Abstract:
Provided is a service providing method and system by interoperation between service managers. Each of the service managers may manage an independent service area. Since the service managers interoperate with each other, a service target of an available service resource managed by a single service manager may be expanded to the entire service area. The entire service area may correspond to an area of summing up a service area managed by each of the service managers. Through the above expansion, a service may be efficiently delivered and provided to ensure a quality of service (QoS) requested by a user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0082911, filed on Aug. 26, 2010, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for effectively providing a broadcasting and communication service in an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) system. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    An Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service provided by an IPTV system may be represented by a broadcasting and communication service and the above basic service may have a mutually fused real-time characteristic. 
         [0006]    The IPTV service may be independently and exclusively provided by a plurality of service areas and service providers belonging to the plurality of service areas. Accordingly, an available service resource satisfying a quality of service (QoS) requested by a user may be constrained within a service area of a system providing a corresponding service to the user. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service delivery platform, including: a media service platform to provide a service to a user; and a plurality of service managers to manage at least one service resource. The media service platform may transmits a service request of the user to a predetermined service manager and the predetermined service manager may select a service resource for providing a service from the at least one service resource managed by each of the plurality of service managers in interoperation with other service managers. 
         [0008]    The media service platform may include: a context information storage block to store context information of the user; a service search block to search for a service supported by the media service platform, and to provide the user with a result of the service search; a service configuration block to configure and manage a service profile based on the service request of the user and the context information of the user; and a user profile block to store a profile of the user. 
         [0009]    The predetermined service manager may provide, to another service manager, an available service resource among at least one service resource managed by the predetermined service based on a quality of service (QoS) agreement between the plurality of service managers. 
         [0010]    The predetermined service manager may select a service resource for providing a service from the at least one service resource based on a criterion included in the service request. 
         [0011]    The service resource may have a service resource type. The at least one service resource managed by each of the plurality of service managers may have the same type as a service type requested by the service request. 
         [0012]    According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service manager managing a plurality of service resources, including: a service operation block to receive a service request from a media service platform, and to transmit a response to the media service platform in response to the service request; and a service bridge block to provide an access to a service resource managed by another service manager within a network. The service manager may select a service resource for providing a service according to the service request in interoperation with the other service manager. 
         [0013]    According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a service providing method, including: receiving a service request from a user; collecting a service resource associated with the service request from service resources managed by a plurality of service managers; determining a service resource for providing a service by analyzing the collected service resources; allocating the determined service resource to the user; and providing the allocated service resource to the user. 
         [0014]    The service request may include a QoS. The determining may include: analyzing a QoS of each of the collected service resources; and selecting, from service resources satisfying the QoS, the service resource for providing the service. The service request may have a service type. The service resource associated with the service request may have the same service type as a service type of the service request. 
         [0015]    According to embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a service management apparatus and method that may manage an independent service area. 
         [0016]    Also, according to embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a system and method that may expand a target of an available service resource to a total service area managed by a plurality of service managers through interoperation between service management apparatuses. 
         [0017]    Also, according to embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a system and method that may expand a target of an available service resource to a total service area and ensure a QoS requested by a user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]    These and/or other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: 
           [0019]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a service delivery platform according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a service based operation structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a message flow between constituent blocks of a service manager according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a connection between a plurality of service areas according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an interoperation between a plurality of service managers managing different service areas according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a service manager according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0025]    Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. Exemplary embodiments are described below to explain the present invention by referring to the figures. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a service delivery platform  100  with a quality of service (QoS) guarantee according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0027]    The service delivery platform  100  may provide an effective service delivery function of ensuring a QoS requested by a user. 
         [0028]    The service delivery platform  100  may include a media service platform  110 , a service manager  120 , and a service resource  130 . 
         [0029]    The media service platform  110  may provide the same functionality as a service portal of providing a service to users. For example, without a direct access to the service manager  120 , a user may request the media service platform  110  for a service and may receive the service from the media service platform  110 . 
         [0030]    The media service platform  110  may include a service search block  140 , a service configuration block  142 , a user profile block  144 , and a context information storage block  146 . 
         [0031]    The user may access the media service platform  110  to transmit context information of the user. The context information storage block  146  may store the transmitted context information of the user. 
         [0032]    The user may search the media service platform  110  for a service supported by a system. The service search block  140  may search for a service supported by the media service platform  110 , and provide the user with a result of the service search. 
         [0033]    When the service is found, the user may configure a desired service through the media service platform  110 . The service configuration block  142  may configure the desired service according to a request of the user and provide the user with a service configuration result. 
         [0034]    The user profile block  144  may provide a profile of the user to another block within the media service block  110  by storing the profile of the user. 
         [0035]    The service manager  120  may manage a state of the service resource  130  corresponding to a service request of the user, and may provide the user with an optimal service resource selected based on a criterion, for example, a QoS included in the service request. The service manager  120  may establish an optimal service path by collecting and analyzing service resources satisfying the QoS in response to the service request of the user. 
         [0036]    The service manager  120  may configure and manage the service profile based on the service request of the user and context information of the user. 
         [0037]    In response to a service change request of the user, the service manager  120  may adapt to the service change request by collecting, analyzing, and determining a service resource used to provide a changed service. 
         [0038]    The service manager  120  may include a service operation block  150 , a service routing block  152 , a service profile management block  154 , a service resource management block  156 , a service bridge block  158 , and a QoS operation block  160 . 
         [0039]    The service operation block  150  may receive a service request from the media service platform  110 , and may transfer the received service request to another block of the service manager  120 . In response to the service request, the service operation block  150  may transmit a response to the media service platform  110 . 
         [0040]    The service operation block  150  may receive user context information from the media service platform  110 , and may provide the context information to another block of the service manager  120 . The service operation block  150  may transmit the context information to the media service platform  110 . 
         [0041]    The service routing block  152  may request the service resource management block  156  for an optimal service resource and may collect an available service resource with respect to the service request. The service routing block  152  may provide a result of the available service resource collection to another block of the service manager  120 . 
         [0042]    The service profile management block  154  may configure and manage the service profile based on the service request of the user and the context information. The service profile may include an access right of the user, a service right, apparatus information, service providing state information, and service information. 
         [0043]    The service resource management block  156  may maintain latest state information associated with the service by periodically monitoring a service provided by the service manager  120 . The service resource management block  156  may maintain and provide an environment for providing an optimal service resource corresponding to the service request of the user, using latest state information associated with the service. The service resource management block  156  may include state information of a service provided by a service provider. 
         [0044]    Even though not illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the service bridge block  158  may communicate with a service manager of another service area, and may provide an access to a service resource of the other service area based on a QoS agreement with the service manager of the other service area. For example, the service manager  120  may provide, to the other service manager within the service delivery platform  100 , an available service resource among the service resources  130  managed by the service manager  120  based on the QoS agreement. 
         [0045]    The QoS operation block  160  may constrain a selection of a service resource for providing the service in order to provide the QoS requested by the user. The QoS operation block  160  may monitor and manage service resources, and may provide a response with respect to a request of the service resource management block  156 . 
         [0046]    A service profile and resource database  162  may receive, from another block within the service manager  120 , a request for storing information associated with the service profile and the resource, and may store the requested information. 
         [0047]    The other block of the service manager  120  may request the service profile and resource database  162  for the stored information associated with the service and the resource. 
         [0048]    The service resource  130  may correspond to an abstracted physical resource.  FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of a service based operation structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0049]    An operation structure of the present example corresponds to the service based operation structure in the entire structure including a media service platform  110  and a plurality of service providers  120 . 
         [0050]    The service based operational structure may be classified into a service access area  210 , a service multiplexing area  220 , and a service management area  230 . 
         [0051]    The service access area  210  may corresponds to an access where a user accesses a service. 
         [0052]    As indicated by a solid line, the user may access the media service platform  110  to transmit context information and to search for and request a service. A type and a QoS of the service requested by the user are expressed using figures. 
         [0053]    Each service may have a type. Services may be classified into a context service type, expressed using a circular shape and a rhombus shape, and an application service type, expressed using a triangular and a rectangular shape. 
         [0054]    Each service may have a QoS. The QoS may be classified into “high” expressed as a completely filled figure, “average” expressed as a figure filled with diagonal lines, and “low” expressed as a figure filled with vertical lines. 
         [0055]    A figure with an unfilled inside indicates that the service requested by the user does not impose constraints on QoS. 
         [0056]    For example, referring to  FIG. 2 , a first user  240  may request a first context service having a high QoS. The first context service is indicated as a circular shape. A second user  250  may request the first context service and a second context service without constraining the QoS. A third user  260  may request a first application service and a second application service without constraining the QoS. 
         [0057]    The media service platform  110  may transmit, to a corresponding service manager  120  of each user, context information indicated by a one-dot chain line and service request information indicated by a solid line that are received from each user. 
         [0058]    The service management area  230  may correspond to an area where the service managers  120  manage service resources. 
         [0059]    The service multiplexing area  220  may correspond to an area where the service bridge block  158  of the service manager  120  determines an optimal service resource suitable for a user request through exchange of information with other service managers  120  having different service resources. The QoS requested by the user may be a criterion for determining the optimal service resource. 
         [0060]    For example, for the information exchange in the service multiplexing area  220 , service resources that may satisfy the requested QoS may be collected and analyzed. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the first context service requested by the first user  240  may be provided by all the service managers  120 . The first context services provided by the service managers  120  may be collected in the first multiplexing area  220 . A QoS of each of the collected first context services may be analyzed 
         [0061]    In addition, for decision in the service multiplexing area  210 , an optimal service path may be established to satisfy the requested QoS. For example, it may be assumed that the first user  240  requests a first context service with a high QoS. Accordingly, only first context services having a high QoS among the analyzed first context services may be selected as a service to be provided. The service manager  120  may force a use of a particular service resource for providing the QoS requested by the user. 
         [0062]    The service multiplexing area  220  may be considered as an area where services provided by the total service managers  120  constitute sets  242 ,  252 ,  262 , and  264  based on types of the services. The service requested by the user may correspond to one of the sets  242 ,  252 ,  262 , and  264 . A service satisfying the user requested criterion, for example, the QoS may be selected from services included in the one set and be provided to the user. 
         [0063]    A service resource determined by service multiplexing may be allocated to the user requesting the service, and an allocation result may be transferred to the user through the media service platform  110  as indicated by double lines. 
         [0064]    The service resource transferred to the first user  240  corresponds to a context service having a high QoS, as requested by the first user  240 . 
         [0065]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a message flow between constituent blocks of a service manager according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0066]      FIG. 3  shows a message flow within a service manager  120  for providing a service within a single service area. 
         [0067]    In S 310 , a media service platform  110  may transmit context information of a user to a service operation block  150 . In S 312 , the service operation block  150  may transmit the received context information to a service profile management block  154 . In S 314 , the service profile management block  154  may transmit the received context information to a service profile and resource database  162 . 
         [0068]    In S 320 , the media service platform  110  may transmit a new service request or a service change request (hereinafter, a service request) to the service operation block  150 . 
         [0069]    In S 330 , the service operation block  150  may transmit information associated with the service request to a service routing block  152 . In S 340 , the service routing block  152  may transmit details of the received service request to a service resource management block  156 , and may request a resource required in response to the received service request. 
         [0070]    In S 350 , the service resource management block  156  may transmit details of the service request to a QoS operation block  160 , and request the QoS operation block  160  for service resource information. In S 352 , the QoS operation block  160  may transmit, as a response, the service resource information to the service resource management block  156 . 
         [0071]    In S 360 , the service resource management block  156  may receive the service resource information and store the service resource information in the service profile and resource database  162 . In S 362 , the service resource management block  156  may inform the service routing block  152  about that the service resource information is received as the response. 
         [0072]    In S 370 , the service routing block  152  having been informed may request the service profile and resource database  162  for user context information and resource state information. In S 372 , the service profile and resource database  162  may transmit, to the service routing block  152  as a response, the requested user context information and the resource state information. 
         [0073]    The service routing block  152  may determine an optimal service resource based on the received user context information and the resource state information. In S 380 , the service routing block  152  may transmit, as a response, the determined optimal service resource to the service operation block  150 . 
         [0074]    In operation S 390 , the service operation block  150  receiving the response may transmit a final response to the media service platform  110  in response to the service request. 
         [0075]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a connection between a plurality of service areas according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0076]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , a plurality of users, a media service platform  110 , service managers  120 , and service resources  130  within a service area are connected over a communication network. 
         [0077]    In  FIG. 4 , at least one service manager  120  may be connected to the entire system over the communication network. Each service manager  120  may manage at least one service resource  130 . Each service manager  120  and at least one service resource  130  may constitute a single service area  410 . 
         [0078]    The plurality of service managers  120  may interact with each other over the communication network. 
         [0079]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an interoperation between a plurality of service managers managing different service areas according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0080]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a media service platform  110 , and service managers  120  corresponding to a first service manager and a second service manager are connected to each other over a communication network. 
         [0081]    The service manager  120  corresponding to the first service manager may belong to a service area  410  corresponding to a first service area. The service manager  120  corresponding to the second service manager may belong to a service area  410  corresponding to a second service area. 
         [0082]    Descriptions related to the service managers  120  and constituent blocks thereof described above with reference to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 4  may be applicable to the service manager  120  corresponding to the first service manager and the service manager  120  corresponding to the second service manager of  FIG. 5 . 
         [0083]    The both service managers  120  may interact with each other. A service interaction between the both service managers  120  may be provided by a service bridge block  158 . 
         [0084]    The service bridge block  158  may determine whether to assign a right to search an available service resource managed by the corresponding service manager  120 , and to access a service based on a QoS agreement between the first service area and the second service area. 
         [0085]    The QoS operation block  160  may perform a functionality of a QoS enabler that operates a QoS of a service managed by the corresponding service manager  120 . 
         [0086]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a service manager according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0087]    In operation S 610 , a message may be received from a media service platform  110 . 
         [0088]    In operation S 620 , whether an operation of the received message corresponds to an initial drive may be determined. When the operation corresponds to the initial drive, there is a need to generate a service profile and thus, operations S 622  and S 624  may be performed. Conversely, when the operation does not correspond to the initial drive, operation S 630  of verifying a change in context and service information may be performed. 
         [0089]    In operation S 622 , a profile server may be accessed to collect user information, context information, and service request information. 
         [0090]    In operation S 624 , the service profile may be generated based on the collected user information, context information, and service request information. The generated service profile may be stored in a service profile and resource database  162 . When the service profile is generated in operation S 624 , operation S 620  may be performed again. 
         [0091]    In operation S 630 , a procedure for verifying whether the received message indicates a change in the context information and the service information may be performed. 
         [0092]    In operation S 640 , whether the received message indicates updating of the context information may be determined. When the received message indicates updating of the context information, the profile server may need to be accessed for updating of the service profile. Accordingly, operation S 622  may be performed. 
         [0093]    When the received message does not indicate updating of the context information, whether the received message indicates a new service request or a service change request may be determined in operation S 650 . 
         [0094]    When the received message does not indicate the new service request or the service change request, the service manager  120  may wait for a subsequent message to be received. When the subsequent message is received, operation S 610  may be repeated. 
         [0095]    Conversely, when the received message indicates the new service request or the service change request, a resource request may be transmitted to the QoS operation block  160  in operation S 660 . 
         [0096]    When the source is requested, whether the requested resource is allocated may be determined in operation S 670 . 
         [0097]    When the requested resource is allocated, the service profile and resource database  162  may be updated in operation S 672 , and a service response may be transmitted to the media service platform  110  in operation S 680 . 
         [0098]    Conversely, when the requested resource is not allocated, the service response may be transmitted to the media service platform  110  in operation S 680 . 
         [0099]    Descriptions made above with reference to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 5  may be applicable to the present embodiment. Accordingly, further detailed description related thereto will be omitted here. 
         [0100]    The above-described exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be recorded in computer-readable media including program instructions to implement various operations embodied by a computer. The media may also include, alone or in combination with the program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like. Examples of computer-readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD ROM disks and DVDs; magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include both machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level code that may be executed by the computer using an interpreter. The described hardware devices may be configured to act as one or more software modules in order to perform the operations of the above-described exemplary embodiments of the present invention, or vice versa. 
         [0101]    Although a few exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, the present invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiments. Instead, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to these exemplary embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.