Home network system and method of recording broadcasting content thereof

This application claims priority to an application entitled “HOME NETWORK SYSTEM AND METHOD OF RECORDING BROADCASTING CONTENT THEREOF” filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Dec. 28, 2006 and assigned Serial No. 2006-0136513, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a home network system and a method of recording a broadcasting content thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Recently, home network technology for making home living more convenient has been spotlighted. The home network technology for constructing a network between electronic appliances within a home and for integrally controlling the electronic appliances through the network is further advanced than home automation technology for automatically controlling the electronic appliances within the home. The home network system connects various client devices such as home appliances, PCs, and IT devices to a server through wired and wireless communication and integrally controls and manages the devices.

A user of a mobile terminal connected to the server can view broadcasting content sent from the server in a streaming method almost regardless of location.

However, when power of a battery pack of the mobile terminal is dropped to a low level such that the mobile terminal cannot receive the broadcasting content and display the broadcasting content in a display unit, or when the mobile terminal performs communication, or when an alarm service of the mobile terminal is performed, the user needs to interrupt the viewing of the broadcasting content using the mobile terminal.

In this case, it is not easy for the user to view the interrupted broadcasting content from an interrupted point in time because the user needs to view again from the start of the interrupted broadcasting content or needs to directly find an interrupted point in time of the interrupted broadcasting content.

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems, and the present invention provides a home network system and a method of recording a broadcasting content thereof that enable a user to view broadcasting content for which viewing is interrupted, at a desired location and time, from an interrupted point in time.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method of recording a broadcasting content in a home network system that includes a mobile terminal and a home terminal connected to a server through a communication network includes requesting, by the mobile terminal, the server to send the broadcasting content; receiving, by the server, the broadcasting content from a broadcasting station and sending the received broadcasting content to the mobile terminal; displaying, by the mobile terminal, the received broadcasting content; if viewing of the broadcasting content is interrupted, requesting by the mobile terminal, the server to record the interrupted broadcasting content; and recording, by the server, the broadcasting content from an interrupted point in time of the broadcasting content.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method of recording broadcasting content in a home network system that includes a mobile terminal connected to a server through a wireless communication network includes receiving, by the mobile terminal, broadcasting content from a broadcasting station and displaying the received broadcasting content; if viewing of the broadcasting content is interrupted, requesting by the mobile terminal, the server to record the interrupted broadcasting content; and recording, by the server, the broadcasting content from an interrupted point in time of the broadcasting content.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a home network system includes a server for receiving broadcasting content from a broadcasting station and for sending the received broadcasting content; and a mobile terminal for receiving and displaying the broadcasting content from a broadcasting station or a server and, if viewing of the received broadcasting content is interrupted, for requesting the server to record the interrupted broadcasting content, wherein the server records the broadcasting content from an interrupted point in time of the broadcasting content according to a request of the mobile terminal.

The home network system may further include a home terminal for requesting the server to reproduce the recorded broadcasting content and for receiving and displaying the recorded broadcasting content from the server.

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a home network system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of recording a broadcasting content of a home network system according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B is a message flow diagram illustrating an execution process of a manual recording method selected in the method of FIG. 2 ;

FIGS. 4A and 4B is a message flow diagram illustrating an execution process of a specific broadcasting content recording method selected in the method of FIG. 2 ; and

FIGS. 5A and 5B is a message flow diagram illustrating an execution process of an automatic recording method selected in the method of FIG. 2 .

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings in detail. The same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a home network system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a home network system 10 includes a server 13 having a storage unit 14 , a mobile terminal 16 connected to the server 13 through a wireless communication network 15 and having a display unit 17 , and home terminals 18 each connected to the server 13 through a wired communication network 21 or a wireless communication network 22 and each having a display unit 19 within a home. Hereinafter, “a terminal” may be the mobile terminal 16 or the home terminal 18 .

The server 13 receives and sends broadcasting content from a broadcasting station 12 . The mobile terminal 16 requests the server 13 to send the broadcasting content and displays the broadcasting content through the display unit 17 so that a user may view the broadcasting content received from the server 13 . The mobile terminal 16 can directly receive and display the broadcasting content from the broadcasting station 12 .

Particularly, the mobile terminal 16 requests, when viewing of the received broadcasting content is interrupted, the server 13 to record the interrupted broadcasting content. The server 13 records the broadcasting content in the storage unit 14 from an interrupted point in time of the broadcasting content according to a request of the mobile terminal 16 . When the user requests to reproduce the recorded broadcasting content through one of the terminals 16 and 18 connected to the server 13 , the server 13 sends the recorded broadcasting content to the terminals 16 and 18 to enable the user to view the broadcasting content from an interrupted point in time.

The wireless communication network 15 connecting the server 13 and the mobile terminal 16 is one of Wireless Broadband (WiBro), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA). A type of broadcasting may be one of terrestrial broadcasting, satellite broadcasting, and cable broadcasting. The broadcasting content may be one of terrestrial, satellite, and cable broadcasting content. The mobile terminal 16 may be one of a mobile communication terminal, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), Portable Multimedia Player (PMP), and notebook computer.

Particularly, the mobile terminal 16 sends to the server 13 recording request information of the interrupted broadcasting content so that the server 13 may record the interrupted broadcasting content. The recording request information includes the type of broadcasting of the broadcasting content, a broadcasting channel, a name of the broadcasting content, and an interrupted point in time of the broadcasting content.

The server 13 extracts an interrupted broadcasting content among the broadcasting content received in the server 13 based on the recording request information and records the extracted broadcasting content in the storage unit 14 from the interrupted point in time.

The interrupted broadcasting content is recorded according to a recording method set by the user through the mobile terminal 16 . The recording method is one of a manual recording method, a specific broadcasting content recording method, and an automatic recording method. The manual recording method is a method of recording the interrupted broadcasting content whereby, if viewing of a broadcasting content is interrupted, the mobile terminal requests the server to record the broadcasting content if requested by the user. The specific broadcasting content recording method is a method whereby, if viewing of a specific broadcasting content specified by the user is interrupted, only the specific broadcasting content is recorded. The automatic recording method is a method whereby, if viewing of a broadcasting content is interrupted, the interrupted broadcasting content is automatically recorded.

The home terminal 18 may be one of a personal computer (PC) monitor and a television. The home terminal 18 is connected to the server 13 through a wire 21 or through a local area wireless communication network 22 such as Bluetooth® and wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi). In the present exemplary embodiment, a first home terminal 18 a is connected to the server 13 through the local area wireless communication network 22 , and a second home terminal 18 b is connected to the server 13 through the wire 21 .

A method of recording broadcasting content of the home network system 10 according to the present invention is described in detail through an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of recording broadcasting content of the home network system 10 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the method of recording broadcasting content is described in detail as follows.

A recording method is selected by a user in the mobile terminal 16 in step S 31 . The user can select one of a manual recording method, a specific broadcasting content recording method, and an automatic recording method using the mobile terminal 16 .

Next, the mobile terminal 16 determines whether the user requests to execute the selected recording method in step S 33 . If the user requests to execute the selected recording method, the mobile terminal 16 executes the selected recording method in step S 35 . If the user does not request to execute the selected recording method, the mobile terminal 16 does not execute the selected recording method. For example, the mobile terminal 16 displays a pop-up window for inquiring whether to execute the selected recording method in the display unit 17 . A pop-up window for inputting “Yes” or “No” is displayed in the display unit 17 , and the user selects “Yes” or “No” through key input, thereby determining whether to execute the selected recording method.

If a specific broadcasting content recording method is selected at step S 31 , a process of specifying a specific broadcasting content is also performed.

FIGS. 3A and 3B is a message flow diagram illustrating an execution process of a manual recording method selected in the method of FIG. 2 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 , 3 A and 3 B, the execution process of step S 35 of a manual recording method, selected at step S 31 of FIG. 2 , is described in detail as follows.

Upon request by the user, the mobile terminal 16 requests the server 13 to send broadcasting content in step S 41 . The server 13 receives the broadcasting content from the broadcasting station 12 in step S 42 , and sends the received broadcasting content to the mobile terminal 16 in step S 43 . The user selects broadcasting content to view among broadcasting contents received in the mobile terminal 16 , and the mobile terminal 16 displays the selected broadcasting content in step S 44 . The mobile terminal 16 displays the selected broadcasting content in the display unit 17 in a streaming method.

Thereafter, if viewing of the selected broadcasting content is interrupted in step S 45 , the mobile terminal 16 determines if the user requests to record the interrupted broadcasting content in step S 46 . For example, the mobile terminal 16 displays a pop-up window for inquiring whether to record the interrupted broadcasting content in the display unit 17 . A pop-up window for inputting “Yes” or “No” is displayed in the display unit 17 , and the user selects “Yes” or “No” through key input, thereby determining whether to record the interrupted broadcasting content.

If the mobile terminal 16 receives a user request for recording, the mobile terminal 16 requests the server 13 to record the interrupted broadcasting content in step S 47 . The mobile terminal 16 sends recording instruction information to the server 13 .

The server 13 extracts the interrupted broadcasting content from among broadcasting content received in the server 13 based on the recording request information in step S 48 . The server 13 records the extracted broadcasting content in the storage unit 14 from an interrupted point in time in step S 49 .

The user requests the mobile terminal 16 to reproduce the broadcasting content recorded in the server 13 at a desired location and time in step S 50 . The server 13 sends the recorded broadcasting content requested by the user to the mobile terminal 16 in step S 51 . The mobile terminal 16 displays the received recorded broadcasting content in step S 52 . Accordingly, the user can view the broadcasting content from the interrupted point in time at a desired location and time.

In the present exemplary embodiment, an example of requesting and viewing the broadcasting content recorded in the server 13 through the mobile terminal 16 is described, however the user can view the broadcasting content recorded in the server 13 through the home terminal 18 connected to the server 13 .

FIGS. 4A and 4B is a message flow diagram illustrating an execution process of a specific broadcasting content recording method selected in the method of FIG. 2 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 , 4 A and 4 B, the execution process in step S 35 of a specific broadcasting content recording method is described in detail as follows.

Steps S 61 to S 65 in the execution process in step S 35 of the specific broadcasting content recording method are identical to steps S 41 to S 45 of the manual recording method, and therefore a detailed description thereof is omitted.

If viewing of the selected broadcasting content is interrupted at step S 65 , the mobile terminal 16 determines if the interrupted broadcasting content is a specific broadcasting content in step S 66 . If the interrupted broadcasting content is a specific broadcasting content, the mobile terminal 16 requests the server 13 to record the interrupted broadcasting content in step S 67 .

Steps S 68 to S 72 of the specific broadcasting content recording method are identical to steps S 48 to S 52 of the manual recording method.

If the interrupted broadcasting content is not a specific broadcasting content at step S 66 , the mobile terminal 16 does not request the server 13 to record the interrupted broadcasting content, and a process of recording the interrupted broadcasting content is not performed.

FIGS. 5A and 5B is a message flow diagram illustrating an execution process of an automatic recording method selected in the method of FIG. 2 .

Referring to FIGS. 1 , 5 A and 5 B, the execution process in step S 35 of the automatic recording method is described in detail as follows.

Steps S 81 to S 85 in the execution process in step S 35 of the automatic recording method are identical to steps S 41 to S 45 of the manual recording method, and therefore a detailed description thereof is omitted.

If the selected broadcasting content 16 is interrupted at step S 85 , the mobile terminal 16 automatically requests the server 13 to record the interrupted broadcasting content in step S 87 .

Steps S 88 to S 92 of the automatic recording method are identical to steps S 48 to S 52 of the manual recording method.

In the present exemplary embodiment, an example in which the mobile terminal receives the broadcasting content sent from the broadcasting station via the server is described, however the mobile terminal can directly receive the broadcasting content from the broadcasting station.

A recording method that combines a specific broadcasting content recording method and a manual recording method can be used and is described as follows.

If viewing of a broadcasting content is interrupted, the mobile terminal determines if the interrupted broadcasting content is a specific broadcasting content. If the interrupted broadcasting content is a specific broadcasting content, the mobile terminal requests the server to record the interrupted broadcasting content. If the interrupted broadcasting content is not a specific broadcasting content, the mobile terminal performs a manual recording method by inquiring a user whether to record the interrupted broadcasting content.

As described above, according to the present invention, when viewing of broadcasting content is interrupted in a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal requests a server to record the interrupted broadcasting content, and the server records the broadcasting content from an interrupted point in time. Therefore, a user can request the terminal to reproduce the broadcasting content recorded in the server at a desired location and time and can view the broadcasting content from the interrupted point in time.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many variations and modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will still fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.