Content retransmission system and method using infrared communication

Abstract

A content retransmission system comprises a content providing server for providing, through external networks, information content purchased and an associated purchase breakdown, a smart communicator for remotely controlling the purchase process, and for wirelessly transmitting, short-range, a transfer request for the information content and a current location reference, a home server for receiving the information content and associated purchase breakdown and storing it and the associated purchase breakdown, and for receiving the transfer request and current location reference and transmitting information content corresponding to the transfer request through a power line, and a communication apparatus for receiving the information content through the power line and transmitting, by infrared, the received information content to the smart communicator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional broadcast content retransmission system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a content retransmission system using infrared communication according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing one example of the configuration of a home server of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing, by way of example, the configuration of a smart communicator of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing one variation of a content retransmission method using infrared communication according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A content retransmission system using infrared communication, comprising: a home network; anda content providing server for providing information content purchased through a network external to the home network, and for providing a purchase breakdown associated with the purchased information content,wherein said home network includes: a smart communicator for remotely controlling a purchase process for the information content, and for transmitting a transfer request for the information content and a current location reference through short-range wireless communication;a home server for receiving the information content and associated purchase breakdown from the content providing server and storing the received information content and associated purchase breakdown, and for receiving the transfer request and current location reference from the smart communicator and transmitting information content corresponding to the transfer request through a power line; andat least one communication apparatus for receiving the information content from the home server through the power line and transmitting the received information content to the smart communicator in the form of an infrared signal.

2. The content retransmission system of claim 1, wherein the home server comprises: an Internet communication module for connecting to the content providing server through an Internet network to receive the information content and the associated purchase breakdown;a memory section for storing said information content and the associated purchase breakdown;a power line modem for superimposing the information content on a power wave carried on the power line to transmit the information content through the power line; anda controller for controlling, in response to the transfer request from the smart communicator, the power line modem to transmit the information content to a particular communication apparatus of said at least one communication apparatus nearest to the smart communicator.

3. The content retransmission system of claim 2, wherein the smart communicator comprises: a short-range communication module for transmitting the transfer request for the information content and the current location reference to the home server;an infrared communication module for receiving the information content, transmitted from the home server in response to the transfer request, in the form of an infrared signal from the particular communication apparatus;a decoder for decoding the received infrared signal into an information content; anda user interface for outputting the decoded information content.

4. The content retransmission system of claim 3, wherein the user interface includes: a display section for displaying a video part of the decoded information content; andan audio processor for outputting an audio part of the decoded information content.

5. The content retransmission system of claim 3, wherein the smart communicator further comprises a memory section for storing the decoded information content.

6. The content retransmission system of claim 3, wherein the smart communicator further comprises a key input section for inputting the transfer request for the purchased information content and current location reference.

7. The content retransmission system of claim 1, wherein the smart communicator comprises: a short-range communication module for transmitting the transfer request for the information content and the current location reference to the home server;an infrared communication module for receiving the information content, transmitted from the home server in response to the transfer request, in the form of an infrared signal from a nearest particular one of said at least one communication apparatus;a decoder for decoding the received infrared signal into an information content; anda user interface for outputting the decoded information content.

8. A content retransmission system using infrared communication, comprising: a home network; anda content providing server for providing information content purchased, and for providing a purchase breakdown associated with the purchased information content,wherein said home network includes: a smart communicator for remotely controlling a purchase process for the information content, and for transmitting a transfer request for the information content and a current location reference through short-range wireless communication;a home server configured for receiving the information content and associated purchase breakdown from the content providing server and saving the received information content and associated purchase breakdown, and for, upon receiving the transfer request and current location reference from the smart communicator, transmitting, in real time, information content corresponding to the transfer request through a power line; anda communication apparatus for receiving, in real time, the information content from the home server through the power line and transmitting, in real time, the received information content to the smart communicator in the form of an infrared signal.

9. The content retransmission system of claim 8, comprising a plurality of communication apparatuses of which said communication apparatus is one, said system being configured for selectively transmitting said information content from the home server to a particular one of said communication apparatuses that is nearest to said smart communicator.

10. The content retransmission system of claim 9, wherein the purchasing of said information content is through a network external to that over which said content providing server communicates with said home network.

11. The content retransmission system of claim 8, comprising a plurality of communication apparatuses of which said communication apparatus is one, said system being configured for selectively transmitting said information content from the home server to a particular one of said communication apparatuses based on a source location of said transfer request.

12. The content retransmission system of claim 11, wherein said particular one is a communication apparatus of said plurality that sent said transfer request.

13. The content retransmission system of claim 12, wherein the purchasing of said information content is through a network external to that over which said content providing server communicates with said home network.

14. The content retransmission system of claim 11, wherein the purchasing of said information content is through a network external to that over which said content providing server communicates with said home network.

15. The content retransmission system of claim 8, wherein the purchasing of said information content is through a network external to that over which said content providing server communicates with said home network, said smart communicator being a mobile device.

16. The content retransmission system of claim 8, wherein said communication apparatus comprises, for communication with said smart communicator, an incandescent lamp and infrared communication module

17. A content retransmission method using infrared communication, comprising: purchasing information content from a content providing server through a network external to that by means of which said server communicates with a client;receiving, by said client from the content providing server, the purchased information content and an associated purchase breakdown and storing the received information content and associated purchase breakdown;receiving, from a smart communicator, a transfer request for the purchased information content and a current location reference;transmitting, according to the transfer request and current location reference received from the smart communicator, the purchased information content through a power line; andreceiving, by a communication apparatus, the information content transmitted through the power line and transmitting the received information content to the smart communicator on an infrared signal.

18. The content retransmission method of claim 17, further comprising the acts, performed by the smart communicator, of: receiving the infrared signal from the communication apparatus;decoding the received infrared signal into information content; andoutputting the decoded information content through a user interface.

19. The content retransmission method of claim 18, wherein the step of outputting the decoded information content includes: displaying a video part of the decoded information content through a display section of the user interface; andoutputting an audio part of the decoded information content through an audio processor of the user interface.

20. The content retransmission method of claim 18, further comprising the act of storing the decoded information content.