Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NETWORK-BASED

REMOTE TEXT SERVICE

Technical Field The present invention relates to a remote text service system, and in particular to an improved system and method for a network-based remote text service in which an audio medium such as a CD, record, etc. inserted in a user computer and provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language materials, poems, essays, etc. is reproduced in accordance with a remote driving control of a server computer connected through the internet, and a text data(caption data) provided in synchronization with a reproducing audio signal is remotely received from a server and is displayed on a monitor.

Background Art Generally, the internet is an open type network in which anyone can get connected with a certain computer based on the TCP/IP(Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). With the internet, it is possible to use various services such as an e-mail service, a file transfer service, and a www(world wide web) service, which are used for transmission of basic text data as well as multimedia data. As the use of the internet sharply increases throughout the world, the internet has been considered as a very useful tool which can be used so as to enhance an efficiency and productivity in the industrial field. A new service has been continuously developed based on the internet. The businessmen who use the internet gradually increase. Namely, as new business types through the internet, many internet sites i

increasingly provide various contents such as internet advertisements, internet broadcasts, online games, internet newspapers/magazines, search services, portal services, electronic commerce, etc.

As the internet and multimedia materials sharply increase, various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. provide audio supplements besides basic books. As the use of digital data such as a MP3 in the field of music business sector increase, it is expected that the music related business would go well for many years.

However, since the audio medium such as CD, record, etc., which are provided as supplements of various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc., are designed to store only audio signals therein, the users can reproduce and listen to only the audio signals. Namely, the users cannot be provided with text services such as reproducing music lyrics, reproducing original texts or translations of foreign language study materials, etc. Therefore, the audio mediums cannot have been widely applied in the conventional art.

A manufacturer should store both the audio signals and text data when fabricating the audio mediums so that the users can use both the audio signals and text data when reproducing various audio mediums. In addition, the user should use an additional reproducing program which operates in synchronization with the audio signals and text data, so that it is impossible to universally use the conventional mediums. Various conventional audio mediums do not have any functions of providing the text data services.

Disclosure of Invention Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and

method for a network-based remote text service which overcome the problems encountered in the conventional art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for a network-based remote text service in which a corresponding audio medium is remotely reproduced at the side of a server connected with a user computer through the internet based on a user's operation when a certain audio medium such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. is reproduced by a user computer, and a certain text data synchronized with a reproducing audio signal is provided and displayed on a monitor.

It is further another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for a network-based remote text service in which an audio medium such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. inserted into an audio drive of a user computer is automatically recognized so that it is an audio medium capable of receiving a remote text service or not, and a corresponding audio medium is remotely reproduced at the side of a server connected with the user computer through the internet without a user's additional operation, and a certain text data synchronized with a reproducing audio signal is provided and displayed on a monitor. To achieve the above objects, there is provided a network-based remote text service system, comprising a network communication network which connects a plurality of communication lines and performs a data communication related with a remote text service; a plurality of user computers which perform an external communication providing a remote text service through the network communication network based on a user's operation; execute a reproducing program for reproducing

a corresponding audio medium in accordance with an external control when a user selects a reproduction of a certain audio medium inserted into the current audio drive among various audio mediums having remote text service functions provided from the outside; reproduce a corresponding track of the audio medium inserted into the audio drive when the user selects a certain track of the audio medium after the reproducing program is executed; and externally receive a certain text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal from the outside and display on the reproducing program; and a server computer which has a database formed of the text data synchronized with the audio signals of various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to publications; provides various audio medium lists having remote text service functions to the user computer which is connected through the network communication network; controls the execution of the reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium inserted into the audio drive of the user computer; and outputs a certain text data synchronized with the audio signal of a corresponding track to the user computer when a certain track of the audio medium inserted into the audio drive is reproduced based on the user's operation after the reproducing program is executed.

The user computer automatically drives a recognition program when an audio medium such as CD, DVD, etc. is inserted into the user computer based on a user's operation; checks whether the inserted audio medium is an audio medium having a remote text service function of the server computer based on the recognition data stored at the audio medium; automatically drives a reproducing program when the audio medium has the remote text service function of the server computer as a result of the check; reproduces an audio signal of the audio medium inserted into the user computer; receives the text data synchronized with the

currently reproducing audio signal from the server computer; and displays on the reproducing program.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a network-based remote text service method, comprising a step (1) in which a user computer is connected with a server computer which provides a remote text service function through a network communication network in accordance with an operation of a user who inserts various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. into the user computer; a step (2) in which the server computer provides the lists of various audio mediums having remote text service functions stored in a database to the user computer connected through the network communication network; a step (3) in which the server computer judges whether a reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium inserted into the user computer is inputted or not in accordance with an operation of a user who confirms the lists of various audio mediums having remote text service functions; a step (4) in which as a result of the judgment, when a reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium is inputted from the user computer, the server computer judges whether a reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium is installed or not in the user computer; a step (5) in which as a result of the judgment, when a reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium is installed at the user computer, the server computer controls an execution of the reproducing program installed at the user computer and starts reproducing a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer; a step (6) in which as a result of the step (4), when a reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium is not installed at the user computer, a reproducing program is downloaded from the server

computer to the user computer and is installed, and the server computer controls an execution of the reproducing program and starts reproducing a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer; and a step (7) in which the server computer outputs the text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal of the audio medium inserted into the user computer to the user computer through the network communication network in accordance with a selection of the user who operates the reproducing program and displays on the reproducing program.

To achieve the above objects, there is provided a network-based remote text service method, comprising a step (a) in which a user computer is connected with a server computer through a network communication network in accordance with a user's operation, with the server computer providing a remote text service function; a step (b) in which the user computer downloads a recognition program and a reproducing program from the server computer and installs the downloaded programs therein, with the recognition program being capable of automatically recognizing whether various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. inserted into the user computer have remote text service functions or not, and with the reproducing program being provided for reproducing the audio mediums; a step (c) in which the user computer judges whether an audio medium such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to publications is inserted or not in accordance with an operation of the user; a step (d) in which as a result of the judgment, when the audio medium is inserted, the user computer automatically drives a previously installed recognition program and judges whether the inserted audio medium has a remote text service function of the server computer or not based on the recognition data recorded at the audio medium; a step (e) in

which as a result of the judgment, when the inserted audio medium has a remote text service function, the user computer drives the previously installed reproducing program and starts reproducing a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer; a step (f) in which the user computer receives a text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal of the audio medium inserted into the user computer from the server computer through the network communication network in accordance with a selection of a user who operates the reproducing program and displays the data on the reproducing program.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a network-based remote text service system according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a user computer of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a server computer of

Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a flow chart of an operation of a network-based remote text service method according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 5 is a flow chart of an operation of a network-based remote text service method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The system and method for a network-based remote text service according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of a network-based

remote text service system according to the present invention.

As shown therein, a network communication network 100 is a communication network such as a wired or wireless internet and connects a communication line between a plurality of user computers 200 and a server computer 300, so that a remote text transmission-related data communication is performed between the computers.

The user computers 200 are connected with the server computer 300 through the network communication network 100 in accordance with a user's operation who inserts a certain audio medium such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. into an audio drive(for example, CD-ROM drive), with the server computer 300 being designed to provide a remote text service. With the above construction, a new member registration or a member login procedure is performed. Various audio medium lists are provided from the member-connected server computer 300 and are displayed on a monitor, with the audio medium lists having remote text services.

The user computers 200 each output a reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium inserted into the current audio drive of a user, who confirms various audio medium lists, to the server computer 300, with the audio medium lists having remote text services. The user computers 300 each execute a reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium in accordance with a control of the server computer 300. The user computer 300 each reproduce a corresponding track of the audio medium inserted into the audio drive when a certain track of the audio medium is selected by the user after the reproducing program is executed and each receive a certain text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal in accordance with a user's selection from the server computer 300 and displays on

the reproducing program.

Here, the reproducing program of the user computer 200 has a basic text data(original text/translated text) synchronization display function, a sentence-based multiple repeating function, a multiple repeating function between a track and a sub- track, an interval insertion function between the sentences, a track/sub- track/sentence one click switch function, a track/sub-track folder window display function, a proceeding data display function, etc.

The server computer 300 has a database formed of the text data synchronized with the audio signal stored at various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. and stores therein a reproducing program for reproducing audio mediums. The server computer 300 processes a new member registration or a member log-in operation of the user computer 200, which is connected through the network communication network 100, and provides various audio medium lists to the user computers 200, with the audio medium lists having remote text service functions.

In addition, when the user computer 200 selects a reproduction of a certain audio medium after the user confirms various audio medium lists having remote text service functions, the server computer 300 controls an execution of the reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium inserted into the audio drive of the user computer 200. When a certain track of the audio medium inserted into the audio drive is reproduced based on a user's operation after the reproducing program is executed, the text data synchronized with the audio track of a corresponding track is outputted to the user computer 200 and is displayed on the reproducing program. Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of the user computer

200 of Figure 1.

As shown therein, the audio drive 210 reproduces various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. inserted by the user through the reproducing program performed in accordance with a control of the controller 220 which receives a certain data for a remote driving control from the server computer 300 through the network communication network 100.

The controller 220 controls a communication connection with the server computer 300 through a data communication unit 240 in accordance with a user's operation and controls so that a new member registration data or member login data inputted by the user is outputted to the server computer 300. The controller 220 controls so that a data provided so as to reproduce a certain audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 is outputted to the server computer 300 in accordance with a user's operation, with the user confirming various audio medium lists having remote text service functions provided from the server computer 300. In addition, the execution of the reproducing program is controlled in accordance with a remote driving control of the server computer 300. The audio medium inserted through the audio drive unit 210 is reproduced, and the text data synchronized with the audio signal reproduced through the audio drive unit 210 is received and displayed on the reproducing program.

The program driving unit 230 executes the reproducing program in accordance with a control of the controller 220 and reproduces the audio signal stored at each track of the audio medium inserted by the user through the audio drive unit 210. Here, the reproducing program may be previously installed at the user computer 200 or may be downloaded from the server computer 300 when the user

selects a reproduction of a certain audio medium.

The data communication unit 240 is connected with the server computer 200 through the network communication network 100 in accordance with a control of the controller 220. Various audio medium lists having remote text service functions provided from the server computer 300 are outputted to the controller 220. As the user selects a reproduction of a certain audio medium after the user confirms the lists with respect to various audio mediums provided from the server computer 300, the data provided so as to control a certain audio medium inputted from the server computer 300 are outputted to the controller 220. The text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal is received from the server computer 300 through the network communication network 100 and is outputted to the controller 220.

The monitor 250 displays the reproducing program executed so as to reproduce the audio medium in accordance with a control of the controller 220 on a screen and displays the text data on the reproducing program, with the text data being provided from the server computer 300 through the data communication unit 240 in accordance with a control of the controller 220.

Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a construction of the server computer 300 of Figure 1. As shown therein, the data communication unit 310 performs the outputs of the lists of various audio mediums having remote text service functions with the user computer 300 connected through the network communication network 100 in accordance with a control of the controller 320, the inputs of the reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium, the outputs of the data provided for a remote driving control of the audio medium selected by the user, and the outputs of

the text data synchronized with the audio signal which is reproduced by the user computer 200.

The controller 320 controls that various audio medium lists having remote text service functions are provided to the user computer 200 connected through the data communication unit 310. A data provided for a remote driving control of a corresponding audio medium is outputted to the user computer 200 when the reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium is inputted from the user computer 200 through the data communication unit 310. A certain text data synchronized with the audio signal reproduced from the user computer 200 is extracted from the database 330 and is outputted to the user computer 200.

Here, when the reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium is inputted by the user, the controller 320 checks whether a reproducing program capable of reproducing a certain audio medium selected by the user is installed at a corresponding user computer 200 or not. When the reproducing program is installed, a data for a remote driving control of a corresponding audio medium is outputted to the user computer 200, so that the audio medium is reproduced. When the reproducing program is not installed, the reproducing program is downloaded to the user computer 200, and then a data for a remote driving control of a corresponding audio medium is provided, so that the audio medium is reproduced. The database 330 stores therein text data synchronized with the audio signal recorded at various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. The text data of a certain audio medium synchronized with the audio signal, which is being reproduced by the user computer, are extracted in accordance with a control of the controller 320 and are outputted to the controller

320.

When an audio medium such as CD, DVD, etc. is inserted into the user computer 200 in accordance with a user's operation, the user computer 200 automatically drives a recognition program and checks whether the inserted audio medium is an audio medium having remote text service functions of the server computer 300 based on the recognition data recorded at the audio medium. As a result of the check, when the audio medium has a remote text service function of the server computer 300, the reproducing program is automatically operated, so that the audio signals of the audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 is reproduced. The text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal is received from the server computer 300 and is displayed on the reproducing program.

Here, so as to use the services according to the present invention, the user should get connected with the server computer 300 as a registered member before the audio medium is reproduced. In addition, it is needed to download the recognition program, which automatically recognizes whether a corresponding audio medium has a remote text service function, from the server program 300 and to install at the user computer 200.

Next, the preferred embodiments of the network-based remote text service method according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

First, a first embodiment of the network-based remote text service method according to the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4.

A user who has various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. inserts a corresponding audio medium into the user computer

200 in a step S105. The user gets connected with the server computer 300 through the network communication network 100, with the server computer 300 providing a remote text service function. The user registers a new member or performs a login in a step S110. The server computer 300 provides the user computer 200 remaining connected through the network communication network 100 with various audio lists having remote text service functions constituted in the form of database in a step S115.

The server computer 300 judges whether a reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium inserted into the user computer is inputted from the user computer 200 in accordance with the operation of the user who confirms the lists of various audio mediums having remote text service functions in a step S120.

As a result of the judgment, if the reproducing selection data of a certain audio medium is inputted from the user computer 200, the server computer 300 judges whether a reproducing program is installed at the user computer 200 for reproducing a corresponding audio medium in a step S125.

As a result of the judgment, if the reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium is installed at the user computer 200, the server computer 300 controls the execution of the reproducing program installed at the user computer 200, and a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 is reproduced in a step S130.

However, as a result of the judgment of the step S125, if the reproducing program for reproducing a corresponding audio medium is not installed at the user computer 200, the server computer 300 allows the user computer 200 to download the reproducing program and install the same in a step S135 and controls the

execution of the reproducing program, so that a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 is reproduced in a step S140.

In addition, the execution of the reproducing program is controlled in the steps S130 and S140, and a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 is reproduced. The server computer 300 outputs the text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal of the audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 is outputted to the user computer 200 through the network communication network 100 in accordance with the selection of the user who operates the reproducing program in a step S145. The user computer 200 displays the text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal provided from the server computer 300 on the reproducing program in a step S150.

The server computer 300 repeatedly performs the routines after the step S 145 until a data provided so as to stop reproducing the audio medium is inputted from the user computer 200. As the user, who inserted an audio medium into the user computer 200, gets connected with the server computer 300 and selects a certain audio medium which will be reproduced, the server computer 300 remotely executes the reproducing program. When the user inserts the audio medium into the user computer 200, the user computer 200 automatically recognizes the inserted audio medium, differently from the method in which the text data synchronized with the audio signal reproducing on the user computer 200 is provided, and the audio medium is reproduced at the user computer 200. The text data synchronized with the audio signal are received from the server computer 300 and are displayed on the monitor.

Figure 5 is a flow chart of an operation of a network-based remote text service method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The user computer 200 gets connected with the server computer 300 through the network communication network 100, with the server computer 300 providing remote text service functions, based on the operation of the user who has various audio mediums such as CD, records, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. in a step S205.

The user computer 200 downloads the recognition program and the reproducing program for reproducing the audio mediums from the server computer 300, with the recognition program being capable of automatically recognizing whether various audio mediums such as CD, records, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. inserted into the user computer 200 in a step S210.

After the recognition program and reproducing program are downloaded from the server computer 300 and are installed, the user computer 200 judges whether the audio medium such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to publications is inserted or not based on the user's operation.

As a result of the judgment, when the audio medium is inserted, the user computer 200 automatically drives the previously installed recognition program in a step S220 and checks whether the audio medium has the remote text service function of the server computer 300 in a step S225. The recognition program of the user computer 200 reads the recognition data(for example, HEXA code data) recorded at the audio medium and compares with the recognition data of the audio medium having the remote text service function provided from the server computer 300 for thereby checking the audio medium has a remote text service function or not. As a result of the check of the step S225, if the audio medium inserted by the

user does not have the remote text service function, the user computer 200 reproduces only the audio signals recorded at a corresponding audio medium based on the user's operation in a step S230.

However, as a result of the check of the step S225, if the audio medium inserted by the user has the remote text service function, the user computer 200 drives the previously installed reproducing program and starts reproducing a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 in a step S235.

After a corresponding audio medium inserted into the user computer 200 is reproduced by executing the reproducing program in the step S235, the user computer 200 receives the text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal of the audio medium inserted into the user computer through the network communication network 100 based on the selection of the user who operates the reproducing program in a step S240 and displays the text data synchronized with the currently reproducing audio signal provided from the server computer 300 on the reproducing program in a step S245.

The user computer 200 repeatedly performs the routines after the step S240 until a data provided so as to stop reproducing the audio medium is inputted based on the operation of the user in a step S250.

Industrial Applicability

As described above, in the network-based remote text service system and method according to the present invention, various audio mediums inserted into the audio drive of the user computer are reproduced in accordance with a remote driving control of the server computer and at the same time the text data synchronized with the reproducing audio signal are received from the server computer and are

displayed on the monitor, so that various caption functions can be provided to various audio mediums in which only audio signals are recorded. The audio signals stored at various audio mediums are reproduced by the user computer in accordance with a remote control of the server computer, and the server computer transmits only the text data synchronized with the reproducing audio signals, so that the network does not have any loads.

In the case that the operator of the server computer constitutes the database of the text data of various audio mediums such as CD, record, etc. provided as a supplement to various publications such as foreign language study materials, poems/essays, etc. which are to be sold or are currently being sold, the users, who have conventionally reproduced only the audio signals, can additionally use the text data outputted in synchronization with a corresponding audio signal, so that it is possible to create a new service based on the improved user friendly functions in the publication and record fields, whereby the sale promotion and customer satisfaction effects can be obtained.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.