Method for providing content service based on virtual channel in disk media playback apparatus

1 . A method for providing a content service based on a virtual channel in a disk media playback apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

(a) configuring a virtual channel map for a plurality of the content services;

(b) receiving a user input corresponding to a first content service, the first content service being one of the plurality of the content services; and

(c) comparing the user input with the virtual channel map to provide the first content service.

2 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (a) comprises reading the virtual channel map stored in the disk media playback apparatus.

3 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (a) comprises reading the virtual channel map stored in a disk media inserted in the disk media playback apparatus

4 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (a) comprises receiving the virtual channel map via a communication connection to an external virtual channel map providing apparatus.

5 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (a) comprises receiving the virtual channel map via a communication connection to an external virtual channel map update information providing apparatus for providing an update information of the virtual channel map to update the virtual channel map.

6 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the virtual channel map comprises a service identification information for each of the plurality of the content services, a service identifier corresponding to the service identification information and a network identification information corresponding to the service identifier.

7 . The method in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the service identifier is uniquely assigned to each of the plurality of the content services.

8 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (b) comprises:

(b-1) displaying the virtual channel map on a display apparatus connected to the disk media playback apparatus; and

(b-2) receiving the user input corresponding to the first content service.

9 . The method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the virtual channel map comprises a service identification information for each of the plurality of the content services, a service identifier corresponding to the service identification information and a network identification information corresponding to the service identifier,

wherein the step (b-1) comprises displaying the service identification information and a selection user interface corresponding to the service identification information, and

wherein the step (b-2) comprises receiving the user input for the selection user interface.

10 . The method in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the virtual channel map comprises a service identification information for each of the plurality of the content services, a service identifier corresponding to the service identification information and a network identification information corresponding to the service identifier,

wherein the step (b-1) comprises displaying the service identification information and the service identifier, and

wherein the step (b-2) comprises receiving the service identifier as the user input.

11 . The method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the step (b) comprises:

(b-1) generating a preferred virtual channel map based on the virtual channel map, the preferred virtual channel map corresponding to a portion of the plurality of the content services;

(b-2) displaying the preferred virtual channel map on a display apparatus connected to disk media layback apparatus; and

(b-3) receiving the user input corresponding to the first content service based on the preferred virtual channel map.

12 . The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the preferred virtual channel map comprises a service identification information for each of the portion of the plurality of the content services, a service identifier corresponding to the service identification information and a network identification information corresponding to the service identifier,

wherein the step (b-2) comprises displaying the service identification information and a selection user interface corresponding to the service identification information, and

wherein the step (b-3) comprises receiving the user input for the selection user interface.

13 . The method in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the step (b-2) comprises displaying a selection user interface for each of the portion of the plurality of the content services included in the preferred virtual channel map, the selection user interface having a form of an icon, and

wherein the step (b-3) comprises receiving the user input for the selection user interface.

14 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (b) comprises:

(b-1) providing a search interface for the plurality of the content services in the virtual channel map;

(b-2) receiving a search input through the search interface;

(b-3) displaying the content service extracted from the plurality of the content services in the virtual channel map, the extracted content service corresponding to the search input; and

(b-4) receiving the user input corresponding to the extracted content service.

15 . The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the step (c) comprises:

(c-1) extracting a network identification information from the virtual channel map for establishing a communication connection to an external content service providing apparatus providing the first content service;

(c-2) establishing the communication connection to the external content service providing apparatus based on the network identification information;

(c-3) receiving the first content service from the external content service providing apparatus; and

(c-4) processing and providing the first content service.