Patent Publication Number: US-2010125576-A1

Title: User oriented information system and method of controlling the user oriented information system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0114002, filed on Nov. 17, 2008, and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0035061, filed on Apr. 22, 2009, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Embodiments of the present invention relate to a user oriented information system and a method of controlling the user oriented information system. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a user oriented information system that may provide user oriented information to a mobile device and thereby may more effectively utilize the mobile device, and a method of controlling the user oriented information system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     With the development of information technologies, various types of services such as an information search service based on an Internet network server, a streaming service of providing multimedia contents in real time, and the like are currently provided. Representative information search portal service providers such as Google, Naver, and the like provide an information search service focus on a user convenience, instead of providing a typical information search service. However, the information search service provided by the above portable service providers may categorize pre-retrieved information into user interest fields, select the categorized information, and provide the selected information, instead of providing a user oriented information search service. Also, in the case of the conventional information search service, it may be difficult for users to retrieve a context, a content, and the like. Generally, when a user uses a computer, the user may use a search indexing program for an information search. However, in the case of a mobile device, the user may not use the search indexing program for the information search. A file server, a network direct attached storage (NDAS) for a home network or a small company, and the like may only provide a search service based on a File Transfer Protocol (FTP). 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention provides a user oriented information system that may retrieve user oriented information or may provide the user oriented information to a mobile device and thereby may more effectively utilize the mobile device, and a method of controlling the user oriented information system. 
     Another aspect of the present invention also provides a user oriented information system that may utilize various types of devices via a home personal portal system that enables an interoperation between a mobile communication network and a wired network, and a method of controlling the user oriented information system. 
     Another aspect of the present invention also provides a user oriented information system that may perform real-time transcoding for a content based on a performance of a device accessing a personal portal system and may also automatically convert a content to a form suitable for a user using the personal portal system, and a method of controlling the user oriented information system. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for user oriented information, the system including: an access management unit that detects an access of a mobile device to receive a request for user interest information from the mobile device; a content management unit that manages a content corresponding to the user interest information; and a conversion management unit that converts the content to a form to be provided to the mobile device; and a control unit that controls an overall operation of the user oriented information system. 
     In this instance, the user oriented information system may further include a network interface unit that supports the access of the mobile device using the user oriented information system. 
     Also, the user oriented information system may further include a profile management unit that detects and manages a profile of the mobile device. 
     Also, the content management unit and the profile management unit may be provided in a form of a database. 
     Also, the conversion management unit may perform real-time transcoding of a content corresponding to the user interest information to a form suitable for the mobile device or to a form desired by a user. 
     Also, the control unit may compare the content corresponding to the user interest information with a profile of the mobile device. When the content corresponding to the user interest information is in a form unsuitable for the mobile device, the control unit may control the conversion management unit to perform real-time transcoding of the content corresponding to the user interest information to a form suitable for the mobile device. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling a user oriented information system that provides user oriented information to a mobile device of a user according to a control of a processor, the method including: detecting an access of the mobile device; receiving an information request from the mobile device; receiving, from a peripheral content storage, a content corresponding to the information request of the mobile device; comparing the content with a profile of the mobile device to transcode the content based on information of the profile, when transcoding is determined to be performed; and providing the transcoded content to the mobile device. 
     EFFECT 
     According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to perform automatic transcoding according to a profile of a mobile device. Specifically, it is possible to perform a one-source-multi-use function. 
     Also, according to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide optimal information for a user regardless of where the user is located. 
     Also, according to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to utilize a user oriented information system for a personal Internet knowledge space such as a blog and the like, without a restriction to a particular portal site or service, and to utilize the user oriented information system as various home gateways such as a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), an Internet fax, and the like. 
     Also, according to embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided an information system and a method of controlling the information system that may extend a content storage. Accordingly, the information system and the method of controlling the information system may be adopted for a home, a small office home office (SOHO), a corporation, and the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       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: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user oriented information system according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of an ontology modeling applicable in a user oriented information system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a user oriented information system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     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. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user oriented information system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the user oriented information system  100  includes an access management unit  110 , a content management unit  120 , a conversion management unit  140 , and a control unit  180 . Also, the user oriented information system  100  may further include a profile management unit  130 , a control management unit  150 , a network interface unit  160 , and a power unit  170 . Also, the user oriented information system  100  may further include a memory (not shown) that stores profile information of a mobile device of a user and a content to be provided to the mobile device. 
     The access management unit  110  may manage an access of the mobile device to the user oriented information system  100 . The access management unit  110  may maintain and manage access information such as specifications of the mobile device, an Internet Protocol (IP) address thereof, an access time thereof, and the like. The access management unit  110  may include a server module that may detect the access by the mobile device that is connected to the user oriented information system  100  to make a request for the information, and may detect and maintain a request for the user oriented information. Here, user interest information that the user desires to use may be registered in the mobile device. Examples of the user interest information may include information regarding weather, traffic, world time, stocks, advertisements of preferred products, and the like. The access management unit  110  may receive, from the mobile device, the profile of the mobile device and the user interest information, and may store and manage the received profile of the mobile device and the user interest information. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention, the user oriented information system  100  may access an IP network via the access management unit  110 . When there is a request for an access of a mobile device of a registered user and information, the user oriented information system  100  may provide user oriented information to the mobile device of the registered user. Here, the IP network accessed via the access management unit  110  may include a femtocell interoperating with an external mobile communication network, a high speed Internet network, and the like. The user oriented information corresponds to the user interest information and indicates that information requested from the mobile device is provided to be suitable for the user. Depending on embodiments, the user oriented information and the user interest information may have the same definition. 
     The content management unit  120  may detect and manage a peripheral content storage (not shown) that is connected to the user oriented information system  100 . In this instance, the content management unit  120  may retrieve contents that may be used by the user oriented information system  100 , or peripheral devices maintaining contents to be provided to the mobile device, and manage address information of the peripheral devices, a list of contents, whether to update the contents, and the like. Also, the content management unit  120  may detect whether the contents that may be used by the user oriented information system  100  or the contents to provide for the mobile device are being used in other places or may be provided. 
     Also, a content to be stored in the peripheral content storage may be stored with metadata to make it possible to retrieve the content via the IP network. The metadata may include index information, creator information, source information, abstract information, coding information, and the like, regarding the content. Accordingly, the content management unit  120  may retrieve the peripheral devices that maintain the content based on the metadata, and approach the content stored in the peripheral content storage. 
     The profile management unit  130  may detect and manage the profile of the mobile device accessing the user oriented information system  100 . The profile of the mobile device may be received from the mobile device accessing the user oriented information system  100  to the access management unit  110 , and may be transferred from the access management unit  110  to the profile management unit  130 . The profile of the mobile device denotes various types of information associated with the mobile device, and may include various types of information according to a purpose and a type of the mobile device. 
     The content management unit  120  and the profile management unit  130  may be configured using a form of a medium for a database to thereby manage contents for a user and the profile of the mobile device. Here, the medium of the database may be in the form of a memory, a disk, and the like. The type of the medium is not particularly limited and thus various types of media may be adopted. 
     The conversion management unit  140  may automatically support real-time transcoding of a content according to the request from the mobile device. Specifically, the conversion management unit  140  may compare various types of multimedia content information, stored in the peripheral content storage, with requested information that is transferred via the mobile device, and may transcode a corresponding multimedia content to a form suitable for the mobile device or a form desired by the user. Also, the conversion management unit  140  may transcode the multimedia content according to a control signal. The control signal may be generated based on profile information of the mobile device that is verified via the profile management unit  130 . Here, the transcoding indicates converting of the multimedia content or the requested information to various types of information desired by the user, for example, to music of which a bitrate is adjusted, a multimedia file, a voice based on a text file, and the like. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when a capacity of a multimedia content to be provided to the mobile device or a type of a codec used for creation of the multimedia content is unsuitable for the mobile device, the user oriented information system  100  may transcode the multimedia content in real time and provide the transcoded multimedia content to the mobile device. 
     Examples of the mobile device may include a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart terminal, a miniature mobile device with a limited function, a dedicated motion picture or Internet mobile device, an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) terminal, a notebook, and the like. Therefore, the conversion management unit  140  may include a plurality of modules in order to enable transcoding of the content according to a type of the mobile device. 
     The control management unit  150  may display a control status of the user oriented information system  100  on a display (not shown), and enables the user to control the user oriented information system  100 . 
     The network interface unit  160  may support an access of the user. Specifically, the network interface unit  160  may access the network to be connected to the mobile device of the user. 
     The power unit  170  may supply a power to the user oriented information system  100 . 
     The control unit  180  may control an overall operation of the user oriented information system  100 , and may control processing of information based on the profile of the mobile device. For example, the control unit  180  may generate the control signal based on profile information of the mobile device, and may provide the generated control signal to the conversion management unit  140 . A request for the content and information from the mobile device may be transferred to the control unit  180 . The control unit  180  may use the request for the content and information as reference information to control the content management unit  120  and the conversion management unit  140 . The control unit  180  may include a programmable processor. 
     A user oriented information system according to an embodiment of the present invention may be applicable to various types of services. For example, the user oriented information system may be applicable in a home gateway service, a company, a SOHO system, an automatic movement unit, and the like. The user oriented information system according to an embodiment of the present invention may provide various types of expendabilities by referring to, for example, an ontology modeling of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an example of an ontology modeling applicable in a user oriented information system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the ontology modeling may be classified into five classes for, for example, a user  210 , a location  220 , crawling data  230 , a service  240 , and a device  250 . The class for the user  210  may be associated with identification (ID) information of a user and may also include subclasses for a preference  211 , a schedule  213 , and a location frequently visited  215 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The subclass for the preference  211  may be associated with the class for the crawling data  230 , and be used to crawl information desired by the user and to provide the crawled data. Also, the classes for the user  210 , the location  220 , and the crawling data  230  may be networked with each other and thereby may be provided to the device  250 . The class for the service  240  shows an example of services adopting user oriented information. Referring to  FIG. 2 , the service  240  may include a home gateway service, a personal blog service, an Internet knowledge service, an information system service of a company, and the like. Also, as shown in the class for the location  220 , the user oriented information may be provided for various types of organizations or regions such as a home, a company, a bank, a school, a hospital, and the like. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling a user oriented information system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the controlling method of  FIG. 3  may be performed by the user oriented information system providing user oriented information according to a control of a processor according to an embodiment of the present invention. The user oriented information system may be constructed as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In operation  310 , the user oriented information system may detect an access of a mobile device via an access management unit to detect an information request of the mobile device. 
     In operation  320 , the user oriented information system may detect a content, stored in a peripheral content storage, via a content management unit. In this instance, the user oriented information system may receive, from the peripheral content storage, a content corresponding to the information request of the mobile device. 
     In operation  330 , the user oriented information system may compare the received content with a profile of the mobile device. When transcoding is determined to be performed, the user oriented information system may transcode the content based on the profile of the mobile device. Here, a case where transcoding is determined to be performed may correspond to a case where the mobile device may not play the content. 
     In operation  340 , the user oriented information system may transmit the transcoded content to the mobile device according to a policy of the access management unit. The policy of the access management unit indicates a policy for a management in order to maintain or suspend an access between the mobile device and an external network. For example, the policy of the access management unit may include a policy regarding the profile of the mobile device, a schedule, a payment, and the like. 
     Example of Providing User Oriented Information According to an Embodiment of the Present Invention 
     Hereinafter, an example of providing user oriented information according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
     1) A user of a mobile device may select user interest information that the user desires to receive, for example, weather, traffic, world time, stocks, advertisements of interesting products, and the like, and register the selected user interest information in the mobile device. 
     2) The mobile device may access a user oriented information system. 
     3) The user oriented information system may verify a profile of the mobile device and the registered user interest information. 
     4) The user oriented information system may retrieve a peripheral storage that maintains the user interest information. 
     5) The user oriented information system may receive a content, for example, weather, traffic, world time, stocks, advertisements of interesting products, and the like, corresponding to the user interest information from the peripheral storage that maintains the user interest information. 
     6) The user oriented information system may compare the profile of the mobile device with a capacity of the content or a type of a codec used for a creation of the content. 
     7) When the capacity of the content or the type of the codec is unsuitable for the mobile device, the user oriented information system may transcode the content to a form suitable for the mobile device. 
     8) The user oriented information system may provide the transcoded content to the mobile device. 
     9) When the content is in a form that can be executed or be displayed in the mobile device, the user oriented information system may provide the content to the mobile device without transcoding the content. 
     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 optical 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. 
     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.