WO2001035658A1

WO2001035658A1 - Broadcast portal service system

Info

Publication number: WO2001035658A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/001263
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johney Hwang; Sung Joo Lee; Chan Ho Yoo
Original assignee: Gentor.Com Inc.
Priority date: 1999-11-08
Filing date: 2000-11-04
Publication date: 2001-05-17
Also published as: AU1177301A; KR100322371B1; KR20000017754A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for providing a broadcast program and related contents thereof at the same time, and more particularly, to a broadcast portal service system for synchronizing program streaming contents provided from a plurality of broadcast sources with non-streaming contents related to various programs provided from a plurality of non-streaming sources through wired/wireless computer networks such as the Internet, so as to provide real-time interactive broadcasts to users. The broadcast portal service system in an integrated broadcast service system of the invention includes: a service server (210) for processing non-streaming contents received from non-streaming content providers (T/ICP) (230) and streaming content providers (SCP) (220), providing a portal service site, thereby searching the database for the non-streaming contents for user-desired broadcast programs and outputting the non-streaming contents; and an integrated viewer application (33) for playing in real-time the streaming contents received from the streaming content providers (SCP) (220), receiving the non-streaming contents from the database in a service server (210), and playing in real-time the non-streaming contents along with the streaming contents so as to display the contents.

Description

BROADCAST PORTAL SERVICE SYSTEM

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for providing a broadcast program and related contents thereof at the same time, and more particularly, to a broadcast portal service system for synchronizing program (streaming) contents provided from a plurality of broadcast sources with non-streaming contents related to various programs provided from a plurality of non-streaming sources through wired/wireless computer networks such as the Internet, so as to provide real-time interactive broadcasts to users.

Background Art

In general, the Internet through computer networks has been the cultural media for the information and entertainment society all over the world. Individuals as well as governments or companies organize their internet sites, so as to exchange information one another and make profits through the internet sites. Conventional general TV broadcasting companies also organize their internet sites and allow various programs and related information thereof to be viewed through personal computers. And some internet broadcasting companies are beginning to provide broadcast programs through the Internet.

The broadcast programs provided through such Internet can be realized with the 'streaming' technology. Where, the 'streaming' means a technique that allows voices or dynamic images to be transmitted in real-time through the Internet, that is, an internet solution for realizing multimedia contents such as audio/video contents on the internet web. The streaming technology makes it possible to transmit multimedia data to PCs through the Internet, and to reduce the time required when transmitting the huge dynamic image data through the Internet to minimum. The worst drawback of the streaming service is that the service can be affected by bandwidths of networks, and the streaming service is limited in its application because the service requires more powerful PCs. However, recently the dedicated Internet lines are in wide spread and PCs are getting more powerful, so these kinds of problems can be obviated or at least reduced to minimum.

In addition, a 'streaming player' is a solution that can manage dynamic images and sound data by converting Internet web contents into multimedia contents including dynamic images. The streaming player allows users to listen and/or watch dynamic images and sound data in real-time. The common users other than service providers can download the streaming player from a corresponding web site, and link automatically the player to a Internet browser at the user terminal in plug-in state, and execute the player. Users should use a suitable player after downloading according to the streaming player used by one's frequently visiting multimedia web sites since the Internet streaming players are not interchangeable one another. For example, 'Real Player' of Real Network Co., 'Vivo Active Player' of Vivo Software Co., and 'VDO Live' of VDO Net Co. are such Internet streaming players.

As such, these broadcasting companies operate their own sites individually, so users have to memorize URLs of each broadcasting company and input such URLs manually or make bookmarks for the broadcasting companies in order to view the programs provided by various broadcasting companies. In addition, conventional viewer applications cannot provide, in real-time, articles from various newspapers or magazines related to broadcast programs requested by audience, or various contents related to the program production.

Disclosure of Invention

Therefore, the present invention is designed to solve such problems, it is an object of the invention to provide a broadcast portal service system and a method for providing the same, wherein the system synchronizes dynamic image contents of a currently broadcasting program with various text and image contents related to the program and provides the two kinds of contents at the same time while maintaining low load on a network, when a user views Internet broadcast signals provided in the form of live streaming data or TV broadcast signals received by a TV reception card, via a user terminal such as a computer or mobile phone through an integrated communication network.

In order to accomplish the object, the invention provides a broadcast portal service system in an integrated broadcast service system which includes at least one streaming content provider for providing broadcast programs with use of real-time streaming data and at least one non-streaming content provider for providing non-streaming data with respect to the broadcast programs, and which receives streaming contents and non-streaming contents with respect to the broadcast program through a plurality of wired/wireless communication networks and displays simultaneously or selectively the streaming contents and/or the non-streaming contents, the broadcast portal service system comprising: a service server for processing the non-streaming contents received from the non-streaming content provider periodically, processing the non-streaming contents received from the streaming content provider with respect to programs of broadcast sources so as to construct a database for the non-streaming contents, providing a portal service site onto which user information can be inputted, thereby searching the database for the non-streaming contents for user-desired broadcast programs and outputting the non-streaming contents; and an integrated viewer application for playing in real-time the streaming contents received from the streaming content provider with respect to the broadcast program requested by a user terminal, receiving the non-streaming contents from the database for the non-streaming contents in the service server with respect to a currently playing broadcast program, and playing in real-time the non-streaming contents along with the streaming contents so as to display the contents.

In order to accomplish the object, the invention provides a method for providing broadcast portal service in an integrated broadcast service system, the integrated broadcast service system having a service server for receiving non-streaming contents related to broadcast programs from a plurality of content providers, processing the non-streaming contents, constructing a database with the processed contents, and thereby providing the non-streaming contents along with a plurality of broadcasting station IDs and link contents, the integrated broadcast service system including a user terminal for receiving streaming contents and non-streaming contents for broadcast programs through a plurality of wireless/wired communication networks by an integrated viewer application comprised of a channel switch module, a streaming viewer module and a non-streaming viewer module, and displaying the streaming contents and/or the non-streaming contents simultaneously or selectively, the method comprising the steps of: 1) transmitting user log-in contents at a user terminal according to an execution command from the integrated viewer application, downloading the broadcasting station IDs and link contents thereof collected in the service server after searching the database in the service server, and constructing a user environment so as to execute the integrated viewer application via the downloaded contents; and 2) determining whether the user selects a desired channel after constructing the user environment, searching for the broadcasting station ID and link contents with respect to the selected channel if the user selects the desired channel, directly executing the integrated viewer application, which displays simultaneously the streaming contents and non-streaming contents for the user-desired channel, with the searched broadcasting station ID and link contents thereof.

Brief Description of the Drawings These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, in which like components are referred to by like reference numerals. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a configuration of an integrated broadcast portal service system according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a configuration of a user interface environment for an integrated viewer application of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a computer system constructed according to the invention;

Figs. 4A and 4B show a continued flow chart of a method for providing broadcast portal service according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 5A and 5B show database structures of non-streaming contents.

Fig. 6 shows a configuration of an integrated broadcast service system according to another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 7 shows a configuration of an integrated broadcast service system according to yet another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 8 shows a URL mapping table of Fig. 6; and Fig. 9 shows a flow chart for a broadcast reservation function.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a configuration of an integrated broadcast portal service system according to an embodiment of the invention. The service system comprises a service server 210, a plurality of streaming content providers (hereinafter, it is called 'SCP' in the embodiment) 220, a plurality of non-streaming content providers (Text and image contents are representative of the non-streaming contents, so hereinafter, it is called 'T/ICP' in the embodiment) 230, and a computer user 200 having an integrated viewer application 33. The integrated viewer application 33 mainly comprises a channel switch module 331 , a streaming viewer module 333, an information browser module 335, and an information menu module 337. Alternatively, the integrated viewer application 33 can further include a banner advertisement module 339 for providing advertisements related to a broadcast program.

The channel switch module 331 includes an URL (Uniform Resource Locator) mapping table for each broadcasting station in order to transmit SCP URLs and a broadcasting station IDs to the plurality of SCP 220 and the service server 210, respectively. Where, the URL mapping table is updated after downloading data from the service server 210, and comprises a plurality of SCP URLs and corresponding broadcasting station IDs. With the URL mapping table, it is possible to switch the channel to a user-selected channel. In addition, the channel switch module 331 performs a function to link directly the streaming viewer module 333 to a predetermined broadcasting station. Also, the channel switch module 331 transmits non-streaming contents related to a broadcast program which is showing at the streaming viewer module 333 to the information browser module 335 in the Internet document format such as Text/HTML, Image/GIF, JPG, BMP and the like, with the use of the transmitted broadcasting station IDs.

The streaming viewer module 333 is a streaming player for managing the streaming contents for the broadcast programs downloaded from the plurality of SCP 220. For example, general streaming player such as Real Player, Media Player or the like can be used for the streaming viewer module.

The information menu module 337 provides a categorized menu including content information classified according to items, in order to provide non-streaming contents with respect to the currently broadcasting program. A data structure of the categorized non-streaming contents in the information menu will be described in detail with reference to the Figs. 5A and 5B.

The information browser module 335 provides non-streaming information related to the currently broadcasting program, in other words, it provides corresponding non-streaming contents in a certain document form such as Text/HTML, Image/GIF. That is, the information browser module 335 corresponds to a small dedicated browser for displaying detailed contents for the menu selected by the information menu module 337.

The banner advertisement module 339 receives banner advertisements related to the currently broadcasting program from the service server 210 and displays the received banner advertisements. For example, there is provided a hyperlink of a banner advertisement such as HTML, it is possible to access the home page of the advertiser if a user clicks the hyperlink.

The service server 210 includes a program arrangement table for the programs to be broadcasted during a certain period in the future from each broadcast source. Thus, the service server 210 demands non-streaming contents by connecting the T/ICP 230 for the program recorded in the program arrangement table to a communication route, receives the required non-streaming contents from the T/ICP 230, and constructs database DB in advance after processing the received contents. That is, the service server 210 updates and constructs non-streaming database for the programs to be broadcasted in the future, and provides non-streaming database for the currently broadcasting programs to clients, in a predetermined period.

The T/ICP 230 is a server that provides text/image contents such as digital newspaper publishers, web magazine, broadcast sponsors. The non-streaming contents are XML (extendable markup language) contents with which DTD (document type definition) is defined, or other text formats. For reference, the XML is an improved language format over the HTML with which Internet webs are organized. And the XML facilitates complicated data processing of the client system necessary for the business since the XML has improved functions in homepage construction or web search. In addition, the XML is made up of a format that makes it easy to organize the contents to be inserted on the web by users, to manage and to access the contents. Accordingly, users can manage structurized database easily.

Fig. 2 shows a configuration of a user interface environment for an integrated viewer application. One full screen of the integrated viewer application is divided by a certain ratio so that a streaming viewer 35 for providing broadcast programs and a channel switch 34 for selecting desired broadcast channel can be assigned on the central part of the screen. And, an information menu 36 for providing a menu related to the non-streaming contents is assigned on the side portion. On the bottom portion, there is provided an information browser 37 for downloading the non-streaming contents from the service server 210 for the menu selected at the information menu and providing the downloaded non-streaming contents. In addition, it is possible to assign a banner advertisement 38 on the top portion of the screen in order to provide program-related advertisements. According to such screen division, it is possible to provide the program streaming contents, non-streaming contents related to the program and advertisements at the same time. As a result, more various contents are provided to users and diverse desires from the users can be met.

Another embodiment of the invention includes a service server and a computer system. The service server receives non-streaming contents related to a broadcast program from a plurality of contents providers, constructs a database after processing the received contents, and provides the non-streaming contents along with a plurality of broadcasting station IDs and link contents. And the computer system displays simultaneously or selectively the streaming contents and non-streaming contents related to the broadcast program by executing an integrated viewer application downloaded from the service server.

Next, in the Fig. 3, the computer system comprises a system unit 10, input unit 19 such as keyboard or mouse, display unit 21 , audio unit 23 such as speaker or microphone. The system unit 10 comprises a microprocessor 12, ROM (Read-only Memory) 13, RAM (Random Access Memory) 14, digital signal processor 15, external memory 16 such as hard disk, floppy disk or CD-ROM, memory management chip 17, input unit controller 18, video controller 20, audio controller 22, I/O controllers 24 between wired/wireless communication line 25 for being connected to external communication network and one or more system bus 11 so as to perform communication and processing among the components, as well known.

Especially, the RAM 14 is a main memory in which operating system (OS) 31 and other diverse applications are loaded. For example, web browsers 32 such as conventional Explorer or Netscape and integrated viewer application 33 of the invention are loaded into the RAM 14. The integrated viewer application 33 is downloaded from the service server through the wireΛvireless communication line 25 and installed into the RAM 14, and is a software that can provide programs (streaming contents) and related contents (non-streaming contents) for various broadcast channels at the same time. This software comprises a channel switch module 331 , an information menu module 337, and an information browser module 335, and each module performs the same functions as the components of the Fig. 1.

Figs. 4A and 4B show a continued flow chart of a method for providing broadcast portal service according to an embodiment of the invention. The operation of the method will be described with the Fig. 1 and, Figs. 4A and 4B.

First, if a user executes the integrated viewer application, the channel switch module 331 transmits user log-in contents (that is, user's ID and password registered when installing the integrated viewer application 33) to the service server 210, in the steps of S401 and S402.

The channel switch module 331 determines whether a mapping table in the service server 210 is identical with a predetermined mapping table of a client, if not identical, downloads new URL mapping table from the service server 210 and updates the client's URL mapping table so that the mapping tables of the server and the client can be set identical S405, S407.

The channel switch module 331 checks whether the user has fixed any channel S411. If there is no fixed channel, the channel switch module 331 presents a default screen to the streaming viewer module 333 and transmits a notice to the information browser module 335, in the steps of S413 and S415. If there is any fixed channel, the channel switch module 331 searches the URL mapping table and detects the broadcasting station (SCP) URL and the broadcasting station ID for the fixed channel S417. At this time, the broadcasting station (SCP) URL is transmitted to the streaming viewer module 333 and the broadcasting station ID is transmitted to the service server 210.

The streaming viewer module 333 that has received broadcasting station (SCP) URL plays the streaming player, accesses a live broadcast at the SCP URL location designated by the streaming player, downloads the streaming contents of the corresponding broadcast and plays the downloaded streaming contents S421 , S422 and S423. In this case, the streaming viewer module 333 determines the types of MIMI (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) format of the streaming contents provided by each broadcasting station (SCP), for example, separates the MIME format into a windows media player(.afx) or real player(.ram). Then the streaming viewer module 333 activates a streaming player capable of decoding and playing the signal of the corresponding SCP.

The service server 210 that has received the broadcasting station ID searches a program arrangement table in the server 210 so as to find a currently broadcasting program, searches constructed database for the non-streaming contents related to the currently broadcasting program, and then transmits the corresponding non-streaming contents and predetermined information menu contents to the client S431 , S433, S435 and S437.

Now, the integrated viewer application 33 of the client displays the streaming contents played by the streaming viewer module 333, and displays the information menu items for the non-streaming contents via the information menu module 337, in the step of S425.

In the meanwhile, the channel switch module 331 monitors constantly whether the user has switched channel S426. If the channel has been switched, the channel switch module 331 returns to the step S405, sets the mapping tables of the server and the client identical each other, executes the following steps repeatedly, receives again the streaming/non-streaming contents changed according to the channel switching, and displays the received contents S405 to S425. If the channel has not been switched, the information menu module 337 examines whether the user has selected the information menu item S427. If there is no item selected by the user, the step S426 is repeated.

If there is any item selected by the user, the information menu module 337 notifies the information browser module 335 of this fact, and then, in the step S428, the information browser module 337 displays non-streaming contents related to the selected menu item stored at the local in the step S424.

In brief, the service server 210 downloads periodically non-streaming contents for the programs from the T/ICP 230 before the broadcast starting time, constructs a non-streaming database in advance, and transmits the non-streaming contents related to the corresponding program to a client computer with one transaction. Such transaction takes place whenever the user switches a channel. Non-streaming contents such as performer lists, sponsors, program information, similar program lists and the like for the corresponding channel at the time of channel switching are transmitted to the user at a time, then the user stores the contents and can navigate selectively the stored non-streaming contents as necessary. As such, it is possible to enjoy the streaming contents and non-streaming contents at the same time while maintaining low load on the network. The client computer stores the streaming contents provided by the

SCP 220 and the non-streaming contents provided by the service server 210 temporarily in the memory. Then, the client computer displays the streaming contents via the streaming viewer module 333 and non-streaming contents menu items via the information menu module 337.

Where, the information menu items are systematized contents so as to manage and access the non-streaming contents easily by an operator or a user, the data structure of the information menu items are illustrated in the Figs. 5A and 5B. In the Fig. 5A, non-streaming contents are categorized according to the program types (for example, news, sports, drama, current/cultural documentary, variety show, movies, kid's program, etc) and, menu items divided into sub-fields are provided to each program. Therefore, it is possible to provide the program contents, or text/image of the profiles or pictures of producers, program writers, performers, etc via the information browser module 335 for the non-streaming contents with respect to the menu item selected by the user, or to link to the home pages of the performers or the sponsors. With reference to the Fig. 5B, the non-streaming contents have a directory structure including broadcast program title/broadcasting company, key word, production/scenario, similar category, costume/location sponsor, view^rer opinion, search, etc, and various menu items are stored in the sub-nodes of each directory. For example, the broadcast program title/broadcasting company directory is linked with program title, broadcasting company/production (URL), broadcasting time, program main story and general contents such as program main story. The key word directory is linked with text contents for a specific episode of a certain broadcast program. The broadcast program title/broadcasting company directory and the key word directory are provided on the initial screen.

In addition, the directories in relation to the currently displaying program via the streaming viewer module 333 are as follows.

The production/scenario directory is linked with producer career/main works (URL), and scenario writer career/main works (URL). The performer directory is linked with an entire performer list so as to provide pictures or brief profiles for each performer, to link to the VOD (video on demand) file for the main works or scheduled broadcast time table, and to link to the home page of the performers or fan clubs. For this function, a method for searching the data of the broadcast program performers and incorporating the search results into the character database is adopted.

The similar category directory is provided with other programs to be broadcasted of the same category as the broadcast program. For the purpose of this, a link function is provided to all programs under the same category in the broadcast arrangement table database.

The costume/location sponsor directory is provided with names and brief profiles of each sponsor, and is linked with the sponsor home pages.

The viewer opinion directory is provided with a viewer partake ASP(Active Server Page) and provides feedback service for exchanging between viewers and the broadcast providers. The format and contents of web pages can be modified actively according to the viewer opinion by adopting a user interface on the Internet such as ASP. The service server checks whether there is any viewer opinion in the non-streaming contents of a specific broadcast program, and provide high quality non-streaming contents by reflecting the viewer opinions.

The search directory is provided with a search ASP, and provides program search function of the service server by providing the search ASP to the information browser module 335.

Each directory as described above is information menu items and corresponds to link nodes. Therefore, if a user selects each item, the information browser module 335 provides the non-streaming contents for each item.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the integrated viewer application 33 of the invention operates as shown in Fig. 6, if a user access the MIME type of the SCP via general web browser such as Netscape or Explorer.

In the Fig. 6, if a user access a desired SCP by executing the integrated viewer application on the external web browser, an external SCP link 610 transmits MIME type of the corresponding SCP 220 to the channel switch module 331, and the channel switch module 331 checks whether an URL of requested SCP and broadcasting station ID exist in the predetermined URL mapping table.

In case the URL of requested SCP and broadcasting station ID exist in the URL mapping table, the channel switch module 331 transmits log-in contents including user ID to the service server 210, then, transmits mapped SCP URL to the streaming viewer module 331, and transmits mapped broadcasting station ID to the service server 210.

In case the URL of requested SCP and broadcasting station ID do not exist in the URL mapping table, the channel switch module 331 transmits the user ID to the service server 210, displays initial items such as raising the user credit and transmitting of congratulatory message. Afterwards, access to a new SCP and transmission of files to the service server are performed in the same way, as there are contents for the existing SCP. In other words, the contents that do not exist in the predetermined URL mapping table (all the field existing in the mapping table, such as broadcasting station ID of new SCP, SCP URL, channel number, etc) is inputted, and the version of the mapping table is raised up. Accordingly, all users can download the up-raised mapping table.

Fig. 7 is a yet another embodiment of the invention, and shows a configuration of an integrated broadcast service system that can receive TV general broadcasts and streaming broadcasts selectively. As compared with the system shown in Fig. 1, which is already described, the system of Fig. 7 also comprises all the components (the service server 210, SCP 220, T/ICP 230 and integrated viewer application 33) of the system in Fig. 2.

However, the system in Fig. 7 differs from that in Fig. 2 in that the system in the Fig. 7 is applied to a client computer incorporated with TV reception card 250. The difference will be described next, and the rest part of the operation and effect are the same as the system in the Fig. 2, so will not described further.

In the Fig. 7, the client computer of the system comprises an integrated viewer application 33 including a special channel switch module 331 for receiving general TV broadcast signal, a TV reception card 250 for receiving general TV broadcast from wired/wireless broadcasting stations SO, and a streaming contents player 260. The channel switch module 331 comprises a parsing part 771 , a URL mapping table 773, and invert part 775.

The parsing part 771 downloads link contents of the broadcast (MIME type capable of executing the viewer application) and corresponding broadcasting station ID from the service server 210, and executes the integrated view^rer application.

The URL mapping table 773 stores broadcasting station IDs, broadcasting station URLs, and broadcasting station channel numbers. A mapping table in the user computer also is updated identically with the mapping table in the service server 210 whenever the service server 210 creates new mapping table.

As shown in the Fig. 8, the URL mapping table 773 includes broadcasting station IDs, broadcasting URLs, contents (general TV broadcast channel numbers for the corresponding broadcasting station ID) for the channels receivable by the TV reception card 250 according to PC setting by the user. The URL mapping table 773 sends a command to receive the general TV broadcasts via the TV reception card to the invert part 775, if it is possible both to operate TV reception card and to receive the general TV broadcasts at the same time according to the broadcasting station ID selected by the user.

For example, as shown in the URL mapping table of the Fig. 8, if a broadcasting station ID is 'KR_KBS1', a broadcasting station URL is 'http://kbs.co.kr/live.ra', and a channel number is 9, then the mapping table issues a command to receive the general TV broadcasts via the TV reception card. If a broadcasting station ID is 'US_CNN', a broadcasting station URL is 'http://cnn.com/live.str', and a channel number is 'null', then the mapping table issues a command to execute the streaming contents player.

Where, the channel numbers for the general TV broadcasts receivable by the user can be acquired from the user database DB in the service server. The user database DB in the service server stores channel number contents of the receivable general TV broadcasts sent from the broadcast relay station of the corresponding area and general TV broadcast channel table.

For example, if a broadcast relay station is 'EP cable broadcasting company', and the system includes TV reception card, then the channel fields of the user's URL mapping table is set identical with the channel assignment table of the 'EP cable broadcasting company' included in the service site.

In addition, the broadcast relay station is 'EP cable broadcasting company', and the system does not include TV reception card, all channel fields of the user's URL mapping table is set to 'null'. The invert part 775 is activated and selectively invert the TV reception card 250 or the streaming contents player, according as whether the URL mapping table 773 has any channel field or not.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the system can perform a broadcast reservation function. For the broadcast reservation function, it is necessary to synchronize the timing of the integrated viewer application with that of the service server. In addition, the service server 210 includes a table instance according to the user ID with respect to the reservation contents organized by the user, and performs reserved broadcast service. For example, reservation tables for the server and the client with respect to the reservation contents organized by a user are illustrated in the Table 1A and IB.

[Table 1A]

Reservation Table for the server

[Table IB]

Reservation Table for the client

User ID = gunn

As shown in Table IB, if a reservation table organized at the client computer is transmitted to the service server, the service server organizes a separate reservation table according to the user ID and provides non-streaming contents for the desired broadcast channel at the reserved time.

As shown in the Fig. 9, the integrated viewer application of the invention is synchronized with the server, then, determines whether the reserved broadcast program is being displayed or not by comparing current time and reservation contents with the use of reservation table as shown above, and switches the channel to the reserved channel at the reserved time.

In the Fig. 9, when starting the integrated viewer application or booting the operating system, the timers at the server and the client computer are synchronized through the Internet S910. Then, it is examined whether the integrated viewer application is operating or not S911. If the integrated viewer application is operating, it is examined whether the program reserved by the user is showing or not S913. If the reserved program is not showing, it is examined whether it is time for the reserved program to start S915. As a result of the step S913, if the reserved program is showing, or after the step S915, it is time for the reserved program to start, the current broadcast channel is switched to the reserved channel S917.

In the meanwhile, as a result of the step S911, when the integrated viewer application is not operating, it is examined whether the reserved program is showing S931. If the reserved program is not showing, it is examined whether it is time for the reserved program to start S933.

As a result of the step S931 , if the reserved program is showing, or in the consequence of the step S933, it is time for the reserved program to start, the integrated viewer application is operated and the current channel is switched to the reserved channel S935, S937.

In addition, another embodiment of the invention can provide only necessary non-streaming contents by taking direct request from the user, age, personal character, educational background, taste and so on into account.

As described above, an embodiment of the invention can provides image and sound contents, and non-streaming contents synchronized therewith for broadcast programs at the same time while maintaining low load on the network. The system of the invention can receive all the live Internet broadcasts including various streaming formats. In addition, another embodiment of the invention can integrate Internet broadcasts and general TV broadcasts/cable broadcasts in one broadcast system by inverting the TV reception card and the streaming contents player. Furthermore, it is possible to provide various services such as reserved broadcast service, user-dedicated broadcast service, interactive broadcast service and so on, in connection with the service server.

The present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Claims

1. A broadcast portal service system in an integrated broadcast service system which includes at least one streaming content provider for providing broadcast programs with use of real-time streaming data and at least one non-streaming content provider for providing non-streaming data with respect to the broadcast programs, and which receives streaming contents and non-streaming contents with respect to the broadcast program through a plurality of wired/wireless communication networks and displays simultaneously or selectively the streaming contents and/or the non-streaming contents, the broadcast portal service system comprising: a service server for processing the non-streaming contents received from the non-streaming content provider periodically, processing the non-streaming contents received from the streaming content provider with respect to programs of broadcast sources so as to construct a database for the non-streaming contents, providing a portal service site onto which user information can be inputted, thereby searching the database for the non-streaming contents for user-desired broadcast programs and outputting the non-streaming contents; and an integrated viewer application for playing in real-time the streaming contents received from the streaming content provider with respect to the broadcast program requested by a user terminal, receiving the non-streaming contents from the database for the non-streaming contents in the service server with respect to a currently playing broadcast program, and playing in real-time the non-streaming contents along with the streaming contents so as to display the contents.

2. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the integrated viewer application comprises: a streaming viewer module for receiving the streaming contents from the streaming content provider with respect to the broadcast program requested by the user terminal and, playing the streaming contents in real-time so as to display the streaming contents; and a non-streaming viewer module for receiving the non-streaming contents from the non-streaming content database in the service server with respect to the broadcast program requested by the user terminal and, playing the non-streaming contents along with the streaming contents so as to display the non-streaming contents.

3. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the integrated viewer application comprises a channel switch module for transmitting a broadcasting station ID for a channel to which a user requests to connect to the service server so that the non-streaming contents received from the non-streaming content provider of the requested channel can be downloaded from the service server, transmitting link contents of the channel requested by the user to the streaming viewer module, and switching the channel of the streaming viewer module so that the streaming contents of the corresponding channel received from the streaming content provider can be received by the streaming viewer module.

4. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the channel switch module includes: distinctive broadcasting station IDs owned by the plurality of streaming content providers; and a Uniform Resource Locator(URL) mapping table for storing URL of each broadcasting station to specify link contents for the broadcasting stations.

5. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the channel switch module downloads the broadcasting station IDs and the broadcasting station link contents (URL) from the service server whenever the user selects a channel, updates the URL mapping table and stores the updated URL mapping table.

6. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the service server provides the broadcasting station IDs for connecting to the channel requested by the user terminal and the link information of the corresponding broadcast channel, and the service server further provides an arrangement table for the non-streaming contents according to broadcast time arrangement with respect to the connected broadcast channel.

7. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the service server includes categorized contents classified into tree structure and a non-streaming content file of a data structure having detailed contents in sub-fields appended to each category, so as to provide systematic non-streaming contents for various broadcast programs.

8. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the non-streaming viewer module comprises: an information menu module for displaying categorized items classified according to the related contents from the non-streaming content file downloaded from the service server; and an information browser module for displaying or navigating various detailed contents for the sub-field of the items selected by the user via the information menu module.

9. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the service server further comprises an advertisement database for providing non-streaming contents of banner advertisements related to a currently broadcasting program.

10. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the integrated viewer application comprises a banner advertisement module for downloading the non-streaming contents for the banner advertisement related to the currently broadcasting program from the service server and displaying the downloaded non-streaming contents.

11. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the user terminal comprises a TV reception card for receiving TV broadcast signals and playing the received broadcast; and the integrated viewer application comprises: a streaming viewer module for receiving the streaming contents or TV broadcast contents from the streaming contents provider or TV broadcast signal source for the broadcast program requested by the user terminal and playing the received streaming contents or the TV broadcast contents in real-time so as to display the contents; and a non-streaming viewer module for receiving the non-streaming contents from the non-streaming content database in the service server for the broadcast program requested by the user terminal, and playing the non-streaming contents along with the streaming contents or the TV broadcast contents so as to display the non-streaming contents.

12. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the integrated viewer application further comprises a channel switch module for transmitting a broadcasting station ID for a channel to which a user requests to connect to the service server so that desired non-streaming contents received from the non-streaming content provider for the corresponding channel can be downloaded from the service server, transmitting selectively broadcasting station link contents or receivable TV channel contents of the channel requested by the user to the streaming viewer module or to the TV reception card, and switching the channel of the streaming viewer module or the TV reception card, so that the streaming contents of the corresponding channel received from the streaming content provider can be received and played by the streaming viewer module or the TV broadcast contents of the corresponding channel received from the TV broadcast signal source can be received and played.

13. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the channel switch module comprises: distinctive broadcasting station IDs owned by the plurality of streaming content providers;

URLs for each broadcasting station to specify link contents of the broadcasting stations! and an URL(Uniform Resource Locator) mapping table for storing TV channel contents for the channels receivable by the TV reception card

14. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the channel switch module downloads the broadcasting station IDs, the broadcasting station link contents (URL), and receivable TV channel contents from the service server whenever the user selects the channel, updates the URL mapping table and stores the updated URL mapping table.

15. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the service server provides the broadcasting station ID for connecting to the channel requested by the user terminal, the link contents and receivable TV channel contents of the corresponding broadcast channel, and the service server further provides an arrangement table for the non-streaming contents according to broadcast time arrangement with respect to the connected broadcast channel.

16. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the service server includes categorized contents classified into tree structure and, non-streaming content files of a data structure having detailed contents in sub-fields appended to each category, so as to provide systematic non-streaming contents for various broadcast programs.

17. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the non- streaming viewer module comprises: an information menu module for displaying categorized items classified according to the related contents from the non-streaming content files downloaded from the service server; and an information browser module for displaying or navigating various detailed contents for the sub-field of the items selected by the user via the information menu module.

18. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the service server further comprises an advertisement database for providing non-streaming contents for banner advertisements related to a currently broadcasting program.

19. The broadcast portal service system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the integrated viewer application comprises a banner advertisement module for downloading the non-streaming contents for the banner advertisement related to the currently broadcasting program from the service server and displaying the downloaded non-streaming contents.

20. A method for providing broadcast portal service in an integrated broadcast service system, the integrated broadcast service system having a service server for receiving non-streaming contents related to broadcast programs from a plurality of content providers, processing the non-streaming contents, constructing a database with the processed contents, and thereby providing the non-streaming contents along with a plurality of broadcasting station IDs and link contents, the integrated broadcast service system including a user terminal for receiving streaming contents and non-streaming contents for broadcast programs through a plurality of wireless/wired communication networks by an integrated viewer application comprised of a channel switch module, a streaming viewer module and a non-streaming viewer module, and displaying the streaming contents and/or the non-streaming contents simultaneously or selectively, the method comprising the steps of:

1) transmitting user log-in contents at a user terminal according to an execution command from the integrated viewer application, downloading the broadcasting station IDs and link contents thereof collected in the service server after searching the database in the service server, and constructing a user environment so as to execute the integrated viewer application via the downloaded contents; and

2) determining whether the user selects a desired channel after constructing the user environment, searching for the broadcasting station

ID and link contents with respect to the selected channel if the user selects the desired channel, directly executing the integrated viewer application, which displays simultaneously the streaming contents and non-streaming contents for the user-desired channel, with the searched broadcasting station ID and link contents thereof.

21. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step of constructing the user environment is accomplished by a channel switch module which stores distinctive broadcasting station IDs for a plurality of broadcast sources that provides the streaming contents and/or the non-streaming contents, and corresponding a plurality of broadcasting station link contents in a form of mapping table

22. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 21, wherein the channel switch module updates preset contents stored in the mapping table with the broadcasting station ID and link contents thereof downloaded from the database in the service server, in the step of constructing the user environment.

23. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 20, wherein the step of executing the integrated viewer application comprises the steps of: a) searching the mapping table preset at the channel switch module for the broadcasting station ID and link contents thereof for the channel fixed by the user; and b) directly receiving a real-time broadcast from the streaming contents provider at the location corresponding to the searched broadcasting station link contents, displaying the streaming contents of the received real-time broadcast, downloading the non-streaming contents provided by the non-streaming content provider corresponding to the searched broadcasting station ID from the database in the service server, and storing the non-streaming contents so as to display the contents.

24. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 23, further comprising the step of: determining whether reservation for the execution of the integrated viewer application has been fixed by the user after constructing the user environment, synchronizing the service server w^τith the user terminal if the reservation has been fixed, checking constantly whether a reserved program is broadcasting or it is time for the reserved program to start, and executing the integrated viewer application by selecting a reserve channel when the reserved program is broadcasting or it is the time for the reserved program to start.

25. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 23, wherein the step of executing the integrated viewer application further comprises the step of determining whether the channel is switched by the user while displaying the streaming contents and non-streaming contents, and returning to the step of searching the mapping table by the channel switch module in the step of construction the user environment if the channel is switched, thereby updating the contents of the mapping table for the channel switch module by searching the database in the service server whenever the channel is switched by the user.

26. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 23, wherein the step of executing the integrated viewer application comprises the steps of: transmitting the searched broadcasting station link contents to the streaming viewer module, and transmitting the searched broadcasting station ID to the service server respectively; directly receiving the real-time broadcast at the location corresponding to the broadcasting station link contents, and playing the received real-time broadcast w^τith the streaming viewer module; and receiving non-streaming contents for the broadcast program corresponding to the broadcasting station ID provided from the service server, and playing the received non-streaming contents with the non-streaming contents module.

27. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 20, wherein the service server includes categorized contents classified into tree structure and, a non-streaming content files of a data structure having detailed contents in sub-fields appended to each category, so as to provide systematic non-streaming contents for various broadcast programs; and the non-streaming viewer module comprises: an information menu module for displaying categorized items classified according to the related contents from the non-streaming content files downloaded from the service server; and an information browser module for displaying or navigating various detailed contents for the sub-field of the item selected by the user via the information menu module.

28. The method for providing broadcast portal service as claimed in claim 20, wherein the service server further comprises an advertisement database for providing the non-streaming contents for banner advertisements related to a currently broadcasting program; and the integrated view^rer application comprises a banner advertisement module for downloading the non-streaming contents for the banner advertisement related to the currently broadcasting program from the service server and displaying the downloaded non-streaming contents.