Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing home contents, which shares contents between contents storage devices within a home network and provides the contents shared on a home network to an external contents sharing device. The present invention shares the contents based on an existing home network middleware in a home network environment that is configured to allow a plurality of contents storage devices to commonly use the same home network middleware, such that the contents information shared within the home network can be shared outside, making it possible to use the contents in the home without regard to time and place.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application Serial Number 10-2008-0077623, filed on Aug. 7, 2008, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing home contents, and in particular, to a method and apparatus for providing home contents which are capable of sharing home contents on a home network, over an external network. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Recently, hot spot areas, which offer a wireless LAN service at various public spaces, such as, a school, an airport lounge, a hotel, etc., on a free or charged fee basis, have rapidly increased. As a result, a lightweight notebook supporting wireless LAN communication and a PMP supporting IP communication have been launched on the market which offers a user a wide bandwidth network services without needing to consider connection places, such as a home, an office, etc. Therefore, various media sharing services, such as contents sharing, place shift TV service, etc., through P2P services between mobile terminals have been introduced. 
         [0006]    Efforts to share multimedia contents existing in various digital devices in the home using a standardized program, such as Universal Plug and Play AV (UPNP AV), Digital Living Network Alliance (DLAN), etc. to goods, such as Micro Media Center, have been used. 
         [0007]    Meanwhile, various technologies to expand applications of an existing mobile terminal like applications of an existing PC, for example, a wireless mobile environment and a wire/wireless internet, have been developed. However, a support technology to link home networks in a house is still insufficient. Also, development of a service sharing contents in the home outside using a wire/wireless network is delayed due to the lack of availability of a wireless network capable of transmitting and receiving multimedia contents without burden and performance limitations of a terminal with portability. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus capable of sharing various multimedia contents, which are shared on a home network, over an external network based on wire/wireless network devices. 
         [0009]    To achieve the object of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing home contents shared on a home network to an external contents sharing device according to the present invention comprising the steps of: performing authentication on external devices by sensing connection information on the external devices and comparing the connection information with previously registered connection information when there is a connection request to the contents management device from the external devices over an external network; and providing the contents shared on the home network according to the request of the authenticated external devices and interrupting connection with the external devices when authentication fails at the step of performing the authentication. 
         [0010]    To achieve another object of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing home contents shared on a home network to an external contents sharing device over a contents management device according to the present invention comprising the steps of: providing address information on the contents management device from an external management server managing the contents management device information on an external network to the external contents sharing device; requesting a connection to the contents management device based on the address information provided from the external management server; and receiving and performing the contents information shared on the home network and requested contents from a connected contents management device. 
         [0011]    To achieve still another object of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for providing home contents shared on a home network to an external contents sharing device according to the present invention comprising; a communication unit that transmits and receives data to and from an external device connection requested through an external network; a storage unit that stores connection information on the external network corresponding to the home network; and a controlling unit that performs authentication on the external device by sensing connection information on the external device and comparing the connection information with the connection information stored in the storage unit and provides the contents shared on the home network according to the request of the authenticated external device, when there is a connection request from the external device through the communication unit. 
         [0012]    The present invention shares the contents based on an existing home network middleware in the home network environment that is configured to allow the plurality of contents storage devices to commonly use the same home network middleware, such that the contents information shared within the home network can be shared outside, making it possible to easily use the contents in the home without regard to time and place. 
         [0013]    Further, the present invention protects the external contents sharing device from directly accessing the home network through the contents management device connecting the home network to the external network, which improves security, making it possible to increase reliability against information leaking to the outside, while not allowing the contents sharing device to search the contents in the home network one by one, making it possible to increase operational efficiency. 
         [0014]    Furthermore, the present invention can provide the contents shared on the home network to the outside even when a user does not know an IP address and port of a private network or a public network for various devices in the home. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a system configuration diagram to which an apparatus for providing home contents according to the present invention is applied; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing one embodiment implemented on a system of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a diagram for explaining a system configuration of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0018]      FIGS. 4 to 6  are flow charts showing an operational flow of a method for providing home contents according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0019]    Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a system configuration diagram for explaining a system configuration for providing home contents including an apparatus for providing home contents according to one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a view for illustrating an operation of a system for providing home contents of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a system for providing home contents includes a contents storage device  100 , a contents management device  200 , a contents sharing device  300 , and an external management server  400 . 
         [0022]    The contents storage device  100  is a storage device located in the home and storing at least one contents. As the contents storage device  100 , a PC, a notebook, a PMP, a camera, an MP3 player, etc. may be used. At this time, the contents storage device  100  supports a communication protocol using a home network middleware, such as Jini, sun, Lonworks, HAVi (Home Audio Video Interoperability), UPnP AV (Universal Plug and Play AV), etc. 
         [0023]    The home network may be a private network or a public network that is established by a communication service company or a person. The embodiment of the present invention will be described, by way of example, based on a case where the home network is the private network. At this time, at least one contents storage device  100  is connected to the home network using a private IP allocated to the corresponding private network. 
         [0024]    As a result, the content storage device  100  is connected to the home network using the communication protocol, such that it can share predetermined contents with other contents storage devices  100  in the home. In other words, when the contents storage device  100  receives a predetermined contents request from other contents storage devices  100  connected to the home network, it provides the requested contents. Likewise, the contents storage device  100  requests predetermined contents stored in the other contents storage device  100 , such that it receives predetermined contents from the other contents storage devices  100 . 
         [0025]    The contents storage device  100  is linked to the contents management device  200  within the home network to transmit predetermined contents to the contents management device  200  or receive predetermined contents from the contents management device  200 . When the contents storage device  100  transmits the requested contents to the other contents storage device  100  or the contents management device  200 , it transmits the requested contents in a streaming scheme or a download scheme. 
         [0026]    The contents management device  200  is connected to the home network, such that it can be linked to at least one contents storage device  100  connected to the home network. At this time, the contents management device  200  supports the communication protocol using the home network middleware, such as Jini, sun, Lonworks, HAVi, UPnp AV, etc., likewise the contents storage device  100 . This will be described with reference to  FIG. 2(   a ). 
         [0027]    Meanwhile, the contents management device  200  includes a module that supports communication with an external network. In other words, the contents management device  200  can be connected to the home network as well as the external network. The external network, which is a different public network from the home network, transmits and receives data using a public IP allocated to the public network. 
         [0028]    The contents management device  200  can be connected to the external management server  400  through the external network. The external management server  400 , which is a server managing address information for connecting to the contents management device  200  connected to the home network, is registered with a public IP address corresponding to a private IP address of the home network and port information of the public IP. In other words, when the contents management device  200  is connected to the external management server  400 , it confirms the connected public IP address information and the port information and registers the confirmed information along with a user ID of the contents management device  200  in the external management server  400 . 
         [0029]    The external management server  400  is connected to the contents management device  200  and the contents sharing device  300 , respectively, through the external network to transmit and receive predetermined data. 
         [0030]    At this time, the external management server  400  receives connection information, such as the public IP address and the port information from the contents management device  200  and registers the information. When the address information on the contents management device  200  is requested from the contents sharing device  300 , the external management server  400  performs a authentication on the contents sharing device  300  and then provides the address information on the contents management device  200  to the authenticated contents sharing device  300 . 
         [0031]    The contents sharing device  300  is a terminal supporting IP communication with a wire/wireless network, such as an external local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a code division multiple access (CDMA), a high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), a wireless internet platform for interoperability (Wibro), etc. As the contents sharing device  300 , at least one of a mobile terminal, a PC, a notebook, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a personal digital assistance (PDA), and an MPEG audio layer-3 player (MP3P) may be used. 
         [0032]    The contents sharing device  300  is connected to the external management server  400  for connecting to the contents management device  200  in the home to request the address information on the contents management device  200 . At this time, the contents sharing device  300  attempts connection to the contents management device  200  using the address information on the contents management device  200  provided from the external management server  400 , that is, the public IP address information that corresponds to the private IP of the home network. 
         [0033]    At this time, the contents sharing device  300  can be connected to the contents management device  200  in two ways according to the internal environment of the contents management device  200 . This can be confirmed through the embodiment of  FIG. 2 . One way may include a case (b) where the contents sharing device  300  is directly connected to the contents management device  200 . Another way may include cases (c and d) where the contents sharing device  300  is indirectly connected to the contents management device  200  through the external management server  400 . 
         [0034]    First, as in case (b) where the contents sharing device  300  is directly connected to the contents management device  200 , if the contents management device  200  receives the connection request from the contents sharing device  300 , after authentication is performed on the contents sharing device  300  requesting connection, the contents sharing device  200  provides the predetermined contents shared within the home network according to the request of the contents sharing device  200 . 
         [0035]    Accordingly, the contents sharing device  300  receives the predetermined contents stored in at least one contents storage device  100  located in the home through the contents management device  200 . 
         [0036]    Meanwhile, in cases (c and d) where the contents sharing device  300  is indirectly connected to the contents management device  200  through the external management server  400 , may include the case where the contents management device  200  allows connection only for the external management server  400  initially connected thereto and does not allow connection for the contents sharing device  300 , even though the contents sharing device  300  is connected to the private IP of the home network through the connectable public IP as shown in  FIG. 2(   b ). 
         [0037]    In this case, the contents sharing device  300  can be connected to the contents management device  200  through the external management server  400 . In other words, the contents sharing device  300  requests to the external management server  400  to be connect to the contents management device  200 , and the external management server  400  attempts the connection to the contents management device  200  using the address information on the registered contents management device  200 . At this time, after the contents management device  200  performs the authentication on the external management server  400 , it provides the predetermined contents shared within the home network to the external management server  400 . 
         [0038]    The external management server  400  performs a role of transferring the contents transmitted and received between the contents management device  200  and the contents sharing device  300  according to the request of the contents sharing device  300 . Therefore, the contents sharing device  300  requests the contents shared within the home network through the external management server  400  and receives the requested contents from the external management server  400 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 3  refers to a block configuration view to explain a configuration of the system for providing the home contents. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the contents storage device  100  includes a contents storage unit  110 , a contents management unit  120 , and a communication unit  130 . 
         [0041]    The contents storage unit  110  stores contents and detailed information on the contents. The detailed information on the contents includes at least one of a kind of contents, a file name, a size, a file format, a compression format, contents reproduction information. Also, the contents storage unit  110  stores a contents list on the contents. 
         [0042]    The contents management unit  120  provides the contents stored in the contents storage unit  110  according to the request of the other contents storage devices in the home and the contents management unit  200 . The communication unit  120  provides an interface for home network connection and includes the module for communication, such as UPnp AV, etc. 
         [0043]    The contents management device  200  includes a controlling unit  220  that controls the transmission and reception of the contents stored in at least one contents storage device  100  located in the home and a communication unit  230  for communicating with the contents storage device  100 . The contents management device  200  further includes a storage unit  210  in which the contents information shared within the home network is stored. 
         [0044]    The communication unit  230  provides an interface for communicating between the home network and the external network. At this time, the module for the home network connection and the module for the external network connection may be provided separately. The module for the home network connection transmits and receives data to and from each contents storage device  100  using the private IP allocated to the home network. Meanwhile, the module for the external network connection can be connected to the contents sharing device  300  using the public IP information obtained by connecting with the external management server  400  according to the internal environment. At this time, the module for connecting the external network can be connected to the contents sharing device  300  using the public IP information obtained through connection with the external management server  400  according to the internal environment. 
         [0045]    The controlling unit  220  controls the transmission and reception of contents between the contents storage device  100  in the home network and the contents sharing device  300  in the external network. 
         [0046]    Therefore, when the controlling unit  220  receives the contents request from the contents sharing device  300 , it directly searches at least one contents stored in the contents storage device  100  in the home network and transmits the searched contents to the contents sharing device  300  in the external network. At this time, the controlling unit  220  converts the corresponding contents into packets, which are then transmitted to the external network. 
         [0047]    The contents sharing device  300  includes a storage unit  310 , a contents processing unit  320 , a communication unit  330 , and an output unit  340 . 
         [0048]    The storage unit  310  stores the contents list received from the contents management device  200  in the home network. The storage unit  310  stores the contents provided from the contents management device  200 . 
         [0049]    The communication unit  330  includes the module providing the interface for communication connection with the contents management device  200  and the external management server  400 . 
         [0050]    The contents processing unit  320  is connected to the external management server  400  through the communication unit  300  to request the address information on the contents management device  200 . At this time, the contents processing unit  320  requests connection to the contents management device  200  based on the address information on the contents management device  200  and requests the predetermined contents list when the contents processing unit  320  is connected to the contents management device. Further, the contents processing unit  320  requests any one contents from the contents list received from the contents management device  200  and executes the contents provided from the contents management device  200  to be output by the output unit  340 . 
         [0051]    At this time, the contents provided from the contents management device  200  or the external management server  400  are provided by a streaming scheme or a download scheme and some downloaded contents are stored in the storage unit  310 . 
         [0052]    The output unit  340 , which is a unit outputting the predetermined contents, includes a display outputting a video signal and a speaker outputting an audio signal. Therefore, when the predetermined contents are executed through the contents processing unit  320 , the output unit  340  outputs the video signal and the sound signal through the display and the speaker, etc. The output unit  340  can further include a further signal output unit. 
         [0053]    The external management server  400  includes a user management unit  420  that manages the address information received from the contents management device  200  and the user information corresponding to the address information and a communication unit  430  that includes a module providing the interface for communication with the contents management device  200  and the contents sharing device  300  through the external network. Also, the external management server  400  further includes a user DB  410  storing the address information and the user information on the connected contents management device. 
         [0054]    At this time, the communication unit  430  obtains the public IP address information corresponding to the private IP address allocated to the home network of the contents management device  200  and is connected to the contents management unit  200  through the external network using the obtained information. 
         [0055]    Meanwhile, the user management unit  420  registers and manages the user ID and the port information of the contents management device  200  along with the public IP address corresponding to the private IP address of the contents management device  200 , such that it provides the address information of the corresponding contents management device  220  to the contents sharing device  300  or directly transmits and receives the contents to the contents management device  200 . 
         [0056]    At this time, when the user management unit  420  receives the connection request from the contents sharing device  300  to the contents management device  200 , it performs authentication on the user of the contents sharing device  300  to transmit the contents between the contents management device  200  and the contents sharing device  300 . 
         [0057]    An operation of the present invention configured as above will be described below. 
         [0058]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are flow charts showing an operational flow of the system for providing the home contents according to the present invention. 
         [0059]    First,  FIG. 4  shows a process of obtaining the address information on the external network corresponding to the home network according to the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 4 , the contents management device  200  requests connection to the external management server  400  so as to obtain the information connected to the external management server  400  (S 400 ). At this time, the external management server  400  responds to the connection request of the contents management device  200  (S 410 ), such that the contents management device  200  and the external management server  400  are connected to each other. 
         [0060]    When the contents management device  200  is connected to the external management server  400 , it obtains the connection information on the external network connected to the external management server  400 , that is, the public IP address and the port information (S 420 ) and registers the obtained connection information (S 430 ). The contents management device  200  stores the connection information as well as identification information on the connected external management server  400 . 
         [0061]    The contents management device  200  transmits the user information on the contents management device  200  and the obtained connection information to the external management server  400  (S 440 ). 
         [0062]    The external management server  400  registers the connection information received from the contents management device  200  and the corresponding user information (S 450 ) and transmits the response signal to the contents management device  200  (S 460 ). At this time, the external management server  400  manages the information on the registered contents management device  200 . 
         [0063]      FIG. 5  shows an operational flow of the method for providing the home contents according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 5 , the contents sharing device  300  requests the address information on the contents management device  200  to the external management server  400 , such that it is connected to the contents management device  200  providing the contents shared in the home network (S 500 ). At this time, the external management server  400  detects the address information on the corresponding contents management device  200  and transmits the detected address information to the contents sharing device  300  (S 505 ). The external management server  400  performs the predetermined authentication procedure on the contents sharing device  300  requesting the address information on the contents management device  200  and then provides the detected address information. Optionally, the authentication procedure can be omitted. 
         [0064]    The contents sharing device  300  requests connection to the contents management device  200  based on the address information received from the external management server  400  (S 510 ) and the contents management device  200  responds to the request, such that they are connected to each other (S 515 ). Of course, the contents management device  200  confirms whether the contents sharing device  300  requesting connection is a previously registered contents sharing device  300 , performs the authentication procedure on the contents sharing device  300 , and then allows connection of the contents sharing device  300 . Likewise, the authentication procedure can also be omitted. 
         [0065]    The contents sharing device  300  requests the contents list shared within the home network to the connected contents management device  200  (S 520 ). At this time, the contents management device  200  requests connection to the contents storage device  100  within the home network (S 525 ) and at least one contents storage device  100  responds to the connection request, such that it is connected to the home network (S 530 ). 
         [0066]    Further, the contents management device  200  searches at least one contents storage device  100  connected and collects at least one contents information (S 535 ) and transmits the contents list generated based on the collected contents information to the contents sharing device  300  (S 540 ). At this time, the contents sharing device  300  receives the contents list form the contents management device  200  and requests the corresponding contents to the contents management device  200  when any one of the received contents lists is selected (S 545 ). 
         [0067]    The contents management device  200  requests the contents to the corresponding contents storage device  100  (S 550 ). At this time, the contents storage device  100  receiving the contents request from the contents management device  200  detects the corresponding contents and transmits the detected contents in the streaming scheme or the download scheme (S 555 ). The contents management device  200  transmits the contents provided from the contents storage device  100  to the contents sharing device  300  (S 560 ), such that the contents sharing device  300  executes the transmitted contents externally (S 565 ). 
         [0068]      FIG. 6  shows an operation flow of the method for providing the home contents according to another embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of  FIG. 6  shows a case where the connection request of ‘S 510 ’ process performing the embodiment of  FIG. 5  is interrupted. When the contents sharing device  300  attempts to access IPs other than the public IP corresponding to the private IP or there is an access attempt from devices other than the initially connected external management server  400 , the contents management device  200  can interrupt the access. 
         [0069]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the contents sharing device  300  requests the address information on the contents management device  200  to the external management server  400  such that it is connected to the contents management device  200  providing the contents shared within the home network (S 600 ). At this time, the external management server  400  detects the address information on the corresponding contents management device  200  and transmits the detected address information to the contents sharing device (S 605 ). The external management server  400  performs the predetermined authentication procedure on the contents sharing device  300  requesting the address information on the contents management device  200  and then provides the detected address information to the corresponding contents sharing device  300 . Of course, the authentication procedure can be omitted. 
         [0070]    The contents sharing device  300  requests the connection to the contents management device  200  based on the address information received from the external management server  400  (S 610 ). At this time, the contents management device  200  confirms whether the contents sharing device  300  requesting the connection is a previously registered device. In other words, at step ‘S 430 ’, of  FIG. 4  it confirms whether the registered address information and the identification information on the external management server  400  corresponds with the information on the contents sharing device  300  requesting the connection by comparing their information. If not corresponded, the contents management device  200  interrupts the connection of the contents sharing device  300  requesting the connection and informs the corresponding contents sharing device  300  of the connection interruption to the corresponding contents sharing device  300  (S 615 ). 
         [0071]    When the connection is interrupted from the contents management device  200 , the contents sharing device  300  is back connected to the external management server  400  to request the connection to the contents management device  200  (S 620 ). At this time, the external management server  400  requests connection to the corresponding contents management device  200  according to the request of the contents sharing device  300  (S 625 ). The contents sharing device  300  is a device performing the authentication procedure in the external management server  400 . On the other hand, the contents management device  200  responds to the connection request of the external management server  400  (S 630 ) and the external management server  400  responds to the connection request of the contents sharing device  300  again (S 635 ). Of course, the contents management device  200  can perform the predetermined authentication procedure on the external management server  400  requesting connection and then respond to the connection. 
         [0072]    Therefore, the contents sharing device  300  transmits the signal requesting the contents list shared within the home network to the external management server  400  (S 640 ) and the external management server  400  transmits the signal requesting the contents sharing device  300  to the contents management device  200  (S 645 ). At this time, the contents management device  200  requests connection to the contents storage device  100  within the home network (S 650 ) and the contents storage device  100  within the home network responds to the connection request, such that it is linked to at least one contents management device  100  (S 655 ). Also, the contents management device  200  searches at least one linked contents storage device  100  to collect the contents information and transmits the contents list generated based on the collected contents information to the external management server  400  (S 665 ). At this time, the external management server  400  transmits the received contents list to the contents sharing device  300  (S 670 ). 
         [0073]    On the other hand, when any one of the contents lists received from the external management server  400  is selected, the contents sharing device  300  transmits the signal requesting the selected contents to the external management server  400  (S 675 ). The external management server  400  transmits the received request signal to the contents management device  200  (S 680 ). At this time, the contents management device  200  confirms the contents requested from the external management server  400  and requests the confirmed contents to the corresponding contents storage device (S 685 ). 
         [0074]    The contents storage device  100  receiving the contents request from the contents management device  200  detects the corresponding contents and transmits the detected contents to the contents management device  200  in the streaming scheme and the download scheme (S 690 ). The contents management device  200  transmits the contents provided from the contents storage device  100  to the external management server  400  (S 695 ), and the external management server  400  transmits the contents to the contents sharing device  300  (S 700 ), such that the contents sharing device  300  externally executes the contents transmitted from the external management server  400  (S 705 ). 
         [0075]    As described above, although the method and apparatus for providing the home contents according to the present invention are described with reference to the illustrated drawings, the present invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment and the drawings, but the technical idea of the present invention can be applied within the protective scope of the present invention.