WO2008105567A1

WO2008105567A1 - Establishment method for private television system on the internet

Info

Publication number: WO2008105567A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/001035
Authority: WO
Inventors: Soo Woo Lee
Original assignee: Honest Technology Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2007-02-28
Filing date: 2007-02-28
Publication date: 2008-09-04

Abstract

Provided are a private television system and a method for establishing the same on the Internet. The private television system includes a TSS-PC, a manager server, and a remote PC. The TSS-PC includes a TV receiving card and a LAN card for receiving a TV signal, and has compression/transmission software for transforming TV broadcastings to moving image files, compressing and transmitting the moving image files. The manager server is connected to the TSS-PC through a network, receives network information of the TTS-PC including MAC address and IP address and stores the received network information with personal information. The remote PC is connected to a network for receiving the network information including the MAC address and the IP address from the manager server 20 and includes reception/reproduction software for enabling a user to watch TV broadcasting by controlling the compression/ transmission software.

Description

ESTABLISHMENT METHOD FOR PRIVATE TELEVISION

SYSTEM ON THE INTERNET

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a method for establishing a private television system on the Internet and a method for providing a service thereof, and more particularly, to a method for establishing a private television system for enabling a user to watch TV broadcasting at a remote location by accessing the user's personal computer (PC) having a TV tuner connected through an network from the remote location.

[2] The private television system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes two software, compression/transmission software and reception/reproduction software.

[3] 1. compression/transmission software

[4] The compression/transmission software is software installed at a TSS-PC which is a user's personal computer set as a TV streaming server. The compression/transmission software compresses TV broadcasting data inputted to the TSS-PC and transmits the compressed TV broadcasting data through the Internet.

[5] 2. reception/reproduction software

[6] The reception/reproduction software is software installed in a personal computer

(PC) at a remote location for receiving and reproducing TV broadcasting, which is transmitted from the compression/transmission software through the Internet, in real time, thereby enabling a user to watch the TV broadcasting at the remote location.

[7] In the private television system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a user installs the compression/transmission software in the TSS-PC at a predetermined location where TV broadcasting can be received, and the compression/ transmission software compresses and transmits TV broadcasting through the Internet. Accordingly, a user is enabled to watch TV broadcasting, which is transmitted from the compression/transmission software, at a remote location by accessing the user's TSS-PC using own Internet address.

[8] Also, the private television system according to an embodiment of the present invention enables a user to receive various services of watching TV broadcasting, changing channels, recording TV broadcasting, data backup, and controlling the image quality of TV broadcasting according to a network bandwidth. Background Art

[9] TV becomes one of living necessaries in modern society. Many users want to watch their favorite TV broadcasting, for examples, sports, drama, and movie, at a remote location, for example, overseas.

[10] In order to satisfy such a demand, some of TV broadcasting companies or contents- providers records TV broadcasting in real time and provides moving image files of the recorded TV broadcasting. Viewers are enabled to watch previously broadcasted TV broadcasting through a corresponding Web site. Also, users may watch TV broadcasting at overseas by accessing a predetermined Web site of the contents- providers through a personal computer (PC) connected to a network. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[11] However, a user is charged with a predetermined fee whenever the user using the moving image files of TV broadcasting that is provided from some of TV broadcasting companies and contents -providers. Also, it is inconvenient to select and change TV broadcastings of different TV broadcasting companies.

[12] Since the conventional broadcasting systems and related services are provided in one-to-many manner, users who want view TV broadcasting must access the related web sites of service providers to watch a predetermined TV broadcasting. Therefore, the conventional broadcasting system and related service have following problems.

[13] 1. problem of real-time broadcasting

[14] Most of TV broadcastings that are provided through the Internet are not real-time broadcasting. They are recorded, compressed, and uploaded on a related web site by a service provider. Therefore, users are restricted to watch TV broadcastings whatever provided from the service provider.

[15] 2. problem of selecting a broadcasting channel

[16] Although the service provider provides a real time TV broadcasting service, a user cannot receive all of TV broadcasting through the Internet.

[17] 3. problem of image quality

[18] The conventional TV broadcasting system of service providers provides the TV broadcasting to a number of users, and a number of users access a related web site of the service provider, simultaneously. It is difficult to provide high quality of TV broadcasting due to a network bandwidth. Technical Solution

[19] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a private television system includes a TSS-PC having a TV receiving card and a LAN card, a remote PC having a LAN card connected to the TSS-PC through a network, and a manager server for receiving media access control (MAC) address and IP address of the TSS-PC and storing the information of users.

[20] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for establishing a private television system including: connecting a TV cable to a TSS-PC; installing compression/transmission software that records and transmits TV broadcasting received through the TV cable of the TSS-PC; accessing a manager server from a TSS-PC, being allocated with ID and password by registering at the manager server by a user and storing the MAC address of the TSS-PC at the same time, accessing a manager server using a remote PC from a remote location by a user, downloading reception/reproduction software from a web site of the manager server at a remote PC, inputting ID and password to the manager server and confirming a MAC address of a TSS-PC and an allocated IP address, and watching TV by automatically setting the confirmed MAC address and the IP address at the reception/reproduction software.

Advantageous Effects

[21] A method for establishing a private television system on the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention has following advantageous effects. [22] (1) The private television system according to the present invention enables a user to freely watch desired TV broadcasting from a remote location by controlling a TSS-

PC to receive a TV signal, compress the received TV signal, and transmit the compressed TV signal through the Internet to a remote PC. [23] (2) The private television system according to the present invention provides a system that can access a user's PC from a remote PC although a user' TSS-PC accesses with a variable IP address. [24] (3) Since the private television system according to the present invention enables a user to watch TV broadcasting received at the user's TSS-PC using a remote PC, the user can control the compression rate of the TV broadcasting moving image file.

Therefore, a user can watch TV regardless of Internet speed and with higher quality. [25] (4) Since the private television system according to the present invention only allows a user to watch TV broadcasting which is transmitted by oneself, the copyright and the legal problem of broadcasting contents are not arisen. [26] (5) The information of registered members can be used for various marketing purposes.

Brief Description of the Drawings [27] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a method of establishing a private television system on the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [28] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a database structure of a manager server in a method of establishing a private television system on the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [29] Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an Internet service provider in a method of es- tablishing a private television system on the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [30] Fig. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of setting a TV streaming server PC in a method of establishing a private television system on the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [31] Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using a private television system at a remote PC in a method of establishing a private television system on the Internet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [32] The advantages, features and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter. [33] A private television system includes a TSS-PC 10 having a TV receiving card and a

LAN card, a remote personal computer (PC) having a LAN card connected to the TSS-

PC 10 through a network, and a manager server for receiving MAC address and IP address of the TSS-PC 10 and storing the information of users. [34] The TSS-PC 10 includes a LAN card for accessing a personal computer and a TV receiving card connected to a cable or an antenna for tuning a TV signal.

Mode for the Invention [35] A private television system includes a TSS-PC 10 having a TV receiving card and a LAN (local area network) card, a remote PC having a LAN card connected to the

TSS-PC (TV streaming server - personal computer) 10 and a network, and a manager server receiving a MAC address and an IP address of the TSS-PC 10 and storing information of a user. [36] The TSS-PC 10 includes a LAN card for accessing the Internet through a typical PC and a TV receiving card connected to a cable or an antenna for tuning a TV signal. [37] Although the TV receiving card may be internally disposed in the TSS-PC 10, the

TV receiving card may be externally disposed in an external MODEM provided from an Internet service provider. [38] The external MODEM 12 having internally having the TV receiving card is connected to a cable or an antenna, and the external MODEM 12 is connected to the

TSS-PC 10 through a LAN cable. [39] Compression/reproduction software is installed in the TSS-PC 10. The compression/transmission software transmits a MAC address and an IP address to a user through E-mail and automatically transmits the MAC address and the IP address to the manager server 20. The compression/transmission software also compresses TV signal inputted to the TSS-PC 10 and transmits the compressed TV signal through the Internet.

[40] When a fixed IP address is used, a user can directly access the TSS-PClO without the MAC address and the IP address transmitted to the manager server 20.

[41] It is preferable to use a personal computer having a wake on LAN function (WOL), which automatically turns on or off the PC from a remote location, as the TSS-PC 10. The WOL function allows a user to turn on and off the TSS-PC 10 from the remote location. Therefore, the power consumption of the TSS-PC 10 can be saved.

[42] The manager server 20 is built by a related service provider. The manager server 20 matches the MAC address and the IP address of each user's TSS-PC 10 with the information of a user who wants access the TSS-PC 10. The manager server 20 includes a member database 21 having IDs and passwords of members, a TSS-PC database 22 for storing the MAC addresses and the IP addresses transmitted from the TSS-PCs 10, and Internet electronic program guides 23 of each broadcasting company.

[43] The member database 21 stores IDs, passwords, and personal information such as a name, an address, and a telephone number, which are inputted when a user registers as a member after the compression/transmission software is installed. The user information may be used for marketing purpose with a written consent received from a user when the user registers as a member.

[44] The TSS-PC database 22 stores information related to the MAC address and the IP address of each user. In case of using a variable IP address, an allocated IP address is continuously updated whenever a regular MAC address of a TSS-PC 10 access. When a user access the manager server 20 by inputting a corresponding ID, the MAC address of a corresponding user and the allocated IP address are automatically transmitted to the remote PC 30, thereby allowing the user to access the TSS-PC 10.

[45] The IEPG 23 is information about TV broadcastings of TV broadcasting companies, which are classified by time. The IEPG 23 is updated by the service provider of the manager server 20.

[46] The IEPG 23 guides a user to watch TV broadcasting by accessing the TSS-PC 10, to record a predetermined TV program directly, to reserve for recording a predetermined TV broadcasting through the TSS-PC 10 from the remote PC 30.

[47] Any personal computers can be used as the remote PC 30 if the computers can be connected to the Internet. A user uses the remote PC 30 to access the manager server 20 or the TSS-PC 10 from a remote location.

[48] When a user accesses the manager server 20 by inputting an ID and a password, reception/reproduction software is automatically installed. The reception/reproduction software receives a MAC address and an IP address of the TSS-PC 10 and enables a user to watch TV broadcasting by controlling the TSS-PC 10 using the remote PC 30. Also, the reception/reproduction software enables a user to record a predetermined TV broadcasting, to reserve a time for recording a predetermined TV broadcasting, and to perform a timeshift function.

[49] The remote PC 30 can be embodied using a notebook computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, and a set- top box as well as a window based PC. A network connected to the Internet may be embodied using a high speed transmission network such as EVDO, 3GP/3GP2, or WIBRO, and a telephone line.

[50] After the manager server 20 transmits the MAC address and the allocated IP address, which are matched with the ID inputted when the user access, to the reception/reproduction software of the remote PC 30, the manager server 20 does not participate in transmission between the remote PC 30 and the TSS-PC 10. The user can watch a desired TV broadcasting through the compression/transmission software operated in the TSS-PC 10 using the reception/reproduction software of the remote PC 30.

[51] Hereinafter, a method of establishing a private television system that allows a user to watch a TV broadcasting transmitted from a TSS-PC through the Internet using a remote PC will be described.

[52] At step S 100, a TV cable is connected to a TSS-PC 10.

[53] At step Sl 10, compression/transmission software, which records TV broadcasting through the TV cable and transmits the TV broadcasting through the Internet, is installed at the TSS-PC 10.

[54] At step S 120, the TSS-PC 10 accesses the manager server 30.

[55] At step S 130, a user is assigned with an ID and a password by registering at the manager server 20 as a member and the MAC address of the TSS-PC 10 is stored.

[56] At step S200, a user accesses the manager server 20 using the remote PC 30 from a remote location.

[57] At step S210, the reception/reproduction software is downloaded in the remote PC

30 from the web site of the manager server 20.

[58] At step S220, an ID and a password are inputted into the manager server 20 and the

MAC address of the TSS-PC 10 and the accessed IP address are confirmed.

[59] At step S230, a user watches a TV broadcasting by automatically setting the MAC address and the IP address to the reception/reproduction software.

[60] In the step Sl 10, the compression/transmission software is installed. A user can directly transmit the MAC address of the TSS-PC 10 and the IP address to the manager server through E-mail or message. When the MAC address and the IP address are transmitted through an internet service provider (ISP), the MAC address and the IP address are shared between the ISP 30 and the manager server 20, thereby enabling the manager server 20 to share the MAC address and the IP address without the allocated IP address is additionally transmitted to the TSS-PC 10. [61] In the step S 130, a user registers at the manager server 20 as a member. The manager server 20 requests a user to input an ID, a password, and user information such as a name, an address, and a telephone number. The ID, the password, and the user information are stored in the member database 21. The written consent for using personal information may be received from a user. Based on the written consent, the user's information can be sold to the other companies or used for marketing.

[62] After the step S 130, it is required to execute the compression/transmission software and to turn on the TSS-PC 10 for watching TV broadcasting from a remote location. If the TSS-PC 10 has the WOL function, the TSS-PC 10 can be turned off after the compression/transmission software is set as auto-execution because a user can turn on the TSS-PC 10 using the WOL function.

[63] The reception/reproduction software provided from the manager server 20 at step

S210 automatically receives the MAC address of the TSS-PC 10 of a corresponding user and the allocated IP address from the manager server 20 when the user access the manager server 20 using the ID and the password.

[64] After the step S220, the manager server does not participate transmission between the TSS-PC 10 and the remote PC 30, and a user can watch TV broadcasting by directly controlling the compression/transmission software executed in the TSS-PC 10 using the reception/reproduction software of the remote PC 30.

[65] While a user watches TV broadcasting, the manager serer 20 transmits an advertisement message or an advertisement banner stored in an advertisement database 24 from the manager server 20 to the reception/reproduction software of the remote PC 30 for marketing purpose.

[66] In the step S230, the user watches the TV broadcasting by directly controlling the compression/transmission software of the TSS-PC 10 using the reception/reproduction software of the remote PC 30. Also, the user can perform a time-shift, change a channel, record a predetermined TV broadcasting, and reserve a time for recording a predetermined TV broadcasting by directly controlling the compression/transmission software of the TSS-PC 10 using the reception/reproduction software of the remote PC 30.

[67] When a network provided at the remote PC 30 is comparatively faster, a compression degree of TV broadcasting can be reduced by controlling the compression/transmission software of the TSS-PC 10 using the reception/reproduction program, thereby enabling a user to watch the predetermined TV broadcasting with higher image quality. If the network is comparatively slower, the compression degree of TV broadcasting can increase by controlling the compression/transmission software of the TSS-PC 10 using the reception/reproduction program, thereby enabling a user to watch the predetermined TV broadcasting although the image quality thereof is low. [68] The private television system according to the present embodiment enables a user to change the channel of the TSS-PC 10, to perform time-shift, to make scheduling and to burn a CD. Also, the private television system can be embodied as a real time transport system that transmits the TV broadcasting in real time, not recording the TV broadcasting and transmitting the recorded TV broadcasting.

Claims

[1] A private television system established on the Internet, comprising: a TV streaming server-personal computer (TSS-PC) (10) having a TV receiving card and a local area network (LAN) card for receiving a TV signal and having compression/transmission software for transforming TV broadcastings to moving image files, compressing and transmitting the moving image files; a manager server (20) connected to the TSS-PC (10) through an network for receiving network information of a user's TTS-PC (10) including media access control (MAC) address and Internet protocol (IP) address and storing the received network information with a user's personal information; and a remote PC (30) connected to a network for receiving the network information including the MAC address and the IP address from the manager server (20) and having reception/reproduction software for enabling a user to watch TV broadcasting by controlling the compression/transmission software.

[2] A method for establishing a private television system on the Internet, comprising the steps of: a) accessing a manager server (20) after connecting a TV cable to a TV streaming server-personal computer (TSS-PC) (10) and installing compression/ transmission software; b) registering at the manager server (20) by a user accessing in the step a) as a member, and being assigned with an ID and a password and storing network information including a MAC address and an IP address of the TSS-PC (10) at the manager server (20) at the same time; and c) watching a TV broadcasting by accessing the manager server (20) using a remote PC (30), receiving the stored network information and reception/reproduction software through inputting the ID and the password, and installing the reception/reproduction software.

[3] The private television system of claim 1, wherein the manager server (20) is a server of an Internet service provider (50), which receives the network information of a user's TSS-PC (10) including the MAC address and the IP address and stores the received network information with personal information of a user.

[4] The private television system of claim 1, wherein the reception/reproduction software controls a compression rate of a TV broadcasting image according to a network speed of a remote PC (30) by controlling the compression/transmission software.