Patent Publication Number: US-2010131965-A1

Title: Image display device for providing content and method for providing content using the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Korean Patent Application No. 2008-0118130, filed on Nov. 26, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to an image display device for providing content and a method for providing content thereof, and more particularly, to an image display device capable of providing content by various types of templates using a single temple and a method for providing content thereof. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Content is most commonly provided to a user by using a static object. In other words, when a server transmits data such as an image, a text, and a graphic, the data is mapped and provided in a predetermined way, such as using a template. 
     Numerous efforts have been made to create new multimedia content using data such as an image, a text, and a graphic using a template. 
     If a template is used to provide content, it is possible to generate new content using data such as an image, a text, and a graphic and to reduce the cost of data by utilizing a server template. In addition, if a scenario template having a time base is used, the content can be applied on real-time basis. 
     However, because static content is generally used, and thus a story is sequentially developed, a user is always provided with the same results regardless of his or her usage pattern. 
     In particular, if the number of scenarios a user wants is “n”, as many as “n” templates should be defined in advance. However, if another event suddenly occurs, it is impossible to generate a new combination of content. 
     Although using a template to provide content is suitable for one-way services such as facsimile, there have been attempts to apply this method to two-way services such as an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV). However, templates applied to the IPTV service have been focused on a service menu rather than on content itself. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may address at least some of the above problems and/or disadvantages and other disadvantages not described above. Also, the present invention is not required to overcome the disadvantages described above, and an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may not overcome any of the problems described above. 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an image display device capable of changing the composition of content after sensing the occurrence of an event, thereby providing content by various types of templates using a single temple and a method for providing content thereof. 
     An image display device for providing content using a template, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises a content composition unit which composes content using a predefined template and an agent which changes the composition of content when an event occurs. 
     The image display device may further comprise an event management unit which senses the occurrence of the event and notifies the agent of the occurrence of the event. 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the agent comprises a software agent in which at least one object related to software is defined and a hardware agent in which at least one object related to hardware is defined. 
     At lease one possible event may be set in each object. 
     The event management unit may sense the occurrence of an event for each object, and notify an object corresponding to the event that occurred of the occurrence of the event. 
     The event may comprise a user event for interaction between users, an internal event for an event within the device, and an external event for an event outside the device. 
     The image display device may further comprise a display unit which displays content whose composition is changed by the agent. 
     A method for providing content using a template of an image display device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises generating content using a predetermined template and changing the composition of the content when an event occurs. 
     At least one possible event for each object may be set in at least one predefined object related to software and at least one predefined object related to hardware. 
     The method for providing content may further comprise sensing the occurrence of an event for each object, and notifying an object corresponding to the event that occurred of the occurrence of the event. 
     The changing may comprise changing the composition of the content corresponding to the event that occurred by the object which is notified of the occurrence of the event. 
     The event may comprise a user event for interaction between users, an internal event for an event within the device, and an external event for an event outside the image. 
     The method for providing content may further comprise displaying content whose composition is changed. 
     A method for providing content using a template of an image display device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, comprises generating an object which changes the composition of the content, setting at least one possible event in the generated object, generating the content using a predefined template, calling an object corresponding to an event that occurs from the generated content when the event occurs, and changing the composition of the generated content from the called object. 
     The object may include at least one object related to software and at least one object related to hardware. 
     The event may comprise a user event for interaction between users, an internal event for an event within the device, and an external event for an event outside the image. 
     The method for providing content may further comprise generating a new event by combining the internal event and the external event, and setting the generated event in the object. 
     The method for providing content may further comprise displaying the content whose composition is changed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and/or other aspects of the present invention will be more apparent by describing certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating objects responsible for changing the composition of content according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method of providing content using a template according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements. 
     The matters defined in the description, such as detailed construction and elements, are provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out without those specifically defined matters. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention with unnecessary detail. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an image display device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the image display device  100  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a storage unit  110 , a content composition unit  120 , an event management unit  130 , an agent  140 , a display unit  150 , and a control unit  160 . The image display device  100  may be an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) capable of providing two-way service. 
     The storage unit  110  stores a predefined template, which is a form, a framework, or a mold, serving as a guide. The template stored in the storage unit  110 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, refers to a framework which includes areas designated to store data such as audio data, video data, text data, or image data. 
     The content composition unit  120  composes content using the predefined template. More specifically, the content composition unit  120  composes content by matching each piece of data such as audio data, video data, text data, or image data to its designated area using the template. 
     Since the content composed by the content composition unit  120  follows the format of the predefined template, even if data is changed, the entire composition remains unchanged. That is, the area where audio data is matched to, and the area where video data is matched to are the same. 
     The event management unit  130  senses the occurrence of an event and transfers the information to the agent  140 , which is explained below. The agent  140  includes a plurality of objects, and the event management unit  130  senses the occurrence of an event for each object, and notifies each object corresponding to the sensed event of the occurrence of the event. 
     An event includes a user event for interaction between users, an internal event for an event within the image display device  100 , and an external event for an event outside the image display device  100 . 
     The user event is an event triggered by a user&#39;s selection signal received via a function key (not shown) or a remote control (not shown) in the image display device  100 . The internal event may be an event such as disconnecting an antenna or changing a channel, and the external event may be an event for providing data in a different way from that of general data, such as providing breaking news. 
     Once the agent  140  receives information regarding an event occurrence from the event management unit  130 , the content composition unit  120  changes the composition of the content. The agent  140  includes a software agent in which at least one object is defined with regard to software and a hardware agent in which at least one object is defined with regard to hardware, as explained in detail below with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     The display unit  150  displays content composed by the content composition unit  120  and content whose composition is changed by the agent  140 . If the image display device  100  is an IPTV, the display unit  150  displays various information such as information regarding broadcasting and a user interface (UI). 
     The control unit  160  controls comprehensive functions of the image display device  100 , and controls input/output of signals among the storage unit  110 , the content composition unit  120 , the event management unit  130 , the agent  140 , and the display  150 . 
     The control unit  160  generates an object changing the composition of content and a load environment variable. In addition, the control unit  160  reads out a template from the storage unit  110  and provides it to the content composition unit  120  so that the content composition unit can compose content. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating objects responsible for changing the composition of content according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a plurality of objects included in the content composition unit  120  and the agent  140 . The content composition unit  120  includes native contents such as audio, video, text, and images, and composes content by matching such data with templates. 
     The agent  140  includes the hardware agent  142  and the software agent  144 . The hardware agent  142  defines at least one object related to hardware, and the software agent  144  defines at least one object related to software. The agent  140  establishes an event for each object. 
     The hardware agent  142  may include a TV tuner-related object  142   a , an external device-related object  142   b , a storage medium-related object  142   c , a camera-related object  142   d , an Ethernet-related object  142   e , a USB-related object  142   f , a firewall-related object  142   g , and an other object  142   h . At least one event is set for each object. 
     The software agent  144  may include the front-end agent-related object  144   a , the back-end agent-related object  144   b , the system agent-related object  144   c , and an other object  144   d . At least one event is set for each object. 
     The front-end agent-related object  144   a  is an object related to a visible agent, and includes a user interface (UI) in order to provide a user with information. The front-end agent-related object  144   a  is related to the five human senses such as sight, touch, and hearing, and to information such as time, weather, and stock information. 
     The back-end agent-related object  144   b  is an object related to an invisible agent, and operates invisibly until an event occurs. Once an event occurs, the back-end agent-related object  144   b  causes the front-end agent related object  144   a  to trigger the event and report the event to a user. The examples include an investigation into a user&#39;s behavioral pattern, an alarm, and a reserved recording. 
     The system agent-related object  144   c  performs functions similar to the back-end agent-related object  144   b  but the functions are dependent on a system. Examples include tuner control such as handling a process when inserting memory into a USB port, changing channels, showing a current channel, and external input control. 
     Other object  144   d  may perform functions which are not performed by the front-end agent-related object  144   a , the back-end agent-related object  144   b , and the system agent-related object  144   c.    
     Each of the front-end agent-related object  144   a , the back-end agent-related object  144   b , the system agent-related object  144   c , and other object  144   d  may trigger an event, and may trigger an event in another object in order to perform a certain function. In addition, the objects may include a function for controlling the operation of the objects. 
     The objects change the composition of content composed by the content composition unit  120 , and the change includes changing the location of inserted content, size, or a screen for providing information. 
     The plurality of objects included in the hardware agent  142  and the software agent  144  in  FIG. 2  are mere examples corresponding to events which may possibly occur in the image display device  100 , and objects are not limited to the examples. Objects may be added or deleted, and the number of objects is also not limited. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method of providing content using a template according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     The method of providing content using a template according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is explained below with reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 . 
     The control unit  150  generates an object for changing the composition of content (S 200 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , an object may be an object included in the hardware agent  142  and/or the software agent  144 . 
     The control unit  160  loads an environment variable of the image display device  100  (S 210 ). The environment variable may include information which can be provided by the image display device  100 , such as screen ratio, the number of colors, and the type of available external device. 
     The agent  140  sets an event for each object (S 220 ). The hardware agent unit  142  sets an event for each of a TV tuner-related object  142   a , an external device-related object  142   b , a storage medium-related object  142   c , a camera-related object  142   d , an Ethernet-related object  142   e , a USB-related object  142   f , a firewall-related object  142   g , and an other object  142   h , and the software agent unit  144  sets an event for each of the front-end agent-related object  144   a , the back-end agent-related object  144   b , the system agent-related object  144   c , and the other object  144   d.    
     The control unit  160  reads out a template from the storage unit  110 , and loads native contents such as audio, video, text, and images from the storage unit  110  or an external device (S 230 ). 
     The content composition unit  120  composes content by matching data such as audio data, video data, text data, and image data with the templates which are read out by the storage unit  110  (S 240 ). 
     If the event management unit  130  senses the occurrence of an event (S 250 -Y), the event management unit  130  calls an object corresponding to the event that occurred (S 260 ). The event management unit  130  may call the object directly, or may call the object indirectly via the hardware agent  142  or the software agent  144  in which the object is included. 
     The object which is called according to the occurrence of an event changes the previously-composed composition of the content according to the type of event (S 270 ). When the composition of the content is changed, the display unit  150  displays the content whose composition is changed (S 280 ). 
     As such, if an event occurs, each object changes the composition of content, making it possible to provide content by various types of templates using a single temple. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention relates to an event-based story template, and provides newly-composed content by changing the composition of the content according to the occurrence of event. Since there is no need to provide every template for each scenario to a user, a burden on a server or the image display device  100  can be reduced. 
     While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof using specific terms, the embodiments and terms have been used to explain the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention defined by the claims. The exemplary embodiments should be considered in a descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention. Also, exemplary embodiments of the present invention may be embodied as computer-readable codes on a computer-readable recording medium. 
     The computer-readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include read-only memories (ROMs), random-access memories (RAMs), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the compute readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.