picture to successive images, recognizes contents of the successive images of the picture, and displaying, a frame number, centroid of the contents and size of the contents;

(3) at the control server, regenerating a picture file;

(4) at the control server, transmitting the regenerated file to a media file server; and

(5) at the control server, separately storing and managing content data and a file header.

[Claim 8]

The method according to claim 7, wherein the contents are an image for allowing the user, who views the picture, to check additional information and description thereof. [Claim 9]

The method according to claim 7, wherein the data includes at least one or two of a register ID, the description of the picture, a source, and a title. [Claim 10]

The method according to claim 7, wherein the recognizing of the contents of the picture of the step (2) comprises comparing a reference picture with a picture which is previously provided, checking whether a change portion exists, and recognizing the change portion as an object.

[Claim ll]

The method according to claim 7, wherein the picture file regenerated in the step (3) includes a file header, content data and picture data.

[Claim 12]

The method according to claim 11, wherein: the filer header is a file header of a picture to be provided, which includes a file size and file provider information, and the content data includes position and size information of the generated contents. [Claim 13]

A method for inquiring about a moving picture, the method comprising: (1) at a control server, allowing a user to make a request for additional information of a file which can be played;

(2) at the control server, making a request for the additional information of a picture to a database in which data of overall picture information is registered; (3) at the control server, transmitting overall information of the picture corresponding to the inquiry result of the user; and

(4) at the control server, transmitting to the user only picture data, which can be opened, of the received picture data. [Claim 14 ]

The method according to claim 13, wherein the step (4) comprises combining data which is previously transmitted to the user and data which is not transmitted to the user if a request for play is received from the user.

[Claim 15]

The method according to claim 14, wherein: data which is opened to the user includes at least one or two of a picture title, a picture showing time, and a list of contents, and data which is not opened to the user includes a picture serial number and/or a content serial number. [Claim 16]

A method for playing a moving picture, the method comprising:

(1) at a control server, making a request for play using user data and data which is received at the time of inquiry of a picture according to the manipulation of a user;

(2) at the control server, comparing the data which is received at the time of the inquiry of the picture with data which is received at the time of play of the picture, determining whether the request for the play of the picture is authorized, and making a request for the play of the picture to a database; (3) at the control server, receiving overall content information of the picture;

(4) at the control server, transmitting overall information of the picture excluding the content information;

(5) at the control server, searching for and reading a physical area in which the picture is located and receiving a picture file; and

(6) at the control server, streaming the picture file and content data to a user player.

[Claim 17] The method according to claim 16, wherein the user data includes a user ID and/or a user IP. [Claim 18]

A computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon, which causes a computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 6 to 17.