Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving additional information in a broadcast communication system

A method for receiving additional information from a device in a broadcast communication system is provided. The method includes receiving broadcast information provided from a broadcast service provider over a broadcast channel, extracting application information from the broadcast information, acquiring location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from the application information, and transmitting the location information for the additional information to a peer device for displaying the additional information.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean patent application filed on Apr. 19, 2013 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office and assigned Serial number 10-2013-0043835, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving additional information in a broadcast communication system. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method for transmitting and receiving a multimedia service to a user by using a portable device in a broadcast communication system.

BACKGROUND

Recently, a broadcast communication system has evolved to provide a Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TeleVision (HBBTV) service that allows a TeleVision (TV) to support both a broadcast channel and an Internet Protocol (IP)-based broadband channel. The HBBTV service is one of digital broadcast system standards proposed in Europe.

In a broadcast communication system that provides the HBBTV service, a smart TV, and the like capable of providing various multimedia services may be used. In the smart TV, and the like, various applications may be used to provide multimedia-based broadcast services.

FIG. 1illustrates a configuration of a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the related art.

Referring toFIG. 1, the broadcast communication system will be assumed as a system that provides the HBBTV service by way of example.

The broadcast communication system includes a broadcast service provider110, a user device104, and the Internet11. As an example, the broadcast service provider110may be a broadcasting station, and the like, and the user device104may be a smart TV, and the like. The broadcast service provider110provides a broadcast service to the user device104over a cable broadcast channel or a wireless broadcast channel. Although not illustrated in the drawing, the broadcast service provider110may include a broadcast server, and the like, and the broadcast server may provide additional information associated with the broadcast service to the user device104over the Internet11to which the broadcast server is connected via a broadband channel.

In a wireless communication system, a mobile terminal has evolved into a smart phone to which a high speed packet data service is provided over a broadband channel, and thus users can be provided with useful functions through applications installed in a smart phone. Since users may use various types of portable devices, such as a tablet, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a smart phone, and the like, to be provided with a multimedia service, the multimedia services provided in the portable devices are also proposed in various manners.

In the broadcast communication system ofFIG. 1, if a user uses the user device104and a portable device together, the user may be provided with more various types of broadcast services, and the user's convenience may also be enhanced. Therefore, there is a need for a way to provide a multimedia service to a user by using a portable device in a broadcast communication system as inFIG. 1.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure are to address at least the above-mentioned problems and/or disadvantages and to provide at least the advantages described below. Accordingly, an aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving additional information in a broadcast communication system.

Another aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method and an apparatus for transmitting and receiving additional information to a portable device of a user in a broadcast communication system.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a method for receiving additional information from a device in a broadcast communication system is provided. The method includes receiving broadcast information provided from a broadcast service provider over a broadcast channel, extracting application information from the broadcast information, acquiring location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from the application information, and transmitting the location information for the additional information to a peer device for displaying the additional information.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for receiving additional information from a device in a broadcast communication system is provided. The method includes receiving location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from a peer device, requesting a server for the additional information over a broadband channel, based on the location information, and receiving the additional information from the server.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for receiving additional information from a device in a broadcast communication system is provided. The method includes receiving temporary location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from a peer device, requesting the peer device for the additional information, based on the temporary location information, and receiving the additional information from the peer device.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a device for receiving additional information in a broadcast communication system is provided. The device includes an interface configured to receive broadcast information provided from a broadcast service provider over a broadcast channel, and a manager configured to extract application information from the broadcast information, to acquire location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from the application information, and to transmit the location information for the additional information to a peer device for displaying the additional information.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a device for additional information in a broadcast communication system is provided. The device includes a receiver configured to receive location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from a peer device, and to receive the additional information from a server and a transmitter configured to request the server for the additional information over a broadband channel, based on the location information.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a device for receiving additional information in a broadcast communication system is provided. The device includes a receiver configured to receive temporary location information for the additional information associated with a broadcast content from a peer device, and to receive the additional information from the peer device and a transmitter configured to request the peer device for the additional information, based on the temporary location information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description of various embodiments of the present disclosure, a detailed description of known functions or configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it is determined that the detailed description thereof may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present disclosure.

The following description of various embodiments of the present disclosure will be directed to a Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TeleVision (HBBTV) system. However, it should be noted that the present disclosure may also be applied to various digital broadcast communication systems capable of using both a cable or a wireless broadcast channel and a broadband channel, as well as the HBBTV system.

In the HBBTV system, a multimedia service may be considered, which allows at least two electronic devices, such as a smart TV and a portable device to share contents with each other or to use contents by being linked with each other.

Further, the HBBTV standard defines a communication environment where broadcast information is received over a broadcast channel in a broadcast network, and a data signal is received over a broadband channel in an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

In a broadcast communication system, a user device, for example, a smart TV, receives a broadcast content from a broadcast service provider over a broadcast channel, and consumes the received broadcast content. In this scenario, the broadcast service provider transmits a data signal including additional information and the like associated with the broadcast content over a broadband channel. Further, broadcast information provided over the broadcast channel includes an Application Information Table (AIT), and the AIT includes metadata by which an application associated with the broadcast content can be executed in the user device.

As an example, the user device receives a broadcast content from the broadcast service provider over the broadcast channel, and along with the broadcast content, also receives a network address for receiving additional information associated with the broadcast content. The network address may be, for example, Internet connection information, such as a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). Thereafter, the user device requests the broadcast service provider for the additional information associated with the broadcast content over a broadband channel by using the URL. Subsequently, the user device receives the additional information associated with the broadcast content from the broadcast service provider.

As another embodiment of the present disclosure, if there are at least two user devices, for example, if a smart TV and a user's portable device, such as a smart phone are used together, the user may receive a broadcast content through the smart TV and receive additional information associated with the broadcast content through the user's portable device.

FIG. 2illustrates a configuration of a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 2, the broadcast communication system will be assumed as a system that provides the HBBTV service by way of example.

The broadcast communication system includes a broadcast service provider210, a first device230, a second device250, and the Internet11. In the HBBTV communication environment where the first device230, for example, a smart TV, is simultaneously connected to a broadcast channel and a broadband channel (e.g., an IP channel), the second device250equipped with a means for displaying additional information of a broadcast content may be linked with the first device230to receive and display the additional information.

For example, the first device230receives broadcast information and a broadcast content provided from the broadcast service provider210over a broadcast channel, and extracts an AIT from the broadcast information. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the AIT includes a network address where additional information associated with the broadcast content can be received, that is, a URL for additional information. In addition, the first device230extracts the URL for additional information from the AIT, and conveys the extracted URL to the second device250.

Thereafter, the first device230may display the received broadcast content as a main broadcast, and the second device250may receive the additional information associated with the broadcast content from the broadcast service provider210or an external server by using the URL for additional information and display the received additional information.

As another embodiment of the present disclosure, if the broadcast information provided from the broadcast service provider210over the broadcast channel includes the additional information, the first device230extracts the additional information, and conveys the extracted additional information to the second device250. Thereafter, the second device250may display the additional information received from the first device230.

FIG. 3is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of a device in a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In the following description, the device will be assumed as the first device230ofFIG. 2, and the first device230may be provided in a digital TV, such as a smart TV, to provide additional information. Further, the first device230may be provided in various types of digital devices capable of receiving a broadcast service, as well as the digital TV.

Referring toFIG. 3, the first device230includes an AIT manager310, a runtime environment processor330, and a broadcast and broadband processor350. In addition, the runtime environment processor330includes an application manager331and a browser333, and the broadcast and broadband processor350includes an AIT filter353, a Digital Storage Media Command and Control (DSM-CC) client354, a media player358, a demultiplexer352, a broadcast processor357, an Internet protocol processor356, a broadcast interface351, and a broadband interface355.

The first device230receives an AIT, a linear Audio/Video (A/V) content, an application, and stream event through the broadcast interface351for receiving a broadcast channel signal. The information received through the broadcast interface351is transferred to the AIT filter353, the DSM-CC client354, and the broadcast processor357through the demultiplexer352. The DSM-CC client354recovers data streams conveyed through a DSM-CC object carousel, and provides the recovered data streams to the runtime environment processor330.

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, broadcast information received over a broadcast channel includes an AIT, and the AIT includes additional information associated with a broadcast content or a URL for additional information. The broadcast information is conveyed to the AIT filter353via the broadcast interface351and the demultiplexer352. The AIT filter353extracts the AIT from the conveyed broadcast information, and conveys the extracted AIT to the application manager331. The application manager331evaluates the extracted AIT and conveys the evaluated AIT to the AIT manager310, and the AIT manager310extracts the additional information or the URL for additional information from the AIT and conveys the extracted additional information or URL to the second device250.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the AIT manager310receives a request for additional information from the second device250, and processes a response to the request. If the broadcast information includes the URL for additional information, the AIT manager310conveys the URL for additional information, included in the AIT, to the second device250in response to the request from the second device250. However, if the broadcast information includes the actual data of the additional information, the AIT manager310stores the additional information in a temporary space on a memory (not shown) of the first device230, generates a temporary URL for additional information, and conveys the generated temporary URL to the second device250. In this scenario, the temporary URL for additional information means a network address indicating the location where the additional information is stored in the first device230. If the second device250receives the temporary URL for additional information, it requests the first device230for the delivery of the additional information, and receives the additional information in response to the request.

Referring toFIG. 3, the runtime environment processor330refers to an abstract component that executes interactive applications. The application manager331evaluates AIT data provided through the AIT filter353, and controls the life cycle of a corresponding interactive application. The browser333is responsible for executing an interactive application and responding to an operation of an application.

The broadcast processor357may process a broadcast content, for example, a linear AN content, in a similar manner to that in a standard Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) device. In addition, the broadcast processor357may include all DVB functions provided in the standard DVB device. However, in various embodiments of the present disclosure, the broadcast content is not limited to the DVB type, and may cover all broadcast contents of various types of broadcast systems that are provided along with additional information.

The broadcast processor357may provide additional information and functions, such as channel list, an Event Information Present/Following (EIT p/f) table, a tuning function, and the like, to the runtime environment processor330. If a specific application modifies (scales and embeds) a linear A/V content through a user interface, the media player358is operated. The media player358includes functions to process an A/V content.

Referring toFIG. 3, the broadband processor355provides Internet connectivity to the first device230. The first device230may request an application provider's server (not shown) for application data through the broadband processor355, and may receive a non-linear A/V content, such as a Content on Demand (CoD). The Internet protocol processor356provides functions required for the first device230to process data received from the Internet. More specially, the Internet protocol processor356conveys application data to the runtime environment processor330, and conveys non-linear A/V data to the media player358.

FIG. 4is a signal flow diagram illustrating an operation of providing additional information to a device in a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The embodiment ofFIG. 4shows an example in which a URL for additional information is included in broadcast information transmitted over a broadcast channel and the actual additional information is transmitted over a broadband channel. Further, the embodiment ofFIG. 4shows an example in which, for example, a Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)-2014-based Remote User Interface (RUI) technology is applied to a broadcast communication system of the present disclosure.

For the better understanding of the present disclosure, a brief description will now be given of the RUI technology. The RUI technology refers to a client-server architecture-based technology in which a Remote User Interface Client (RUIC) acquires a User Interface (UI) from a Remote User Interface Server (RUIS) so that a user may control the RUIS through the UI on the RUIC. The RUIS providing a UI for remote control includes a web server, and the RUIS transmits a web page required by the RUIC to the RUIC through the web server. Further, the RUIC may display the web page of a corresponding UI to the user through, for example, a Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) browser. Further, the RUIS provides information on the RUIS to a User Interface Control Point (UICP), and the UICP is responsible for a connection between the RUIC and the RUIS. The UICP may be included in the RUIC or may separately exist.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the RUIC and the UICP may be implemented as a first and/or second device, and the RUIS may be implemented as a broadcast service provider or an external server of the broadcast service provider. In the embodiment ofFIG. 4, for the convenience of description, the UICP is illustrated as a separate device from the first and second devices, and the RUIS is illustrated as a separate device from the broadcast service provider.

Referring toFIG. 4, in operation401, a first device420receives broadcast information provided from a broadcast service provider440over a broadcast channel, and extracts an AIT including a URL for additional information from the broadcast information. In operation403, at the request of a user through a second device430, a UICP410requests the first device420for a URL for additional information. Thereafter, in operation405, an AIT manager (not shown) included in the first device420provides the URL for additional information, included in the AIT, to the UICP410in response to the request in operation403. In operation407, the UICP410conveys the URL for additional information to the second device430to request the second device430for the loading of the corresponding additional information. In operation409, the second device430request an RUIS450for the corresponding additional information over a broadband channel by using the URL for additional information. Thereafter, in operation411, the RUIS450transmits, for example, additional information composed of HTML to the second device430, and the second device430displays the received additional information to the user.

FIG. 5is a signal flow diagram illustrating an operation of providing additional information to a device in a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The embodiment ofFIG. 5shows an example in which the actual additional information is included in broadcast information transmitted over a broadcast channel, and a first device stores the additional information and then provides the additional information to a second device at the request of the second device. Further, the embodiment ofFIG. 5shows an example in which, for example, a CEA-2014-based RUI technology is applied to a broadcast communication system of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 5, in operation501, the first device420receives broadcast information provided from the broadcast service provider440over a broadcast channel, and extracts an AIT including the actual additional information from the broadcast information. In operation503, at the request of a user through the second device430, the UICP410requests the first device420for a URL for additional information. In operation505, an AIT manager (not shown) included in the first device420checks the AIT. If the AIT includes data of additional information, the AIT manager extracts the corresponding additional information from the AIT, temporarily stores the extracted additional information, and generates a temporary URL for additional information that indicates the location where the additional information is temporarily stored.

Subsequently, in operation507, the AIT manager included in the first device420provides the temporary URL for additional information to the UICP410in response to the request in operation503. In operation509, the UICP410conveys the temporary URL for additional information to the second device430to request the second device430for the loading of the corresponding additional information. Thereafter, in operation511, the second device430requests the first device420for the additional information indicated by the temporary URL for additional information. In operation513, the first device420transmits, for example, additional information composed of HTML to the second device430, and the second device430displays the received additional information to the user.

According to the above various embodiments ofFIGS. 4 and 5, the UICP410requests the first device420for a URL for additional information. The operation of making a request for a URL may be supported by extending the schema that is applied to a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) device. An example of the UPnP device extension schema defined in CEA-2014 is presented below in Table1. In Table1, the solid-line block represents the part required to make a request for a URL for additional information. For example, the UICP410makes a request for a URL for additional information through “retrieveCommandURL”, and the AIT manager serves to process this request.

Hereinafter, a procedure in which the UICP makes a request for a URL according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described.

If additional information is provided over a broadband channel as in the embodiment ofFIG. 4, the UICP410uses the UPnP device extension schema of Table 1, and more particularly, requests the first device420for a URL for additional information by using the following GET command.

If the URL request from the UICP410succeeds, then the AIT manager included in the first device420conveys the URL for additional information along with the following 510 code to the UICP410. If the URL request from the UICP410fails, then the AIT manager included in the first device420conveys the following 520 code to the UICP410.

If additional information is provided over a broadcast channel as in the embodiment ofFIG. 5, the procedure in which the UICP410makes a request for a URL for additional information is the same as in the embodiment of theFIG. 4. However, in this scenario, the URL for additional information means a temporary URL temporarily generated in the first device420, rather than an external URL used in a broadband channel. The second device430requests the first device420for the additional information by using the temporary URL, and the AIT manager included in the first device420processes the additional information request.

A response to the additional information request using the temporary URL is the same as in the following typical HTTP processing method.

As an example, response codes conveyed by the AIT manager included in the first device420are presented below in Table 2.

TABLE 2Case wherecorresponding responseResponse codeMeaningcode is used200 OKThis indicates that a request forEmbodiment of FIG. 5additional information succeeds.This conveys an HTML content.404 Not FoundThis indicates that a request forEmbodiment of FIG. 5additional information fails.510 RetrieveThis indicates that a request for a URLEmbodiments of FIGS. 4successfulfor additional information succeeds.and 5This conveys a URL for additionalinformation.520 Retrieve failThis indicates that a request for a URLEmbodiments of FIGS. 4for additional information fails.and 5

FIG. 6is a flowchart illustrating an operation of providing additional information to a second device by a first device in a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 6, in operation601, the first device receives a broadcast stream over a broadcast channel. The broadcast stream includes a broadcast content and broadcast information. The broadcast information includes an AIT, and the first device extracts the AIT from the broadcast information in operation603. In operation605, the first device determines if additional information is included in the extracted AIT. If, as a result of the determination in operation605, additional information is not included in the AIT, then the first device extracts a URL for additional information from the AIT in operation607. Further, in operation609, the first device transmits the extracted URL for additional information to the second device.

On the other hand, if, as a result of the determination in operation605, additional information is included in the AIT, then the first device proceeds to operation611. In operation611, the first device extracts additional information from the AIT, and temporarily stores the extracted additional information. In operation613, the first device generates a temporary URL for additional information that indicates the location where the additional information is temporarily stored. In operation615, the first device transmits the generated temporary URL for additional information to the second device. Thereafter, in operation617, the first device receives a request for additional information, which is made using the temporary URL, from the second device. In operation619, the first device reads out the additional information corresponding to the temporary URL, and conveys the read additional information to the second device.

FIG. 7is a flowchart illustrating an operation of providing additional information to a second device by a first device in a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 7, in operation701, the first device receives a broadcast stream over a broadcast channel. The broadcast stream includes a broadcast content and broadcast information. The broadcast information includes an AIT, and the first device extracts the AIT from the broadcast information in operation703. In operation705, the first device determines an attribute “Screen type” in the extracted AIT, and determines a device in which to execute an application, that is, a device where additional information will be displayed, based on the attribute “Screen type”.

As an example, the attribute “Screen type” may be set to one of values “Main”, “Sub_Alternative”, and “Sub”, and details of the respective values of “Screen type” are presented below in Table 3.

TABLE 3MainThis indicates a broadcast service application thatmay be executed in a first device.Sub_AlternativeThis indicates a broadcast service applicationthat is executed in a second device, but may also beexecuted in the first device if there is no seconddevice.SubThis indicates a broadcast service application that maybe executed in a second device.

If the attribute “Screen_type” has a value of “Main” corresponding to the first type, additional information is displayed only in the first device. Thereafter, the first device proceeds to operation711, and drives a browser capable of displaying additional information. Subsequently, in operation713, the first device displays additional information to a user.

If the attribute “Screen_type” has a value of “Sub_Alternative” or “Sub” corresponding to the second type, the first device proceeds to operation707, and determines if a second device is found. If, as a result of the determination in operation707, a second device is not found, then the first device proceeds to operation709, and determines if additional information can be displayed in the first device. In the case of “Sub_Alternative”, since it is possible to display additional information in the first device, the first device proceeds to operation711, and displays additional information to a user. On the other hand, in the case of “Sub”, since it is impossible to display additional information in the first device, the first device proceeds to operation715, and does not display additional information.

If, as a result of the determination in operation707, a second device is found, then the first device proceeds to operation717, and determines if the AIT includes the actual additional information. If, as a result of the determination in operation717, the AIT does not include additional information, then the first device proceeds to operation719, and extracts a URL for additional information from the AIT. Thereafter, in operation721, the first device transmits the extracted URL for additional information to the second device. Thereafter, the second device receives the URL for additional information, and drives a browser to display additional information, received over a broadband channel, to a user.

On the other hand, if, as a result of the determination in operation717, the AIT includes additional information, then the first device proceeds to operation723, and temporarily stores, for example, additional information composed of HTML. Further, in operation725, the first device generates a temporary URL for additional information, by which the stored additional information can be provided. Thereafter, in operation727, the first device transmits the generated temporary URL for additional information to the second device. Subsequently, upon receiving a request for additional information, which is made using the temporary URL, from the second device in operation729, the first device transmits the additional information indicated by the temporary URL to the second device in operation731. Thereafter, the second device receives the additional information indicated by the temporary URL from the first device, and drives a browser to display the received additional information to a user.

In the above embodiment of the present disclosure, the second device is able to identify whether the URL for additional information, received from the first device, is a URL by which additional information can be received over a broadband channel or a temporary URL generated in the first device.

FIG. 8illustrates an operation of providing additional information to devices by a broadcast service provider in a broadcast communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 8, a broadcast service provider810provides broadcast information and a broadcast content, for example, in the form of a streaming service, to a first device830over a broadcast channel L1. Further, an external server of the broadcast service provider810provides additional information to a second device850over a broadband channel L2.

Referring toFIG. 8, a situation is assumed in which a user watches a sports broadcast by using the first device830to receive broadcast information over the broadcast channel L1, and more particularly, the user is intended to be provided with additional information associated with the sport broadcast, for example, player information, game records, and the like, through the second device850while watching the corresponding sports broadcast.

The first device830conveys a URL for additional information associated with the corresponding sports broadcast to the second device850over a separate channel L3. Upon receiving the URL for additional information, the second device850receives additional information from the broadcast service provider810over the broadband channel L2. Subsequently, the second device850displays the received additional information to the user.

According to various embodiments of the present disclosure as described above, a first device may provide a URL for additional information or additional information itself, included in broadcast information, to a second device. Accordingly, the first device may display a broadcast content to a user, and the second device may display additional information associated with the broadcast content to the user.

Further, if broadcast information received over a broadcast channel includes the actual additional information, the second device may directly receive the additional information through the first device and display the received additional information to a user.

Further, if broadcast information received over a broadcast channel includes a URL for providing additional information and the actual additional information is provided over a broadband channel, the second device may receive the URL for additional information and receive additional information over the broadband channel by using the received URL.