JP3902736B2 - Karaoke equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a karaoke machine which is capable of announcing at which levels in the entire part are the results of rating obtained by rating the singing of karaoke music. SOLUTION: The singing of the karaoke music is rated and the ranking of singers is displayed in accordance with the scores thereof. While the display of the ranking in the scores of the singers who actually sing the songs by totaling these scores is recommended, the equally good alternative is to calculate and display the temporary ranking like what place among 1,000 persons in accordance with the average points and standard deviations of the scores of the music.

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a karaoke apparatus that displays skill of singing as a rank.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Karaoke devices equipped with a scoring function for scoring the skill of singing karaoke songs have been put into practical use. The scoring function converts a song input from a microphone into an audio signal, and calculates a score based on how much the frequency and volume of the audio signal deviate from the reference guide melody data.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the conventional karaoke apparatus only displays the score of the scoring result, there is a drawback that it is difficult to know whether it is a high score or a low score.
[0004]
Also, the difficulty level of karaoke songs is not the same for all songs, and there are some songs that are easy to sing according to the song and some songs that are difficult to sing, but the conventional scoring function has been to grade all songs on the same standard I didn't know what level the score was displayed.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide a karaoke apparatus capable of notifying the level of a grading result obtained by scoring a song of a karaoke song in the whole.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
  The present invention provides a performance means for playing a karaoke song, a scoring means for scoring a song input from a microphone during the performance of the karaoke song, and an average score and a standard deviation of the karaoke song at the end of the performance of the karaoke song Based on the scoring result of the scoring meansNormalizedAnd rank display means for calculating and displaying the temporary rank.
  The present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the performance means is capable of playing a plurality of karaoke songs, and the order display means is means for displaying the order of each karaoke song.
[0007]
  In this invention, by displaying the ranking of the singing based on the result of scoring the song of the singer, not only the score but also the level of the whole can be informed. Ranking is based on a distribution based on standard deviation, such as what number out of 10,000 peopleNormalizedDisplay temporary ranking. Also, by displaying the rank for each song, the level of the singer in that song can be notified.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A karaoke distribution system including a karaoke apparatus and a distribution center according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the karaoke distribution system. A distribution center 2 that distributes music data to a plurality of karaoke apparatuses 1 is connected to each karaoke apparatus 1 via a telephone line 3. The distribution center 2 includes a large-capacity storage device 2a, and stores all music data registered in the storage device 2a and logs collected from each karaoke device 1. The log is a record of a song requested by each karaoke device or a scoring result using a scoring function described later.
[0009]
The karaoke apparatus 1 is a sound source karaoke apparatus that forms musical sounds of karaoke performance by reading out music data downloaded from the distribution center 2 and supplying it to a sound source. The music data includes guide melody data, and the singer's singing is scored using the guide melody data. That is, the guide melody data is read in parallel with the performance of the karaoke song, and the singing is scored by comparing the singing voice signal inputted from the microphone with this. Moreover, this karaoke apparatus is provided with the game function which performs the scoring game which made the song of karaoke music into a game using this scoring function. The scoring game is executed by scoring game ICM data. ICM data is data for executing functions other than karaoke performance in a karaoke apparatus.
[0010]
The music data for performing the karaoke performance is identified by the music number, and the ICM data is also identified by the same music number as the music data. The song data is identified by a 6-digit song number consisting of a 4-digit singer number and a 2-digit singer-specific song number. ICM data is similarly identified by a 6-digit number. A 8000-01 song number is assigned to the scoring game ICM data. Therefore, the karaoke user can select a scoring game by the same operation as selecting a karaoke song with a remote controller or the like, and can instruct the start / end of the game.
[0011]
When the user inputs a song number from the remote control device, the karaoke device registers the song number in the reservation list, and plays in order from the previously registered song. However, if 8000-01, which is the number of scoring game ICM data, is input, it is automatically treated as a priority interrupt reservation, and this number is registered at the top of the reservation list. Then, when the song being played ends, scoring game ICM data is executed prior to other reserved songs.
[0012]
When the scoring game ICM data of the song number 8000-01 is executed, first, a game selection screen is displayed. The scoring game ICM data has a function of selectively executing a plurality of scoring games, from which a user can select one game. One of them is the karaoke prep school game. The karaoke prep school game is a game in which the difficulty level for each karaoke song is determined, and the deviation value of the score obtained by scoring the song of the singer is calculated and displayed based on the difficulty level.
[0013]
When the karaoke prep school game is selected, the karaoke device reads script data and image data for executing this game from the scoring game ICM data, stores them in the RAM, and then returns to the normal karaoke performance operation. In the scoring game, the singer's singing is scored while playing the karaoke song selected by the user, and the game is advanced by the point.
[0014]
Scoring of karaoke singing is performed for three elements of frequency (pitch), volume, and rhythm, and a total point that combines these three elements is also calculated. In the karaoke prep school game, the total points of all the songs are calculated by summing and averaging the points for each phrase at the end of the song, and this is displayed as the singing score at the end of the karaoke prep school game.
[0015]
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a karaoke apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention that executes the game function. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the audio signal processing apparatus 3 of the karaoke apparatus. This karaoke device comprises a karaoke device main body 1, a control amplifier 9, an audio signal processing device 3, an LD changer 4, a speaker 5, a monitor 6, a microphone 7, and an infrared remote control device 8. The karaoke apparatus main body 1 controls the operation of the entire karaoke apparatus. The CPU 10 built in the karaoke device main body 1 has a ROM 11, RAM 12, hard disk storage device 17, communication control unit 16, remote control receiving unit 13, display panel 14, panel switch 15, sound source device 18, via an internal bus. The audio data processing unit 19, the character display unit 20, and the display control unit 21 are connected, and the control amplifier 9, the audio signal processing device 3, and the LD changer 4 that are the external devices are connected through an interface.
[0016]
The ROM 11 stores an activation program necessary for activating this apparatus. System programs and application programs for controlling the operation of the device are stored in a program storage area (see FIG. 4) of the hard disk storage device 17. The application program is a karaoke performance program or an ICM execution program. When the power of the karaoke apparatus is turned on, a system program and a karaoke performance program are read into the RAM 12 by the above startup program.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 4A, the hard disk storage device 17 includes a program storage area for storing the system program and application program, a music data storage area for storing music data for playing about 10,000 karaoke songs, An ICM data storage area for storing ICM data for executing the above-described scoring game function, a scoring data storage area for storing scoring data for scoring according to the difficulty level of the music, and the like are set. Are stored in the hard disk storage device 17 as a table. This distribution function may be stored as a function formula, and the function value may be calculated each time. The scoring data stores an average score and standard deviation for each karaoke song as song-specific data, and an average score and standard deviation for all karaoke songs as all song data. These average points and standard deviations are calculated based on the result of the scoring of the scoring results of karaoke apparatuses installed throughout the country by the distribution center. In addition, general-purpose data (average point / standard deviation) used for new songs, songs that are hardly sung, and the like that have no song-specific data are also stored.
[0018]
The communication control unit 16 downloads data such as the music data from the distribution center 2 via the ISDN line and writes it in the hard disk storage device 17. This writing operation is directly performed on the hard disk storage device 17 using a DMA circuit.
[0019]
The remote control device 8 includes key switches such as a numeric keypad, and when a user operates these switches, a code signal corresponding to the operation is output by infrared rays. The remote control receiving unit 13 receives an infrared signal sent from the remote control device 8, restores the code signal, and inputs it to the CPU 10. When the music number is input from the remote control device 8, the CPU 10 registers this music number in the reservation list set in the RAM 12.
[0020]
The display panel 14 is provided on the front surface of the karaoke apparatus main body 1 and includes a matrix display for displaying the number of a song currently being played and the number of reserved songs, an LED group for displaying a currently set key and tempo, and the like. It is out. The panel switch 15 is provided with a numeric keypad, key change switch, and tempo change switch for inputting song numbers similar to the remote control device 8.
[0021]
The tone generator 18 forms a tone signal based on the tone track data of the music data. The musical tone track has a plurality of tracks, and the tone generator 18 simultaneously forms a plurality of parts of musical tone signals based on this data. The audio data processing unit 19 forms an audio signal having a specified length and a specified pitch based on the audio data included in the music data. The audio data is obtained by storing a signal waveform that is difficult to form electronically, such as a human voice such as a back chorus, as it is as a PCM signal. The musical tone signal formed by the sound source device 18 and the audio signal reproduced by the audio data processing unit 19 are input to the control amplifier 9. A microphone 7 is connected to the control amplifier 9, and a singing voice signal of a karaoke singer is input. The control amplifier 9 gives predetermined effects such as echoes to these audio signals, amplifies them, and outputs them to the speaker 5.
[0022]
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the audio signal processing unit. The audio signal processing unit 3 has a DSP and processes an audio signal by digital processing based on a microprogram. This figure shows the function in blocks. The audio signal processing device 3 inputs, as a reference 33, guide melody data read from music data during karaoke performance. The guide melody data is MIDI data, but the CPU 10 converts the MIDI event data into frequency data and volume data and inputs them to the audio signal processing device 3. The singing voice signal input from the microphone 7 is input from the control amplifier 2 and converted into digital waveform data by the A / D converter 30. Singing frequency data and singing volume data are extracted from the waveform data. The extracted singing frequency data and singing volume data are input to the comparison unit 32 and compared with the frequency data and volume data of the reference 33 of the guide melody, thereby calculating difference data as a difference between them. Also, rhythm difference data is determined based on a difference in rising timing between the singing volume data and the volume data of the guide melody. This comparison process is executed every 150 ms. The calculated difference data is input to the CPU 10. The CPU 10 accumulates and stores the difference data, and calculates the score and the standard deviation / rank when the music ends.
[0023]
The character display unit 20 generates a character pattern such as a song title and lyrics based on the input character data. Also, the LD changer 4 as an external device reproduces a moving image as a background image based on the image selection data input from the CPU 10. The video selection data is determined based on the genre data written in the header of the music data. The display control unit 21 synthesizes a character pattern such as lyrics input from the character display unit 20 with the background image input from the LD changer 4 by superimposing and displays it on the monitor 6. In the game mode, various illustrations and animations read from the scoring game ICM data are input to the display control unit 21 and displayed on the monitor 6.
[0024]
FIG. 4B is a diagram showing a configuration of music data used in the karaoke apparatus. The music data is composed of a header, a musical sound track, a guide melody track, a lyrics track, an audio track, an effect track, and an audio data section. The header is a portion in which data relating to the attribute of the music data is written, and data such as a music title, a genre, an announcement date, and a performance time of the music are written. Each track from the musical sound track to the effect track is described in a MIDI format composed of a plurality of event data and duration data indicating a time interval between the event data. The data from the lyrics track to the effect control track is not musical sound data, but these tracks are also described in the MIDI format in order to unify the implementation and facilitate the work process.
[0025]
The tone track is composed of a plurality of parts for driving the tone generator 18 to form a plurality of tone signals. In the guide melody track, the main melody of the karaoke song, that is, melody data to be sung by the singer is written. The lyrics track is a track that stores sequence data for displaying lyrics on the monitor 6. The event data of the lyrics track is composed of the character code of the lyrics and the data indicating the display position. The audio control track is a track for designating the utterance timing of the audio data group stored in the audio data section. PCM data such as human voice is stored in the audio data portion, and the event data of the audio control track specifies which audio data is to be reproduced at the event timing. Effect control data for controlling the control amplifier 2 is written in the effect control track. Based on the effect control data, the control amplifier 2 gives a reverberation-type effect such as reverb to the musical sound signal.
[0026]
Further, ICM data for executing a function such as a scoring game has almost the same configuration as the music data, and a header, script data, and the script in which data such as the data name and release date of the ICM data are written. It consists of a plurality of image data / text data groups used when executing data. In the case of scoring game ICM data, a script data track is set for each game such as a karaoke prep school game, and image data includes data for displaying the screens shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. Has been written.
[0027]
5 to 11 are flowcharts showing the operation when the karaoke prep school game is executed in the karaoke apparatus.
[0028]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the music reservation operation. This operation is performed when a song number is input from the remote control device 8. When a song number is input (s1), it is determined whether the song number is a song number 8000-01 designating scoring game ICM data for setting / releasing the scoring game mode (s2). If it is this song number, this song number is registered at the top of the reservation list (s3), and if it is a song number designating other normal karaoke songs, this number is registered at the bottom of the reservation list. The registered numbers are read out in order from the highest one, and the performance of the karaoke song designated by the song number and the processing of the ICM data are executed.
[0029]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the reserved music processing operation. Each time the performance of the karaoke song is finished, this operation is executed with reference to the reservation list. First, the music number registered at the top of the reservation list is read. It is determined whether or not the music number is 8000-01 (s11). If it is 8000-01, the game mode selection ICM data is read (s13), and the process proceeds to the game mode selection operation (FIG. 7). On the other hand, if the music number designates normal music data, the designated music data is read and karaoke performance is executed. In the normal mode, only karaoke performance execution processing such as generation of performance sounds and display of background images is performed based on the music data. When the game mode is set, a karaoke performance operation for performing the scoring process of FIG. 8 is executed.
[0030]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a game mode selection operation executed by reading out the scoring game ICM data. First, it is determined whether the game mode is currently set (s20). Since the game mode selection operation is executed when the game mode is set to end the game, the process proceeds from s20 to s26. If it is not currently in the game mode, the process proceeds from s20 to s21 on the assumption that this game mode selection operation is executed to start the game.
[0031]
In s21, a game selection screen is displayed. On the selection screen, all the names of games that can be executed by the scoring game ICM data are displayed, and the user can select one of them. It waits until there is a game selection input from the user in s22. This selection input can be performed by operating the remote control device 8. When one game is selected, it is determined in s23 whether the game is a karaoke prep school game. When the karaoke preparatory school game is selected, the operation proceeds to the operation after s24. If any other game is selected, the process proceeds to a corresponding operation (not shown).
[0032]
In s24, the mode of the karaoke prep school game is set in the game mode register, and script data and image data used for executing this game are read out and stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 12 (s25). After this, the operation proceeds to the performance operation of the next reserved music, and the game of the karaoke prep school is executed in this performance.
[0033]
On the other hand, when this game mode selection operation is executed to end the game in the current game mode, a game end screen is displayed (s26). This game end screen is a screen including words such as “End game game? Are you sure?”, And when the user inputs OK from the remote control device 8 accordingly (s27), The contents of the game mode register are reset (s28), and the operation is terminated. When the game end screen is displayed, if the user performs an operation other than OK such as an operation of the cancel key, this operation is ended without resetting the current game mode.
[0034]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a karaoke performance operation when the game mode of the karaoke prep school is set. When the reserved song number is read, the song data designated by the song number is read from the hard disk storage device 17 to the RAM 12 (s30), and whether there is individual data that is individual scoring data for this karaoke song. Search is performed (s31). If there is individual data, the average point of the individual data is read (s32), and if there is no individual data, the average point of general-purpose scoring data is read (s33). The difficulty level of this song is determined using the average score of the read scoring data, the average score for all karaoke songs, and the standard deviation (s34). This difficulty level is determined by the following procedure. The average point of all songs is m, the standard deviation of all songs is σ, and the average point of individual data (or general-purpose data) is x.
h = 50 + 10 × (x−m) / σ
To calculate the deviation value h. And this deviation value h is
Rank A: h <30
B rank: 30 ≦ h <40
C rank: 40 ≦ h <55
D rank: 55 ≦ h <65
E rank: 65 ≦ h
Determine the difficulty ranking by applying to.
[0035]
Then, the calculated difficulty ranking and the average score of the music are displayed on the monitor 6 in the configuration shown in FIG. 9A (s35). After this, karaoke performance is executed (s36). Note that the ranking allocation based on the threshold value of the deviation value h is not limited to the above example. This threshold value can be changed by downloading the ICM data. It is also possible to download a plurality of types of threshold values in advance and change them appropriately according to game settings and the like.
[0036]
In parallel with the performance of the karaoke song, the singer's singing voice signal is input to the voice signal processing device 3 (s37), and the frequency data, volume data and timing data of this singing voice signal are extracted (s38). At the same time, the guide melody is read out as a reference from the guide melody track of the music data (s39). The reference is compared with the frequency data, volume data, and timing data to calculate difference data, and scoring is performed on the pitch, volume, and rhythm (s40). The difference data is accumulated and stored in a counter set in the RAM 12 (s41). The operations from s37 to s41 are repeatedly executed every 150 ms until the karaoke song being played ends (s42).
[0037]
When the karaoke song ends, the score of the singer here is calculated with a maximum score of 100 based on the difference data stored and stored in the counter (s43). The calculated score is x, the average score of individual data (or general-purpose data) of this song is m, and the standard deviation is σ.
h = 50 + 10 × (x−m) / σ
The deviation value is calculated by the formula (s44). Further, using the score x, the average score m, the standard deviation σ, and the normal distribution function table stored in the hard disk storage device 17, the rank in terms of 10,000 people is calculated (s45). The score, deviation value, and rank calculated by the above operation are displayed on the monitor 6 with the configuration shown in FIG. 9B (s46). Then, this scoring result, that is, the song number and score are recorded in the log (s47), and the operation is terminated.
[0038]
It should be noted that the difficulty level of this song may be displayed at the corner of the monitor as shown in FIG.
[0039]
FIGS. 10A and 10B are flowcharts showing the operations of the distribution center 2 and the karaoke apparatus 1 when the distribution center 2 maintains the data of the karaoke apparatus 1. In FIG. 5A, when the distribution center 2 calls the karaoke device 1 and sets the communication state (s50), first, a list of new songs is transmitted to the karaoke device 1 (s51). The karaoke apparatus 1 extracts a song that has not yet been downloaded, and transmits this song list as a download request. Therefore, the karaoke device 1 receives this song (s52) and downloads the requested song data (s53). ). Next, the operation log of the karaoke apparatus 2 is received (s54), the scoring data calculated based on the latest log is downloaded (s55), and the maintenance operation is terminated. The distribution center 2 sequentially performs this maintenance operation on all karaoke apparatuses.
[0040]
In FIG. 5B, when the communication status with the distribution center 2 is set (s60), the karaoke device receives a new song list (s61), and determines the missing songs that have not yet been downloaded to this karaoke device (s62). ). A message requesting the download of the insufficient music is transmitted to the distribution center 2 (s63). The distribution center 2 receives the music data downloaded in response to this download request (s64), and additionally stores it in the music data storage area of the hard disk storage device 17. Next, the log stored in the log storage area of the hard disk storage device 17 is transmitted to the distribution center 2 (s65), and this log storage area is cleared. Then, the new scoring data downloaded from the distribution center 2 is received (s66), the scoring data storage area is rewritten with the new scoring data, and the maintenance operation is completed.
[0041]
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the scoring data calculation operation of the distribution center 2. First, the logs collected from each karaoke apparatus 1 are totaled. This log aggregation is done for the past month, and old logs are not used. This is because the singer gradually improves even if the score is low immediately after the new song is announced, so that the score can be scored according to as new a standard as possible.
[0042]
First, the average score m is calculated by summing up the singing scores for each karaoke song and dividing it by the number of singing times N (s71). Next, the standard deviation of this karaoke song is calculated (s72). The standard deviation σ is
σ = √ (1 / N) ・ ΣF (x) (x−m)²
Is required. Here, N is the number of times of singing this song counted from the log, F (x) is the frequency of the score x, and m is the average score.
[0043]
The calculated average score m and standard deviation σ are stored as individual scoring data together with the music number (s73). After performing the above operation for all karaoke songs (s74), the average point of all songs and the standard deviation of all songs are calculated (s75, s76). The average score of all songs and the standard deviation of all songs are calculated using the average score for each song calculated by the operations of s71 to s74 as a sample. The calculated average score and standard deviation of all songs are stored as scoring data for all songs (s77). Next, the average score of all the singing score results calculated from the log is calculated as the average score of the general-purpose data (s78), and the display deviation of the distribution of all the singing score results is calculated to calculate the standard deviation of the general-purpose data. (S79). These data are stored as general-purpose scoring data (s80).
[0044]
Singing / evaluation of the singing using the standard deviation can be used not only for the karaoke prep school game but also for other scoring games and normal singing scoring.
[0045]
【The invention's effect】
  As described above, according to the present invention, by displaying the ranking of the singing based on the result of scoring the singing of the singer, notifying the level of the whole in addition to the score. Can do. Ranking is based on a distribution based on standard deviation, such as what number out of 10,000 peopleNormalizedDisplay temporary ranking. Also, by displaying the rank for each song, the level of the singer in that song can be notified.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a karaoke distribution system to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a karaoke apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an audio signal processing device of the karaoke device.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a hard disk storage device of the karaoke apparatus
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the karaoke apparatus.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the karaoke apparatus.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the karaoke apparatus.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the karaoke apparatus.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example of the monitor of the karaoke apparatus
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a communication procedure between the karaoke apparatus and the distribution center.
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a scoring data calculation procedure of the distribution center.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... Karaoke device, 2 ... Distribution center, 3 ... Audio signal processing device,
9 ... Control amplifier, 6 ... Monitor,
17. Hard disk storage device

Claims (2)

A performance means for performing karaoke songs;
Scoring means for scoring songs input from a microphone during the performance of a karaoke song;
At the end of the performance of the karaoke song, on the basis of the average score and standard deviation of the singing of the karaoke song, a ranking display means for calculating and displaying the normalized temporary ranking of the scoring result of the scoring means;
A karaoke apparatus comprising:   2. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the performance means can play a plurality of karaoke songs, and the order display means is means for displaying the order of each karaoke song.

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