JP2003167586A - Karaoke remote controller with electronic table of contents book function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a karaoke remote controller with an electronic table of contents book function with which it can be checked on a displayed picture whether a musical composition code in the middle of input corresponds to a reservation desired musical composition or not when inputting the musical composition code for a reservation. <P>SOLUTION: The karaoke remote controller with the electronic table of contents book function is provided with a musical composition index database 10 which comprises an artist indication column peculiarly allocated to each artist and a piece of music indication part for specifying one of the own songs of each artist and which describes the attribute information of the musical composition code, an LCD 2 which presents a variety of information to a user on the basis of the musical composition index database, a user interface which receives an operation input, and a remote control signal output means 17 to transmit a remote control signal regarding the performance reservation in response to the operation input. The karaoke remote controller is further provided with a means to display the attribute information of a corresponding artist on the user interface when the artist is specified. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention searches for a suitable karaoke piece based on a search condition input by a user, and accepts a user input to reserve a performance of a karaoke piece presented as a search result. , A karaoke remote control device with electronic function that sends out a remote control signal to reserve the music to the karaoke device, especially one of the artist's designated digit part assigned to each artist and the song owned by each artist The musical composition reservation is performed by a musical composition code composed of a musical composition designating part consisting of a number or a symbol other than the artist designating digit part allocated for identifying the musical composition.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function has been commercialized as a computer application device having a form similar to a laptop computer or a palmtop personal computer.
A liquid crystal touch panel is often used as the user interface. The attribute information about the karaoke music database corresponding to the karaoke music database in the karaoke device is stored in an external storage such as a built-in hard disk or a non-volatile memory, and is managed as a music index database. The database is queried as a query regarding the attribute information, and the table of contents information and song code of the corresponding karaoke song are presented and output. When the karaoke piece that the user desires to play is finally designated, the performance reservation code including the piece code of the piece of music is transferred to the nearby karaoke apparatus as a remote control signal.

When the karaoke device receives a remote control signal for performance reservation, it manages the music codes included in the signal as a performance reservation queue, and picks up the music codes in sequence from the queue. Then, the karaoke piece corresponding to the picked-up piece of music code is played.

Further, the karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function reserves a karaoke piece based on the inputted music code and prepares to play the karaoke piece by using various operation keys such as a numeric keypad arranged on the liquid crystal touch panel. It accepts user input to act on a karaoke device that is currently playing or is playing, to stop playing a song, or to change the playing state such as the accompaniment music key or tempo, and sends the corresponding remote control signal. It also has an auxiliary operation mode to function as a conventional karaoke remote control device.

[0005]

However, the karaoke remote control device with the electronic table of contents function is mainly used to find a desired song and make a reservation by highly utilizing the song index database in various search modes. It is what is done. Therefore, when a music code to be requested is input by using the operation mode that functions as the conventional karaoke remote control device, that is, the remote control mode, a mistake in inputting the music code is accompanied. Then, after inputting all the song codes, it is necessary to confirm whether the entered reserved song code is correct unless the operation for presenting and outputting the attribute information about the corresponding karaoke song on the liquid crystal touch panel is performed. I can't.

[0006] In general, karaoke users tend to select songs from songs owned by their favorite artists. Therefore, if the user's convenience is taken into consideration, the music code consists of a high-order digit portion uniquely assigned to each artist and a low-order digit assigned to identify one of the songs owned by each artist. It is suitable to be composed of parts. By doing this, the user can request some song of this artist by remembering the high-order digit part of his / her favorite artist.

However, when it is desired to reserve a performance of a specific music, it is necessary to remember the lower digit part after all. It is possible to store a small number of songs,
When trying to sing a new song of a favorite artist or a song that has never been sung, enter the keyword to search for an artist using the search mode of the karaoke remote control device with electronic table of contents function Must be done and is very tedious.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the problem relating to the input of a music code when a performance reservation is made by using the above-mentioned karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents main function. An electronic table of contents that allows the user to confirm whether the music code is the correct one corresponding to the reservation desired music without completing the input of the music code and to easily search for the music of the favorite artist It is intended to provide a karaoke remote control device with this function.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first invention for achieving the above object is to provide an artist designating digit portion consisting of a predetermined digit uniquely assigned to each artist to be played in a karaoke apparatus and each artist. Attribute information for a large number of songs identified by a song code composed of a song designating part consisting of a number or a symbol other than the artist designating digit part assigned to identify one of the songs The described music index database, a user interface that presents various information to the user based on the music index database and accepts an operation input by the user, and the karaoke in response to the operation input by the user interface. Equipped with remote control signal output means for transmitting remote control signals related to performance reservation to the device In the karaoke remote control device with this function, when the music code is input through the user interface and an artist is specified by the artist indicating digit portion, attribute information of the corresponding artist is displayed in the user interface. An electronic table-of-contents karaoke remote control device with a function is provided, which is provided with a display means.

A second invention is that, in the first invention, when the music code is input through the user interface and an artist is specified by the artist indicating digit portion, a song of the corresponding artist is recorded. A karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function is provided with means for displaying a list as request song candidates on the user interface.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings showing the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the external appearance of a karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the karaoke remote control device with the electronic table of contents function in the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a top screen displayed on the karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function in the above embodiment. Similarly, FIG. 4 is a flow explanatory diagram showing an operation of calling various search modes and functions from the top screen. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a display screen when the various search modes and functions are called. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a process of retrieving a karaoke piece in the singer name search mode and making a performance reservation in the transition example of the display screen in the above embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the flow of processing when a karaoke piece is reserved for performance in the remote control mode in the above embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing the attribute information of the artist in the remote control mode of the present invention by the transition diagram of the display screen.

As shown in FIG. 1, the karaoke remote control device 1 with an electronic table of contents function is generally in the shape of a thick panel, and the size is such that when the panel is horizontally long, both hands can be held in a lightly opened state. A liquid crystal display (LCD) 2 is provided on the entire panel serving as a user interface, and a touch panel 3 is laminated on the surface of the LCD 2.

The panel-shaped case has an infrared transmitter 4 formed of a light emitting diode (LED) on its upper end surface, and has a lower end terminal for receiving power from an external power source when charging a secondary battery inside the main body. 6 and an RS232C standard communication interface (IF) terminal 5 for data communication with an external computer. Note that these terminal groups are normally hidden from the outside by a blind cover.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the internal structure of the karaoke remote control device 1 with an electronic table of contents function. The configuration of the karaoke remote control device 1 with an electronic table of contents function of the present embodiment is basically the same as that of a computer such as a PC, and a central control unit that incorporates a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, a video RAM, etc. 1
1 is centrally controlled. The flash memory (storage unit) 12 that functions as an external memory stores index information (attribute information such as song name, artist name, and song singing portion) similar to the karaoke table of contents for karaoke songs that can be used in the karaoke device. It is stored in association with a music code and managed as a music index database 10. Further, the central control unit 11 which is the main control unit of the karaoke remote control device 1 with this electronic table of contents main function is RS232C.
The music index database 10 is updated in a timely manner by communicating with an external computer such as a karaoke device via a standard communication interface (IF) 13, downloading attribute information about a new karaoke music, and storing it in the flash memory 12. To be done.

When the central control unit 11 receives the operation input information from the touch panel 3 via the operation control unit 15, the central control unit 11 responds to the image data prepared in the internal ROM and the operation input information according to the image data. The image data in which the processing result is reflected is bitmap-developed in the video RAM, and the LCD driver 14 is controlled to display and output the bitmap image on the LCD 2. As a result, the karaoke remote control device 1 with an electronic table of contents function is provided to the user.
It provides a UI environment. Then, the central control unit 11 searches the music index database 10 through the GUI with the user and outputs the search result to realize the electronic table of contents function.

The central control unit 11 displays a corresponding karaoke piece by the electronic table of contents function, and if there is a user input to reserve the piece of the karaoke piece, the corresponding song code and the performance reservation command are input. Generate the included code,
The code is transferred to the LED driver 16. The LED driver 16 gives the modulated signal of this code to the LED 17 to cause the karaoke apparatus to transmit a radio signal for performance reservation.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a top screen 20 displayed when the electronic table of contents function of the karaoke remote controller 1 with the electronic table of contents function is activated. Top screen 2
0 is for activating various search modes (new score, singer name, song title, that time, duet, genre) and various functions (history / remote control) implemented in the karaoke remote control device 1 with this electronic table of contents function. Menu buttons 21-2
8 are provided. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the function called when each menu button provided on the top screen 20 is designated.

On the right side of the area where the menu buttons 21 to 28 are arranged, various command button groups 29 for operating the karaoke apparatus are arranged. A performance change command is issued to modify the performance operation of the karaoke piece that the apparatus is preparing to play or is playing.

When any of the menu buttons 21 to 28 is instructed while the top screen 20 is displayed, an initial screen for operating each search mode and function shown in FIGS. 5A to 5H, respectively. Is displayed. Electronic Table of Contents The karaoke remote control device 1 with this function displays the initial screens (A) to (H) as introduction screens for each operation mode (search mode or function), and these introduction screens (A) according to the user's operation input. From () to (H), the initial screen is hierarchically transitioned, and the user finally specifies the song to be reserved for performance on the karaoke device, and the corresponding song code is included according to the operation input to reserve the song. Send a remote control signal.

[0020] For example, "singer name" on the top screen 20
When the menu button 22 is designated, the initial screen in the remote control mode shown in FIG. 5B is activated. And
The karaoke piece is reserved for performance through the screen transitions shown in FIGS. First, the karaoke remote control device 1 with an electronic table of contents function displays a keyword input screen including a character palette, and the user indicates characters in the character palette to input the singer's name from the initials (A ).
When the singer's name is entered halfway and the "search" button 33 is instructed, the entered character string is searched for in the music index database 10
Is displayed and a list of the corresponding singer names and the number of karaoke pieces registered in association with the singer is displayed (B). Then, when the user designates the singer name of the song desired to be requested from the list, the karaoke songs associated with the singer are displayed in a list (C). If the number of applicable singers and karaoke songs is large and the singer name and the number of karaoke songs or the song name cannot be described on one screen, the singer name and the number of karaoke songs are divided into a plurality of screens, and the page turning key 34 is operated in accordance with the instruction operation. Display a list of the previous and next screens.

Then, when the user designates a desired music piece from the list, detailed attribute information of the music piece is displayed (D). When the user confirms the detailed attribute information and then instructs the "transfer" button 35, when an operation to reserve the performance of the music is performed, a remote control signal for reserving the performance of the music is transmitted, and the performance is reproduced. After the confirmation screen (E) indicating that the reservation has been made, the initial screen for singer name search shown in FIG. 5B is displayed. When the "interrupt transfer" button 36 on the display screen of the detailed attribute information is designated, the music code of the music for which the performance reservation is instructed is registered at the beginning of the karaoke performance, not at the end of the performance processing queue. Then, next to the karaoke music currently being played, the music reserved by this interrupt transfer is played.

[Return] button 32 on each screen
Is a button for re-displaying the screen displayed immediately before, and the "TOP" button 31 is a button for displaying the top screen 20 shown in FIG.

The karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function of the present embodiment is provided with a remote control mode for checking mistakes in the middle of inputting a music code and easily searching for a favorite artist's song in the present invention. The remote control mode user interface in the present embodiment will be described below.

When the "remote control" menu button 28 on the top screen 20 shown in FIG. 3 is instructed, FIG.
The initial screen in the remote control mode shown in (H) is activated. FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of remote control function processing in the remote control mode. 8A to 8F are transition diagrams of screens displayed on the LCD 2 in the process of identifying an artist in the remote control mode of the present invention. On the top screen 20, "Remote control" menu button 2
When the user selects 8 to select 8, a remote controller screen (A) including a ten-key pad 41 for inputting a music code and a display section 42 for the music code input from the ten-key is displayed (s51). The music code display section 42 displays the 6-digit music code input from the numeric keypad in the upper 4 digits and the lower 2 digits.
Numerical values are displayed by separating them with digits. Top 4 of this song code
The digit number is assigned uniquely to the artist, and the lower two digit numbers are assigned as the song number of the artist. It should be noted that this music code may be not only a number but also characters, symbols, and the like.

The user instructs the ten-key pad to input the music code of the desired karaoke music (s52).
→ s53 → s51, B), when the number of input upper digits reaches 4 digits, the number of input digits is checked whether the upper digit number has already been input and the lower digit number is being input (s53 →
s54), or at the time when the "memory set" button 43 is instructed to determine the upper digit number for the music code having the upper digit number less than 4 digits, the lower input digit number is similarly checked (s61 → s62), if the lower digit number is not input yet, the upper digit number is referred to the music search database as a key for obtaining the artist name, and the corresponding artist name is displayed on the singer name display section 44 (s54-). Along with "s56), a" possession list display "button 45 for instructing to display a poetry list is also displayed (s56).
57, C). At this time, the user can refer to the artist name displayed on the singer name display section to confirm whether or not there is any mistake in inputting the music code up to that point.

Then, the ten-key pad is instructed to the upper digit number, the lower digit number is input, and when the input of all the music codes is completed, the "memory set" button 43 is pressed.
The karaoke remote control device with the electronic table-of-contents function displays detailed attribute information about the instructed music (s61 to s64). When the user sees the detailed attribute information display screen (E) and confirms that the music is the target music, the "transfer" button arranged in the detailed attribute information display screen. Direct 46. As a result, the karaoke remote control device with the electronic table of contents function sends a remote control signal for reserving this music (s65 → s67). If you want to enter the song code again instead of the desired song, specify the "Return" button in the detailed attribute information display screen and the remote control screen in the state before specifying the "Memory set" button. Is displayed again (s65 → s51).

Next, a case will be described in which the "possessed song list display" button 45 displayed on the remote control screen is instructed at the time when the upper digit portion is determined. When the "listening to owned songs" button 45 is instructed, a list of appropriate attribute information about a music piece having the same upper digit number as the already fixed 4-digit upper digit number is displayed over a plurality of pages ( s71
~ S73). In other words, it is difficult to see attribute information about many songs in a limited display area.
A plurality of searched music pieces are collected for each predetermined number, and attribute information about the predetermined number of music pieces is displayed in a list on one screen. In the present embodiment, a list of a plurality of retrieved karaoke songs is displayed in the order of Japanese syllabary for every 8 songs (D).

Further, in this list screen, the total number of pages and the currently displayed page number are displayed at a predetermined position 47, and when the user instructs the "page turning" button 48, the page is turned. The previous and next pages are displayed according to the direction, and a list of attributes of other songs is displayed (s74 → s
73). If the user wants to search again by inputting the upper digits of another artist, he / she instructs the "return" button 49 in the attribute information list screen to display the remote control screen again (s75 → s51).

In the course of the user sequentially browsing the music list of the specified artist over a plurality of retrieved pages, when the display column of a music is designated, the karaoke remote control device with the electronic table of contents function is The detailed attribute information about the designated music is displayed and output (s75 → s7).
6). When the user sees the detailed attribute information and confirms that it is the target music, he / she instructs the "transfer" button 46 arranged in the display screen of the detailed attribute information. As a result, the karaoke remote control device with the electronic table of contents function sends out a remote control signal for reserving this music (s77 → s66 → s67).

In the above embodiment, the artist name is displayed when the artist is specified by the high-order digit number. Not limited to this configuration, attribute information such as concert information and new song information of the corresponding artist may be displayed.

Further, when the artist is specified by the high-order digit portion, the "possession list display" button is displayed. Not limited to this configuration, for example, when the remote control mode is activated from the top screen and the initial screen of the remote control mode is displayed, the remote control mode may be arranged in a light color and the user's instruction operation may be invalidated.

Although not described in the above embodiment,
When the "List of Poems" button can be operated,
Of course, when the user inputs the upper digit part again by instructing the ten-key pad, the operation of instructing the "list of songs in possession" button is invalidated.

For artists who have a large number of songs and cannot be managed by the number of lower digit numbers, a table associated with them so that two different upper digit portions can be identified as the same artist is stored in the song index database. If you specify the upper digit part of one of them and then press the "List of songs list" button,
With respect to the music code composed of the other high-order digit portion, it may be displayed as a list of songs owned by the same artist by referring to this table.

[0034]

As described above, according to the karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function according to the present invention, in the remote control mode, an operation procedure of inputting a music code similar to the conventional remote control device and making a reservation. In this case, since the attribute information of the target artist is displayed when the number identifying the artist is input, it is possible to check whether the music code being input is the correct one corresponding to the reservation desired music. This can be confirmed on the display screen of the built-in karaoke remote control device, and an input mistake of the music code can be found early.

Further, when the input of the number for identifying the artist is completed, it becomes possible to instruct the command button to display the list of songs owned by the corresponding artist, so that the user only needs to input this number. You can easily select songs from your favorite artists' songs.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 also shows a schematic diagram of an initial screen displayed in the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation of calling various search modes and functions from the initial screen.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a display screen when the various search modes and functions are called.

FIG. 6 is a transition diagram of a display screen showing a process of retrieving a karaoke piece in the singer name retrieval mode and making a performance reservation in the above embodiment.

FIG. 7 shows a flow chart of a process for making a performance reservation of a karaoke piece in the remote control mode in the above embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a transition diagram of a display screen showing a process of identifying an artist in a remote control mode of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Electronic contents Karaoke remote control device with this function 2 LCD display 3 touch panel 10 Music index database 11 Central control unit 12 flash memory 13 Communication interface 17 Light emitting diode

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An artist indicating digit portion consisting of a predetermined digit uniquely assigned to each artist to be played on a karaoke apparatus and one assigned to identify one of the songs owned by each artist. A music index database that describes attribute information about a large number of music identified by a music code that is composed of a music designating part consisting of a number or symbol other than the artist designating digit part, and a user based on this music indexing database. A user interface for presenting various kinds of information to the user and receiving an operation input by the user, and a remote control signal output means for transmitting a remote control signal related to a performance reservation to the karaoke device in response to the operation input by the user interface. In a karaoke remote control device with an electronic table of contents function equipped with When a song code is input through the user interface and an artist is specified by the artist designation digit portion, a means for displaying attribute information of the corresponding artist on the user interface is provided. Electronic contents Karaoke remote control device with this function. 2. The song according to claim 1, wherein when the music code is input through the user interface and an artist is specified by the artist designation digit portion, the song owned by the corresponding artist is set as the request music candidate. An electronic table-of-contents karaoke remote control device having a function of displaying a list on a user interface.