JP2003131675A - Karaoke device with specific user interface for music selection and video selection - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accelerate use of karaoke by allowing customers to naturally select songs in ease. SOLUTION: For example, a user selects a song book with a title 'singer's own performance' and selects and reserves a song in the song book, and then when the reserved music is played, a singer appearing program (1) is displayed as a karaoke picture. Further, the user selects a song book with, e.g. a title 'prize-awarded songs' and selects the song in the song book and then when the reserved music is played, a general scene program (2) is displayed as a karaoke picture. Furthermore, the user selects a song book with, e.g. a title 'CG art' and selects and reserves the song in the song book and then when the reserved music is played, a CG art program (3) is displayed as a karaoke picture.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a karaoke apparatus, and more particularly to a user interface technology for prompting a user to casually select music and images.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Since a karaoke box visitor comes exclusively for singing karaoke, he or she searches for a song that he wants to sing with a karaoke table of contents and operates a remote controller of the karaoke device to make a song selection reservation. Don't mind too much.
On the other hand, in the case of a restaurant such as a bar or a club where a karaoke device is installed as a means of assisting customer service, visitors do not always want to sing karaoke actively, so there are more than 20,000 songs. Even if you somehow open the thick karaoke table of contents, you can't decide what to sing and it's easy to find a song. There is often a customer service in which moms in the store, on behalf of the customers, search for and make reservations for songs that the customers are likely to sing, and encourage them to sing.

Japanese Patent No. 3124243 discloses a music retrieval system which is convenient when a person who has not decided what song to sing is thinking about what to sing and then selects.
In this search system, a huge number of songs registered in the karaoke song database are classified from various points of view, and the classified categories are presented to the user in the form of a multi-level search menu one after another. By repeating the selection, the user is presented with a set of music that finally matches the classification condition selected by the user. With this system, you can enjoy the search function as if it were a kind of computer game, but for those who do not enjoy interacting with a computer interactively, operating the search system It is more troublesome than turning over the karaoke table of contents itself.

In some models of karaoke devices, the user can select the background image of the lyrics when selecting and playing a song. Specifically, first, a song selection reservation is accepted, and when the turn of the song arrives, a specific selection operation is accepted in a predetermined period before and after the performance starts, so that the user can specify a favorite video category. It has become. However, it is easy to say that the service can be used casually and casually by the customers because it is difficult to devote themselves to singing preparations because various operations are required at the start of the performance.

[0005]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The karaoke device according to the present invention was developed for the purpose of facilitating the use of karaoke by allowing a customer to select a song or select an image easily. , The following matters (1)
To (7). (1) The karaoke device manages the order of performance in accordance with the song numbers registered in the performance reservation queue and retrieves karaoke song data corresponding to the song number to be played from the karaoke song database, and the karaoke song data. Means for outputting karaoke accompaniment music according to the music performance data included in, karaoke music data, and means for displaying lyrics subtitles in synchronization with the karaoke accompaniment music included in the karaoke music data. Means for extracting the video data from the video database according to the video designation data and displaying the data together with the lyrics subtitles during the performance of the karaoke accompaniment music. (2) For some karaoke music data in the karaoke music database, a plurality of program options are included as the video designation data, and the program option is selected when playing these karaoke music data. Determines the video program to be displayed during performance. This type of music is called a multi-video music. (3) Attribute information covering a large number of items is added to each song as index information of the karaoke song database. Information related to the program options regarding the multi-video song is also included in the attribute information. (4) A huge number of songs registered in the karaoke song database are classified into a large number of songbooks based on the attribute information. A songbook is a data file that collects identifiers of many songs included in a certain category, and each songbook is given a songbook title corresponding to the meaning of each category. (5) In response to a specific user input, the songbook selecting means selects a small number of songbooks from a large number of songbooks, and the plurality of songbooks is displayed on the user-oriented display by the songbook presenting song selecting means. (6) The songbook presenting / selecting means displays a plurality of songbook titles in a list based on the data files of a plurality of songbooks to be displayed, accepts a songbook identification input by a user, and identifies by the user input A large number of song titles and the like belonging to the selected songbook are displayed in a list, and the song identification input by the user is accepted, and the identifier of the song identified by the user input is registered in the performance reservation queue. (7) When the song A selected from a songbook is the multi-image song, the songbook presenting and selecting means selects the program option of the song A based on the classification category related to the songbook title of the songbook. The information for performing is added to the identifier of the music A and registered in the queue.

In the user interface of the karaoke apparatus configured as described above, the songbook selecting means selects the songbook based on the available images by examining the contents of the image database in advance, and The songbook may be selected based on personal information, or the songbook may be selected based on the performance history.
It is also preferable to provide songbook organizing means for reorganizing a songset belonging to one songbook, abolishing a songbook, or creating a new songbook based on the performance history.

[0007]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION === Basic Configuration of Karaoke Device =
== FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration mainly of hardware of a communication karaoke apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The karaoke device is a computer application device equivalent to a personal computer, in which the central processing unit 1 is a computer main body including a CPU, a ROM and a RAM, a hard disk device 2 which is a large-capacity external storage, and a subscriber telephone line or an ISDN line. A communication control device 3 for communicating with a karaoke host device via a user interface device 4 for receiving input information from the user and presenting guidance information and response information to the user, and MIDI data. A music generation device 5 that generates an acoustic signal of accompaniment music based on music performance data, an acoustic device 6 that amplifies an accompaniment music or an acoustic signal from a microphone and outputs it from a speaker, and a CRT or LC
A video display device 7 using a D or PDP, an image processing device 8 for processing image data to be displayed on the video display device 7, and an optical disk device 9 for reproducing a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM are provided. There is. The user interface device 4 includes an operation panel (keyboard and display) of the device body, and is also provided with a remote controller 4a using wireless communication such as infrared rays.

=== Basic Queue Management and Performance Control Operations === The central processing unit 1 creates a performance reservation queue in an appropriate storage unit and manages the performance order of karaoke songs. The performance reservation data input by the user interface device 4 includes a music number consisting of 6-digit numbers for specifying the music. When the performance reservation data is input, the central processing unit 1 confirms that the music number in it is the number of the music that can be played, which is registered in the karaoke music database, and then waits for that music number. Register in line.

The central processing unit 1 retrieves song numbers from the queue in the order of registration, retrieves the corresponding karaoke song data from the karaoke song database of the hard disk device 2, and processes them. One piece of karaoke music data corresponding to one music number is used to display music performance data that is the origin of karaoke accompaniment music represented by MIDI data or ADPCM data, and lyrics subtitles synchronized with the accompaniment music. Lyrics subtitle data, video designation data that directly or indirectly designates video data to be displayed as the background of the lyrics subtitle during the output period of the accompaniment music, and a song for subtitling the title, artist, or author of the song. This is a data group in which explanatory caption data and the like are associated.

A video database displayed as a karaoke background is also constructed by using the hard disk device 2 and the optical disk device 9 as storage resources.
As a part of the karaoke music data processing, the appropriate video data is taken out from the video database based on the video designation data, passed to the image processing device 8, and displayed on the video display device 7 together with the lyrics subtitles.

=== Multi-Video Music === As described above, one piece of karaoke music data directly or indirectly includes video data to be displayed in combination with lyrics subtitles during the output period of the accompaniment music. It contains the video specification data to be specified. When a certain music is played, the corresponding video data is retrieved from the video database and displayed based on the video designation data attached to the music. With this mechanism, a karaoke image suitable for the tone of the song and the content of the lyrics is displayed. In addition, when playing a certain song, the karaoke image that is always determined by the image designation data attached to the song is displayed, and the uncertain element in the image designation data (for example, the image category of "scenery of river flow"). There is a mechanism that the karaoke image displayed changes each time you play the same song even if you play the same song (for example, among many image categories classified in the category "river stream scenery") From the mechanism that randomly selected video categories are displayed when playing).

The above description does not describe the characteristics of the "multi-image music". This is an explanation of a general mechanism for karaoke video selection. “Multi-image music” refers to the following. For example, let's say you have a song titled "Like the River of the Long River." As a karaoke image when playing this song, a video program like the promotion video in which the artist (professional singer) who made the song hit appears
Video programs (general scenery programs) that capture the beautiful scenery of the river from the upper stream to the mouth of the river, and video programs (CG art programs) produced by computer graphics that remind us of the transition of the river flow are available. It is logically configured to select and display any one of the program in which he / she appears, the general scenery program, and the CG art program when playing "Like the Flow of the Long River".
Such music is called "multi-video music."

In the karaoke music data of "Like the Stream of Nagakawa" in this example, the first video designating data for the program in which he / she appears, the second video designating data for the general scenery program, The third video designation data for the CG art program is included. Generally speaking, the above items include a plurality of program options as the video designation data for a multi-video music piece, and the program options are selected when the multi-video music piece is played, so that it is displayed during the performance. It means that the video program that should be done is decided.

=== Index Information and Song Collection === In one embodiment of the present invention, an index table as illustrated in FIG. 2 is created in the hard disk device 2 as index information of the karaoke piece database. In the index table shown in FIG. 2, the leftmost 6-digit number is a music number, and the same music number I as the music selection number published in the table of contents is used.
It is D. In FIG. 2, only a part of the attribute information over many items is shown. The song genre number is a number that distinguishes music genres such as enka, pops, folk songs, and nursery rhymes, and indicates to which genre each song is classified. In addition to this, there are many items that express the attributes of songs from various points of view, such as songs sung by duet, songs that are organized in medley, songs that have won the Record Grand Prize, and attributes marked with a circle. It indicates that the item is the corresponding attribute of the music.

The anime special-effects BGV is an item indicating a song for which an animation image or a special-effects image is prepared as a karaoke image program. Similarly, the personal appearance BGV is an item indicating a song for which a karaoke video program in which the original song artist of the karaoke song appears is prepared. Further, the adult BGV is an item indicating a song for which an adult image is prepared as a karaoke image program. A circle will be added when applicable. Not only the multi-video song mentioned above, but also other songs are marked with a circle.

Although more than 20,000 songs are registered in the karaoke song database, the central processing unit 1 creates several tens to hundreds of songbooks based on the contents of the index table. For example, a songbook titled "Record Award" is a data file that collects song IDs of songs that won the Record Award (a data set of song IDs marked with a circle in the attribute item "Record Award"). ). Similarly, in the songbook titled "Duet", song IDs having a circle in the attribute item "Duet" are collected.

The songbook is also organized based on the attribute items related to the karaoke image in the index table. For example, a songbook titled "Personal Appearance" is a data file in which song IDs of songs for which a karaoke video program in which an original song artist appears are prepared. Similarly, in the songbook titled "Anime Tokusatsu," songs for which karaoke video programs created by anime or Tokusatsu are prepared are collected. Similarly, for the songbook titled "CG Art",
Music pieces in which a karaoke video program produced by computer graphics is prepared are collected.

Of course, it is also possible to organize a songbook based on AND conditions and OR conditions of a plurality of attribute items. For example, a song ID with a circle in both the attribute item "Group Sounds" and the attribute item "Ballard"
Create a collection of songs, and give it the title of "Old Group Sounds Ballad Collection".

Assuming that the above-mentioned virtual musical piece "Like the Stream of the Long River" is the winning song of the Record Award, this song will be published in the songbook entitled "Record Award".
Also, based on the attributes of the karaoke image, the song "Like the Flow of the Nagakawa" is published in the songbook titled "Appearing in person" and also in the songbook titled "CG Art".

=== Performance History and Song Collection === As is well known, the central processing unit 1 creates a karaoke performance history table in the hard disk device 2. As the performance history, a music ID and a performance date and time are recorded each time the requested music is played, and a performance history table is created by organizing the number of performances of each music and the latest performance date and time. The central processing unit 1 creates a songbook based also on the contents of this performance history table. For example, the set of song IDs selected in descending order of the number of times played is "Minna no 18 Hoban".
Or a collection of new song IDs of the performance date and time is made into a songbook titled "Recently sung song". It is also possible to create a songbook by linking the contents of both the index table and the performance history table. For example, song IDs that have a high number of performances and have a certain number of performances are attached to the attribute item “High Note”, and the songbook title “Songs with a high challenge key for everyone” is given.

Further, as disclosed in detail in Japanese Patent No. 3143456, the central processing unit 1 also records a performance history for each individual. It is also possible to create a songbook using this individual performance history. The IDs of the songs frequently requested by a regular customer are collected and given a songbook title of "My 18 Hoban," which is recorded in association with the individual ID of the regular customer.

=== Display of Songbook === For example, when Mama of the karaoke bar inputs a songbook display command through the user interface device 4, the central processing unit 1 selects from a number of songbooks as described later. The titles of a small number of songbooks are displayed in a list on the video display device 7, and the songbook specific input by the user is accepted. An example of a list display screen of songbook titles is shown in FIG. In this example, the state where six books are lined up on the bookshelf is displayed as a pattern. The six books are the above-mentioned songbooks, and the songbook title is written on the spine of each of the six books. The user interface device 4 can also be set to automatically enter the songbook display mode in the absence of the requested song.

When the user selects one of the six songbooks displayed by the user interface device 4, the central processing unit 1 determines the collected song ID and song index of the identified songbook. Then, the song names and artist names belonging to the song collection are displayed in a list, and the song identification input by the user is accepted. When the user operates the interface device 4 to specify one song from the list of song names,
The central processing unit 1 registers the music ID in the performance reservation queue. If there is no reservation in the queue, the song will be played immediately, and if there are other reservations, it will be performed according to the queue order management.

=== Selecting a multi-video song from a songbook ==
= The user selects a songbook titled "Appearing in person", and the virtual song "Like the Flow of the Nagakawa" belongs to the songbook.
If the user selects and reserves the program, a program to be performed by the person himself / herself is displayed as a karaoke image when the reserved song “Like the Flow of Nagakawa” is played by a mechanism described later. Also, if the user selects a songbook titled "Record Grand Prize" and selects "Like the Nagakawa no Nagarashi" that belongs to that songbook and makes a reservation, the reserved song "Like the Nagakawa no Nagaryuu" will be created by the mechanism described below. When "" is played, the above-mentioned general landscape program is displayed as a karaoke image. In addition, when the user selects a songbook titled "CG Art" and selects "Like the Nagakawa Stream" that belongs to the songbook and makes a reservation, the reserved song "Nagakawa Stream Stream" will be created by the mechanism described later. When "ni" is played, the CG art program described above is displayed as a karaoke image.

This mechanism is as follows. If the central processing unit 1 recognizes that "like the flow of Nagakawa" has been reserved from the "personal appearance", which is a songbook created based on the attributes of the karaoke image, the "flow of Nagakawa" is recognized. If "is like" is a multi-video song, then check the database index to find that it is a multi-video song.
"I like the flow of a long river" song I in the performance reservation queue
When D is registered, a code indicating that the program in which the person appears is used is attached to the music ID.

Further, the central processing unit 1 is a "record grand prize" which is a songbook created regardless of the attribute of the karaoke image.
When it is recognized that "like a stream of Nagakawa" has been reserved, the music ID is registered in the performance reservation queue without adding the special code as described above.

Further, if the central processing unit 1 recognizes that "Like the Flow of the Nagakawa" is reserved from "CG Art" which is a songbook created based on the attribute of the karaoke image, the "" The database index is checked to see if "Like the stream of Nagakawa" is a multi-video song, and when it is found to be a multi-image song, the song ID of "Like the stream of Nagagawa" is placed in the performance reservation queue. CG when registering
Music ID is a code that means to use an art program
To be attached to.

Then, the central processing unit 1 determines whether the music ID in the queue has the above-mentioned code when the order of the performances has been changed to "like the flow of the Nagakawa" registered in the queue. If there is a code, it is recognized whether it designates the program in which the person appears or the CG art program, and the designated program is displayed as a karaoke image. If these codes are not attached, if this is not specified, this is selected to select a general landscape program that has a predetermined identification code and is displayed as a karaoke image.

=== Selection of songbooks === The 6 songbooks displayed in the songbook display mode are pre-selected by the store manager (such as a mom at a karaoke bar) using the user interface device 4. You can select and set to. In the songbook selection mode, the central processing unit 1
Displays all songbook titles and presents them to the administrator, and asks the administrator to set the priority. Then, in the songbook display mode, six songbook titles are first displayed as shown in FIG. 3 based on the set priority order, and when the “next” icon in the display is selected, the next priority order is set. Displays the titles of the 6 songbooks that have been set. The priority order can be set by the host operator's will through communication from the karaoke host device.

Also, the priority order of songbook selection can be performed based on the performance history of the karaoke apparatus. That is, when the central processing unit 1 selects a song from the songbook display mode,
Record which songbook was used to select the song. This record is used as a songbook usage history. Then, based on the songbook usage history, the songbooks are selected in descending order of use count. In addition, a songbook usage history is created for each regular customer,
While a regular customer is visiting the store, the songbook is selected in descending order of the number of times of use based on the songbook usage history of the regular customer.

It should be noted that, based on the above-mentioned songbook usage history, songbooks that are rarely used are abolished, new songbooks are created according to the contents instructed by the karaoke host device via communication, and one songbook is posted. The central processing unit 1 can be configured to perform the process of adjusting the number of songs.

=== Contents of Video Database and Songbook ==
= As described above, the video database is constructed with the hard disk device 2 and the optical disk device 9 as storage resources. A karaoke software supplier may sell an optical disc containing a new karaoke video program. When a karaoke shop manager purchases a new karaoke video disc and installs it on the karaoke device at the store, when a song with a karaoke video program on that disc (a song set to use that program) is played. Is displayed. But if the disk is not installed,
It is impossible to display the karaoke image newly supplied by the business.

Similarly, depending on the intention of the operator of the karaoke shop, there may be a case where a disc containing a karaoke video program for adults classified into adult BGV is not installed in the karaoke apparatus of the own shop. In that case, even if a music piece that can be used by an adult BGV is played, the corresponding adult video program cannot be displayed as a matter of course.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the central processing unit 1 investigates the contents of the video database every time it is updated, and grasps the entire contents of the available video programs. Then, in the process of organizing various songbooks based on the index information of the karaoke song database as described above, when the songbook is organized based on the attributes of the karaoke image related to each song, the image designation data in the karaoke song data is used. Check if the corresponding video exists in the video database and organize a songbook that can be actually used.

[0035]

According to the present invention, when a person who has not decided a song to sing a song is thinking about what to sing, he or she can comfortably and naturally select the song. At that time, the attributes of the image displayed during karaoke performance are naturally and unconsciously included in the options. Therefore, it is effective in promoting the use of karaoke in a business form such as a bar or club in which a karaoke device is installed as an auxiliary means for serving customers.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a hardware configuration of a karaoke device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a part of the contents of an index table of a karaoke piece database in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a songbook display screen in one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Central processing unit 2 hard disk drive 3 Communication control device 4 User interface device 4a Remote controller 5 Music generator 6 audio equipment 7 Video display device 8 Image processing device 9 Optical disk device

Continued front page    (72) Inventor Takeshi Sekizawa             5-5-26 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Co., Ltd.             Inside Daiichi Kosho F term (reference) 5B075 ND12 ND14 NR02 NR12 UU40                 5D108 BC02 BC07 BC12 BD02 BE06                       BG07 BG08                 5E501 AA17 AC15 AC16 AC37 BA17                       CA02 CA08 CC02 EA10 EB05                       FA05 FA13 FA14 FA32

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A karaoke device characterized by a user interface for music selection and video selection, which is specified by the following items (1) to (7). (1) The karaoke device manages the order of performance in accordance with the song numbers registered in the performance reservation queue and retrieves karaoke song data corresponding to the song number to be played from the karaoke song database, and the karaoke song data. Means for outputting karaoke accompaniment music according to the music performance data included in, karaoke music data, and means for displaying lyrics subtitles in synchronization with the karaoke accompaniment music included in the karaoke music data. Means for extracting the video data from the video database according to the video designation data and displaying the data together with the lyrics subtitles during the performance of the karaoke accompaniment music. (2) For some karaoke music data in the karaoke music database, a plurality of program options are included as the video designation data, and the program option is selected when playing these karaoke music data. Determines the video program to be displayed during performance. This type of music is called a multi-video music. (3) Attribute information covering a large number of items is added to each song as index information of the karaoke song database. Information related to the program options regarding the multi-video song is also included in the attribute information. (4) A huge number of songs registered in the karaoke song database are classified into a large number of songbooks based on the attribute information. A songbook is a data file that collects identifiers of many songs included in a certain category, and each songbook is given a songbook title corresponding to the meaning of each category. (5) In response to a specific user input, the songbook selecting means selects a small number of songbooks from a large number of songbooks, and the plurality of songbooks is displayed on the user-oriented display by the songbook presenting song selecting means. (6) The songbook presenting / selecting means displays a plurality of songbook titles in a list based on the data files of a plurality of songbooks to be displayed, accepts a songbook identification input by a user, and identifies by the user input A large number of song titles and the like belonging to the selected songbook are displayed in a list, and the song identification input by the user is accepted, and the identifier of the song identified by the user input is registered in the performance reservation queue. (7) When the song A selected from a songbook is the multi-image song, the songbook presenting and selecting means selects the program option of the song A based on the classification category related to the songbook title of the songbook. The information for performing is added to the identifier of the music A and registered in the queue. 2. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the songbook selection means selects a songbook based on available images by examining the contents of the image database in advance. 3. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the songbook selection means selects a songbook based on user's personal information. 4. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the songbook selecting means selects a songbook based on a performance history. 5. A songbook organizing means for reorganizing a songbook belonging to one songbook, abolishing a songbook, or creating a new songbook based on a performance history. Karaoke device characterized by.