SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING PROGRAM DELIVERY SERVICE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a network interactive television system, especially to a network interactive television system for implementing program delivery service, and a method thereof.
BACKGROUND
[0002] With the development of internet technology, digital communication broadband technology, multimedia technology, and television digital technology, there has emerged a network interactive television system in which the above technologies are integrated. Such a technology provides a user experience totally different from that of traditional analogue televisions in that, this technology provides an online interaction between consumers and media service provider, and a new experience that allows the consumer "to watch programs on demand" is realized by such an interaction. The above effect cannot be achieved by traditional television systems that are based on broadcast technology.
[0003] A network interactive television system generally provides two kinds of basic services: direct broadcast services and on-demand services. Direct broadcast services are characterized in providing various services of public TV channels without distinguishing between users, that is to say, all the users who have been authorized by an operator can watch programs of corresponding channels. On-demand services are characterized in that, the programs played by the system is based on the result of the selection made by online interactive users, that is to say, from the view of the users, the programs played by the system for each on-demand user at the same time are different with each other.
[0004] Fig. 1 shows a fundamental configuration of a typical network interactive television system. As shown in Fig. 1, the system comprises a content acquisition
subsystem 10, a service subsystem 11 and a terminal subsystem 12, which are connected to each other via a network and will be described below respectively.
[0005] Content acquisition subsystem 10 introduces various programs to the interactive television system. The types of these programs include on-demand programs and direct broadcast channel programs; the program data include content data of a program and description data of the program (such as a channel forecast, the program name, and the format of coding and decoding of the program, etc.).
[0006] The service subsystem 11 constitutes the main body of the network interactive television system, comprising the basic components of: a terminal management unit 111 which is mainly in charge of managing the validity of user terminals, and which provides functions such as user login, user logout, and query of user status, etc.; an electronic program guide (EPG) 112 being connected with the terminal management unit 111 in order to provide a user interface for browsing TV program forecast to the users under the instruction by the terminal management unit 111, for example, on the basis of a web page browser mode; a program library 113 which is a database for storing and backing up programs acquired from the content acquisition subsystem 10, and in which the programs can be stored in a hierarchy structure in order to increase the performance of the system; an on-demand program stream playing server 114 which is connected with the terminal management unit 111 and the program library 113, and fetches from the program library 113 corresponding programs to be transmitted to the terminal subsystem in the form of on-demand program streams under the instructions given by the terminal management subsystem 111, the way of transmitting being usually based on a point-to-point communication technology; a direct broadcasting program stream player 115 which is connected with the terminal management unit 111 and the program library 113, and fetches from the program library 113 corresponding programs to be transmitted to the terminal subsystem in the form of direct broadcast streams under the instructions given by the terminal management subsystem 111, the way of transmitting being usually based on a point-to-multipoint communication technology (such as multicast and broadcast etc.).
[0007] The terminal subsystem 12 comprises a set of user terminals that receive programs from the network interactive television system. The terminal subsystem 12 is capable of performing interactions with the system side via a broadband network to implement user management, provision and control of services. The user terminal usually has two forms: one is a hardware terminal (such as a set-top box + TV), the other is a software terminal (i.e. a client software which can run on personal computers (PC), personal digital assistants and intelligent mobile phones).
[0008] However, in addition to the above basic services, it is also desirable to provide value-added services such as program delivery services in the above network interactive television system.
SUMMARY
[0009] It is an object of the invention to provide a network interactive television system capable of implementing program delivery services. The above object is achieved by the following technical solutions:
[0010] A network interactive television system capable of implementing program delivery services comprising at least one user terminal as a program sender side, at least one user terminal as a program acceptor side, and a service subsystem connected with the user terminals via a network, said service subsystem comprising: a delivery service logic unit for processing requests for program delivery services transmitted by said user terminals via said network; a delivery service data unit for storing, modifying, and searching for data related to the program delivery in accordance with instructions from said delivery service logic unit; and at least one stream playing server for playing the delivered programs to said acceptor side via said network in accordance with said instructions from said delivery service logic unit.
[0011] Preferably, in the above system, said service subsystem further comprises a terminal management unit for validating the authorization for said sender side and said acceptor side according to the instructions from said delivery service logic unit.
[0012] Preferably, in the above system, said service, subsystem further comprises a delivery service interface unit connected between said user terminals and said delivery service logic unit.
[0013] Preferably, in the above system, said service subsystem further comprises a program library connected with said stream playing server, for storing the displayed programs.
[0014] It is another object of the invention to provide a method for implementing program delivery services in a network interactive television system. The above object is achieved by the following technical solutions:
[0015] A method for implementing program delivery services in a network interactive television system, said network interactive television system comprising at least one user terminal as a program sender side, at least one user terminal as a program acceptor side, and a service subsystem connected with the user terminals via a network, said method comprising steps of: transmitting a request for program delivery services to said service subsystem by said user terminal via said network; and providing corresponding program delivery services to said user terminal via said network by said service subsystem in response to said request for program delivery services.
[0016] Preferably, in the above method, said request for program delivery services comprise user terminal identity identifications of said sender side and said acceptor side and a list of programs to be delivered, and said service subsystem provides corresponding program delivery services in the following way: determining whether said sender side and said acceptor side are valid users according to the user terminal identity identifications thereof; transmitting a message to said acceptor side via said network inquiring whether said acceptor side is willing to receive the delivered programs, if it is determined that both said sender side and said acceptor side are valid users; and adding said acceptor side into a viewer list of the programs listed in said list of programs to be delivered, if a message indicating acceptance of the delivered programs is received from said acceptor.
[0017] Preferably, in the above method, said requests for program delivery services comprise a time period, program type, program information, and user terminal identity identifications of said sender side and said acceptor side, and said service subsystem determines and transmits to said user terminals via said network said list of programs to be delivered of said acceptor according to said time period, said program type, said program information, and said user terminal identity identifications of said sender side and said acceptor side.
[0018] Preferably, in the above method, said requests for program delivery services comprise a user terminal identity identification of the acceptor side and a deletion list of the delivered programs. Said service subsystem cancels delivered programs of said acceptor side according to said deletion list of the delivered programs.
[0019] Preferably, in the above method, said requests for program delivery services comprise a user terminal identity identification of the acceptor side and names of the delivered programs requested to play. Said service subsystem plays said delivered programs requested to play to the acceptor side via the network according to said user terminal identity identification and said names of the delivered programs requested to play.
[0020] The present invention can implement program delivery services without changing the fundamental configuration of the existing network interactive television system. Therefore, the cost of development is decreased, and the impact on the current functions and services in the system is reduced to a minimum level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
[0022] Fig. 1 shows a fundamental configuration of a typical network interactive television system.
[0023] Fig. 2 shows a structure of the service subsystem of the network interactive television system according to the invention.
[0024] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing program delivery services according to a first embodiment of the invention.
[0025] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing program delivery services according to a second embodiment of the invention.
[0026] Fig. 5 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing program delivery services according to a third embodiment of the invention.
[0027] Fig. 6 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing program delivery services according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0028] In the present invention, the program delivery service includes the following contents: a user terminal (which will be also referred to a sender side hereinafter) delivers programs to another user terminal (which will be also referred to the acceptor side hereinafter), the user terminal (the sender side or the acceptor side) queries a listing of delivered programs which are delivered or accepted thereby, the user terminal (the sender side or the acceptor side) deletes programs in the listing of delivered programs which are delivered or accepted thereby, and the acceptor side requests to play the accepted programs. The types of the programs include, for example, direct broadcast channel programs and on-demand programs. In addition, according to the occasions where the services are applied, it may be required to check the right-of-sending of the sender side and the right-of-accepting of the acceptor side, for example to check whether the sender side has ordered the delivery service and has enough account balances for paying for the program delivery, and whether the acceptor is a valid user terminal, and so on.
[0029] Compared with the network interactive television system in Fig. 1 , the present invention is mainly different in the service subsystem. The structure of the service subsystem of the network interactive television system according to the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 2.
[0030] As shown in Fig. 2, the service subsystem 21 comprises a terminal management unit 211, a program library 212, a delivery service logic unit 213, a delivery service data unit 214, a delivery service interface unit 215, and a stream playing server 216.
[0031] The terminal management unit 211 is connected with the delivery service logic unit 213, and is in charge of managing the validity of the user terminals (e.g. checking the right-of-sending of the sender side and the right-of-accepting of the acceptor side according to the instructions from the delivery service logic unit 213), and provides functions such as user login, user logout, and query of user status, etc.
[0032] The program library 212 is a database for storing and backing up programs acquired from the content acquisition subsystem. In the program library 212, the programs can be stored in a hierarchy structure in order to increase the performance of the system.
[0033] The delivery service logic unit 213 is in charge of realizing the control function of the program delivery services, i.e., processing requests for the program delivery services transmitted from the user terminals. The detailed processing manner thereof will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in Fig. 3-6.
[0034] The delivery service data unit 214 is connected with the delivery service logic unit 213, and is used for storing, modifying, and searching for data related to the program delivery according to instructions from the delivery service logic unit 213, said data comprising, for example, the identity identification of the program sender side, the identity identification of the acceptor side, delivery time and date, information on the delivered programs, and the expiration, etc.
[0035] Delivery service interface unit 215 is connected with the delivery service logic unit 213, and is used for providing interactive interfaces with the delivery service logic unit 213 to the user terminals, thereby receiving the input from the user terminals (e.g. the type of using the program delivery service, the identity identification, etc.) and displaying to the user terminals the processing results (e.g. the listing of delivered programs, prompt information as to permitting or prohibiting the use of the program delivery service, etc.). This unit can at least provide the following processing interfaces to the user terminals: program delivery interfaces, program delivery query interfaces, deletion interfaces of delivered programs, and playing interfaces of delivered programs, etc.
[0036] The stream playing server 216 is connected with the delivery service logic unit 213 and the program library 212, and fetches from the program library 212 corresponding programs and transmits them to the terminal subsystem in the form of program streams under the instructions from the delivery service logic unit 213. In the case of the on-demand programs, the way of transmitting is usually based on a point-to-point communication technology, and in the case of direct broadcast programs, the way of transmitting is usually based on a point-to-multipoint communication technology (such as multicast and broadcast, etc.).
[0037] It is noted that, the network interactive television system described above is only exemplary, and depending on the requirements of the application occasions, the system can also contain therein digital copyright systems, network administration subsystems, program distribution systems, etc.
[0038] In the above service subsystem, the functions of each unit can be realized by hardware on which software that implements corresponding functions is running. The examples of hardware mentioned herein includes but is not limited by digital signal processors (DSP), microprocessors, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc, In addition, each of the above functions can be realized independently by a single corresponding hardware, and can also be realized by a certain number of hardware in a coordinative way. Alternatively, some of the above functions can be realized independently by a single
hardware. The variation of these ways of realization is obvious to those skilled in the art, and therefore belongs to the spirit and protection scope of the present invention.
[0039] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing program delivery services according to the first embodiment of the invention. As shown in Fig. 3, the detailed flow is as follows:
1) The user terminal (sender side) performs selections of the information relating to the delivery service via the delivery service interface unit 215, such as: selecting a list of programs to be delivered, information on the acceptor side (e.g. the identity identification or network identification of the acceptor side user terminal), fee-charging information on the delivered programs, expiration information on the delivered programs, etc. After the user has confirmed the information, an operation of confirming the delivery is submitted to the delivery service interface unit 215 to be subjected to processing;
2) The delivery service interface unit 215 converts the user interface operation into request information, and then transmits it to the delivery service logic unit 213;
3) The delivery service logic unit 213 requests the terminal management unit 211 to validate an authorization of the delivery request operation made by the sender side. The contents in validating the authorization by the terminal management unit 211 include: whether the sender side has the qualification of delivering these programs; whether the acceptor side is a valid user; whether the acceptor side agrees to accept such kind of program delivery, and so on;
4) The terminal management unit 211 returns the result of the invalidation of authorization;
5) If the delivery service logic unit 213 finds that the invalidation of authorization fails, it reports an error information to the user via the delivery service interface unit 215; if the invalidation of authorization succeeds, it sends a request for adding a delivery record of the user to the delivery service data unit 214;
6) The delivery service data unit 214 returns the result of the adding to the delivery service logic unit 213;
7) The delivery service logic unit 213 returns the processing result of the whole operation to the delivery service interface unit 215;
8) The delivery service interface unit 215 displays the result of the delivery to the user.
[0040] It is noted that, a timer can be configured for the execution unit in each step described above for time-out protection. If the timer is time-out, the process enters an error processing flow in which error information is returned to the user. For the flows to be described in Fig. 4- Fig. 6, such time-out protection mechanism can also be adopted.
[0041] Fig. 4 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing the program delivery service according to the second embodiment of the invention. As shown in Fig. 4, the detailed flow is as follows:
1) The user terminal (the sender side or the acceptor side) performs an operation of querying a listing of delivered programs via the delivery service interface unit 215:, the keyword for querying can be the combination of the items below: user information on the sender side, user information on the acceptor side, program information, information on delivery time and date. The sender side can query listings of programs of a certain type delivered to specific users within a certain period of time; the acceptor side may also query all listings of all the programs delivered in a certain period of time;
2) The delivery service interface unit 215 converts the user interface operation into request information, and transfers it to the delivery service logic unit 213, for service processing;
3) The delivery service logic unit 213 requests the delivery service data unit 214 to search for the corresponding delivery records according to the keyword input by the user;
4) The delivery service data unit 214 returns the query result listing to the delivery service logic unit 213;
5) The delivery service logic unit 213 returns the program listing obtained by the query of the delivery service data unit 214 to the delivery service interface unit 215;
6) The delivery service interface unit 215 displays the listing of the delivered programs to the user.
[0042] Fig. 5 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing the program delivery service according to the third embodiment of the invention. As shown in Fig. 5, the detailed flow is as follows:
1) The user terminal requests to perform an operation of deleting the delivered programs via the delivery service interface unit 215. The operation of deleting comprises two cases: a case in which the sender side deletes the programs he delivers to others, and a case in which the acceptor side deletes the programs delivered to him. The user confirms the information related to the programs to be deleted of either case via the delivery service interface unit 215, and submits it to the delivery service interface unit 215;
2) The delivery service interface unit 215 converts the user interface operation into request information, and transfers it to the delivery service logic unit 213 for service processing;
3) The delivery service logic unit 213 requests the delivery service data unit 214 to delete the matched delivery records according to the conditions requested by the user;
4) The delivery service data unit 214 returns the deletion result to the delivery service logic unit 213;
5) The delivery service logic unit 213 returns the processing result by the delivery service data unit 214 to the delivery service interface unit 215;
6) The delivery service interface unit 215 displays the result of deleting the delivered programs to the user.
[0043] Fig. 6 shows a flowchart of a method of implementing the program delivery service according to the fourth embodiment of the invention. As shown in Fig. 6, the detailed flow is as follows:
1) The user terminal (the acceptor side) selects the delivered programs to be played from a list of the delivered programs via the delivery service interface unit 215;
2) The delivery service interface unit 215 converts the user interface operation into request information, and transfers it to the delivery service logic unit 213 for service processing;
3) The delivery service logic unit 213 issues a request to the stream playing server 216 for allocating the program playing resource. This request includes information such as information on the displayed programs, user information, and so on;
4) The stream playing server 216 performs the allocation of the program playing resource according to the program information and the user information contained in the request. The returned response information should include: information on whether the request succeeds, program playing token, stream playing server address information for the program playing. It is to be noted that, the requested stream playing server is not necessarily a stream playing server which responds to the played programs returned in the information. Therefore, for the need of performance, it is possible to use re-orientation techniques to find a stream playing server which is nearest to the terminal and which has a smaller load. Furthermore, the purposes of using a program playing token include: firstly to facilitate the stream playing server which plays programs to perform a user confirmation, i.e. to ensure the target terminal of the stream playing server which plays programs is exactly the terminal which requests to play these programs; secondly to have the security issue
into account, so as to prevent attacks via the network by carrying information related to security in the token.
5) The delivery service logic unit 213 judges the response to the allocation of the resource for playing of the program playing, and if the request fails, the process enters an error processing and the error information is finally displayed to the user; and if the request succeeded, a flag indicating that this program has been "viewed" is requested to be set by the delivery service data unit 214;
6) The delivery service data unit 214 sets a flag indicating that this program has been "viewed" and returns a response.
7) The delivery service logic unit 213 returns to the delivery service interface unit 215 a response regarding playing the delivered programs, information of which includes: information on whether the request succeeds, program information, program playing token, stream playing server address information for the program playing;
8) In the case that the request for playing is in error, the delivery service interface unit 215 displays the error information of the user to the user terminal. In the case that the request for playing succeeds, information indicating that the request for playing succeeds is displayed to the user terminal;
9) The user terminal requests the stream playing server address for program playing to play programs. The information contained in this request includes: the requested program information, the terminal information, and a program playing token;
10) The stream playing server returns a response to the user terminal, indicating that the stream playing server has prepared the programs to be played;
11) The stream playing server transmits the program stream data to the terminal, and the user views the programs.
[0044] After reading the above disclosed contents, further modifications will be obvious to the skilled in the art. Such modifications may involve well-known features within wireless communication systems and the components thereof. In addition, these features may be employed to substitute for or in addition to the features described above.
[0045] In the specification and claims, the words "a" and "one" which appear before a unit do not intend to exclude the case of a plurality of such units. The words "include" and "contain" do not intend to exclude the case that there are also other units or steps in addition to the described units or steps.
[0046] While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

WE CLAIMS:-
1. A network interactive television system capable of implementing
program delivery services comprising:
at least one user terminal as a program sender side;
at least one user terminal as a program acceptor side; and
a service subsystem connected with the user terminals via a network, characterized in that, said service subsystem comprises:
a delivery service logic unit for processing requests for program delivery services transmitted by said user terminals via said network;
a delivery service data unit for storing, modifying, and searching for data related to program delivery in accordance with instructions from said delivery service logic unit; and
at least one stream playing server for displaying the delivered programs to said acceptor side via said network in accordance with said instructions from said delivery service logic unit.
2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said service subsystem further comprises a terminal management unit for validating the authorization for said sender side and said acceptor side according to the instructions from said delivery service logic unit.
3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said service subsystem further comprises a delivery service interface unit connected between said user terminals and said delivery service logic unit.
4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein, said service subsystem further comprises a program library connected with said stream playing server, for storing the displayed programs.
5. A method for implementing program delivery services in a network
interactive television system, said network interactive television system comprising:
at least one user terminal as a program sender side;
at least one user terminal as a program acceptor side; and
a service subsystem connected with the user terminals via a network, characterized in that, said method comprises steps of:
transmitting a request for program delivery services to said service subsystem by said user terminal via said network; and
providing corresponding program delivery services to said user terminal via said network by said service subsystem in response to said request for program delivery services.
6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, said requests for program delivery services comprise user terminal identity identifications of said sender side and said acceptor side and a list of programs to be delivered, and said service subsystem provides corresponding program delivery services in the following way:
determining whether said sender side and said acceptor side are valid users according to the user terminal identity identifications thereof;
transmitting a message to said acceptor side via said network inquiring whether said acceptor side is willing to receive the delivered programs, if it is determined that both said sender side and said acceptor side are valid users; and
adding said acceptor side into a viewer list of the programs listed in said list of programs to be delivered, if an message indicating acceptance of the delivered programs is received from said acceptor.
7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, said requests for program delivery services comprise a time period, program, type, program information, and user terminal identity identifications of said sender side and said acceptor side, and said service subsystem determines and transmits to said user terminals via said network the list of programs to be delivered of said acceptor according to said time period, said program type, said program information, and said user terminal identity identifications of said sender side and said acceptor side.
8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, said requests for program delivery services comprise a user terminal identity identification of the acceptor side and a deletion list of the delivered programs, and said service subsystem cancels delivered programs of said acceptor side according to said deletion list of the delivered programs.
9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein, said requests for program delivery services comprise a user terminal identity identification of the acceptor side and names of the delivered programs requested to play, and said service subsystem plays said delivered programs requested to play to the acceptor side via the network according to said user terminal identity identification and said names of the delivered programs requested to play.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein, said service subsystem provides program playing token to said acceptor side to ensure the target terminal to
which the programs are played is exactly the user terminal which requests to play these programs.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein, said program playing token includes information related to security issues.