Patent Publication Number: US-2007100839-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for managing content on network and recording medium storing program for performing the method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION  
      This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0104928, filed on Nov. 3, 2005, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      Apparatuses and methods consistent with the present invention relate to content management on a network, and more particularly, to content managing capable of easily searching and reproducing contents on a network.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      In general, in order to search for required contents on a network such as a home network, a content sharing procedure must be performed in all the devices connected to the network. In the content sharing procedure, discovery of a device, request and reception of the contents of the device, and selection and execution of desired contents are sequentially performed.  
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a home network for explaining an existing content sharing process. In order to search for required contents, a personal computer (PC) connected to the home network requests a content list from a digital television (DTV), a set-top box (STB), a home server, and a digital versatile disc (DVD) recorder (DVD-R) and receives the content list.  
      When desired contents stored in a device connected to a network are reproduced, since the process of searching the contents stored in all the devices must be repeatedly performed, the contents to be reproduced cannot be easily searched for and thus it takes a lot of time to search the contents.  
      In order to solve this problem, a technology in which a server unifies and manages contents which can be provided by a plurality of client devices connected to a network has been suggested. In  FIG. 1 , the PC, the DTV, the STB, and the DVD recorder are the plurality of client devices.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides a method and apparatus for managing contents on a network, such as a home network, which can unify and provide information on the contents provided by client devices connected to the network in various forms, and a computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for the method.  
      The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for managing contents on a network, such as a home network, which can provide unified information on the contents using a physical view form or various logical view forms, regardless of the power on/off state of client devices connected to the network, and a computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for the method.  
      The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for managing contents on a network, such as a home network, which can unify and provide the contents which can be provided by client devices connected to the network, based on client priority, and a computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for the method.  
      The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for managing contents on a network, such as a home network, which can manage the contents such that it is possible to easily reproduce the contents stored in a client device that is in the off state among client devices connected to the network, and a computer-readable recording medium having embodied thereon a computer program for the method.  
      According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for managing contents on a network in which a server and at least one client device are connected to each other, wherein the server includes: a transmitting/receiving unit which receives a content list request from one of the at least one client device and transmits view information having information on the contents which can be provided by the at least one client device to a client device which transmits the content list request; a storage unit which stores the information on all the contents provided by the at least one client device; and a processor which generates one of physical view information and at least one type of logical view information based on the information stored in the storage unit and transmits the generated view information to the transmitting/receiving unit, when receiving the content list request from the transmitting/receiving unit.  
      The at least one type of logical view information may include logical view information based on client priority, logical view information based on a content type, and logical view information based on additional content information. The logical view information based on the client priority may be updated whenever a corresponding client device accesses the server.  
      The physical view information and the logical view information may include information based on a power on/off state of the at least one client device.  
      The method may further include turning on the power of the selected client device through the network by the server, if the power of a client device selected based on the physical view information is in the power off state; changing the state of the selected client device in the physical view information by the server, if the power of the selected client device is turned on; including the information on the contents stored in the selected client device into the physical view information by the server; and requesting the selected client device to reproduce the selected contents by the server, if the contents are selected based on the physical view information.  
      The method may further include turning on the power of the corresponding client device through the network by the server, if the power of a client device corresponding to contents selected based on the logical view information is in the power off state; changing the state of the selected contents in the logical view information by the server, if the power of the corresponding client device is turned on; and requesting the corresponding client device to reproduce the selected contents by the server.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for managing contents on a network in which a server and at least one client device are connected to each other, wherein the server includes: a transmitting/receiving unit which receives a content list request from one of the at least one client device and transmits view information having information on the contents which can be provided by the at least one client device to the client device which transmits the content list request; a storage unit which stores the information on all the contents provided by the at least one client device; and a processor which generates one of physical view information and at least one type of logical view information based on the information stored in the storage unit and transmits the generated view information to the transmitting/receiving unit, when receiving the content list request from the transmitting/receiving unit.  
      According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for a method for managing contents on a network. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and other aspects of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a home network for explaining an existing content sharing procedure;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a network having a content managing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates an example of a physical view displayed on a first client device based on physical view information provided from a server illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIGS. 4A through 4C  illustrate examples of logical views displayed on the first client device based on logical view information generated by a processor illustrated in  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a content managing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a content managing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart of a content managing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating an information deleting operation of a client device in the content managing method of  FIG. 6  or  7 .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates an example of a network having a content managing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which a server  201  and first to fourth client devices  202  through  205  are connected to one another.  
      If the network of  FIG. 2  is a home network, the server  201  may be defined as a home server. The server  201  includes a transmitting/receiving unit  2011 , a processor  2012 , and a storage unit  2013 .  
      The transmitting/receiving unit  2011  transmits/receives information with each one of the first to fourth client devices  202  through  205  and the processor  2012  and a signal for controlling a power on/off state of the first to fourth client devices  202  through  205 , through the network.  
      That is, when receiving a content list request from any one of the first to fourth client devices  202  through  205 , the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  transmits the content list request to the processor  2012 . When receiving the content list request, a detailed query determined in accordance with the input of a user of the client device which transmits the content list request is also received. The detailed query includes information on whether the content list requested by the user is a logical view or a physical view. Accordingly, the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  transmits the detailed query to the processor  2012 .  
      When receiving from the processor  2012  the view information having information on all the contents which can be provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  through  205 , the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  transmits the view information to the client device which transmits the content list request. The transmitting/receiving unit  2011  can transmit a reproduction request signal of the selected contents to the client device having the selected contents.  
      The processor  2012  unifies and manages the information on all the contents which can be provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  through  205  connected to the network.  
      That is, the processor  2012  collects the information on all of the contents which can be provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  through the transmitting/receiving unit  2011 . The processor  2012  can parse metadata that is received from the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  and collect the information on the contents based on the parsed result. The first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  can transmit the metadata of the contents whenever stored contents are corrected or deleted or new contents are generated.  
      The processor  2012  stores the collected information on the contents in the storage unit  2013 . The information on the contents that can be provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  is unified and managed in the storage unit  2013  by the processor  2012 . The processor  2012  can generate physical view information or various forms of logical view information based on the information on the contents stored in the storage unit  2013 .  
      When, for example, the first client device  202  requests the content list through the transmitting/receiving unit  2011 , the processor  2012  generates any one of the physical view information and at least one piece of logical view information based on the information on the contents stored in the storage unit  2013  and provides the view information to the first client device  202 .  
      The physical view information and the at least one piece of logical view information may have the information on all the contents stored in the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205 . It may be determined whether the processor  2012  generates the physical view information or the logical view information in accordance with the input of the user of the first client device  202 . That is, the processor  2012  parses the detailed query which is received together with the content list request and determines whether the physical view information or the logical view information is generated in accordance with the parsed result.  
      The physical view information has content list information based on the client device, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  illustrates an example of a physical view displayed on the first client device  202  based on the physical view information provided from the server  201 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , the client devices include a PC, a DVD-R, a set-top box (STB), and a digital television (DTV). The PC is selected, and a content list stored in the selected PC is displayed. In  FIG. 3 , the client devices PC and DVD-R indicated by “●” are in the power on state and the client devices STB and DTV indicated by “∘” are in the power off state. The physical view information provided from the server  201  includes information (● and ∘) based on the power on/off state of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205 .  
      When the first client device  202  selects a client device which is in the power off state (for example, STB) based on the physical view illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the processor  2012  of the server  201  allows the client device which is in the power off state to be turned on via the network. The processor  2012  can request the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  to turn on the client device which is in the power off state. To turn on the client device, it may be controlled via the network using a wake on Local Area Network (LAN) technology. Accordingly, the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  is configured to control the power on/off state of the client devices via the network using the wake on LAN technology.  
      When the client device which is in the off state is turned on, the processor  2012  processes the contents which can be provided by the client device which is in the power on state, as the contents which can be immediately reproduced. In order to apply this state change, the processor  2012  can update the physical view information provided to the first client device  202 .  
      The logical view information has the content list information based on the contents, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A through 4C .  FIGS. 4A through 4C  illustrate examples of logical views displayed on the first client device  202  based on the logical view information generated by the processor  2012 .  
      Referring to  FIG. 4A , the logical view may be defined as a functionality information area and a data information area of the contents which can be provided. In  FIG. 4A , “icon Movie” is selected in the functionality information area and the information on the contents included therein is displayed in the data information area.  
      That is,  FIGS. 4A through 4C  illustrate examples of the logical views based on a content type. Accordingly, in  FIGS. 4A through 4C , the type information of the contents which can be provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  is displayed in the functionality information area and information for classifying the contents which can be provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  by the content type is displayed in the data information area.  
      The contents indicated by “●” in the data information area of  FIG. 4A  indicate that the client device in which corresponding contents are stored is turned on, and thus the corresponding contents can be immediately reproduced. The contents indicated by “∘” in the data information area indicate that the client device in which corresponding contents are stored is turned off, and thus the corresponding contents cannot be immediately reproduced.  
      As illustrated in  FIG. 4B , when “PersonalVideo1.mpg” which cannot be immediately reproduced is selected after the logical view information illustrated in  FIG. 4A  is provided to the first client device  202 , since the client device corresponding to the contents “PersonalVideo1.mpg” is in the power off state, the processor  2012  turns on the corresponding client device through the network.  
      For example, if the corresponding client device is the second client device  203 , the processor  2012  requests the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  to turn on the second client device  203  through the network. As described with reference to  FIG. 3 , the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  can turn on the client device through the network.  
      When the second client device  203  is turned on, the processor  2012  may ask the user of the first client device  202  whether the second client device  203  is desired to be driven through the transmitting/receiving unit  2011 .  
      When the second client device  203  is turned on, as illustrated in  FIG. 4C , the processor  2012  generates the changed logical view information such that the logical view, in which the state of the contents “PersonalVideo1.mpg” is changed, to be immediately reproduced, is displayed on the first client device  201 . The generated logical view information is transmitted to the transmitting/receiving unit  2011 . Accordingly, the transmitting/receiving unit  2011  provides the changed logical view information to the first client device  201  through the network. Furthermore, the processor  2012  may request the reproduction of the selected contents “PersonalVideo1.mpg” to the second client device  203  through the transmitting/receiving unit  2011 . Accordingly, the contents reproduced on the second client device  203  are directly transmitted to the first client device  201 , not through the server  201 .  
      As can be seen from  FIGS. 4A through 4C , the logical view information generated by the processor  2012  includes the information (● and ∘) based on the power on/off state of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205 .  
      The logical view information generated by the processor  2012  may include logical view information based on client priority, logical view information based on the content type, and logical view information based on additional content information.  
      The logical view information based on the client priority is managed based on a recent access time between a corresponding client device and the server  201 . The logical view information based on the client priority is updated by the processor  2012  whenever the corresponding client device accesses the server  201 .  
      The content type represents whether the contents correspond to audio, video, a combination of audio and video, and document. The video may be a still image or a moving picture. The additional content information is information except the content type, and may include a registered date of the contents, a registrant of the contents, the title of the contents, a manufacturer, the name of a singer, and a name of an actor.  
      In addition, the processor  2012  monitors the connection state between the server  201  and each one of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205 . The server  210  determines if one of the first to fourth client devices is not connected to the server  201  for a predetermined time. If the non-connection state lasts for the predetermined time, the processor  2012  deletes the information on the client device that is in the non-connection state from the information on the contents that are managed in the storage unit  2013 . Accordingly, the physical view information and the logical view information generated by the processor  2012  do not include the information on the client device that is in the non-connection state.  
      The storage unit  2013  stores the information on all the contents that can be provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205 , which is collected by the server  201 .  
      When the network is the home network, the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  may be household appliances, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . When the network is an office network, the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  may be office equipment devices.  
      The first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  transmit the detailed query to the server  201  together with the content list request. If the user wants the physical view, the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  receive the physical view information from the server  201 , and, if the user wants a specific logical view, the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  receive the specific logical view information from the server  201 .  
      When the physical view information or the specific logical view is received from the server  201 , the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  parse and display the received information. Accordingly, the screen illustrated in  FIG. 3  or  FIGS. 4A through 4C  can be displayed.  
      If the user of one of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  selects one of the client devices or one of the contents based on the displayed physical view or logical view, another of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  transmits the selected information to the server  201 .  
      If the selected information corresponds to the client device which is in the power off state or if the selected information corresponds to the contents to be provided by the client device which is in the power off state, the corresponding client device is turned on by the server  201  and the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  are held in a standby state until the corresponding client device is in a ready state.  
      At this time, a message query about the power status of the corresponding client device, may be received from the server  201 . If the message query is received and the user of one of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  wants to turn on the client device, the server  201  turns on the corresponding client device.  
      When the corresponding client device is turned on, the selected contents can be immediately reproduced, and, when the sever  201  requests the corresponding client device to reproduce the selected contents, the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  directly receive the data of the selected contents from the corresponding client device.  
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a content managing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, method illustrated by the flowchart of  FIG. 5  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 5 .  
      When the server  201  receives a content list request from one of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  connected to the network (operation  501 ), the server  201  provides any one of physical view information and at least one piece of logical view information on contents provided by the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  connected to the network to the client device which transmits the content list request (operation  502 ).  
      If the client device, which transmits the content list request, is the first client device  202  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the user who uses the first client device  202  can know the contents stored in the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  connected to the network, based on a physical view or a logical view provided through the first client device  202 .  
      The physical view information and the logical view information are the same as that described with reference to  FIGS. 2 through 4 . Accordingly, the logical view information may include logical view information based on client priority, logical view information based on the content type, and logical view information based on additional content information.  
      The logical view information based on the client priority is updated by the server  201  whenever the corresponding client device (for example, the first client device  202 ) accesses the server  201 , and is set based on the access time between the corresponding client device and the server  201 . The access time may be a recent access time between the corresponding client device and the server  201 .  
      In addition, the physical view information and the logical view information may include the information on a client device that is in the power off state with the client devices connected to the network, as described with reference to  FIGS. 2 through 4 .  
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart of a content managing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the method illustrated by the flowchart of  FIG. 6  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 6 .  
      When a content list request is received from one of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  connected to the network (operation  601 ), the server  201  checks whether the client device, which transmits the content list request, requests a physical view (operation  602 ). The server  201  can check whether the client device, which transmits the content list request, requests a physical view, based on the result of parsing the detailed query received together with the content list request. The detailed query is determined in accordance with an input of a user, as described with reference to  FIG. 2 .  
      When the client device, which transmits the content list request, requests a physical view, the server  201  provides physical view information to the client device (operation  603 ). The physical view information provided at this time is the same as that illustrated in  FIG. 3 .  
      However, when the client device, which transmits the content list request, does not want a physical view, the server  201  provides desired logical view information (operation  604 ). As described above, the logical view information may include logical view information based on client priority, logical view information based on the content type, and logical view information based on additional content information. Accordingly, when the user wants the logical view information based on the client priority in the various forms of logical view information which can be provided, the server  201  provides the logical view information based on the client priority to the client device which transmits the content list request, in operation  604 .  
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart of a content managing method according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the method illustrated by the flowchart of  FIG. 7  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 7 .  
      When a content list request is received from one of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  connected to the network (operation  701 ), the server  201  checks whether the client device which transmits the content list request (hereinafter, referred to as the first client device  202 , for sake of convenience) requests a physical view or a logical view. The check is performed similar to operation  602  of  FIG. 6 . When the first client device  202  requests a physical view, the server  201  performs operations  702  through  712 . When the first client device  202  requests a logical view, the server  201  performs operations  713  through  720 .  
      That is, the server  201  provides physical view information to the first client device  202  when the first client device  202  requests a physical view (operation  702 ). The provided physical view information is the information that can display the physical view illustrated in  FIG. 3 . The physical view information may include information on the contents that can be provided by all the client devices connected to the network.  
      When the first client device  202  selects one of the client devices  202  to  205  based on the provided physical view information, the server  201  checks whether the selected client device is in the power off state (operations  703  and  704 ). If the selected client device is in the power off state, the server  201  checks whether the user of the first client device  202  wants the driving of the selected client device (operation  705 ).  
      When the user of the first client device  202  wants the selected client device to be driven, the server  201  controls the driving of the selected client device through the network (operation  706 ). Accordingly, the selected client device is turned on. The driving control of the client device is the same as that described with reference to  FIG. 2 .  
      When the client device is in the ready state after the driving of the client device is controlled, the server  201  provides the information on the contents stored in the selected client device to the first client device  202  while the selected client device is turned on (operations  707 ,  708 , and  709 ).  
      When the user of the first client device  202  requests the reproduction of the contents based on the provided information on the contents (or content list information) (operation  710 ), the server  201  requests the reproduction of the selected contents to the selected client device (operation  711 ), and updates the client priority information between the first client device  202  and the server  201 . Accordingly, the highest priority of the client priority information of the first client device  202  is the contents that are requested to be reproduced and the client device for providing the contents that are requested to be reproduced in operation  710 .  
      In operation  704 , if the client device is not in the power off state, the server  201  progresses to operation  709  and performs the above-described process.  
      When the user of the first client device  202  requests a specific logical view, the server  201  provides the desired logical view information to the first client device  202 . The provided logical view information has the information that can display the logical view illustrated in  FIG. 4A .  
      When the user of the first client device  202  selects the contents based on the provided logical view information, the server  201  checks whether the client device for storing the selected contents is in the power off state (operations  714  and  715 ). When the contents that cannot be immediately reproduced are selected based on the provided logical view information, it is determined that the client device corresponding to the selected contents is in the power off state.  
      The server  201  checks whether the user of the first client device  202  wants to drive the corresponding client device (operation  716 ). When the user of the first client device  202  wants to drive the corresponding client device, the server  201  controls the driving of the corresponding client device through the network (operation  717 ). Accordingly, when the corresponding client device is turned on and the client device is in the ready state (operation  718 ), the server  201  changes corresponding contents to the power on state in the logical view provided to the first client device  202  (operation  719 ). That is, the contents can be immediately reproduced.  
      Next, the server  201  updates the client priority information of the first client device  202  (operation  721 ) while requesting the corresponding client device to reproduce the contents (operation  720 ). Accordingly, the highest priority of the client priority information of the first client device  202  is the contents selected in operation  714 .  
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating an information deleting operation of the client device in the content managing method of  FIG. 6  or  7 . Hereinafter, the operations of the method illustrated by the flowchart of  FIG. 8  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 8 .  
      The server  201  monitors the connection state between the server  201  and each one of the first to fourth client devices  202  to  205  connected to the network (operation  801 ). If there is a client device that is not connected with the server  201  (operation  802 ), the server  201  determines whether the non-connection state lasts for a predetermined time (operation  803 ).  
      When the non-connection state lasts for the predetermined time, the server  201  deletes the information on the non-connected client device from the information stored in the storage unit  2013 . Accordingly, the information on the non-connection client device can be deleted from the physical view information and the logical view information generated by the server  201  (operation  804 ). For example, when the fourth client device  205  is in the non-connection state for the predetermined time, i.e., the fourth client device  205  is not connected to the server  201 , the information on the fourth client device  205  is deleted from the physical view information and the logical view information generated by the server  201 .  
      The invention can also 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 memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves (such as data transmission through the Internet). The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.  
      As described above, according to the present invention, since information on contents, which can be provided by all the client devices connected to a network such as a home network, is provided to a client device which requests a content list using a physical view form or various logical view forms, it is possible to accurately, rapidly, and easily search the contents stored in all the client devices connected to the network, without performing the content sharing process of every client device.  
      In addition, according to the present invention, since the information on the contents which can be provided by all the client devices is provided to a client device which requests a content list, regardless of the power on/off state of the client devices connected to the network, it is possible to search the contents which can be provided by a client device which is in the power off state.  
      Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the state information of the client device or the state information of the contents based on the power on/off state of the client device is also provided when providing the information on the contents which can be provided by the client devise connected to the network, a user of the client device which requests the content list can easily check a client device which can immediately operate or contents which can be immediately reproduced based on the provided information on the contents.  
      Moreover, according to the present invention, since a logical view of unifying the information on the contents provided by the client devices connected to the network based on the client priority is provided, the user of the client device which requests the content list can easily check the information on the contents which are recently searched.  
      In addition, according to the present invention, since the reproduction of contents of the client device can be controlled even when the power of the client device including the contents which are requested to be reproduced is in the power off state, it is possible to easily reproduce the contents.  
      While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.