Apparatus for receiving adaptive broadcast signal and method thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for receiving an adaptive broadcast signal and method thereof are disclosed. The present invention includes linking an IP network, sending network environment information for a receiver and program selection information to a service provider via the linked IP network, and providing the receiver with at least one service in available service information for a program selected by a user based on the sent network environment information.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/848,366, filed on Oct. 2, 2006, in the name of inventors Jin Pil KIM, Ho Taek HONG, Jong Yeul SUH and Joon Hwi LEE, titled “APPARATUS FOR RECEIVING ADAPTIVE BROADCAST SIGNAL AND METHOD THEREOF”, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for receiving an adaptive broadcast signal and a method thereof, and more particularly, to a broadcast receiver and broadcast receiving method. Although the present invention is suitable for a wide scope of applications, it is particularly suitable for receiving an adaptive broadcast signal according to a receiver environment.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

FIGS. 1A to 1C show a broadcast receiving method according to a related art.

Referring to FIGS. 1A to 1C, in a related art TV, contents provided by a broadcasting station are transmitted via a radiowave transferring medium such as a broadcast network and the like by a cable broadcast provider, a terrestrial broadcast provider or a satellite broadcast provider. A viewer receives a corresponding service in a manner of viewing the contents via a TV receiver capable of receiving each of the transfer media.

As the digital based TV technology has been developed and commercialized from the conventional analog TV broadcasting, various contents including real-time broadcasting, CoD (contents on demand), games, news and the like can be provided to viewers via Internet networks connected to home as well as the conventional radiowave media.

As an example of the contents providing via the internet network, there is an internet protocol TV (IPTV). The IPTV means a service for providing information services, moving picture contents, broadcasts and the like to a television using high-speed internet networks.

The IPTV is identical to normal cable broadcasting or satellite broadcasting in providing broadcast contents including video. Yet, the IPTV is characterized in having bi-directionality in addition. Differing from terrestrial broadcasting, cable broadcasting or satellite broadcasting, the IPTV enables a user to view a specific program at a specific time convenient to the user.

However, a broadcast receiver may have a network speed for receiving a broadcast stream, which varies according to a network environment. And, a service transport speed of the broadcast receiver may vary according to a user level sorted according to a billing system or the like. Hence, a service provider needs to modify a broadcast transmission according to the user level.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for receiving an adaptive broadcast signal and method thereof that substantially obviate one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a method of receiving an adaptive broadcast signal according to the present invention includes the steps of linking an IP network, sending network environment information for a receiver and program selection information to a service provider via the linked IP network, and providing the receiver with at least one service in available service information for a program selected by a user based on the sent network environment information.

In another aspect of the present invention, an adaptive broadcast receiver includes a network interface unit transceiving a broadcast stream capsulated into an IP packet by connecting the broadcast receiver to a service provider via a network, a control unit controlling contents encoded at a bit rate suitable for a network environment of the broadcast receiver to be received in a manner of sending network environment information for the broadcast receiver to the service provider via the network interface unit, and a display unit outputting the received broadcast stream.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the implementations and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate implementations and together with the description serve to explain the implementations. In the drawings;

FIGS. 1A to 1C are diagrams for a broadcast receiving method according to a related art;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for system layers of IPTV (IP television);

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram for IPTV system;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system between a service provider and a broadcast receiver;

FIG. 5 is a diagram for IP capsulation in case that a service provider provides a service to a broadcast receiver via an IP network;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of receiving an adaptive broadcast signal according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a detailed diagram for a method of receiving an adaptive broadcast signal according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a data structure to send resource information for a broadcast receiver to a service provider from the broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram for encoding of a bandwidth to support a service provider with network environment information according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a data structure to sent network environment information for a broadcast receiver to a service provider from the broadcast receiver according to one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an adaptive broadcast receiver according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the implementations, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for system layers of IPTV (IP television).

Referring to FIG. 2, an IPTV system includes a contents provider layer, a service provider layer, a network provider layer, and a consumer layer.

The contents provider plays a role in providing the service provider with contents.

The service provider plays a role in providing a service to a subscriber. And, the service provider collects various contents, transforms signals to fit an IP environment, and then delivers the transformed signals to the consumer. In this case, the service provider may correspond to a virtual existence and the contents provider can be the service provider.

The network provider plays a role in connecting the consumer and the service provider together via IP network.

A transport system can use various networks including an access network, a backbone network, etc. The consumer is the layer for receiving a broadcast by being provided with contents. And, the consumer includes a set-top box, a personal computer (PC), a mobile terminal or the like.

A concept of the IPTV is explained in detail in the following description.

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram for IPTV system.

Referring to FIG. 3, system layers of IPTV can be mainly categorized into a contents provider, a service provider, and a consumer. The contents provider can be called a platform provider as well. The three kinds of groups play different roles, respectively.

The contents provider can indicate a group that provides overall services and data for broadcast programs.

The service provider transmits multimedia data. The service provider provides the consumer with maintenance and management to enable stable reception of contents. And, the service provider provides the contents provider with the infrastructure and functions for capability of network transmission.

And, the consumer group plays a role in playing data inputted using such an infrastructure as xDSL, cable and the like or responding to a user request promptly. The consumer group mostly includes manufacturers for manufacturing IPTVs and its kinds can be categorized into IPTV, IP STB, IP Phone, and the like. The respective groups are explained in detail as follows.

First of all, the contents provider group may include a TV station that produces a broadcast program. The TV station means a conventional terrestrial broadcasting station or a cable broadcasting station. These broadcasting stations produce and store programs viewable by consumers and are capable of converting the programs digitally to be transmitted. This is to enable various broadcasting types to be transmitted.

A radio station means a general radio broadcasting station and may have a video channel in some cases. Yet, the radio station is mostly operated without video channel. VoD (video on demand) or AoD (audio on demand) service has characteristics different from those of the TV station or the radio station.

The contents provider may store and keep a program to be broadcasted. Yet, this program is a live broadcast with continuity. So, this program is characterized in being unable to be rewound or paused to be viewed unless being recorded.

Yet, in case of VoD or AoD, a specific broadcast program, movie or music can be stored and then played later to be viewed. For instance, if a broadcast program is currently missed to view due to lack of time, a site providing the broadcast service is accessed to download a corresponding file or play the downloaded file directly. Likewise, the AoD provides a function of recording an audio program or playing an audio program by real time. MoD (music on demand) service enables a user to download a specific music to listen to. Targets of the MoD service can be implemented in a manner that a phonograph record manufacturer or distributor expands a conventional web service.

An embodiment of a service provided by a contents provider group is explained as follows.

First of all, a PF server can be serviced by a company that manages all broadcast information and location information provided by the contents provider. This service mainly contains location information necessary for a broadcast time or broadcast of a corresponding broadcasting station and information for enabling a customer to access the corresponding broadcasting station. The customer is able to obtain and display this information on a screen. The PF server is one of the services mandatory for each broadcasting station. In the IPTV environment, this service is provided to enable a customer to access a corresponding broadcasting station.

EPG service is one of convenient services provided to enable a customer to inquire a broadcast program per a time zone and recognize a broadcast program per a channel. The EPG service is configured to be executable in a manner that a corresponding program is automatically installed at a customer side in advance.

A customer is able to obtain the information for a corresponding broadcasting station only from a PF server. Yet, the EPG service enables a customer to obtain information for real-time broadcast channels of all broadcasting stations at a time. So, the EPG service can be very conveniently usable. For instance, the EPG service is provided with a powerful function of making a reservation for recording CNN news or a reservation for viewing Disney channel. So, the EPG service should provide details of information for broadcast programs in a corresponding area per a time zone. In particular, in case of a prescribed drama, contents of the drama are searched. The broadcast programs can be categorized into SF, drama, animation, and the like for discrimination. Detailed information for a story or characters of a movie or drama of a simple broadcast program can be included.

One big problem of the EPG service is how to transmit EPG data suitable for a customer due to too many kinds of licenses of customers who view IPTV. To access the EPG service, a customer finds and presses an input key of a remote controller with ease.

ECG service has all kinds of functions for facilitating a customer to use information for contents possessed by a contents provider, a location of an access server, an access authority and the like. In brief, the functions include a function of facilitating servers having contents to be accessed and an electronic program guide (EPG) indicating details of information for contents.

In particular, a load in individually accessing a prescribed content service to view or download contents can be reduced in a manner of binding services including AoD, MoD and VoD into one such as EPG except a real-time broadcast.

Similar to the EPG service, the ECG service enables contents stored in a server to be viewed at any time instead of informing real-time broadcast channel information. And, the ECG service enables contents to be downloaded and stored. If a customer attempts to access a server having corresponding contents, the customer has difficulty in obtaining an address or accessing PF servers. This is a very complicated process and consumes considerable time. A company providing ECG enables an ECG program to be automatically installed in a customer, collects information for all kinds of contents, and provides the corresponding data. In order to access an ECG service, a customer just clicks an input key button on a remote controller as well.

A portal server is connected to a broadcasting station via a web service provided by each broadcasting station or connected to a web server of a company servicing contents. The portal server plays a role in searching or viewing a program list provided by each broadcasting station or each contents provider providing a contents service. This can be considered as a function of ECG or EPG. Yet, a portal service is equipped with such a function as user authentication or license contract. So, an access is needed to view a specific program. Although ECG or EPG provides a unified broadcast or contents list, the portal service provides broadcast or contents list information for a corresponding program providing company to enable detailed search. In order to access a portal service, a customer just clicks a portal input button on a remote controller.

Thus, the contents provider side should include a function of providing those services and the like. If it is attempted to normally operate the functions, servers of service companies should be access IP network to transmit a corresponding program by real time or transmit broadcast information.

And, the respective broadcasting stations or the service companies should be connected to a network of a service provider for errorless transmission without delay. So, they should have a system for transmitting multimedia data using internet real-time protocol such as RTP, RTSP, RSVP, MPLS and the like.

For instance, in case that a TV studio currently providing news attempts to transmit multimedia by real time, if the multimedia includes MPEG-2 and AC-3 audio specifications, a transcoding work for converting them to fit a format of IPTV should be carried out. After a server for executing this work has been passed, a system is configured in a manner that RTP/UDP protocol including time information for matching caption or lip-sync is attached to pass through IP network provided by a service provider.

The service provider provides stability and bandwidth of network to enable multimedia data and broadcast data to be well transmitted by a contents provider. Service providers are able to provide IPTV services using a conventional cable network. In this case, equipments of delivery network need to be changed. In particular, network equipments capable of real-time data transmission should be provided for configuration and a customer should configure a network by considering a bandwidth. The equipments should reduce a bandwidth by processing massive multimedia data using a multicast service as a basic network service of IPTV. If a bandwidth is not secured, a service provider changes an optical cable network configuration or transcodes multimedia data from a contents provider into MPEG-4 or MPEG-7 formatted data with efforts to secure a bandwidth and then transmits the corresponding data. For this, the service provider should provide several kinds of services including NMS (network management system), DHCP (dynamic host control protocol), and CDN services.

The NMS service enables a service provider to manage a delivery network for a delivery to each customer and an IPTV receiver of the corresponding customer. In particular, in case that a broadcast reception is not available for a customer due to a technical difficulty of a delivery network, a means for emergency processing should be provided.

The NMS is widely used as a standardized means for controlling and managing machined in a remote transport layer. Using this service, it is able to check how many traffics are generated for a prescribed broadcast or which area is in short of bandwidth. The NMS service should be provided to contents providers to enable the corresponding contents provider to generate and manage groups in multicast. This is because more multicast groups may need to be generated occasionally.

The DHCP service enables an IP to be automatically allocated to an IPTV receiver of a customer and is used to inform an address of a CDN server. The DHCP service is a useful means for allocating IP to a PC on a general network. By transmitting an accessible address to an authorized IPTV receiver, a user is allowed to make a registration procedure for an initial access. Generally, an IPTV receiver will provide IPv4. Yet, IPv6 is also available. So, an IPTV receiver providing IPv4 is usable as well.

In the CDN service, when an IPTV receiver is initially operated with data provided by a service provider by receiving a power, CDN information is received from a service provider while IP is received by the DHCP service. This information contains customer registration or authentication of an IPTV provider and the above-explained PF informations. As an IPTV receiver obtains CDN information from a service provider, an IP broadcast signal reception is enabled.

A customer can have various kinds of IPTV receivers. A customer having a normal TV rents IPTV STB to enjoy an IPTV inexpensively. A service provider pays an additional service charge with a low price and a customer requests an IP phone to use together.

An IPTV receiver basically includes a network interface capable of accessing a network and has an Internet protocol. The IPTV receiver receives and processes data packets coming from a network and then plays multimedia data on a screen. In case of manipulating the IPTV receiver using a remote controller, the IPTV receiver should make a response by sending data packets quickly via a network to obtain corresponding information from a server. In particular, the IPTV receiver is capable of operating to transmit user requested items bi-directionally while processing multimedia data. And, buttons for IPTV can be provided to a remote controller to use the corresponding service well. So, a consumer is able to store and view a fine scene of a drama in the above-provided IPTV receiver and enjoy additional services including location information, hotel reservation and the like.

Meanwhile, the above-mentioned NMS includes the function that a service provider manages a network. And, the NMS helps the service provider control and manage an IPTV receiver of a consumer. If more IPTV receivers are used and if more additional services are provided, the role of the NMS becomes more important. So, SNMP protocol becomes mandatory for an IPTV broadcast receiver. This is intended for a service provider to manage and control an IPTV broadcast receiver. If so, an IPTV broadcast receiver is able to obtain details of statistical data of a currently communicating protocol, information for a currently used processor, information for a TV manufacturer, and the like.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system between a service provider and a broadcast receiver.

Referring to FIG. 4, a terminal of a service provider is capable of bi-direction communication via an IP network. In particular, according to the present system, a broadcast receiver is capable of receiving a broadcast from a service provider and also capable of transmitting information for an environment of the broadcast receiver to the service provider.

In this case, when the service provider collects to provide broadcast signals to the broadcast receiver, a broadcast stream can include a single or multi program. In case of attempting to transmit a transport stream via an IP network, IP capsulation is required.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for IP capsulation in case that a service provider provides a service to a broadcast receiver via an IP network.

Referring to FIG. 5, an IP capsule can include an IP header, a UDP header, an RTP header, and real data, i.e., a transport stream packet.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a method of receiving an adaptive broadcast signal according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, a method of receiving an adaptive broadcast signal according to one embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of linking an IP network, sending network environment information for a broadcast receiver and program selection information to a service provider via the linked IP network, and providing the broadcast receiver with at least one service in available service information for a program selected by a user based on the sent network environment information.

In the IP network linking step (S61), a terminal is connected to the service provider via the IP network. In this case, a service provider designated as a default can be preferentially connected. In case that subscriptions are made to several service providers, it is able to select a specific service provider to be connected.

The step of sending the network environment information for the broadcast receiver and the program selection information to the service provider via the linked IP network, which includes the step (S62) of sending the network environment information for the broadcast receiver to the service provider and the step (S63) of selecting a program to be viewed by the user, is to send the network environment information to the service provider to be provided with a service suitable for a network environment of the broadcast receiver.

In this case, the network environment information is a value for determining a network environment. For example, the network environment information includes a network speed, a user level according to a billing system or the like. And, the network environment information may mean a case that a data rate varies according to the user level or a case that a type of contents provider to the broadcast receiver varies according to the user level. In this case, environment information for a network can be categorized according to a bandwidth. And, ‘differing in bandwidth’ means that ‘encoded at a different bit rate’.

The network environment information and the program selection information, i.e., channel information are sent to the service provider. For instance, a user selects a channel No. 10 and sends network environment information, e.g., network speed information according to a network environment or the like.

In the step of providing the broadcast receiver with the at least one service in the available service information for the program selected by the user based on the sent network environment information, the service provider selects at least one of available services and then provides the selected at least one service to the broadcast receiver (S64).

If a bandwidth receivable by the broadcast receiver is 20˜80 Mbps in the channel No. 10 selected by the user, program contents encoded into the bandwidth of 20˜80 Mbps among various encoded versions of retained contents of the channel No. 10 is provided to the broadcast receiver. If the service provider fails to retain a broadcast stream encoded at the same bit rate of the network environment of the broadcast receiver, contents encoded into a bandwidth closest to the bandwidth receivable by the broadcast receiver is provided.

FIG. 7 is a detailed diagram for a method of receiving an adaptive broadcast signal according to one embodiment of the present invention. A broadcast signal receiving method between a service provider and a broadcast receiver is explained with reference to FIG. 7. In this case, steps explained in the following description are just exemplary but the claims of the present invention are not restricted by the following steps or temporal sequence thereof.

Referring to FIG. 7, while a service provider is providing a broadcast service (1), a power of a broadcast receiver is turned on (1).

If the power of the broadcast receiver is turned on, system initialization is carried out (2).

The system-initialized broadcast receiver searches for a connectable service provider (3) or makes a connection to a service provider set to a default. In case that there are a plurality of connectable service providers, a user is requested to make a selection. If so, the user is able to make a selection.

The broadcast receiver sends its authentication information while making a request for a service connection to the service provider (3-1).

The service provider having received the authentication information for the broadcast receiver performs a receiver authentication (4).

Once a qualification of the broadcast receiver is authenticated in the authenticating step, available information on a subscribed service is sent (4-1). In this case, the available information on the subscribed service means available service information for a receivable physical channel.

The broadcast receiver performs service discovery (5). This is the step of searching a service and deciding a service characteristic. Through this step, the broadcast receiver is connected to the service provider.

The broadcast receiver displays a service menu (6). Hence, the user is able to see an available service on the subscribed services.

The broadcast receiver sends an available resource, i.e., network environment information to the service provider (7). In particular, a network environment value of the broadcast receiver, e.g., a network speed, a user level or the like is sent. The service provider having received the network environment information compares various versions of retained contents to options of the network environment information (8).

The broadcast receiver receives a program selection signal of the user (9) and then sends finally selected program selection information to the service provider (9-1). In this case, the program selection in the broadcast receiver and the selection signal sending to the service provider can be carried out before the option comparing step (8) in the service provider.

In particular, the network environment information is sent (7), the corresponding option comparison is carried out (8), and the finally selected program information is then sent. Alternatively, the network environment information and the finally selected program information are sent and the option comparison can be then carried out on the retained contents for the selected program.

If the selected program information is sent to the service provider (9-1), the service provider searches for a display version closest to a display status as a result of the option comparison and then provides the searched contents to the broadcast receiver, for the selected program (10-1).

The broadcast receiver having received the contents provided by the service provider displays the received contents (11).

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a data structure to send resource information for a broadcast receiver to a service provider from the broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, resolution information, audio codec information, video codec information, network information, and user level information for a broadcast receiver can be sent. In the present data structure, network information (e.g., network speed, etc.) or user level information is used as an example for network environment information.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for encoding of a bandwidth to support a service provider with network environment information according to one embodiment of the present invention.

A data structure shown in FIG. 10 will be explained with reference to FIG. 9 as follows.

FIG. 10 is a diagram of a data structure to sent network environment information for a broadcast receiver to a service provider from the broadcast receiver according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the present invention, a network speed is used as an example for network environment information.

Referring to FIG. 10, a network speed (network information: NI) data structure is a means for informing a service provider of information for a network speed receivable by a broadcast receiver. And, network speed information for the broadcast receiver is included in the data structure. And, the service provider is made to send contents encoded at a corresponding bit rate.

The NI data structure is configured to include information which can specify and represent a network speed as a code value field or a text field. For instance, if a network speed of a broadcast receiver is represented as a bandwidth of 20˜80 Mbps, it is able to insert character information of 20˜80 Mbps or ‘2’ of the code value shown in FIG. 9 in the data structure.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an adaptive broadcast receiver according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 11, an adaptive broadcast receiver according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a network interface unit transceiving a broadcast stream capsulated into an IP packet by connecting the broadcast receiver to a service provider via a network, a control unit controlling contents encoded at a bit rate suitable for a network environment of the broadcast receiver to be received in a manner of sending network environment information for the broadcast receiver to the service provider via the network interface unit, and a display unit outputting the received broadcast stream.

Detailed configuration of the broadcast receiver is explained as follows.

First of all, the broadcast receiver includes a network interface unit 102, an IP manager 104, a control unit 106, a channel manager 108, a service information decoder 110, a service information database 112, a service discovery manager 114, a service control manager 116, a CAS/DRM unit 118, a service delivery manager 120, a demultiplexer 122, an audio/video decoder 124, a display unit 126, a storage unit 128, and a system manager 130.

The network interface unit 102 receives packets received from a network and transmits a packet to the network from the broadcast receiver. In particular, the network interface unit 102 receives an adaptive broadcast signal of the present invention from a service provider of the present invention via the network.

The IP manager 104 manages a packet delivery to a destination from a source for the packets received or transmitted by the broadcast receiver. And, the IP manager 104 sorts the received packets to correspond to a suitable protocol.

The control unit 106 controls an application and an overall operation of the broadcast receiver according to a user input signal by controlling a user interface (not shown in the drawing). The control unit 106 provides a graphic user interface (GUI) for a user using an OSD (on screen display) or the like. The control unit 106 receives an input signal from the user and then performs a receiver operation according to the corresponding input. For instance, if a key input concerning a channel selection is inputted by a user, the control unit 106 sends a channel selection input signal to the channel manager 108.

The control unit 106 controls contents encoded at a bit rate suitable for a network environment of the broadcast receiver to be received in a manner of sending network environment information for the broadcast receiver to the service provider via the network interface unit 102.

The channel manager 108 stores received channel information and then generates a channel map. The channel manager 108 selects a channel according to the key input received from the control unit 106 and controls the service discovery manager 114.

The channel manager 108 receives service information for a channel from the service information decoder 110 and performs audio/video PID (packet identifier) setting of the selected channel on the demultiplexer 122.

The service information decoder 110 decodes such service information as PSI (program specific information). In particular, the service information decoder 110 receives and decodes PSI table, PSIP (program and service information protocol) table, DVB-SI (service information) table or the like demultiplexed by the demultiplexer 122.

The service information decoder 110 decodes the received service information tables, generates a database for the service information, and then stores the generated database for the service information in the service information database 112.

The service discovery manager 114 provides information necessary to select a service provider which provides a service. If a signal for a channel selection is received from the control unit 106, the service discovery manager 114 searches for a service provider using the information.

The service control manager 116 is responsible for a selection and control of a service. For instance, if a user selects a live broadcasting service as good as a conventional broadcasting type, the service control manager 116 performs the selection and control of the service using IGMP or RTSP. If a user selects such a service as VOD (video on demand), the service control manager 116 performs the selection and control of the service using RTSP. In this case, the RTSP (real-time streaming protocol) can provide a trick mode for a real-time streaming.

The packet for the service received via the network interface unit 102 and the IP manager 104 is sent to the CAS/DRM unit 118. The CAS/DRM unit 118 is responsible for CAS (conditional access system) of service and DRM (digital rights management).

The service delivery manager 120 is responsible for control of the received service data.

For instance, in case of controlling real-time streaming data, RTP/RTCP (real-time transport protocol/RTP control protocol) is used. If the real-time streaming data is transported using the RTP, the service delivery manager 120 parses the received data packet according to the RTP and then sends the parsed packet to the demultiplexer 122. And, the service delivery manager 120 feeds back the network reception information to a server side providing the service using the RTCP. In this case, the real-time streaming data can be capsulated by UDP without RTP and then directly delivered.

The demultiplexer 122 demultiplexes the received packet into audio data, video data and PSI (program specific information) data and then sends the data to the video/audio decoder 124 and the service information decoder 110, respectively.

The video/audio decoder 124 decodes the video and audio data received from the demultiplexer 122. And, the video/audio data decoded by the video/audio decoder 124 is provided to the user via the display unit 126.

The storage unit 128 stores setup data for system and the like. In this case, the storage unit 128 can include a nonvolatile memory such as a nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM), a flash memory, and the like.

And, the system manager 130 controls overall operations of the broadcast receiver via a power system.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the implementations without departing from the spirit or scope of the above implementations. Thus, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A method of receiving an adaptive broadcast signal comprising the steps of

validating an IP network;

sending network environment information of a receiver and service selection information to a service provider via the validated IP network; and

receiving at least one media service among available media services of a selected service that is transmitted from the service provider according to the network environment information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network environment information comprises network speed information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network environment information comprises user level information according to a billing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of sending the network environment information of the receiver and the service selection information to the service provider, a data structure representing the network environment information of the receiver as at least one selected from the group consisting of a code value (code_value) field and a text field is sent to the service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of deciding a contents version to be sent to the broadcast receiver in a manner of comparing the network environment information to contents information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one contents version is decided for the selected service and then provided to the broadcast receiver.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a broadcast content that is encoded at a bit rate suitable for the network environment information of the broadcast receiver is provided to the broadcast receiver.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein broadcast content to be provided to the broadcast receiver is decided by the service provider among broadcast contents encoded at the various bit rate according to a category of a data rate.

9. An adaptive broadcast receiver comprising:

a network interface unit transceiving a broadcast stream capsulated into an IP packet by connecting the broadcast receiver to a service provider via a network;

a control unit controlling contents encoded at a bit rate suitable for a network environment of the broadcast receiver to be received in a manner of sending network environment information of the broadcast receiver to the service provider via the network interface unit; and

a display unit outputting the received broadcast stream.

10. The adaptive broadcast receiver of claim 9, wherein the network environment information comprises network speed information.

11. The adaptive broadcast receiver of claim 9, wherein the network environment information comprises user level information according to a billing system.

12. The adaptive broadcast receiver of claim 9, wherein the network environment information is sent as a data structure to the service provider and wherein the data structure represents the network environment information as at least one selected from the group consisting of a code value (code_value) field and a text field.

13. The adaptive broadcast receiver of claim 9, further comprising an IP manager unit managing a packet delivery to a destination from a source for a packet received via the network interface unit and a packet sent by the broadcast receiver.

14. The adaptive broadcast receiver of claim 9, further comprising:

a service discovery manager providing information necessary to select the service provider providing a service; and

a service control manager responsible for a selection and control of the service.