JPH08214089A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To make it possible for an information provider to exactly recognize the installation place of an information processor. CONSTITUTION: A central controller 31 receives the telephone number of the public telephone line connected with a KARAOKE device 10 via a charging communication network 5. If the number does not match with the telephone number of the public telephone line which is already stored in a hard disk 33 and had been connected, the present date is read from an electronic timer 45. The date and the new telephone number are stored in the hard disk 33 by linking them. The new telephone number is transmitted to a charging center 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an information storage means for storing information,
There is an information processing device having an information processing execution means capable of executing a predetermined process using this information, and examples thereof include a video game machine installed in a karaoke machine, a game center, or the like. Such an information processing apparatus may be moved to a different installation location due to the transfer of ownership, and may be moved from time to time.

[0003]

For example, in the case of a karaoke device of a communication system in which karaoke data is distributed from a host device, when the installation place of the karaoke device is changed, the owner or manager of the karaoke device will Unless the host device or the administrator of the host device is notified of the change of the installation place, the administrator of the host device cannot know the change of the installation place of the karaoke device. In the case of a karaoke device of a communication system, the price is usually paid for the distribution of the karaoke data, but if the administrator of the host device cannot accurately know the installation location of the karaoke device, the above-mentioned price will be collected. Was also difficult. Further, if the installation location of the karaoke device cannot be accurately grasped, there is a problem in managing the terminal in addition to collecting the consideration.

The same is true of the information processing apparatus other than the karaoke apparatus that the administrator of the host apparatus needs to accurately know the installation location of the information processing apparatus serving as such a communication terminal. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information processing device that enables an administrator of a host device to accurately know the installation location of the information processing device.

[0005]

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, an information processing apparatus according to claim 1 is capable of executing a predetermined process by using information storage means for storing information and the information. An information processing apparatus having an information processing execution means is provided with a location data acquisition means capable of acquiring location data corresponding to an installation location of the information processing apparatus, and a communication means for transmitting the location data to a host device. .

The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1.
In the above information processing apparatus, the communication means can be connected to the host device via a public telephone line, and the location data acquisition means is a telephone number of a public telephone line to which the information processing apparatus is connected as the location data. Is obtained.

The information processing apparatus according to claim 3 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 2.
In the information processing device described above, the place data acquisition means may notify that the host device connected via a public telephone line is notified of the telephone number of the public telephone line to which the information processing device is connected as place data. Characterize.

An information processing apparatus according to claim 4 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 1.
3. The information processing apparatus according to any one of 3 to 3, wherein a progress storage unit that stores the place data acquired in the past as progress data is provided, and the communication unit is capable of transmitting the progress data to the host device. Is characterized by.

An information processing apparatus according to claim 5 is the information processing apparatus according to claim 4.
In the information processing apparatus described above, a calendar means for calculating a date is provided, and the progress storage means stores, as the progress data, data in which the place data and the calculated date are linked. Is characterized in that.

[0010]

In the information processing apparatus having the above-mentioned structure, the place data acquisition means can acquire the place data corresponding to the installation place of the information processing apparatus, and the communication means uses the place data as a host. Send to device.

Since the information processing device itself sends the location data corresponding to the installation location to the host device, the host device side can accurately grasp the installation location of the information processing device. Further, since the change of the installation place is accompanied by the change of the owner, the manager, etc. with a high probability, it can be estimated that the owner or the manager has changed.

As the place data, it is sufficient if, for example, a building or the like where the information processing apparatus is installed can be specified, and the configuration of the place data acquisition means is not particularly limited, but GPS (Global Positioning System) And a method of using the telephone number described in claim 2 is exemplified.

According to another aspect of the information processing apparatus,
The communication means can be connected to the host device via a public telephone line, and the place data acquisition means obtains, as place data, the telephone number of the public telephone line to which the information processing device is connected. The telephone number of the public telephone line to which the information processing device is connected can specify the installation location with an extremely high probability.

Further, since the telephone number to which the information processing device is connected is given to the information processing device from the public telephone line side, there is no special obstacle in obtaining the telephone number by the location data acquisition means, and therefore a special structure is provided. Is not required. In this way, if the telephone number is used as the location data corresponding to the installation location, the installation location can be specified extremely accurately without complicating the structure.

In the information processing apparatus according to claim 3,
The place data acquisition means is notified from the host device connected via the public telephone line as the place data of the telephone number of the public telephone line to which the information processing device is connected. Since it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for detecting the telephone number on the information processing device side, the device configuration can be simplified. Further, since the telephone number to which the information processing device is connected is given to the host device from the public telephone line side, there is no special obstacle in obtaining the telephone number by the host device, and therefore no special structure is required.

In the information processing apparatus according to claim 4,
The progress storage means stores the place data acquired in the past as progress data. The communication means can transmit the progress data to the host device. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a history of movement of the information processing device on the host device side, and it is also possible to track, for example, changes in the owner.

According to the information processing apparatus of claim 5,
The calendar means calculates the date. The progress storage means stores, as progress data, data in which the place data and the calculated date are linked. Therefore, it is possible to identify the installation location of the information processing device on a certain date, and, for example, when the owner fluctuates while the price of the information provided from the host device to the information processing device is unpaid, the person to be billed for the price can be determined. Useful for identifying.

[0018]

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. An embodiment embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information distribution system of an embodiment, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a karaoke device which is a component of the system, and FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a charging center which is a management center of the system. It is a block diagram.

As shown in FIG. 1, the present information distribution system comprises a billing center 1 and a plurality of karaoke apparatuses 10 connected via a billing communication network 5. The karaoke device 10 is connected to the billing communication network 5 as a terminal of the public telephone line 6. Next, the configuration of the billing center 1 corresponding to the host device in the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The charging center 1 includes a host computer 51 as a host device and a storage device 5 as a central device.
3, input device 55, communication control device 57, printer 59,
And a CRT 61. The storage device 53 includes various control programs for operating the host computer 51, charging information for each karaoke device 10, and the karaoke device 1.
It is for storing the telephone number etc. sent from 0.

Various commands can be input from the input device 55. For example, a charging record or the like can be created based on the charging information for each karaoke device 10 stored in the storage device 53, or can be generated. It can be printed by the printer 59 or displayed on the CRT 61.

The billing communication network 5 has a function of billing for information charges, such as a videotex communication network or a dial queue to communication network. In Japan today, Videotex network and dial queue two network are known as the representative ones. The dial queue-to network is basically a time-based pay-as-you-go calculation, and the videotex network can set an arbitrary fee for each information content,
It is used in so-called captain systems.

The videotex communication network will be described as an example of the charging function. Specifically, the videotex communication network is, for example, a public telephone line 6 connected to each karaoke device 10 and a videotex communication processing device (VC).
P) and. This VCP is trying to access the Videotex communication network through a public telephone line 6
Connection to the billing center 1 (currently the special number 166 and the public telephone line 6 dialing the 5-digit billing center number)
Exchange, management of the karaoke device 10 which is a user terminal, management of subscribers to the charging center 1, charging of communication charges and information usage charges collected by the telephone company by proxy, conversation control between the karaoke device 10 and the charging center 1. Provides communication processing functions such as conversion processing such as protocol conversion and code / pattern conversion. Further, the charging communication network 5 uses the telephone number of the public telephone line 6 to which the karaoke device 10 is connected as the karaoke device 10
It is also possible to notify the charging center 1.

Next, the structure of the karaoke apparatus 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, the central control unit 31 has a billing communication program 31 executed in a communication for receiving a scramble release key described later from the billing center 1.
a is stored, and the central control unit 31 can communicate with the billing center 1 according to this billing communication program 31a.
Further, the central control unit 31 stores various data such as karaoke piece information and also stores an operation program of the central control unit 31 and is connected with a hard disk 33 corresponding to an information storage means of the present invention. There is. Further, the hard disk 33 also functions as a progress storage means of the present invention, the details of which will be described later. Central controller 31
According to the operating program stored in the hard disk 33, can perform processing for karaoke performance and various processings associated therewith. That is, the central controller 31 corresponds to the information processing execution means of the present invention. The central control unit 31 also functions as a place data acquisition unit of the present invention, the details of which will be described later.

The central control unit 31 has a multipurpose input key 32 as an input means for inputting various instructions,
A voice reproduction circuit 35 which converts the performance information included in the karaoke piece information read from the hard disk 33 and transferred by the central control unit 31 into an analog performance signal and outputs the analog performance signal to the mixer amplifier 38, and lyrics information also included in the karaoke piece information. And a screen display control device 26 for synthesizing the background image information and displaying it on a television monitor 29 as a display means.
A communication control device 27 serving as a communication means of the present invention is connected to each, and a speaker 41 and a microphone 43 are connected to a mixer amplifier 38 connected to the audio reproduction circuit 35. Further, the central control unit 31 is connected with an electronic timer 45 capable of calculating the real-time date and time and corresponding to the calendar means of the present invention.
Can read the date and time calculated by the electronic timer 45.

It should be noted that the hard disk 33 previously stores information on several thousand karaoke songs, and further,
New song data can be received from the billing center 1 and stored in the hard disk 33. The karaoke piece information for one piece of music is composed of piece number information, which is identification information for identifying pieces of music, and substance information. The substantive information in this is MIDI (Mu
sical Instrument Digital Interface) performance information, lyrics information and background video information. The background video information is encoded video information corresponding to each song.

However, the karaoke piece information of the new piece data is scrambled, for example, and cannot be used as it is. In order to use the charging center 1 via the communication control device 27 and the charging communication network 5.
, The central control unit 31 executes the billing communication program 31a, and the billing center 1 transmits the scramble release key via the billing communication network 5. Then, a predetermined charging process using the charging function by the charging communication network 5 is performed, and the karaoke piece information can be used.

The process of making the karaoke song information of the new song data usable will be described with reference to FIG. 4 by taking the case where the new song data is scrambled as an example. After receiving the new song data transmitted from the billing center 1 and storing it in the hard disk 33, the central control unit 31 calls the billing center 1 via the communication control unit 27. Subsequently, the central control unit 31 waits for an incoming call to the charging center 1 and transmits an ID number for identifying itself.

When the charging center 1 receives the ID number from the karaoke device 10, the host computer 51 performs terminal verification, and if the karaoke device 10 is registered in the charging center 1, the verification is normal and an ID confirmation signal is sent. Send it back. When the ID confirmation signal is received, the central controller 31
Sends a request for transmission of a descrambling key (billing information) for new song data to the billing center 1 according to the billing communication program 31a. That is, the central control unit 31 requests the transmission of the billing information which is the descrambling key of the new song data, and at the same time the billing process.

In the billing center 1, when the transmission request for the scramble release key (billing request) is received, the host computer 51 sends the preset scramble release key (billing information) through the communication control device 57 to the karaoke device. Send to 10 side. When the descrambling key is transmitted from the billing center 1, the charge set in advance for the transmission of the descrambling key is charged by the billing communication network 5 to the public telephone line 6 to which the karaoke apparatus 10 is connected. Will be charged to the subscribers of. This fee is collected by proxy together with the telephone line usage fee.

When the karaoke device 10 receives the scramble release key, it sends a communication disconnection request to the billing center 1. When the charging center 1 receives this request, the charging center 1 ends the communication with the karaoke device 10. Also, the karaoke device 10
After the communication disconnection request is issued, the scramble descrambling key received is used to descramble the new song data described above to enable the karaoke performance.

When the karaoke piece information of the new song data becomes available after the above processing is performed (other than the new song data can already be used), the user can use the multipurpose input key 3
2 Or select a song you want to sing by operating a remote control not shown. Then, the central control unit 31 executes a karaoke performance process according to a predetermined karaoke performance program. Briefly describing it, the central control unit 31
Reads performance information, lyrics information and background video information corresponding to the selected song from the hard disk 33, transfers the performance information to the audio reproduction circuit 35 and the lyrics information and background video information to the screen display controller 26, respectively.

The performance information output to the voice reproduction circuit 35 is converted into an analog performance signal, then sent to the mixer amplifier 38 to be electrically amplified, and the user's singing voice input via the microphone 43. And is mixed in a proper ratio. The mixed audio signal is output to the outside as a performance sound by the speaker 41.

On the other hand, the lyrics information output in synchronization with the performance information is combined (superimposed) with the background image information in the screen display control device 26 and is then displayed on the television monitor 29.
Is displayed in. As a result, the lyrics telop is displayed on the TV monitor 29 in a state where the lyrics telop is combined with the background image.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, a telephone number collating process executed by the karaoke apparatus 10 each time communication with the charging center 1 is performed will be described. As shown in FIG.
In the telephone number matching process, the central control unit 31 connects to the billing communication network 5 via the communication control unit 27 (S1).
Then, the central control device 31 receives the telephone number of the public telephone line 6 which is being connected (that is, the karaoke device 10 is connected) transmitted from the charging communication network 5 to the karaoke device 10 (S2). Then, the central controller 31 collates the telephone number stored in the hard disk 33 with the telephone number received in S2 (S3). If the two match by this collation (YES in S4), the central controller 31
Ends the processing of this routine.

On the other hand, as a result of the collation, if the two telephone numbers do not match (NO in S4), the central control unit 31 reads the current date from the electronic timer 45 (S5). Next, the central control unit 31 commands the hard disk 33 to execute S5.
The date read in step 3 and the new telephone number (the telephone number of the public telephone line 6 used in this communication) are linked and stored (S6). The old phone number is not deleted.

Subsequently, the central control unit 31 transmits the new telephone number to the charging center 1 (S7), and ends the processing of this routine. The karaoke device 10 can transmit the date and date data and the telephone number data stored in the hard disk 33 from the charging center 1 at any time in response to a request.

Here, when a negative determination is made in S4, S5
The reason why the processes of to S7 are executed will be described. The negative determination in S4 is that this karaoke device 10 has the telephone number of the public telephone line 6 that was once connected (the telephone number stored in the hard disk 33) and the public telephone line 6 that was connected in this communication. Since the telephone number (the telephone number transmitted from the billing communication network 5) is different, it can be considered that the installation location of the karaoke device 10 has been changed. Also, changes in the installation location are highly likely to be linked to changes in owners, managers, etc. Therefore, the karaoke device 10
Changing the telephone number to which the is connected can be considered as changing the owner, administrator, etc.

Conventionally, when the installation place of the karaoke device 10 is changed, the owner or the administrator of the karaoke device 10 must notify the charging center 1 or the manager of the charging center 1 of the change of the installation place. For example, the administrator of the charging center 1 could not know the change of the installation location of the karaoke device 10, but if the telephone number to which the karaoke device 10 is connected is changed as described above, the karaoke device 10 charges the charge. Since the new telephone number is sent to the center 1, it can be estimated that the owner or the administrator has changed on the charging center 1 side. Also, from this telephone number, the karaoke device 10
It is also possible to specify the installation location of the karaoke device 10, and the administrator of the charging center 1 can accurately know the installation location of the karaoke device 10. The new telephone number transmitted from each karaoke device 10 may be stored in the storage device 53 on the charging center 1 side for each karaoke device 10.

Since the telephone number which is the data for specifying the installation location is notified from the charging communication network 5 to the karaoke apparatus 10, it is necessary to provide the karaoke apparatus 10 with a special mechanism for obtaining the telephone number. Absent. Further, the telephone number is stored in association with the date, the past minutes are not deleted, and the billing center 1 can obtain the date and the telephone number data. The side can obtain the history of the movement of the karaoke apparatus 10, and it is also possible to track the change of the owner, for example. Moreover, since the data in which the date and the telephone number are linked can be acquired, the installation location of the karaoke device 10 on a certain date can be specified. For example, when the owner fluctuates while the price of the karaoke piece information is unpaid. For example, it is effective to identify the person to be charged for the consideration.

As is apparent from the above description, in this embodiment, the telephone number corresponds to the place data of the present invention,
The data in which the telephone number and the date are linked corresponds to the progress data of the present invention. Further, the karaoke device 10 corresponds to an information processing device, the hard disk 33 corresponds to an information storage means and a progress data storage means, and the central control device 3
1 functions as an information processing executing means in cooperation with the voice reproducing circuit 35 and the screen display control device 26, and functions as a place data acquiring means in cooperation with the communication control device. Further, the communication control device 27 corresponds to communication means, and the electronic timer 45 corresponds to calendar means. (Modification) In the above example, the karaoke device 10 acquires the telephone number from the charging communication network 5, but the charging center 1 side may acquire the phone number and notify the karaoke device 10 of the phone number. is there.

As an example, the host computer 5
An ID / telephone number table in which the ID number and the telephone number of each karaoke device 10 are linked is stored in the first storage device 53. The host computer 51 receives the ID number transmitted from the karaoke apparatus 10 via the charging communication network 5 as described above, and also acquires the telephone number of the karaoke apparatus 10 from the charging communication network 5. Next, the host computer 51 collates the received ID number and telephone number with the ID number and telephone number in the ID / telephone number table, and if they do not match, a new telephone number is added together with the fact that there is no match. And the telephone number in the ID / telephone number table is updated to a new telephone number (the telephone number of the public telephone line used for this communication).

When the karaoke apparatus 10 receives a new telephone number, it links the date with the date and stores it in the hard disk 33 as described above. According to this structure, the karaoke device 10 does not need to have a mechanism for detecting a telephone number, and thus the device structure can be simplified. In this modification, the billing center 1, especially the host computer 51 thereof, corresponds to the host device according to claim 3.

Although the present invention has been described above according to the embodiments and modifications, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and the like, and can be variously implemented without departing from the scope of the present invention. Yes. For example, although the telephone number is used as the location data in the embodiment, the location data that can specify the installation location of the information processing device is not limited to this, and can be obtained by using, for example, GPS (Global Positioning System). It is also possible to use coordinates as place data.

Further, the information processing apparatus is not limited to the karaoke apparatus of the embodiment.

[0046]

As described above, according to the information processing apparatus of the first aspect, the location data corresponding to the installation location of the information processing apparatus can be acquired and can be transmitted to the host apparatus. It can be presumed that the owner or administrator of the information processing device has changed on the side. Further, it is also possible to specify the installation location of the information processing apparatus from this location data, and the administrator side of the host apparatus can accurately grasp the installation location of the information processing apparatus.

Since the information processing apparatus according to the second aspect acquires the telephone number of the public telephone line to which the information processing apparatus is connected as the location data, the installation location of the information processing apparatus can be specified with an extremely high probability. Also, since the telephone number to which the information processing device is connected is given to the information processing device from the public telephone line side, there is no special obstacle in obtaining the telephone number by the location data acquisition means, and therefore no special structure is required. .

In the information processing apparatus according to the third aspect, the telephone number of the public telephone line to which the information processing apparatus is connected is notified from the host apparatus as location data. On the information processing device side,
Since it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for detecting the telephone number, the device configuration can be simplified. Further, since the telephone number to which the information processing device is connected is given to the host device from the public telephone line side, there is no special obstacle in obtaining the telephone number by the host device, and therefore no special structure is required.

According to the information processing apparatus of the fourth aspect, the history of the movement of the information processing apparatus can be obtained on the host apparatus side, and it is possible to trace the change of the owner, for example. According to the information processing apparatus of claim 5, the installation location of the information processing apparatus on a certain date can be specified.
This is effective for identifying the billing party of the consideration when the owner changes while the consideration of the information provided from the host apparatus to the information processing apparatus has not been paid.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an information distribution system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a karaoke device which is a component of the information distribution system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a billing center which is a management center of the information distribution system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram of communication performed between a charging center and a karaoke device in the information distribution system of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a telephone number matching process executed by the karaoke apparatus of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Billing center (host device), 5 ... Billing communication network, 6 ... Public telephone line, 10 ... Karaoke device (information processing device), 26 ... Screen display control device (information processing) Execution means, 27 ... Communication control device (connection means,
Location data acquisition means), 31 ... Central control device (information processing execution means, location data acquisition means), 31a ... Charge communication program, 32 ... Multipurpose input key, 33 ...
..Hard disk (information storage means, progress data storage means), 35 ... Voice reproduction circuit (information processing execution means),
45 ... Electronic timer (calendar means), 51 ... Host computer (host device).

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. An information processing apparatus comprising: an information storage means for storing information; and an information processing execution means capable of executing a predetermined process using the information, and location data corresponding to an installation location of the information processing apparatus. An information processing apparatus, comprising: a location data acquisition unit capable of acquiring the location data; and a communication unit transmitting the location data to a host device. 2. The communication means is connectable to the host device via a public telephone line, and the location data acquisition means obtains, as the location data, a telephone number of a public telephone line to which the information processing device is connected. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus has the following configuration. 3. The place data acquisition means is notified from the host device connected via a public telephone line as a place data of a telephone number of a public telephone line to which the information processing device is connected. The information processing device according to claim 2. 4. A progress storage unit for storing the place data acquired in the past as progress data is provided, and the communication unit is capable of transmitting the progress data to the host device. 4. The information processing device according to any one of 3 to 3. 5. A calendar means for calculating a date is provided, and the progress storage means is configured to store, as the progress data, data in which the place data and the calculated date are linked. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein