# US 8,788,588 B2 · Method of providing service for user search, and apparatus, server, and system for the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,788,588 B2 - Document ID: US8788588B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/743,887 - Filed: 2007-05-03 - Published: 2007-11-08 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-05-03 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kiran Pal Sagoo; Young-ho Rhee - Inventors: Kiran Pal Sagoo; Young-ho Rhee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788588B2 ## CPC - G06F 16/9538: Presentation of query results - G06F 16/245: Query processing - G06F 16/29: Geographical information databases - G06F 16/9038: Presentation of query results - G06F 16/951: Indexing; Web crawling techniques - G06F 16/9537: Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries - H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15) - H04L 67/1046: {Joining mechanisms} - H04L 67/1053: {with pre-configuration of logical or physical connections with a determined number of other peers} - H04L 67/306: User profiles - H04L 65/00: Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication (real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00) - H04L 67/52: specially adapted for the location of the user terminal - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A service provision method is provided for user search, and an apparatus, a server, and a system for the same. A service provision method includes transmitting a terminal search request message including a contents information element to a service provision server, receiving positional information of a terminal, which is playing first contents related to the contents information element, from the service provision server, and displaying the received positional information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A service provision method comprising: playing first contents; transmitting a terminal search request message comprising metadata of the first contents to a service provision server; receiving positional information of at least one terminal that plays second contents related to the metadata of the first contents, from the service provision server; and displaying the received positional information, wherein the at least one terminal is determined by the service provision server from among terminals which transmit metadata of the second contents to the service providing server or which play the second contents in a streaming method. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The service provision method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying one or more types of the metadata of the first contents; extracting the metadata of the first contents corresponding to a selected one of the one or more types of the metadata selected from among the displayed types of metadata; and generating the terminal search request message including the extracted metadata of the first contents. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The service provision method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises: displaying a map including the positional information. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The service provision method of claim 1, wherein the terminal search request message includes information regarding a search area. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The service provision method of claim 4, wherein the information regarding the search area represents one of a first local area to be handled by the service provision server and a global area including a second local area to be handled by an additional service provision server, in which the additional service provision server is connected to the service provision server through a relay server. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The service provision method of claim 4, further comprising: displaying a search area selection screen; and generating the terminal search request message including information regarding a search area selected on the displayed search area selection screen and the metadata of the first contents. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The service provision method of claim 1, further comprising: performing communication with the at least one terminal corresponding to positional information selected from the displayed positional information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The service provision method of claim 7, wherein the performing of the communication comprises performing one of an instant messenger service, a short messaging service, a voice call, and an image call with the terminal corresponding to the selected positional information. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The service provision method of claim 7, wherein the communication with the terminal corresponding to the selected positional information is relayed through the service provision server. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The service provision method of claim 7, further comprising: storing positional information of the terminal that has performed the communication; and displaying the stored positional information according to a request. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The service provision method of claim 1, wherein the first contents comprises at least one of movies, music, photographs, Java games, electronic books, Digital broadcasting (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), and Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB). ### Claim 12 A service provision method comprising: receiving from the first terminal a terminal search request message comprising metadata of first contents played in a first terminal; determining at least one second terminal which plays second contents related to the metadata of the first contents from among terminals which transmit metadata of the second contents or which play the second contents in a streaming method; collecting positional information of the at least one second terminal; and transmitting the collected positional information to the first terminal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The service provision method of claim 12, wherein the collecting the positional information comprises: extracting the metadata of the first contents from the received terminal search request message; searching for a terminal which receives contents having metadata including the extracted metadata of the first contents in a streaming method; and collecting positional information of the searched terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The service provision method of claim 12, wherein the collecting comprises: extracting the metadata of the first contents from the received terminal search request message; transmitting a metadata request message to a terminal connected to a network; receiving a reply message to the metadata request message from the terminal connected to the network; extracting metadata from the reply message; and if the extracted metadata includes the extracted metadata of the first contents, collecting positional information of the terminal that has transmitted the reply message. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The service provision method of claim 12, wherein the collecting the positional information comprises: collecting positional information of a terminal, which plays contents related to the metadata of the first contents, among terminals in a first local area; and collecting positional information of a terminal, which plays contents related to the metadata of the first contents, among terminals in a second local area through a relay server. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The service provision method of claim 12, further comprising: relaying a communication service between the first terminal and the second terminal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The service provision method of claim 16, wherein the relaying the communication service comprises: receiving a communication request message requesting communication with the second terminal from the first terminal; transmitting the communication request message to the second terminal; receiving a reply message to the communication request message from the second terminal; and if the reply message includes information that communication with the first terminal is accepted, relaying the communication service between the first terminal and the second terminal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The service provision method of claim 16, wherein the communication service is one of an instant messenger service, a short message service, a voice call, and an image call. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The service provision method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting the collected positional information comprises transmitting an electronic map including the collected positional information to the first terminal. ### Claim 20 A digital device comprising: a control unit that generates a terminal search request message comprising metadata of first contents which the digital device plays; a network interface unit that transmits the generated terminal search request message to a service provision server and receives from the service provision server positional information of at least one terminal from the service provision server playing second contents related to the metadata of the first contents; and a display unit that displays the positional information received by the network interface, wherein the at least one terminal is determined by the service provision server from among terminals which transmit metadata of the second contents to the service providing server or which play the second contents in a streaming method. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The digital device of claim 20, further comprising: a user interface providing unit that provides one or more types of metadata of the first contents; and a user input unit that receives a selection of at least one of the provided types of metadata, wherein the control unit extracts the metadata of the first contents corresponding to the type of metadata selected from the types of metadata and generates the terminal search request message including the metadata of the first contents. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The digital device of claim 20, wherein the display unit displays a map including the positional information. ### Claim 23 The digital device of claim wherein the terminal search request message further includes information regarding a search area. ### Claim 24 The digital device of claim wherein the information regarding the search area represents at least one of (a) a first local area to be handled by the service provision server and (b) a global area including a second local area to be handled by an additional service provision server, in which the service provision server is connected to the first local area by a relay server. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The digital device of claim 23, further comprising: a user interface providing unit providing a search area selection screen, wherein the control unit generates the terminal search request message that includes information regarding a search area selected on the provided search area selection screen and the metadata of the first contents. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The digital device of claim 20, further comprising: a communication service processing unit performing communication with a terminal corresponding to positional information selected among the displayed positional information. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The digital device of claim 26, wherein the communication includes at least one of an instant messenger (IM) service, a short message service (SMS), a voice call, and an image call. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The digital device of claim 26, wherein the communication is relayed through the service provision server. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The digital device of claim 26, further comprising: a storage unit that stores positional information of the terminal that has performed the communication, wherein the display unit displays the stored positional information according to a request. ### Claim 30 A service provision server comprising: a positional information management device that collects positional information of at least one second terminal, which is playing second contents related to metadata of first contents included in a terminal search request message comprising the metadata of the first contents played by a first terminal; a service processing device that receives the terminal search request message from the first terminal and transmits the collected positional information to the first terminal, wherein the positional information management determines the at least one second terminal from among terminals which transmit metadata of the second contents or which play the second contents in a streaming method. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The service provision server of claim 30, further comprising: a contents management device that searches a terminal that is receiving contents having metadata including the metadata of the first contents in a streaming method, wherein the positional information management device collects positional information of the searched terminal. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The service provision server of claim 30, wherein: the service processing device transmits a metadata request message to a terminal connected to a network and, if a reply message to the metadata request message is received from the terminal connected to the network, extracts metadata from the reply message, and if the extracted metadata includes the metadata of the first contents, the positional information management device collects positional information of the terminal that has transmitted the reply message. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The service provision server of claim 30, further comprising: a communication relay device relaying a communication service between the first terminal and the second terminal. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The service provision server of claim 33, wherein the communication service is one of an instant messenger (IM) service, an short message service (SMS), a voice call, and an image call. ### Claim 35 (depends on 30) The service provision server of claim 30, wherein the positional information management device provides an electronic map including the collected positional information. ### Claim 36 A service provision system comprising: a first service provision server that, if a terminal search request message is received from a first terminal, collects positional information of a second terminal, which plays second contents related to metadata of first contents played in the first terminal included in the terminal search request message in a first local area, and transmits the contents information element to a relay server; a second service provision server that collects positional information of a third terminal, which plays third contents related to the metadata of the first contents in a second local area; and the relay server that transmits the contents information element transmitted from the first service provision server to the second service provision server and transmits the positional information of the third terminal collected by the second service provision server to the first service provision server, wherein the first service provision server transmits the positional information of the second terminal and the positional information of the third terminal to the first terminal, wherein the second terminal is determined by the first service provision server from among terminals which transmit metadata of the second contents to the first service providing server or which play the second contents in a streaming method, and wherein the third terminal is searched by the second service provision server from among terminals which transmit metadata of the third contents to the second service providing server or which play the third contents in a streaming method.