Patent Publication Number: US-2007101389-A1

Title: DVB-H service system and method for providing broadcasting service information in DVB-H service system

Description:
PRIORITY  
      This application claims priority to an application entitled “DVB-H Service System And Method For Providing Broadcasting Service Information In DVB-H Service System” filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Oct. 27, 2005 and assigned with Serial No. 2005-102057, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a DVB-H (digital video broadcasting-hand held) service system and a method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      DVB-H service is a broadcasting service for a hand held terminal, which has been newly developed by the DVB (digital video broadcasting) organization for standardization of a digital TV broadcasting scheme in Europe, following DVB-S (digital video broadcasting-satellite) TV, DVB-C (digital video broadcasting-cable) TV and the DVB-T (digital video broadcasting-terrestrial) TV.  
      The DVB-H service has been developed in consideration of the fact that multimedia contents such as movies, broadcasting dramas, and the like, cannot be properly provided to a hand held terminal through the UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system), DVB-T TV or DAB (digital audio broadcasting).  
      The goal of the DVB-H service is to allow a hand held terminal user to receive and watch a clear image having image quality of 96 Kbps to 384 Kbps while moving at a high speed. The DVB-H service adopts a time division multiplexing scheme in order to reduce power consumption of the hand held terminal. The time division technique is a type of digital multiplexing, in which the capacity of a transmission path is divided into predetermined time slots and packet broadcasting signals are assigned to the respective time slots to be transmitted.  
      In the DVB-H service, PSI (program specification information) is transmitted in a state in which it is included in a TS (transport stream). The PSI is detailed program information and includes information such as video data and audio data, channel decoding and program information, teletext information, etc.  
      If a DVB-H terminal receives the PSI, it is possible to obtain desired data from the PSI using a PAT (program association table), PMT (program map table), TDT (time and date table), NIT (network information table), BAT (bouquet association table), or EIT (event information table) contained therein.  
      At this time, the DVB-H terminal can obtain the PID (program identification) of the PMT from the PAT. Further, the PIDs of respective actual transport streams can be obtained from the PMT, and time information can be obtained from the TDT. Also, network information can be obtained from the NIT. The information of a corresponding program provider and the channel information of the program provider can be obtained from the BAT. Moreover, the name and information of a service can be obtained from an SDT (service description table), and the channel guide information actually required in an EPG (electronic program guide) can be obtained from the EIT.  
      Hence, the DVB-H terminal receives DVB-H broadcasting after reading the PID of the PMT from the PAT, and reading the PID of the actual audio/video data service from the PMT, using the PID of the corresponding service.  
      However, in the DVB-H service as described above, broadcasting service information is provided based on information transmitted from a satellite or a base station through a broadcasting service network (an independent network). At this time, a user must know beforehand the frequency of the broadcasting service.  
      In this regard, although no problem is caused in the case that the broadcasting frequency is already known as in certain territories or countries, if a user moves to another country or territory while receiving the DVB-H service, the user must know in advance the information regarding the broadcasting frequency, the broadcasting service, etc. from other media (such as the Internet or a broadcasting magazine) and set the hand held terminal to conform with the known information.  
      Also, in a system using the existing networks such as a LAN, Bluetooth, a WLAN (WiBro), a 3.5G system (HSDPA) or a 4G System, a method for conveniently searching the DVB-H service does not exist.  
      That is to say, in the conventional DVB service (such as DVB-T, DVB-S, and so forth), it is possible to obtain actual audio and video data and the data channel information only after acquiring the PMT PID by reading-in the PAT (PID:0×00) table which is periodically loaded on a TS packet. Also, the EPG and the channel information (such as an ESG (electronic service guide) can be obtained only after the corresponding packet is received.  
      Therefore, when changing a transponder or a channel, it is possible to obtain channel information only after the TS packet is received. In this regard, since the user must wait until the TS packet is received, a problem is caused in that several seconds are required to change the transponder or the channel, thus interrupting viewing.  
      Recently, in order to address this problem, a method has been disclosed, in which simple PSI information for a corresponding service channel is stored in a ROM (read only memory), a flash memory or a hard disk to shorten a channel change time.  
      However, even in this method, substantial time is required to initially store the PSI information for the corresponding service channel in the ROM. Further, in the case that several thousands of channels exist, required data size significantly increases, and the procedure for searching a specific service channel among the several thousands of channels is complicated. Also, in order to store and search the information for the minimum number of transponders (several tens of transponders exist for each satellite in the case of DVB-S), the user must still wait at least several minutes. Moreover, if various information of the corresponding channel is changed in real time, a problem is caused in that erroneous information stored in the existing memory can be provided.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a DVB-H service system which can increase user convenience and can provide information for DVB-H broadcasting service irrespective of a position of the terminal throughout the world, and a method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a DVB-H service system which enables quick change of a transponder and a channel, and a method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide a DVB-H service system which can efficiently and quickly provide broadcasting service information, and a method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system.  
      In order to achieve the above objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a DVB-H (digital video broadcasting-hand held) service system which includes a DVB-H server information center for storing address information of service providers or regional DVB-H service servers and providing DVB-H service server address information of a corresponding region; a terminal for receiving the DVB-H service server address information of the corresponding region from the DVB-H server information center and requesting broadcasting service information; and a DVB-H service server for providing requested broadcasting service information to the terminal through an IP (Internet protocol) network in response to a request from the terminal for broadcasting service information.  
      In order to achieve the above objects, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing broadcasting service information in a DVB-H (digital video broadcasting-hand held) service system, which includes receiving DVB-H service server address information corresponding to subscriber information and position information of a terminal from a DVB-H server information center by the terminal; and receiving broadcasting service information from a corresponding DVB-H service server through an IP (Internet protocol) network by the terminal, using the DVB-H service server address information. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a DVB-H service system in accordance with of the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a view illustrating an example of a broadcasting service information request message format in a DVB-H terminal according to of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 4  is a view illustrating an example of a broadcasting service information response message format from a DVB-H server according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same component parts will be designated by the same reference numerals although they are shown in different drawings. In the following description of the present invention, only the parts necessary for understanding of the operations and functions of the present invention will be explained, and the explanation for the other parts will be omitted so that they do not make the subject matter of the present invention unclear.  
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a DVB-H service system in accordance with the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , a DVB-H service system includes a DVB-H server information center  100 , an IP (Internet protocol) network  150 , a DVB-H terminal  200 , and DVB-H service servers  300 .  
      The DVB-H server information center  100  stores address information (for example, the IP addresses) of respective service providers or regional DVB-H service servers  300 , and can be realized as a common website (for example, ‘dvbh_service.org’) which can be accessed throughout the world. If it is confirmed on the basis of subscriber information and position information of the DVB-H terminal  200  that the DVB-H terminal  200  is within a DVB-H service region, the DVB-H service information center  100  provides to the DVB-H terminal  200  the address information of the DVB-H service server  300  which resides in the corresponding region.  
      The IP network  150  provides communication services using an Internet protocol and can provide IPv6 network service. The IP network  150  connects the DVB-H server information center  100  with the DVB-H service servers  300 .  
      The DVB-H terminal  200  accesses the IP network  150  using the IP network service, in particular, the IPv6 network service such as a wireless LAN (WLAN), Bluetooth, portable Internet (WiBro), a 3G system, a 3.5G system, a 4G system, and so forth. After having access to the IP network  150 , the DVB-H terminal  200  communicates with the DVB-H server information center  100  and the DVB-H service servers  300 . When the DVB-H terminal  200  moves between regions or a transponder thereof is altered so that various settings such as a broadcasting frequency, a channel, and the like must be changed, the DVB-H terminal  200  provides its subscriber information and position information to the DVB-H server information center  100 . Thereafter, the DVB-H terminal  200  receives from the DVB-H server information center  100  the information of a DVB-H server  300  which corresponds to the subscriber information and the position information and then requests broadcasting service information from the DVB-H server  300 . For example, the DVB-H terminal  200  can request PSI (program specification information) from the corresponding DVB-H server  300 . At this time, the DVB-H terminal  200  can request the entire PSI or desired partial PSI. If the DVB-H terminal  200  can receive DVB-H service through the IP network  150 , the DVB-H terminal  200  can request the DVB-H service from the DVB-H server  300  and receive the DVB-H service through the IP network  150 .  
      The DVB-H server  300  provides DVB-H service to the corresponding service provider or to the corresponding region. In response to the request from the DVB-H terminal  200  for the broadcasting service information, the DVB-H server  300  provides the requested broadcasting service to the DVB-H terminal  200  through the IP network  150 . For example, in response to the request from the DVB-H terminal  200  for PSI, the DVB-H server  300  provides the PSI to the DVB-H terminal  200  through the IP network  150 . At this time, the DVB-H server  300  can provide the entire PSI or desired partial PSI. When it is possible to provide DVB-H service through the IP network  150 , in response to the request from the DVB-H terminal  200 , the DVB-H server  300  provides DVB-H service through the IP network  150 .  
      Hence, the DVB-H service providing system according to the present invention can provide the information of the DVB-H service server  300  based on the position of the DVB-H terminal  200  so that the DVB-H terminal  200  can receive the corresponding broadcasting service information irrespective of its position throughout the world. Moreover, the DVB-H service providing system according to the present invention can provide broadcasting service information (for example, PSI, etc.) to the DVB-H terminal  200  through the IP network  150  so that the DVB-H terminal  200  can quickly and efficiently receive the broadcasting service information.  
      Hereinafter, a method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of  FIG. 2  Referring to  FIG. 2 , when the DVB-H terminal  200  moves between regions or a transponder thereof is altered so that various settings such as a broadcasting frequency, a channel, and the like must be changed, the DVB-H terminal  200  provides its subscriber information and position information to the DVB-H server information center  100  at step  202 .  
      For example, in order to provide the subscriber information and the position information to the DVB-H server information center  100 , the DVB-H terminal  200  can transmit data stored in a SIM (subscriber identification module) card to the DVB-H server information center  100 . Explaining the data stored in the SIM, the subscriber information such as MSISDN and IMSI is stored in the SIM. MSISDN designates a phone number. IMSI designates international mobile subscriber identity. The IMSI can be constituted by no greater than 15 digits and includes 3 digits for an MCC (mobile country code), 2 digits for an MNC (mobile network code) and 10 digits for an MSIN (mobile subscriber identification number). For example, IMSI can be constituted as given in Table 1 below.  
                           TABLE 1                       MCC   COUNTRY   MNC   NETWORK                  505   Australia   01   telecom Australia       262   Germany   01   D1-telecom       262   Germany   02   D2 privat       222   Italy   01   I SIP       204   Netherlands   08   NL PTT                  
 
      In the case of a CDMA system, in order to provide the subscriber information and the position information to the DVB-H server information center  100 , the DVB-H terminal  200  can transmit service provider information to the DVB-server information center  100 .  
      If the subscriber information and the position information from the DVB-H terminal  200  is received by the DVB-H server information center  100 , the DVB-H server information center  100  determines based on the subscriber information and the position information whether the position of the DVB-H terminal  200  is within a DVB-H service region at step  204 .  
      Then, the DVB-H server information center  100  provides the address information of the DVB-H service server  300  of the corresponding region to the DVB-H terminal  200  at step  206 .  
      After the DVB-H terminal  200  receives the address information of the DVB-H service server  300  of the corresponding region from the DVB-H server information center  100 , the DVB-H terminal  200  is connected to the DVB-H service server  300  of the corresponding region through the IP network  150 .  
      After being connected to the DVB-H service server  300  of the corresponding region, the DVB-H terminal  200  sends a request for broadcasting service information (for example, PSI) to the DVB-H service server  300  at step  208 .  
       FIG. 3  is a view illustrating an example of a broadcasting service information request message format in the DVB-H terminal  200  according to the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , the broadcasting service information request message format of the DVB-H terminal  200  includes a REQUEST NUMBER field  302  and a PARAMETER field  304 .  
      The REQUEST NUMBER field  302  includes information regarding what broadcasting service information is to be requested. The PARAMETER field  304  includes parameters which are to be transmitted to the DVB-H service server  300  in order to receive the broadcasting service information as requested.  
      Referring back to  FIG. 2 , if the broadcasting service information request message is received from the DVB-H terminal  200 , the DVB-H service server  300  transmits the corresponding broadcasting service information through the IP network  150  to the DVB-H terminal  200  at step  210 .  
       FIG. 4  is a view illustrating an example of a broadcasting service information response message format from the DVB-H server  300  according to the present invention.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , the broadcasting service information response message format from the DVB-H server  300  includes a RESPONSE NUMBER field  402  and a VALUE field  404 .  
      The RESPONSE NUMBER field  402  includes information regarding what broadcasting service information is to be provided. The VALUE field  404  includes the contents of the broadcasting service information provided.  
      Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the DVB-H terminal  200  receives the broadcasting service information transmitted from the DVB-H service server  300  through the IP network  150 , and changes the settings such as a broadcasting frequency, a channel, etc. using the broadcasting service information at step  212 .  
      In the method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system according to the present invention, the detailed example of the broadcasting service information which is provided and received by the DVB-H service server  300  and the DVB-H terminal  200  is given in Table 2 below.  
                   TABLE 2                          DVB-H terminal   DVB-H service server                             Request       Response           Number   Parameter   Number   Value               0   None   0   Entire PSI table data       1   PID of PSI table   1   Corresponding PSI table value       2   Position   2   Whether DVB-H service is           information       possible at                   corresponding position       3   None   3   RF value       4   None   4   IP and address when DVB-H                   service is possible through                   IP network                  
 
      Five examples are illustrated in Table 2.  
      ‘0’ represents the case in which the DVB-H terminal  200  sends a request foran entire PSI to the DVB-H service server  300 . In the case that the DVB-H terminal  200  requests the entire PSI from the DVB-H service server  300 , the DVB-H service server  300  transmits entire data of a PSI table to the DVB-H terminal  200 .  
      At this time, when the data to be transmitted is greater than 1K, the DVB-H service server  300  cannot transmit the entire data of the PSI table at one time. In this case, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits the entire data by dividing the entire data into data pieces and indicates on a first byte whether there is remaining data to be transmitted. For example, when there is remaining data to be transmitted, the value of the first byte can be ‘1’, and when there is no remaining data to be transmitted, the value of the first byte can be ‘0’. In this way, the entire data of the PSI table can be transmitted.  
      ‘1’ represents the case in which the DVB-H terminal  200  sends a request for a partial PSI to the DVB-H service server  300 . In the case that the DVB-H terminal  200  requests partial PSI from the DVB-H service server  300 , the request is transmitted with the PID of the PSI table included in the PARAMETER field.  
      Then, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits to the DVB-H terminal  200  the value corresponding to the PID of the PSI table transmitted from the DVB-H terminal  200 . For example, when the PID of the PSI table transmitted from the DVB-H terminal  200  is 0, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits a PAT value. Further, when the PID of the PSI table transmitted from the DVB-H terminal  200  is 1, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits a CAT [PLEASE IDENTIFY.] value, and when the PID of the PSI table transmitted from the DVB-H terminal  200  is ox20, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits an SDT table. This follows the Table PID of the MPEG2-TS.  
      ‘2’ represents the case in which the DVB-H terminal  200  sends a request to the DVB-H service server  300  for information on whether DVB-H service is possible at the corresponding position. When the DVB-H terminal  200  requests from the DVB-H service server  300  the information whether DVB-H service is possible at the corresponding position, the DVB-H terminal  200  transmits the request with its position information included in the PARAMETER field.  
      Then, the DVB-H service server  300  determines based on the position information transmitted from the DVB-H terminal  200  whether DVB-H service is possible at the position of the DVB-H terminal  200 , and transmits the determination result to the DVB-H terminal  200 . For example, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits to the DVB-H terminal  200  the information regarding whether DVB-H service is possible and whether DVB-H service using an IP network is possible. At this time, if DVB-H service is not possible, the information is transmitted with ‘00’ included in the VALUE field to indicate the corresponding situation. If the DVB-H service is possible but the DVB-H service using the IP network is not possible, the information is transmitted with ‘10’ included in the VALUE field to indicate the corresponding situation. If both of the DVB-H service and the DVB-H service using the IP network are possible, the information is transmitted with ‘11’ included in the VALUE field to indicate the corresponding situation.  
      ‘3’ represents the case in which the DVB-H terminal  200  sends a request to the DVB-H service server  300  for a radio frequency value at the corresponding position. In the case that the DVB-H terminal  200  requests from the DVB-H service server  300  a radio frequency value, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits to the DVB-H terminal  200  the corresponding information with the total number of RF values and the radio frequency value usable at the corresponding position included in the VALUE field.  
      ‘4’ represents the case in which the DVB-H terminal  200  sends a request to the DVB-H service server  300  for a specific DVB-H service when the DVB-H service using the IP network is possible. When the specific DVB-H service is requested, the DVB-H service server  300  transmits the corresponding information with the name and the address of an IP providing the requested specific DVB-H service included in the VALUE field. If the requested specific DVB-H service cannot be provided, the information (for example, ‘0’) indicating the corresponding situation is included in the VALUE field.  
      Accordingly, in the method for providing broadcasting service information in the DVB-H service system according to the present invention, the broadcasting service information (for example, the PSI, whether the DVB-H service is possible at the corresponding position, the radio frequency information at the corresponding position, and the name and the address of the IP network providing the specific DVB-H service) can be collectively provided (to the DVB-H terminal ( 200 )), user convenience can be improved, and it is not necessary for a user to wait so as to acquire desired information as in the conventional art.  
      That is to say, in the conventional art, PSI, audio data, video data and channel information are mixed in a TS, and PSI tables are periodically mixed in the TS. Therefore, in order to obtain the desired PSI by periodically receiving the TS, a lengthy period is required.  
      For example, 32 predefined PSI tables exist in the TS, and after the 32 predefined PSI tables, the PMT PID, actual audio, video, data, teletext PID, etc. exist. Thus, assuming that a PSI table period is 0.2 seconds, when there are N channels, in order to obtain entire PSI tables, 32+N seconds are required. Also, assuming that the number of the EITs is M, in order to obtain the entire PSI tables, 0.2*(32+N+M)=6.4+0.2*(N+M) seconds are required.  
      Further, if 10 channels are serviced for each transponder (N=10) and 20 EITs are received (M=20), 12.4 seconds are required to wait for all PSI tables. When considering the operation time and the processing delay time, in a territory in which a broadcasting state is unstable, increased time is required to obtain the channels of the transponder and all PSI information.  
      Thus, instead of receiving the broadcasting service information including the PSI and channel information as in the conventional art, by collectively receiving the broadcasting service information through an IP network as in the present invention, it is possible to constitute PSI information within a short period, whereby a channel can be quickly changed and an EPG can be quickly provided.  
      As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, since the information of a DVB-H service server can be provided in conformity with the position of a DVB-H terminal, the DVB-H terminal can receive the corresponding broadcasting service information irrespective of its position throughout the world.  
      Also, in the present invention, because the broadcasting service information is provided to the DVB-H terminal through an IP network, the DVB-H terminal can efficiently and quickly receive the broadcasting service information.  
      Moreover, in the present invention, due to the fact that the DVB-H terminal can efficiently and quickly receive the broadcasting service information, user convenience is improved, and a transponder and a channel can be quickly changed.  
      While the present invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled 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 appended claims.