Video providing system and video providing method

Abstract

The present invention provides a video providing system and a video providing method, the video providing system comprising: a display unit disposed in a space of a viewer; a video recording device disposed in the display unit or the space of the viewer; at least one viewer terminal which provides a video to the display unit; and a server which communicates with the display unit, the video recording device, and the viewer terminal and provides the display unit or the viewer terminal with video content received from the outside.

Description

Video provision system and video provision method

[0001] The present invention relates to an image providing system and an image providing method with an improved structure.

[0002] Commercial video content, such as movies, generally begins screening in movie theaters, and after the screening ends, it is shown sequentially through IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), OTT (Over The Top), and TV.

[0003] This is because the revenue structure of video production or distribution companies is derived from the viewing costs of individual viewers.

[0004] Therefore, there is a problem in that viewers must wait a certain amount of time to watch video content on personal display devices such as TVs, mobile phones, and PCs at home or in vehicles (unstructured content delivery spaces) rather than in a movie theater.

[0005] Meanwhile, since the COVID-19 pandemic, people are increasingly preferring to spend their leisure time in private spaces, such as homes or vehicles (unconventional content delivery spaces), rather than in public places like movie theaters.

[0006] To reflect the needs of these people and the revenue structure of video production or distribution companies, the applicant devised a technical concept for counting the number of purchasing audiences in an unstructured content provision space (Registered Patent No. 10-2478139, Title of Invention: Method for managing personnel of a smart content provision system and apparatus therefor).

[0007] In such unstructured spaces, when a viewer selects and watches a specific video, the following problems may occur due to environmental factors that cause the viewer to temporarily leave the viewing space, such as going to pick up delivery food or going to the restroom.

[0008] First, there is no major problem if there is no limit on the number of times the video can be viewed. However, if there is a limit on the number of times the video can be viewed, and the viewer leaves the viewing space even for a moment, if the video ends, a problem may arise where the content corresponding to that time cannot be viewed again.

[0009] In addition, if viewers leave their viewing space even for a moment, they face the inconvenience of having to pause the video using a device such as a remote control; otherwise, they face the inconvenience of having to find and resume playback of the part they were watching.

[0010] The present invention has been devised to solve the aforementioned problems, and the objective of the present invention is to provide an improved video provision system and video provision method that allows the entire video content to be viewed without any omissions and without the use of separate equipment, such as a remote control, even when the user temporarily leaves their seat in an unstructured content provision space, such as a home or vehicle.

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a video provision system comprising: a display unit disposed in a viewer's space; a video capturing device disposed in the display unit or the viewer's space; at least one viewer terminal that provides video to the display unit; and a server that communicates with the display unit, the video capturing device, and the viewer terminal, and provides video received from an external source to the display unit or the viewer terminal.

[0012] Additionally, the server may include: a video transmission unit that provides video material received from an external source to the display unit or viewer terminal; an image processing unit that generates video frames chronologically from a viewer's spatial image received from the video capturing device and separates and extracts human faces within the generated video frames; a counting unit that calculates the number of people from the human faces generated by the image processing unit; and a video control unit that stops providing video if, after the video is transmitted from the video transmission unit, the number of people counted by the counting unit does not satisfy a preset number of people.

[0013] In addition, when the number of people initially counted in the counting unit is n, the number of people for whom video provision is stopped in the video control unit may be characterized as n-1.

[0014] In addition, the preset number of people for whom video provision is stopped in the video control unit may be changed at the viewer terminal.

[0015] In addition, the video control unit may be characterized by replaying the video when the number of people initially counted by the counting unit is satisfied after the video is stopped.

[0016] In addition, the video control unit may be characterized by resuming playback from a preset time prior to the point where video provision was stopped.

[0017] In addition, the server may further include a playback intent providing unit that asks the display unit or viewer terminal whether to replay the video if, after the video is stopped, the number of people counted by the counting unit does not meet the initial number of people counted even after a preset time.

[0018] Meanwhile, the present invention may provide a method for providing video, comprising: a step of counting the actual number of viewers in real time using a spatial image of a viewer received through a video capturing device placed in a display unit or a viewer's space; a step of providing a video received from an external source to the display unit or a viewer terminal; and a step of stopping the provision of video if, after the video is transmitted, the number of people counted does not satisfy a preset number of people.

[0019] In addition, after the step of stopping the provision of the video, the method may further include a step of playing the video again when the number of people initially counted by the counting unit is satisfied.

[0020] In addition, after the step of stopping the video provision, if the counted number of people does not meet the initial counted number even after a preset time, the method may further include a step of asking the display unit or viewer terminal whether to play the video again.

[0021] Since the present invention can count the number of viewers in real time and automatically stop or play the video depending on whether a preset number of viewers is met, it has the advantage of allowing viewers to watch the entire video without missing any part of it, very conveniently in irregular spaces without separate equipment such as a remote control.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic module diagram of an image providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of an image provision method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024]

[0025] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0026] Unless otherwise specifically defined, all terms in this specification have the same general meaning as understood by those skilled in the art, and if a term used in this specification conflicts with the general meaning of such term, the definition used in this specification shall prevail.

[0027] However, the invention described below is intended only to explain embodiments of the present invention and not to limit the scope of the rights of the present invention, and reference numbers used identically throughout the specification indicate identical components.

[0028]

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic module diagram of an image providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1, an image providing system (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may largely include a display unit (110), an image capturing device (120), a viewer terminal (130), a server (140), and an image providing unit (150).

[0031] The above display unit (110) can be placed in a viewer's space, and the viewer's space can mean any space where a viewer can view video (e.g., inside a building, inside a vehicle, etc.).

[0032] The above display unit (110) can receive a video signal from a server (140) to be described later and display it on a screen, and may be composed of an embedded computer including a display panel and a small wireless communication function installed in a location convenient for the user to recognize, or may be a liquid crystal screen of a viewer terminal (130) to be described later.

[0033] The above video recording device (120) may be placed in the display unit (110) or the viewer's space, and may record the space for the viewer to view the video.

[0034] The above viewer terminal (130) may include the display unit (110) or provide an image to the display unit (110) which is separately arranged, and since there may be multiple viewers, there may be at least one viewer terminal (130).

[0035] Here, the terminal is capable of connecting to a remote server (140) or another terminal via a network and may be a cellular phone, a PCS phone (Personal Communication Service phone), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a WAP phone (Wireless Application Protocol phone), a smartphone, or a tablet, but is not limited thereto.

[0036] The above server (140) communicates with the display unit (110), the video recording device (120), and the viewer terminal (130), and can provide video materials received from an external source to the display unit (110) or the viewer terminal (130).

[0037] Specifically, the server (140) may include a video transmission unit (141), an image processing unit (142), a counting unit (143), a video control unit (144), and a playback provision unit (145).

[0038] The above video transmission unit (141) can provide video material received from an external source, such as the video providing unit (150) to be described later, to the above display unit (110) or viewer terminal (130).

[0039] The image processing unit (142) can generate video frames in a time-series manner from the spatial image of a viewer received from the video capturing device (120) and separate and extract a person's face within the generated video frames.

[0040] The above counting unit (143) can calculate the number of people from the human face generated from the image processing unit (142).

[0041] That is, the image processing unit (142) can generate video frames in a time-series manner at preset times, and thus, the counting unit (143) can detect changes in the number of viewers while the video is being screened.

[0042] The above video control unit (144) may stop providing video if, after the video is transmitted from the above video transmission unit (141), the number of people counted by the above counting unit (143) does not meet the preset number of people.

[0043] Specifically, when the number of people initially counted in the counting unit (143) is n, the number of people for whom video provision is stopped in the video control unit (144) may be n-1.

[0044] That is, when any one of the multiple viewers leaves the viewing space, or when one person leaves the viewing space while watching alone, the video control unit (144) can stop providing video.

[0045] Here, the preset number of people for which video provision is stopped in the video control unit (144) can be changed in the viewer terminal (130).

[0046] That is, when the pre-set number of people to stop providing the above video is m, m exceeds 1 but cannot exceed the initial number of people n.

[0047] For example, if m=2 is set in the viewer terminal (130), video provision may be stopped when two people are removed from the initially identified number of people.

[0048] Additionally, the video control unit (144) can play the video again after the video is stopped if the number of people initially counted by the counting unit (143) is satisfied.

[0049] Alternatively, the video control unit (144) may play the video again after the video is stopped if the number of people set by the viewer terminal (130) is satisfied.

[0050] Here, the video control unit (144) can resume playback from a preset time prior to the point where video provision was stopped, for example, the preset time prior may be 30 seconds prior, but is not limited thereto, and the preset time prior can be changed at the viewer terminal (130).

[0051] Accordingly, the video providing system (100) according to the embodiment of the present invention automatically stops or plays the video when the viewer leaves the viewing space, so the viewer does not need to operate a separate device such as a remote control, and thus can watch the video very conveniently.

[0052] The above-mentioned playback provider (145) may ask the above-mentioned display unit (110) or viewer terminal (130) whether to play the video again if, after the video is stopped, the number of people counted by the above-mentioned counting unit (143) does not meet the initial number of people counted even after a preset time.

[0053] Here, the expression of intent in the above-mentioned regenerative physician providing unit (145) can be implemented as symbols, characters and / or shapes, etc.

[0054] For example, the expression of intent may include content such as "Would you like to continue watching this video?" or text guidance such as "When would you like to watch this video again?"

[0055] In this case, the viewer terminal (130) may continue to send the viewing (indicated by the touch area) to the server (140), or, for example, send the viewing after 10 minutes (indicated by the time input area) to the server (140).

[0056] The above video providing unit (150) provides video content to the server (140) from the outside, and may be, for example, a terminal of a video production company or a distribution company.

[0057]

[0058] The image providing system (100) of the present invention can be implemented in the following way.

[0059] FIG. 2 is a schematic flowchart of an image provision method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] First, the server (140) can receive reservation information including the video content to be viewed and the number of viewers from the viewer terminal (130) (S10).

[0061] After this, the server (140) can count the actual number of viewers using the video of the viewer's space received through the display unit (110) or the video recording device (120) placed in the viewer's space (S20).

[0062] Specifically, the number of viewers can be calculated by processing the image of a person's face in the image processing unit (142) of the server (140) using video information captured from a video recording device (120) placed in the viewer's space.

[0063] After this, the server (140) can receive payment for the screening of video content according to the number of people from the viewer terminal (130) (S30).

[0064] After this, the server (140) can provide video materials received from an external source to the display unit (110) (S40).

[0065] Afterwards, the server (140) can process images and count the number of viewers using images received from the video recording device (120) at preset intervals in real time, and after the video is transmitted, determine whether the counted number of viewers meets the preset number of viewers (S50).

[0066] If the counted number of people meets the preset number of people, the video is continuously transmitted, and if the counted number of people does not meet the preset number of people, the video is stopped (S51).

[0067] After the step of stopping the video provision, if the number of people initially counted in the counting unit is satisfied, the video is played again (S52).

[0068] After the step of stopping the video provision, if the number of people initially counted in the counting unit is not met, the server (140) determines whether a preset time has elapsed (S53), and if the number of people counted does not meet the number of people initially counted even after the preset time, it may ask the display unit (110) or viewer terminal (130) whether to play the video again (S54).

[0069]

[0070] In short, since the present invention can count the number of viewers in real time and automatically stop or play the video depending on whether a preset number of viewers is met, it has the advantage of allowing viewers to watch the entire video without missing any part of it, very conveniently in irregular spaces without separate equipment such as a remote control.

[0071]

[0072] For the above description, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention without departing from it, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the embodiments, but should be determined by the claims and equivalent scopes.

Claims

1. A display unit placed in the viewer's space; A video recording device placed in the above-mentioned display unit or viewer's space; At least one viewer terminal that provides an image to the above-mentioned display unit; and A video providing system comprising: a server that communicates with the display unit, video recording device, and viewer terminal, and provides video material received from an external source to the display unit or viewer terminal.

2. In Paragraph 1, The above server is, A video transmission unit that provides video material received from an external source to the display unit or viewer terminal; An image processing unit that generates video frames in a time-series manner from a viewer's spatial image received from the above-mentioned video capturing device, and separates and extracts a person's face within the generated video frames; A counting unit that calculates the number of people from human faces generated from the image processing unit above; and A video provision system comprising: a video control unit that stops providing video when, after video is transmitted from the video transmission unit, the number of people counted by the counting unit does not satisfy a preset number of people.

3. In Paragraph 2, When the number of people initially counted in the above counting unit is denoted as n, A video provision system characterized by the fact that the preset number of people for stopping video provision in the above-mentioned video control unit is n-1.

4. In Paragraph 2, A video provision system characterized by the fact that the preset number of people for which video provision is stopped in the video control unit can be changed at the viewer terminal.

5. In Paragraph 2, A video providing system characterized by the above video control unit replaying the video when the number of people initially counted by the above counting unit is satisfied after the video is stopped.

6. In Paragraph 5, The above-described video control unit is characterized by replaying the video from a preset time prior to the point where the video provision was stopped.

7. In Paragraph 2, A video provision system characterized by further including a playback intent provision unit that, after the video is stopped, asks the display unit or viewer terminal whether to replay the video if the number of people counted by the counting unit does not meet the initial number of people counted even after a preset time.

8. A step of counting the actual number of viewers in real time using video of the viewer's space received through a video capturing device placed in the display unit or the viewer's space; A step of providing video material received from an external source to the display unit or viewer terminal; and A method for providing video, comprising the step of stopping video provision when the number of counted people does not meet a preset number of people after the video is transmitted.

9. In Paragraph 8, After the step of stopping the provision of the above video, A video provision method further comprising the step of replaying the video when the number of people initially counted in the above-mentioned counting unit is satisfied.

10. In Paragraph 8, After the step of stopping the provision of the above video, A method for providing video that further includes the step of asking the display unit or viewer terminal whether to replay the video if the number of counted people does not meet the initial number of counted people even after a preset time.

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