Description

BROADCASTING SERVICE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF

SUPPORTING USER MOBILITY AND METHOD OF

OPERATING THE SAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a broadcasting service system capable of supporting user mobility and a method of operating the same.

[2]

Background Art

[3] In cable broadcasting, content (programs) is transmitted via cables, and then played.

Relevant products and services are provided to respective subscribers through the management of the subscriber lines.

[4] Further, Internet Protocol (IP) Television (TV) broadcasting is a multimedia service, such as a television service, a video service, an audio service, a document service, a graphic service or a data service, which is provided over an IP network, the quality, security, and reliability of which are secured. Generally, an IPTV system includes a broadcasting server for transmitting content over an IP network, and IPTV Set-Top Boxes (STB) of an IPTV for receiving content from the IP network and then playing the content. Subscription information is stored in the set-top box. In the same manner, in the case of satellite broadcasting, a set-top box, in which subscription information is stored, receives content over a satellite network, and then plays the content. Therefore, in the cases of the IPTV broadcasting and the satellite broadcasting, relevant products and services are provided to respective subscribers using subscription information stored in the set-top box.

[5] As described above, an immobile broadcasting service, such as cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, or IPTV broadcasting, has detected the details of broadcasting products and the configuration of the broadcasting services, to which the subscribers have subscribed, through the management of lines themselves or through the use of subscription information, stored in respective set-top boxes of subscribers. Although different types of services can be provided to respective subscribers and the subscribers can preserve their own set specifications, such as the registration of preferred channels, using the above-described construction, there is a problem in that the subscribers cannot use services to which they have subscribed when they move to places away from the regions in which the services are provided.

[6] For example, FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the operation of an IPTV broadcasting service. In order to perform a conventional IPTV broadcasting service, set-top boxes

are identified by assigning unique numbers to respective set-top boxes or inserting cards, in which subscription information is provided, and then the subscription information is stored in a database. In this case, when a user, who has used service using a first set- top box 10a in an area A, moves to an area B, there is a problem in that the user cannot use a service to which the user has subscribed using a second set-top box 10b.

[7] In particular, with the recent advent of a mobile TV service, such as Digital

Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), users' demand for mobile services has increased. However, immobile broadcasting services, such as cable broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and IPTV broadcasting, have a problem in that they cannot satisfy the users' demand.

[8]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[9] Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to enable a user to use a broadcasting service to which the user has subscribed in any place using the subscription information of a broadcasting service stored in a mobile terminal, so that the user can view content optimized for the user.

[10]

Technical Solution

[11] In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a broadcasting service method capable of supporting user mobility, the method including a first step of a mobile communication terminal transmitting the authentication information of the mobile communication terminal and the subscription information of a broadcasting service to a set-top box via local-area wireless communication; a second step of the set-top box requesting authentication by transmitting the authentication information and the subscription information to a subscriber management server for performing broadcasting service authentication; a third step of the subscriber management server inquiring about the details of the broadcasting service subscription of a specific subscriber using the authentication information, and, if the details of the broadcasting service subscription are consistent with the received subscription information, transmitting information about consistency to the set-top box; and a fourth step of the set-top box registering a person having the authentication information as a temporary user, and providing the broadcasting service based on the subscription information.

[12] The first step includes a step of the mobile communication terminal requesting local-

area wireless communication from the set-top box; a step of, when setting is made such that the set-top box that received the request for local-area wireless communication is permitted to be used by an external user, requesting the authentication information and the subscription information from the mobile communication terminal; and a step of the mobile communication terminal transmitting the authentication information and the subscription information to the set-top box via the local-area wireless communication.

[13] When setting is made such that the set- top box is not permitted to be used by an external user, a service unavailability message is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal.

[14] If the details of the broadcasting service subscription are not consistent with the received subscription information at the third step, information about the inconsistency is transmitted to the set-top box, and the set-top box transmits an inconsistency message to the mobile communication terminal.

[15] Further, the present invention provides a broadcasting service system capable of supporting user mobility, the system including one or more mobile communication terminals for storing subscription information including broadcasting service information and broadcasting set information; a subscription information database server for storing the authentication information of broadcasting service subscribers and the subscription information; a subscriber management server for performing authentication to provide a broadcasting service by inquiring of the subscription information database server when the broadcasting service is provided; and one or more set-top boxes each for performing local-area wireless communication with one of the mobile communication terminals, receiving the authentication information and the subscription information from the mobile communication terminal, and requesting authentication from the subscriber management server, and, if the authentication is successful, registering a person having the authentication information as a temporary user and then providing the broadcasting service based on the subscription information.

[16] Each of the mobile communication terminal and the set- top box includes a local- area wireless communication interface unit, and performs local-area wireless communication based on local-area wireless communication access specifications.

[17] The local-area wireless communication includes Bluetooth communication, ZigBee communication, Ultra- Wide Band (UWB) communication, and infrared wireless communication.

[18] The mobile communication terminal and the set-top box can exchange their subscription information with each other, and can store the subscription information.

[19]

Advantageous Effects

[20] The present invention has an advantage in that a user can view a broadcast while using a broadcasting service to which the user has subscribed and details which the user has set, as long as the user possesses a mobile communication terminal in which the subscription information of the broadcasting service is stored.

[21]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[22] 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:

[23] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the operation of an IPTV broadcasting service;

[24] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a broadcasting service system capable of supporting user mobility according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[25] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing local-area wireless communication between a set top box and a mobile communication terminal; and

[26] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of realizing a broadcasting service capable of supporting user mobility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[27]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[28] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings below. Reference should now be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same or similar components.

[29] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a broadcasting service system capable of supporting user mobility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[30] The present invention provides a broadcasting service using subscription information stored in a mobile communication terminal (for example, a mobile phone), thereby providing a broadcasting service capable of supporting user mobility to an immobile device such as a set top box. For this purpose, the present invention includes a subscription information database server 20, a subscriber management server 30, a set top box 10, and a mobile communication terminal 50. The subscription information database server 20 stores the authentication information of broadcasting service subscribers and the subscription information of the broadcasting service. The conception of the subscription information includes the information about a broadcasting service to be provided to each subscriber (for example, a broadcasting channel which can be viewed) and information about the setting of a broadcast (for example, recording, screen settings, and the automatic shutting-off).

[31] The subscriber management server 30 receives the authentication information from

the set top box 10, and then performs authentication to provide service by inquiring of the subscription information database server 20. That is, the subscriber management server 30 receives the authentication information and the subscription information from the set top box 10, and then determines whether the received authentication information and subscription information are consistent with information stored in the subscription information database server 20 by inquiring of the subscription information database server 20.

[32] If the authentication is successful, the set top box 10 receives a broadcast from a broadcasting service server 40, and then provides a broadcasting service based on the subscription information.

[33] The mobile communication terminal 50 stores the subscription information and authentication information of the broadcasting service. That is, in the case of a general mobile communication terminal, the general mobile communication terminal can perform various types of functions, as well as functions serving as means for simply providing a telephone service. Therefore, the general mobile communication terminal includes a storage space capable of storing information having a predetermined size, such as the subscription information and authentication information of a broadcasting service.

[34] The present invention stores subscription information and authentication information for a broadcasting service in a mobile communication terminal having such a storage space, and provides the subscription information to an immobile device such as a set top box, thereby realizing mobility to a conventional immobile broadcasting service, such as IPTV broadcasting.

[35] For example, subscription information, stored only in a first set top box 10a in an area A, is allowed to be moved or copied to the mobile communication terminal 50, so that, even when the owner of the mobile communication terminal 50 moves to an area B, the owner of the mobile communication terminal 50 can use his/her own service using a second set top box 10b existing in the corresponding area. That is, the subscription information, stored in the mobile communication terminal 50, is transmitted to the second set top box 10b located in the area B, and then the set top box 10b provides a broadcasting service only for a corresponding user based on the subscription information.

[36] In order to realize the mobility of a broadcasting service through the exchange of subscription information, communication must be possible between the set top box 10 (10a or 10b), which is a terminal device for a broadcasting service, and the mobile communication terminal 50. For this purpose, each of the set top box and the mobile communication terminal includes a local-area wireless communication device, such as a Bluetooth device, an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) device, or a ZigBee device, and

performs the exchange of subscription information.

[37] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing local-area wireless communication between the set top box 10 and the mobile communication terminal 50. Each of the set top box 10 and the mobile communication terminal 50 includes a local-area wireless communication interface unit 12 or 52, and performs local-area wireless communication with each other based on local-area wireless communication access specifications.

[38] A set top box-side subscription information module 11 is a database stored in a set top box, and stores subscriber subscription information used for a broadcasting service. A terminal-side subscription information module 12 is a database stored in a mobile communication terminal, and also stores subscriber subscription information used for a broadcasting service.

[39] The subscription information of the set top box-side subscription information module

11 and the subscription information of the terminal-side subscription information module 12 are exchanged with each other through respective local-area wireless communication interface units. That is, the set top box and the mobile communication terminal can exchange their own subscription information with each other, and can store it.

[40] Each of the local-area wireless communication interface unit 12 or 52 is realized as an interface device for supporting local-area wireless communication, such as a Bluetooth device, a UWB device, a ZigBee device, or an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) device.

[41] In the case in which a user uses his/her own set top box, the type of service is the same as that of an existing service. Since each set top box includes the broadcasting service subscription information of a user, the set top box operates in the same method as an existing method, regardless of whether a mobile communication terminal is possessed, in this case.

[42] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a process of realizing a broadcasting service capable of supporting user mobility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[43] When a mobile communication terminal makes a request for connection near a set top box located in a specific area at step S41, the mobile communication terminal and the set top box are connected over a local-area wireless network. For example, if the local-area wireless network is realized based on ZigBee communication, local-area wireless communication connection between the mobile communication terminal and the set top box is realized through access interfaces complying with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.4.

[44] When the local-area wireless communication connection is completed, the set top box determines whether the owner of the corresponding set top box permits other users to temporarily use the set top box at step S42. That is, the set top box detects a set

value, set by the owner of the set top box, so as to determine whether another user, other than the corresponding owner of the set top box, can use the set top box using subscription information stored in the mobile communication terminal.

[45] As the results of the determination at step S43, if setting has been made such that no user other than the owner can use the set top box, the set top box transmits a service unavailability message to the mobile communication terminal, and then the mobile communication terminal displays the service unavailability message at step S44. Meanwhile, if setting has been made such that users other than the owner can use the set top box, the set top box requests the mobile communication terminal to transmit stored authentication information and subscription information at step S45. The mobile communication terminal 50, having received the transmission request, transmits the authentication information and the subscription information of a broadcasting service to the set top box 10 at step S46.

[46] The authentication information includes user identification information or mobile communication terminal identification information, such as the telephone number of the mobile communication terminal and the Numerical Identifier (NID) of the mobile communication terminal.

[47] The set top box 10, having received the authentication information and subscription information, transmits the corresponding information to the subscriber management server managed by a broadcasting service providing company at step S47.

[48] The subscriber management server 30, having received the authentication information and the subscription information, requests inquiry from the subscription information database server using the authentication information of the corresponding mobile communication terminal at step S48. The subscription information database server 20, having received the request for the inquiry, inquires about the details of the broadcasting service subscription of a user who has made a request for service at step S49. The details of the broadcasting service subscription, the inquiry of which is completed, and the authentication information of the mobile communication terminal are transmitted to the subscriber management server 30, and the subscriber management server 30 determines whether the details of the broadcasting service subscription, the inquiry of which is completed, are consistent with the subscription information at step S50.

[49] In the case in which the details of the broadcasting service subscription are not consistent with the subscription information, the subscriber management server 30 transmits information about inconsistency to the set top box. The set top box, having received the information about inconsistency, transmits an inconsistency message to the mobile communication terminal over the local-area wireless network at step S51. The mobile communication terminal, having received the inconsistency message,

displays the inconsistency message at step S52.

[50] Meanwhile, in the case in which the details of the broadcasting service subscription, inquired about by the subscriber management server 30, is consistent with the subscription information, the subscriber management server 30 registers the owner of the mobile communication terminal as the temporary user of the set top box at step S53, and transmits information about consistency to the set top box.

[51] The set top box 10, having received the information about consistency, registers the corresponding user as a temporary user at step S54, and provides a broadcasting service based on the subscription information at step S55.

[52] 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.