KR20100071869A - Method and system for providing personalized service at iptv - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided are a method and system for providing a personalized service for each user in iPiTi, and more specifically, a method and system for providing a personalized environment set according to a personalization setting signal received from a remote control terminal is provided.

In a method of providing personalization service of iPi Yi, (a) in response to receiving a personalization code including user identification information, loading personalization data corresponding to the personalization code, (b) a service corresponding to the loaded personalization data Setting a key code, (c) receiving a control signal comprising a control code, (d) generating a personalization control signal comprising the control code and the service key code, (e) the loaded Providing personalized content in response to personalized data or the generated personalized control signal, and (f) collecting content usage information and reflecting the personalized data in the personalized data, wherein the personalized code is included in a remote control terminal. Created by the button.

Description

Method and system for providing personalized service of IPT {{METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING PERSONALIZED SERVICE AT IPTV}

The present invention relates to a method and a system for providing a personalized service for each user in iPi Yi, and more particularly, to a method and a system for providing a personalization environment set according to a personalization setting signal received from a remote control terminal.

In general, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services are broadcast video and audio signals transmitted from a program provider (PP) or terrestrial, cable, and satellite from an IPTV headend system, data for broadcast data, and PSI / SI (EPG). Information is multiplexed by an IP Multiplexer to provide T-Internet content, video VOD content, and music content to an IP set-top box (STB) of a subscriber connected to a TV through multicasting over a high-speed Internet network.

The main components of such an IPTV service system include an IPTV headend system, a high speed internet network, and a user terminal (STB, TV).

The user terminal includes a TV incorporating an IP set-top box (STB) or an IP set-top box connected to the user's TV.

The IPTV headend system transmits multimedia contents including video, audio, and packet data such as news, movies, VOD, etc. to the IP set-top box (STB) of multiple subscribers through a high-speed internet network, and bidirectional data through a return pass server. Provides interactive IPTV service by transmitting and receiving.

IPTV service mainly provides TV portal with VOD service, and integrates communication function to provide internet service to PC and broadcasting function to provide multi-channel TV broadcasting service, and includes broadcast program linked data service. Provides convergence service of broadcasting and communication.

Such a conventional IPTV service providing system performs only a function of selecting a channel and adjusting a volume or simply selecting a menu using a remote controller, and does not provide a personalization service that provides preset contents for each individual by identifying each user. I couldn't.

However, in recent years, since IPTV services provide a variety of contents, there is a problem that a user should look at a menu of types that are not of interest in order to find the contents to be selected, although the menus that the user usually selects are constant.

In order to solve this problem, the conventional IPTV service providing system provides an individual remote control for each user or performs a personal authentication by receiving a PIN for each user and provides a personalized service.

However, when using a plurality of remote control, there was a problem that each user can be provided with his or her personalized service only through the remote control assigned to each user, and in the case of personal authentication through a PIN, it has to pass the personal authentication every time There existed.

An embodiment of the present invention is to provide a method and system that allows a user to easily receive personalized content through a button input of a remote control terminal such as a remote control.

In addition, an embodiment of the present invention to provide a method and system that can provide a separate recommended content for each user by collecting and analyzing the use history for each user.

As a technical means for achieving the above-described technical problem, the first aspect of the present invention (a) in response to receiving a personalization code containing the user identification information, loading personalization data corresponding to the personalization code, ( b) setting a service key code corresponding to the loaded personalized data, (c) receiving a control signal comprising a control code, (d) a personalization control signal comprising the control code and the service key code Generating a personalized content in response to the loaded personalized data or the generated personalized control signal, and (f) collecting content usage information to reflect the personalized data, The personalization code is generated by the setting button included in the remote control terminal IPi personalized service providing method Can provide.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the content usage information reflected in the personalized data includes a usage history of the content for each user, and the provided personalized content uses the content usage history reflected in the personalized data. The generated recommended content information may be included.

In addition, a second aspect of the present invention provides a personalization data management unit for loading personalization data corresponding to a personalization code received from a remote control terminal, a personalization control signal generation unit for generating a personalized control signal corresponding to the loaded personalization data; A personalization environment providing unit providing a personalization environment reflecting at least one of the loaded personalization data and the generated personalization control signal, wherein the personalization code includes user identification information, and the personalization data includes channel setting information for each user. It may provide a personalized service providing system of the IPT including at least one of, platform information and usage history information.

According to the above-described problem solving means of the present invention, the user can easily receive the personalized content by inputting the setting button included in the remote control terminal, such as a remote control.

In addition, according to the above-described problem solving means of the present invention, it is possible to reflect the user's content usage history in the personalized data, and analyze the usage history reflected in the personalized data to provide the recommended content information to the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. As those skilled in the art would realize, the described embodiments may be modified in various different ways, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in order to clearly describe the present invention, and like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only "directly connected" but also "electrically connected" with another element in between. . In addition, when a part is said to "include" a certain component, which means that it may further include other components, except to exclude other components unless otherwise stated.

1 is a diagram illustrating a remote control terminal 100 for providing a personalized service of IP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Remote control terminal 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is a number input button 110, volume control button 120, channel control button 130 and the selection control button 140 in the same manner as a conventional remote control terminal It includes a common menu button 150 and one or more personalization setting button 160.

The common menu button 150 generates a signal requesting a menu that is commonly provided to all users of the remote control terminal 100. That is, the user selects the common menu button 150 of the remote control terminal 100 to transmit a common menu request signal to a set-top box (STB) (not shown), and provides a menu to all users. You can get services. The common menu is basically set, and setting information of the common menu may be stored in advance in a database such as a memory of the set-top box.

The personalization setting button 160 generates a signal requesting setting of a user who wants to receive personalization service. That is, the user selects the personalization setting button 160 of the remote control terminal 100 and transmits a user setting request signal to the set top box.

The user setting request signal generated and transmitted by the personalization setting button 160 includes a personalization code including the user's information. The personalization code is a unique code for each user.

One or more personalization setting buttons 160 may be displayed as numbers, letters, or pictures to distinguish them from other personalization setting buttons.

When the user selects the common menu button 150 or the personalization setting button 160 to select the common menu or the personalization service, the remote control terminal 100 may display the selected button using a light emitting function.

Through this function, the user can determine whether the service currently selected and used is a common menu service or any personalization service.

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system for providing personalized service of IP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The remote control terminal 100 transmits a user setting request signal including a personalization code to the set-top box (STB) 200. According to the setting, the set-top box (STB) 200 may request a user for an authentication password for user authentication of the personalization service. In this case, the user may transmit the authentication password to the set-top box (STB) 200 using a numeric input button or the like included in the remote control terminal 100.

In addition, the remote control terminal 100 may transmit a control signal for receiving the IPTV service to the set-top box 200.

The set top box (STB) 200 sets a service key code corresponding to the personalization code received from the remote control terminal 100 and personalizes the control signal received from the remote control terminal 100 using the set service key code. Convert to control signal.

As such, since a unique personalization control signal is generated for each user, a plurality of users may input different control commands to the set-top box 20 by using buttons of the same remote control terminal 100.

The display terminal 300 receives and outputs a display signal from the set top box 200. The display terminal 300 may include a television, a monitor, or the like.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the set-top box 200 and the display terminal 300 have been described as separate terminals, but this is only an example and may be configured as one terminal device.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a method for providing personalized service of IP according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In step S105, the set top box receives a personalization code that includes identification information for the user. The personalization code may be set in advance for each personalization setting button of the remote control terminal.

For example, when the remote control terminal includes four personalization setting buttons of the first personalization setting button to the fourth personalization setting button, a personalization code unique to each of the first personalization setting button and the fourth personalization setting button is previously displayed. Is set.

Since a unique user is determined for each personalization setting button, the personalization code generated and transmitted by the selection of the personalization setting button may include identification information for the user.

In step S110, it is determined whether personalization data corresponding to the identification information included in the personalization code received in step S105 exists in the database. That is, it is determined whether the setting for the user corresponding to the personalization code has been previously stored in the database as personalization data.

The personalization data may include not only personal information of the user, but also information about a favorite channel, a viewing history, a personalization platform, and the like.

In step S115, when it is determined that no personalization data exists in step S110, personalization data corresponding to the personalization code received in step S105 is generated, and the generated personalization data is stored.

In this case, information about a user's personal information may be received or input through a remote control terminal.

In step S120, the personalization data determined in step S110 or the personalization data generated in step S115 is loaded.

In step S125, before receiving the personalization code in step S105, it is determined whether there is a personalization environment provided by the set-top box via the remote control terminal.

That is, before receiving the personalization code in step S105, the set-top box receives the personalization code, and determines whether the personalization data is loaded by the received personalization code and thus personalization environment, that is, personalization content is provided to the user. .

In step S130, when it is determined that the personalization environment previously provided in step S125 exists, the personalization data corresponding to the personalization environment previously provided and the personalization data loaded in step S120 are merged and merged. Load personalization data.

That is, the old personalized data and the newly loaded personalized data may be merged to generate personalized data including only information that matches each other among the information set in each personalized data.

A detailed description of how a plurality of personalization data is merged will be described later.

In step S135, the personalization environment set in the personalization data, that is, personalization content, is provided using the personalization data loaded in step S120 or step S130. Such personalized content includes dynamic menus containing user-specific channel information, video on demand (VOD) information, or other interactive services, and in particular channel navigation environments and personalized platforms, i.e. user interfaces. interface, UI) and the like.

The channel navigation environment included in the personalized content includes a channel setting in which the channel is changed only within a range of the user's preferred channel set in the personalized data when the channel is changed through the channel control button of the remote control terminal.

In step S140, a service key code corresponding to the personalization data loaded in step S120 or step S130 is set. The service key code may be uniquely set for each user and stored in the database, and may include the same value as the personalization code.

In step S145, the set top box receives the control signal from the remote control terminal. The control signal is generated by various control buttons included in the remote control terminal, for example, a numeric input button, a volume control button, a channel control button or a selection control button, and transmitted to the set top box.

The control signal includes a control code for controlling the set top box, the control code having a value representing a control function unique to the remote control terminal. For example, the control signal generated by the numeric input button may basically include a control code indicating a number corresponding to the numeric input button.

In step S150, a personalization control signal corresponding to the control signal received in step S145 is generated using the service key code set in step S135. The personalization control signal may include a personalization control code, and the personalization control code may be generated using the control code included in the control signal received in step S145 and the service key code set in step S140.

The personalization control code may be generated by combining the control code and the service key code, and the personalization control code may represent a control function different from the control function by the included control code.

For example, the personalization control code including the control code and the service key code generated by the numeric input button of "0" of the remote control terminal may indicate a control value corresponding to "00" rather than "0".

The set-top box may control the provided personalization environment using the generated personalization control signal and control a display device such as a television displaying IPTV content.

In step S155, the set-top box collects a usage history of a personalization environment, that is, a channel, a VOD, or other IPTV interactive service, etc. selected by the user after the personalization content is provided in step S135, and the collected usage history. Is stored in the personalization data. Such usage history may be collected for each user and stored in personalization data corresponding to each user.

When personalization data is merged in step S130, the usage history may be stored in all personalization data that is the basis of the merging.

In addition, if the user interface (UI) of the menu provided to the user is changed after being set after the personalization environment is provided, the changed setting information of the UI may also be stored in the personalization data.

As described above, the usage history or UI setting information stored in the personalized data may be reflected in the personalized environment provided by using the personalized data, thereby providing a service specialized for each user.

For example, the user may analyze the user's favorite channel or the favorite program using the watched channel history or the watched program history among the stored usage histories, and provide the channel or program to the user based on the analysis result.

In addition, by analyzing the menu mainly used by the user, it is possible to provide a recommended menu in the user's UI configuration.

Hereinafter, a method of merging a plurality of personalization data will be described as an example.

For example, the configuration information VOD_COM, CHNL_COM, and DATA_COM of VOD, channel, and bidirectional services available through the common menu button are as follows.

VOD_COM = {Category a,… , Category i}

CHNL_COM = {channel a,…. , Channel j}

DATA_COM = {service a,… , Service}

In addition, preferred service configuration information and personal service configuration information VOD_A, CHNL_A, DATA_A, VOD_Ap, CHNL_Ap, and DATA_Ap set for user A and personal service configuration information VOD_B, CHNL_B, DATA_B, VOD_Bp set for user B , CHNL_Bp and DATA_Bp are as follows.

VOD_A = {Categoryb, Categoryd, Categoryf}, VOD_Ap = {Categoryf}

CHNL_A = {channel c, channel e, channel h}, CHNL_Ap = {channel h}

DATA_A = {service a, serviced, service i}, DATA_Ap = {serviced}

VOD_B = {Category c, Category f, Category h}, VOD_Bp = {Category h}

CHNL_B = {channel e, channel h, channel i}, CHNL_Bp = {}

DATA_B = {servicec, serviceback, service}, DATA_Bp = {serviceback}

On the other hand, preferred service configuration information VOD_AB, CHNL_AB, and DATA_AB by merging user A's personalized data and user B's personalized data may be set as follows.

VOD_AB = {VOD_A ∪ VOD_B}? {VOD_Ap ∪ VOD_Bp}

             = {CATEGORY B, CATEGORY C, CATEGORY}

CHNL_AB = {CHNL_B ∪ CHNL_B}? {CHNL_Ap ∪ CHNL_Bp}

        = {Channel c, channel e, channel i}

DATA_AB = {DATA_A ∪ DATA_B}? {DATA_Ap ∪ DATA_Bp}

        = {Service a, service c, service k}

As described above, personalization data including personalized service information, among the preferred service information set in the personalization data for users A and B, may be generated by merging personalization data, and a personalization environment reflecting the personalization data may be provided to the user.

4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a set-top box (STB) of the system of providing IP personalized service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Set-top box (STB) 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention is the input signal receiving unit 210, personalization data management unit 220, service key code setting unit 230, personalization control signal generator 240, personalization An environment provider 250 and a database 260 are included.

The input signal receiver 210 receives a control signal from a remote control terminal (not shown). The control signal may comprise a personalization code or a control code. The personalization code may include identification information about a user, and the control code may include control information for providing IPTV content.

The input signal receiver 210 transmits the personalization code included in the received control signal to the personalization data management unit 220 and transmits the control code to the personalization control signal generator 240.

The personalized data manager 220 generates personalized data set for each user and stores the personalized data in the database 260. In addition, the personalization data management unit 220 retrieves personalization data corresponding to the personalization code received from the input signal receiving unit 210 from the database 260, and provides the retrieved personalization data to the personalization environment providing unit 250. do.

The personalized data generated and provided by the personalized data manager 220 may include a platform set for each user, a platform such as a user interface, and may include a channel, a VOD, or a usage history of a program stored for each user.

The personalization data manager 220 receives a personalization code from the input signal receiver 210 and merges personalization data corresponding to the personalization environment that is being provided and personalization data corresponding to the received personalization code, if already provided by another personalization environment. Then, the merged personalized data is loaded and provided to the personalized environment providing unit.

When the personalization environment, for example, a favorite channel, a personalization platform, or the like is changed by the user's setting, the personalization data manager 220 changes the personalization data so that the changes are applied, and changes the personalization data to the database 260. Save it.

In addition, the personalized data management unit 220 reflects the collected data to the personalized data when data on a user's usage history, for example, a channel selected by the user, content such as a VOD, or other IPTV interactive service is collected. Store in the database. The personalized data manager 220 analyzes the user's favorite channel or the favorite program by using the watched channel history or the watched program history among the collected and reflected usage histories, and recommends channel information, VOD information, or program information based on the analysis result. Can be generated and reflected in personalized data.

The service key code setting unit 230 sets a service key code using a personalization code corresponding to the personalization data loaded by the personalization data management unit 220. The service key code setting unit 230 may receive and set a service key code corresponding to the personalization code from the database 260 or set a value equal to the personalization code as the service key code.

This service key code is uniquely set for each user identified by the personalization code.

The personalization control signal generator 240 generates a personalization control signal for providing a personalization environment by using the control code received from the input signal receiver 210 and the service key code set by the service key code setting unit 240. .

The personalization control signal includes a unique control signal for each user. The personalization control signal may include a control signal that can be generated only through a number of steps when using the basic control signal.

For example, if you want to select 'Previously watched VOD list' using the control signal provided by default, 'Menu', 'Use history', 'View history' and 'VOD' should be selected in order. In the case of using the personalization control signal, a single personalization control signal can be input and simply selected.

Therefore, even though the 'VOD' button among the control buttons of the remote control terminal basically functions to provide VOD viewable content, the user inputs the 'VOD' button to set the service key code according to the personalized data to 'view before'. You will be provided with a list of VODs.

That is, in the above case, a personalization control code providing a 'previously watched VOD list' may be generated using the 'VOD' control code and the service key code.

Such a personalization control signal may be generated by merging a control code and a service key code.

The personalization environment providing unit 250 provides a personalization environment preset for the selected user by using the personalization information included in the personalization data loaded by the personalization data management unit 220.

The personalization environment may include menus, channel navigation environments, user interfaces (UIs), and the like, including information about preference channel information, video on demand (VOD) information, or other interactive services.

The personalization environment providing unit 250 may receive the personalization control signal from the personalization control signal generator 240 and may provide the preset service as described above in response to the received control signal.

The database 260 stores personalization data generated or changed by the personalization data manager 220. In addition, the database 260 stores a service key code preset for each user, and provides the stored service key code to the service key code setting unit 230 when a request is made.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, if the set-top box receives a personalization code, whereby a personalization environment is provided, an identification mark indicating a personalization code that is the basis of the currently provided environment is displayed on a display device or set-top box such as a TV. It may be displayed on the information display panel provided in the.

For example, when the set-top box receives a personalization code corresponding to user A and provides a personalization environment, an indication indicating user A such as "menu of A" is displayed on the display device such as a TV or the set-top box. Output to a panel or the like.

One embodiment of the present invention can also be implemented in the form of a recording medium containing instructions executable by a computer, such as a program module executed by the computer. Computer readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. In addition, computer readable media may include both computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Communication media typically includes computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave, or other transmission mechanism, and includes any information delivery media.

While the methods and systems of the present invention have been described in connection with specific embodiments, some or all of those elements or operations may be implemented using a computer system having a general purpose hardware architecture.

The foregoing description of the present invention is intended for illustration, and those skilled in the art can understand that the present invention can be easily modified in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. There will be. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present invention is shown by the following claims rather than the above description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalents should be construed as being included in the scope of the present invention. do.

1 is a diagram illustrating a remote control terminal 100 for providing a personalized service of IP according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system for providing IP personalization service according to an embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of a method for providing personalized service of IP according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a set-top box (STB) of the system of providing IP personalized service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (9)

In the method of providing personalized service of IPTV, (a) in response to receiving a personalization code containing user identification information, loading personalization data corresponding to the personalization code; (b) setting a service key code corresponding to the loaded personalized data; (c) receiving a control signal comprising a control code, (d) generating a personalization control signal comprising the control code and the service key code, (e) providing personalized content in response to the loaded personalized data or the generated personalization control signal; and (f) collecting content usage information and reflecting it in the personalized data; Including, Wherein the personalization code is generated by a setting button included in a remote control terminal. The method of claim 1, In step (b), (b1) when personalization content corresponding to the personalization data and other existing personalization data is provided, merged information including setting information that matches each other among the content setting information included in the personalization data and the existing personalization data, respectively; Generating personalization data, and (b2) loading the merged personalization data Personalization service providing method comprising a. The method of claim 1, The content usage information reflected in the personalized data includes a usage history of content for each user, and the provided personalized content includes recommended content information generated using the content usage history reflected in the personalized data. Personalized service providing method. In the system of providing personalization service of iPi Yi, Personalization data management unit for loading personalization data corresponding to the personalization code received from the remote control terminal, A personalization control signal generator configured to generate a personalized control signal corresponding to the loaded personalized data; Personalization environment providing unit for providing personalized content reflecting at least one of the loaded personalized data and the generated personalization control signal Including, The personalization code includes user identification information, and the personalization data includes at least one of channel setting information, platform information, and usage history information for each user. The method of claim 4, wherein And the personalization data management unit generates personalization data corresponding to the personalization code when the personalization data corresponding to the personalization code does not exist. The method of claim 4, wherein The personalization data manager, when personalization content corresponding to the existing personalization data is provided, merges the personalization data loaded corresponding to the existing personalization data and the received personalization code. The personalization environment providing unit is a personalization service providing system for providing personalized content reflecting the merged personalized data. The method of claim 4, wherein The personalization data management unit collects usage history for each user to generate recommended program information, and reflects the generated recommended program information on the personalized data. The personalization environment providing unit is a personalization service providing system for providing personalized content reflecting the recommended program information. The method of claim 4, wherein Wherein the personalization control signal is generated by merging a service key code corresponding to the personalization code and the control code, wherein the service key code is unique for each user. The method of claim 4, wherein The remote control terminal, One or more personalization setting buttons to generate the personalization code Including, The personalization setting button is a personalization service providing system that is a button unique to each user.

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