JP2002182669A - Method for operating communication karaoke (orchestration without lyrics) system, host device, and communication karaoke device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for operating a communication KARAOKE system, a host device, and a communication KARAOKE device, which download only required files out of information files for exhibition of CM, release information, etc., to communication KARAOKE devices installed in a plurality regions. SOLUTION: The host device stores all musical piece files and information files and stores lists (information file lists) of required information files by a plurality regions where the communication KARAOKE device is installed. When information files will be downloaded simultaneously with downloading of a musical piece file to the communication KARAOKE device in a certain region, an information file required for the region is determined on the basis of the region where the communication KARAOKE device is installed, and only the required information file is joined with the musical piece file and is downloaded, and thus the processing efficiency and the communication efficiency are improved. At this time, the list of information files which the communication KARAOKE device has is requested, and only a lacking part is downloaded to improve the efficiency furthermore.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a host apparatus of a communication karaoke apparatus capable of downloading an information file storing CMs (commercials) and the like to be displayed during a karaoke performance by region and updating the version, and a download thereof. File editing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a karaoke store such as a karaoke box, information such as concert information, advertisements of stores such as various products and izakayas, and new music information is displayed to customers in between karaoke music performances. The information file storing this information is downloaded from the host device together with the music data, and is stored in a storage device such as a hard disk.

[0003]

By the way, among information files, there are information files that are necessary in some areas and unnecessary in other areas, such as CMs that are shown only in specific areas. However, the conventional host device downloads a superset including all music files and all information files to any communication karaoke device, so that unnecessary information files are downloaded using wasted time. In addition, there are disadvantages in that the working efficiency of the host device is deteriorated and unnecessary communication costs are required. The present invention provides a method of operating a communication karaoke system that eliminates communication waste by, for example, having a list of necessary information files for each region and downloading the information files to a communication karaoke apparatus based on the list of information files. , A host device and a communication karaoke device.

[0004]

The first invention for achieving the above object is specified by the following requirements (1) to (7). (1) An operation method of a communication karaoke system in which a host device and a number of communication karaoke devices are connected via a communication line network. (2) The host device includes a music file of a large number of karaoke songs transferred to the communication karaoke device and provided for performance processing, and a large number of information files transferred to the communication karaoke device and provided for screening processing. Manages a large-capacity storage device that stores (3) The communication karaoke apparatus stores and saves the music file and the information file transferred from the host apparatus, and reproduces the music file in a timely manner. (4) The host device identifies and manages the information file to be held according to the area where the communication karaoke device is installed. (5) The communication karaoke device stores local information regarding its own installation location, and transmits the local information to the host device when downloading the information file from the host device. (6) The host device specifies an information file to be downloaded to the communication karaoke device based on the regional information received from the communication karaoke device, and extracts the corresponding information file from the mass storage device, The information files are transferred to the communication karaoke apparatus. (7) The communication karaoke device stores the information file received from the host device.

[0005] The invention specified by the following requirements (21) to (27) is defined as a second invention. (21) This is an operation method of a communication karaoke system in which a host device and a number of communication karaoke devices are connected via a communication network. (22) The host device includes a music file of a large number of karaoke songs transferred to the communication karaoke device and subjected to a performance process, and a large number of information files transferred to the communication karaoke device and subjected to a screening process. Manages a large-capacity storage device that stores (23) The communication karaoke device stores and saves the music file and the information file transferred from the host device and reproduces the music file in a timely manner.

(24) The host device creates and stores an "information file list to be held" in which the information files to be held are listed for each area where the communication karaoke device is installed. (25) The communication karaoke apparatus stores a “held information file list” listing up the information files currently stored and stored by the communication karaoke apparatus, and local information relating to the installation location of the communication karaoke apparatus. When downloading the information file from the device, the “information file list held” and the regional information are transmitted to the host device. (26) The host device specifies the "information file list to be held" for the corresponding region based on the region information received from a certain communication karaoke device, and receives the information file together with the region information from the communication karaoke device. By comparing the “held information file list” with the identified “information file list to be held”, the information files that are insufficient or the updated information files are deleted from the mass storage device. The information files are extracted and transferred to the communication karaoke apparatus together with the “information file list to be held” for the communication karaoke apparatus. (27) The communication karaoke apparatus stores and updates the information file received from the host apparatus, and updates and stores the “information file list to be held” as a new “information file list”.

The host device applied to the operation method according to the first invention is the third invention, and the karaoke device is used when the mass storage device management means and a communication karaoke device communicate with each other. Means for specifying an information file to be downloaded based on the area information transmitted from the karaoke apparatus, and means for extracting the information file specified by the means from a large-capacity storage device and transferring the extracted information file to the communication karaoke apparatus. I have.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a host device applied to the operation method according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the mass storage device management means and a communication opportunity with a communication karaoke device are provided. Means for specifying the corresponding "information file list to be held" based on the area information transmitted from the karaoke apparatus, and the "information file list to be held" specified by this means, together with the area information Means for extracting the shortage of the information file or the updated information file from the large-capacity storage device by comparing the `` held information file list '' transmitted from the karaoke device, Means for transferring the information file extracted by the means together with the "information file list to be held" to the communication karaoke apparatus. .

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication karaoke apparatus applied to the operation method according to the first aspect of the present invention. Means for storing and storing files, means for processing the appropriate stored music files to generate and output accompaniment sounds and lyric images of karaoke music, and appropriate information files for storing and storing And a means for displaying various information by processing the information in a timely manner, and a means for delivering the local information to the host device.

A sixth invention is a communication karaoke apparatus applied to the operation method according to the second invention, wherein the means for storing the area information, the music file transferred from the host apparatus, and Means for storing and storing an information file, means for processing the appropriate stored music file to generate and output an accompaniment sound and a lyric image of the karaoke music, and appropriate storage and storage for the information Means for processing the file in a timely manner to display various information, and means for transmitting the regional information and the `` held information file list '' to the host device at an appropriate communication opportunity with the host device, Means for updating and storing the "information file list to be held" transferred from the host device as a new "information file list to be held".

[0011] In a seventh aspect based on the fifth or sixth aspect, when an information file having the same name as the information file transferred from the host device is already stored and stored, the transferred information file has The communication karaoke device overwrites the saved information file.

An eighth invention is the communication karaoke apparatus according to the sixth invention, further comprising means for deleting an extra information file based on the "held information file list" transferred from the host apparatus. And

The invention disclosed in this specification also provides a music file for performing a karaoke performance by driving a musical sound synthesizing means and an image synthesizing means, and displaying various information by driving the musical sound synthesizing means and the image synthesizing means. An information file list that stores a list of necessary information files for each communication karaoke device or for each region where the communication karaoke device is installed in a host device of the communication karaoke device that downloads information files to be transmitted to a plurality of communication karaoke devices. Storage means; means for extracting an information file to be downloaded based on a list of information files corresponding to the communication karaoke apparatus when downloading a music file to the communication karaoke apparatus; It has a means to download with the file. To.

Further, the invention disclosed in this specification provides a music file for performing a karaoke performance by driving a tone synthesis means and an image synthesis means, and a music file for driving the karaoke performance by driving the tone synthesis means and the image synthesis means. In the method of downloading an information file showing various kinds of information to a plurality of communication karaoke devices in the meantime, a list of necessary information files is stored for each of the plurality of regions, and a music file is stored in the communication karaoke device. When downloading the karaoke device, an information file to be downloaded is extracted based on a list of information files corresponding to the communication karaoke apparatus, and the extracted information file is downloaded together with the music file.

According to the present invention, the host device stores the music file for performing the karaoke performance and the CM between the karaoke songs.
An information file for showing information such as the information is downloaded to the communication karaoke apparatus. A music file for performing a karaoke performance is necessary for all communication karaoke apparatuses, but some information files include information files required only in a certain area, such as a (local) CM that is shown only in a certain area.

The host device stores a list of necessary information files for each communication karaoke device or the area where the communication karaoke device is installed, and downloads the communication karaoke device at the download destination or the region where the communication karaoke device is installed when downloading. An information file to be downloaded is extracted based on a list of the corresponding information files. This extraction
What is described in the list of information files may be extracted as it is as an information file to be downloaded, and a list of information files currently stored is received from a communication karaoke apparatus of a download destination, and the necessary information file is received. And the difference may be extracted as what should be downloaded. The information file to be downloaded extracted in this way is downloaded together with the music file. This allows
Useless downloading of the information file is eliminated, the work efficiency of the host device is improved, and the communication time is saved.

[0017]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a communication karaoke system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The communication karaoke apparatus is configured by connecting a host apparatus 1 and a communication karaoke apparatus 3 as a plurality of terminal apparatuses via a telephone line. In the figure, the host device 1 has four communication karaoke devices 3.
Are connected, and the four communication karaoke apparatuses 3 are installed in the area A, the area B, the area C, and the area D, respectively. The telephone line may be a public telephone line, and the line may be connected when necessary.

A mass storage device 2 is connected to the host device 1. The mass storage device 2 stores music files and information files to be downloaded to the communication karaoke device 3. The music file has a header,
This is a data file for a karaoke performance including a musical sound track, a lyrics display track, and a voice track. The information file has substantially the same configuration (header, BGM track, character display track, announcement track, etc.) as the above-mentioned music file, and includes, for example, new music information, concert information, commercials of products and stores, and the like. It is a data file.

The mass storage device 2 stores the information file list for each of the plurality of regions (FIG. 4).
(A)). The information file list is a list of information files to be downloaded to the communication karaoke apparatus in the area, and the contents of this list are updated as needed. When downloading the new song file, the host device 1 transmits an information file list of the communication karaoke device (a list of information files stored in the communication karaoke device at that time: FIG. 3).
(A) is received, the list is compared with the information file list on the host device side (see FIG. 4A), and only the missing information files are added to the new music file and downloaded. At this time, the updated information file list is also downloaded at the same time (see FIG. 4B).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication karaoke apparatus which is a terminal apparatus in the communication karaoke system. The communication karaoke apparatus plays karaoke based on the music file received from the host apparatus, and plays back the data of the information file between music pieces of the karaoke performance to display CMs, new music information, and the like. Control unit 10 for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus
Is composed of a microcomputer. The control unit 10 includes a communication control unit 12, a storage unit 11, and a tone synthesis unit 1.
3. The image synthesizing unit 14 is connected. Communication control unit 12
Is connected to the host device 1 via a public telephone line,
It controls communication with the host device 1 such as downloading of a file set including music files and information files. The storage unit 11 stores downloaded music files, information files, and the like. The musical sound synthesizer 13 synthesizes an accompaniment sound based on music file data (musical sound track and audio track) and reproduces a sound such as a back chorus. Further, the tone synthesizer 13 reproduces an announcement voice or BGM based on the data of the information file.
Combine. The tone synthesizer is connected to the sound system 17, and the synthesized tone and reproduced sound signals are input to the sound system 17. A singing microphone 16 is connected to the sound system 17.
The singing voice of the singer is input from the singing microphone 16. The sound system 17 amplifies these signals after adding effects such as reverb, and outputs the amplified signals to the speaker 18. Further, the image synthesizing unit 14 generates an image to be displayed on the monitor 19 based on the music file data. A CD-ROM player 15 is connected to the image synthesizing unit 14, and selects a background video stored in the CD-ROM based on genre data or the like included in the music file. The music file contains lyrics display data, and the character pattern of the lyrics telop is synthesized based on the data. An image to be displayed on the monitor 19 is generated by synthesizing the character pattern of the background video and the lyrics telop. Also, the information file contains data specifying the background video and character data for displaying the CM and new music information as in the music file.
The image synthesizing unit 14 determines a monitor 19 based on these data.
Generates an information screen to be displayed in. Note that the image synthesizing unit 14
Stores simple graphic patterns (graphic primitive data) such as circles and triangles in addition to character patterns. By specifying the display of these figures in the data (character display track) of the information file, It is also possible to generate a combined screen.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of the storage unit 11 of the communication karaoke apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a regional information file list and download data stored in the host device.

In FIG. 3, the storage section 11 is set with storage areas for music files, information files and information file lists. The music file storage area has an area for storing music files for several thousand songs. In this area, music files downloaded from the host device 1 are added. Each music file is identified by a serial number. In the information file storage area, information files downloaded from the host device 1 are stored, and unnecessary information files among the already stored information files are deleted. The information files stored in the storage area are sequentially shown between karaoke performances (between songs). After the end of the karaoke performance, the communication karaoke apparatus 3 plays the information files in the above order as time permits, and immediately ends the presentation of the information files when the next karaoke performance starts. Information files that have been discontinued during the screening to start the karaoke performance will be screened again from the beginning between the next songs. The information file list is downloaded from the host device 1 as described above. This list is a list of information files to be stored by the communication karaoke apparatus 3 at that time. In the example of FIG. 3A, the information files are listed according to the contents of the information file lists A2, B1, C1, and D1. A file A (version 2), an information file B (version 1), an information file C (version 1), and an information file D (version 1) are stored.

In FIG. 4A, an information file list is stored in the host device 1 for each of the areas A to D. The information file list is maintained as needed, and the version of each information file stores the number of the latest version stored in the host device 1. When downloading new song data (song data) to the communication karaoke device 3, the host device 1 first requests the communication karaoke device 3 to transmit an information file list. The transmitted information file list is a list of information files stored in the communication karaoke apparatus 3 at that time. The information file list is compared with the information file list for the area stored in the host apparatus 1, and the information file list not stored in the communication karaoke apparatus 3 and the version stored in the communication karaoke apparatus 3 are updated. The selected song is edited together with the new song data and downloaded. Further, the information file list stored in the host device 1 is also downloaded. The downloaded file set is shown in FIG. The file set is
It consists of one or more new song files, selected information files, and an information file list edited for each region. Downloading is generally performed about once a week, so one file set is composed of about 10 new music files and about several information files, and the entire file set is about 2 to 3 MB. It becomes the size of. The new song file includes a start code, a data body, and an end code.

When the communication karaoke apparatus shown in FIG. 3 is installed in the area A, the file set shown in FIG. 4B edited based on the information file list shown in FIG. The information file A (version 3), the information file C (version 2), and the information file E (version 1) are included. FIG. 3B shows a case where the communication karaoke apparatus is installed in the area A, and the storage unit 11 is changed from the state of FIG. 3A by downloading the file set of FIG. This shows a state where maintenance is performed. When the information file A (version 3), the information file C (version 2), and the information file E (version 1) are downloaded, the old versions of the information files A and C are already stored. Update the version by overwriting it. Since the information file E is a new information file, it is written in a new area. If an information file that is not described in the new downloaded information file list is stored in the information file storage area, the information file is deleted, though not in this example.

The new music file stored in the host device 1 is common to all communication karaoke devices, but some new music files can only be played by some communication karaoke devices and cannot be played. When downloading this file set to a communication karaoke device, for a new song file that can only be played on some of the above devices, only the start code and end code are edited on the host side and transmitted, and the data itself is not transmitted By doing so, the amount of communication can be saved.

FIG. 5A is a flowchart showing a communication processing operation in the communication karaoke apparatus. FIG.
(B) is a flowchart showing a download operation of the host device to the communication karaoke device. In FIG. 2A, when the communication karaoke apparatus 3 receives a message requesting the start of download from the host apparatus 1, this operation starts. First, it sends its terminal status (s
1). The terminal state is information indicating whether or not the terminal itself can receive a file set download from the host device 1. After transmitting the terminal information, the process waits until there is a request to transmit the information file list (s2). When there is a transmission request for the information file list, the information file list stored in the storage unit 11 is transmitted (s3). The region where the communication karaoke device 3 is installed may be registered in the host device 1 side, or the communication karaoke device 3 may be registered together with the terminal status or the information file list. May be transmitted to the host device 1.

The host apparatus 1 edits a file set based on the contents of the information file list and transmits the edited file set to the communication karaoke apparatus (s16 to s18 in FIG. 3B).
reference). The communication karaoke apparatus 3 receives this (s
4) Store in a predetermined storage area. The new song file is added to the song file storage area. As for the information file, a new file is added to a free area, and in the case of a new version having the same file name, the storage area of the old version is overwritten. Next, it is searched whether there is an unnecessary file in the information file storage area (s5). An unnecessary file is an information file that has been stored in the information file storage area for a long time and is not included in the currently transmitted information file list. This is something that was necessary until now, but is no longer needed this time.
If such an information file exists, it is deleted (s6) to save storage area.

In FIG. 3B, the host device performs this operation when the download date arrives. The download date is set about once a week, for example, when the communication karaoke apparatus is not busy, such as during the day on Monday. When the download is due (s10), a public telephone line is connected to the communication karaoke device (s1).
1). When the line is connected to the communication karaoke device, terminal status information is received from the communication karaoke device (s12). If the information indicates that the communication karaoke apparatus is not operating normally, error processing is performed (s2).
0) End the communication.

If the communication karaoke apparatus is operating normally (s13), a request is made to transmit the information file list stored on the communication karaoke apparatus side (s14). In response, the information file list transmitted from the communication karaoke apparatus 3 is received (s15). The information file to be transmitted, that is, the information file not stored in the communication karaoke apparatus, is compared by comparing the information file list with the information file list stored in the host apparatus for the area where the communication karaoke apparatus is installed. Then, an information file whose version has been updated is extracted (s16). A file set for download is edited by combining the extracted information file, new song file, and new information file list (s17). This file set is transmitted to the communication karaoke apparatus 3 and the download operation is completed. The host device 3 executes this operation for each communication karaoke device.

As described above, the host apparatus 1 receives the information file list from the communication karaoke apparatus 3 and extracts the missing information files (undownloaded information files and information files whose version has been updated). By downloading only the files, it is possible to reduce the amount of information files to be transmitted, in addition to providing the information file list in which the necessary information files are specified for each area.

Also, the communication karaoke apparatus 3 can delete unnecessary information files by downloading the information file list from the host apparatus 1 and can save an information file storage area.

Further, since the information file list also stores the version of the information file, even if an information file having the same name has already been downloaded to the communication karaoke apparatus, the information file list may be stored in the host apparatus 1 when a new version is registered. Is automatically downloaded to the communication karaoke apparatus.

Even when a new song file is not downloaded, it may be connected to a communication karaoke apparatus in order to maintain only the information file.

Downloading is not limited to a method of judging that a predetermined date has arrived, but is also immediately performed when a request is received from a terminal device (communication karaoke device) or when new music data is registered. You may do so.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, a communication karaoke apparatus or a list of information files required for each area is stored, and at the time of download, the communication karaoke apparatus at the download destination or the area where the karaoke apparatus is installed is stored. By extracting the information file to be downloaded and downloading only the information file, the number of files to be downloaded can be reduced, the work efficiency of the host device can be improved, and the communication time can be reduced. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication karaoke system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communication karaoke apparatus which is a terminal apparatus of the communication karaoke system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a storage unit of the communication karaoke apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of an information file list stored in a host device of the communication karaoke system and a file set to be downloaded.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a communication processing operation of the communication karaoke apparatus and the host apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Host apparatus 2 Mass storage apparatus 3 Communication karaoke apparatus 11 Storage part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yuji Senba 10-1, Nakazawa-cho, Hamamatsu-shi, Shizuoka Yamaha Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yuichi Murai 5-5-26 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Ichiko Shonai F-term (reference) 5D108 BG06

Claims (8)

[Claims] An invention specified by the following requirements (1) to (7). (1) An operation method of a communication karaoke system in which a host device and a number of communication karaoke devices are connected via a communication line network. (2) The host device includes a music file of a large number of karaoke songs transferred to the communication karaoke device and provided for performance processing, and a large number of information files transferred to the communication karaoke device and provided for screening processing. Manages a large-capacity storage device that stores (3) The communication karaoke apparatus stores and saves the music file and the information file transferred from the host apparatus, and reproduces the music file in a timely manner. (4) The host device identifies and manages the information file to be held according to the area where the communication karaoke device is installed. (5) The communication karaoke device stores local information regarding its own installation location, and transmits the local information to the host device when downloading the information file from the host device. (6) The host device specifies an information file to be downloaded to the communication karaoke device based on the regional information received from the communication karaoke device, and extracts the corresponding information file from the mass storage device, The information files are transferred to the communication karaoke apparatus. (7) The communication karaoke device stores the information file received from the host device. 2. The invention specified by the following requirements (21) to (27). (21) This is an operation method of a communication karaoke system in which a host device and a number of communication karaoke devices are connected via a communication network. (22) The host device includes a music file of a large number of karaoke songs transferred to the communication karaoke device and subjected to a performance process, and a large number of information files transferred to the communication karaoke device and subjected to a screening process. Manages a large-capacity storage device that stores (23) The communication karaoke device stores and saves the music file and the information file transferred from the host device and reproduces the music file in a timely manner. (24) The host device creates and stores an “information file list to be held” listing the information files to be held for each area where the communication karaoke device is installed. (25) The communication karaoke apparatus stores a “held information file list” listing up the information files currently stored and stored by the communication karaoke apparatus, and local information relating to the installation location of the communication karaoke apparatus. When downloading the information file from the device, the “information file list held” and the regional information are transmitted to the host device. (26) The host device specifies the "information file list to be held" for the corresponding region based on the region information received from a certain communication karaoke device, and receives the information file together with the region information from the communication karaoke device. By comparing the “held information file list” with the identified “information file list to be held”, the information files that are insufficient or the updated information files are deleted from the mass storage device. The information files are extracted and transferred to the communication karaoke apparatus together with the “information file list to be held” for the communication karaoke apparatus. (27) The communication karaoke apparatus stores and updates the information file received from the host apparatus, and updates and stores the “information file list to be held” as a new “information file list”. 3. The host device applied to the operation method according to claim 1, wherein the mass storage device is managed by the karaoke device at a communication opportunity with a communication karaoke device. Means for specifying an information file to be downloaded based on the area information, and means for extracting the information file specified by the means from a large-capacity storage device and transferring it to the communication karaoke device. Characteristic host device. 4. The host device applied to the operation method according to claim 2, wherein the mass storage device is managed by the karaoke device at a communication opportunity with a communication karaoke device. Means for specifying the corresponding "information file list to be held" based on the area information, and the "karaoke information file list" specified by this means, and the karaoke apparatus together with the area information. Means for extracting the shortage of the information file or the updated information file from the large-capacity storage device by comparing the "information file list held" with the obtained information file list. Means for transferring the information file together with the "information file list to be held" to the communication karaoke apparatus. That the host device. 5. The communication karaoke apparatus applied to the operation method according to claim 1, wherein: the means for storing the area information; and the music file and the information file transferred from the host apparatus. Means for storing, processing the appropriate music file stored and generated to generate and output an accompaniment sound and a lyric image of the karaoke music, and timely processing the appropriate information file stored and stored A communication karaoke apparatus comprising: means for displaying various types of information; and means for delivering the local information to the host device. 6. The communication karaoke apparatus applied to the operation method according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit stores the area information, and stores the music file and the information file transferred from the host apparatus. Means for storing, processing the appropriate music file stored and generated to generate and output an accompaniment sound and a lyric image of the karaoke music, and timely processing the appropriate information file stored and stored Means for displaying various types of information, means for delivering the regional information and the “information file list held” to the host device at an appropriate communication opportunity with the host device, and transfer from the host device. Means for updating and storing the obtained "information file list to be held" as a new "information file list to be held". Raoke equipment. 7. The communication karaoke apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, if an information file having the same name as the information file transferred from the host apparatus has already been stored and stored, the transferred information file is used. A communication karaoke apparatus for overwriting the stored information file. 8. The communication karaoke apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising means for deleting an extra information file based on the “held information file list” transferred from the host apparatus. A communication karaoke apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.