Image device, receiving method of contents, server and providing method of contents

A server for performing a push service, the server comprising:

• a communication unit which communicates with an image device and a content provider providing content;
• and a controller which controls the communication unit to connect to the image device in response to the image device determining that identification information input by a user into the image device matches first identification information which enables the user to log in to the image device and that the push service for receiving the content from the content provider is active, and in response to connecting to the image device, generates associating information for associating the first identification information with second identification information which enables the user to log in to the content provider, controls the communication unit to transmit the generated associating information to the image device, and controls the communication unit to receive the content from the content provider based on the second identification information and controls the communication unit to transmit the received content to the image device based on the first identification information, wherein the controller controls the communication unit to transmit at least one of first common content that is not user-bound and second common content to be transmitted to a plurality of image devices, to a first image device, among the plurality of image devices, that is turned on before a second image device, among the plurality of image devices, that is turned off, and wherein the first image device and the second image device are associated with the user.

A receiving method of receiving content by an image device which communicates with a server providing the content received from a content provider, the receiving method comprising:

• determining whether a token which matches a user ID corresponding to a log-in user of the image device to a content ID for the log-in user to be connected to the content provider exists;
• requesting the server to generate the token if it is determined that the token does not exist;
• receiving the token from the server in response to the request;
• transmitting the received token to the content provider;
• determining whether a push service for receiving the content from the content provider through the server is set as active;
• receiving content corresponding to the token from the content provider based on identification information included in associating information which is received from the server if it is determined that the token exists and the push service is active;
• and displaying reception information indicating reception of the content, wherein the method further comprises:
• when the image device is turned on, receiving, before another image device that is turned off, at least one of first common content that is not user-bound and second common content to be transmitted to a plurality of image devices, and wherein the image device and the another image device are associated with the log-in user.

A providing method of providing content by a server which communicates with an image device and a content provider providing the content, the providing method comprising:

• receiving a request to generate a token that matches a user ID, for a user to log in to the image device, to a content ID for the user ID of the user to be connected to the content provider;
• generating the token corresponding to the user and transmitting the generated token to the image device;
• determining whether a push service for receiving the content from the content provider through the server is set as active;
• receiving the content from the content provider based on identification information included in the token and in response to determining that the push service is active;
• and transmitting the received content to the image device, wherein the method further comprises:
• transmitting at least one of first common content that is not user-bound and second common content to be transmitted to a plurality of image devices, to a first image device, among the plurality of image devices, that is turned on before a second image device, among the plurality of image devices, that is turned off, and wherein the first image device and the second image device are associated with the user.

A providing method of providing content, the providing method comprising:

• receiving, by a server, new content from a content provider;
• determining whether an image device of a user who receives content from the content provider is connected to the server;
• determining whether a push service for receiving the content from the content provider is active;
• and transmitting, by the server, the new content to the image device if it is determined that the image device of the user who receives the content is connected to the server and the push service is active, wherein the method further comprises:
• transmitting at least one of first common content that is not user-bound and second common content to be transmitted to a plurality of image devices, to a first image device, among the plurality of image devices, that is turned on before a second image device, among the plurality of image devices, that is turned off, and wherein the first image device and the second image device are associated with the user.