JP2004294888A - Music reproducing apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily obtain cooperative relation between video and a musical piece even when video data used for video reproduction accompanying music reproduction are updated or added and so on. <P>SOLUTION: A video file is divided into video property information and MPEG2 video data and the video property information contains a genre code and a plurality of pieces of musical piece specification information. Musical piece specification information is further divided into a music number, a term of validity, and a priority level. When a karaoke musical piece is played, the name of a file of video data having the number of the music to be played as musical piece specification information is retrieved and the retrieved video data are used to display background video. Consequently, even when, for example, only the video data are updated or added, video reproduction based upon the updated or added video data is easily realized as the existent musical piece is reproduced. Namely, no alterations is necessary on the musical piece data side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a music reproducing apparatus having a function of displaying an image that matches the content of a music piece when the music piece is played.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a music reproducing apparatus having a function of displaying an image matching the content of a music piece when playing the music piece has been known, and a karaoke apparatus is a typical example thereof. In a general communication karaoke apparatus, a modem as communication means is built in, and new music piece data distributed one after another from a distribution center can be taken in and provided as karaoke music.
[0003]
On the other hand, as for the background video, a dedicated device for reproducing the background video is connected as a peripheral device of the communication karaoke device, and genre information and the like for each music are transmitted from the communication karaoke device to the device, and the genre of the music is adapted. In many cases, a video output is obtained, combined with a caption video generated in the communication karaoke apparatus main body, and then output to a monitor (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-108025
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
There are various algorithms for such background video playback, and some have integrated the communication karaoke device itself and the background video playback device, but unlike music data, video data is distributed. In most cases, updating / adding was impossible. This is because the video data has a very large capacity with respect to the music data and cannot be transferred by communication using a modem, and it is also difficult to hold the music data in the hard disk device due to the capacity problem.
[0006]
However, in recent years, with the increase in the capacity of the hard disk drive and the spread of high-speed communication means called broadband such as ADSL, it has become practically possible to distribute video data as well as music data. For this reason, communication karaoke devices that can update and add background images by distribution are also emerging, but even if large-capacity hard disk devices and high-speed communication means become available, the number of karaoke songs will be smaller than the number of karaoke songs. The number of contents of the background video is much smaller, and therefore, as in the past, the majority of music pieces have to rely on the reproduction of the background video by matching using the genre.
[0007]
However, it is possible to enrich the content by sequentially distributing dedicated videos created unique to the song, although it is a small number of the tens of thousands of karaoke songs as a whole. Yes, these are used as promotional effects such as the use of particularly popular songs, songs with strong ties to image culture such as animation, and images of the singer himself. In addition, versatile background videos prepared for genre-based matching can also gradually feel old-fashioned as they are repeatedly played back. It is possible to keep fresh.
[0008]
As described above, in the communication karaoke apparatus capable of distributing the background video, effective operation is achieved by distributing a large number of music data as usual, but distributing a much smaller number of video data. However, since the distribution amount of the music data and the video data has a large difference and is completely asymmetric, it is expected that a problem will occur in the coordination.
[0009]
Conventionally, in a conventional communication karaoke apparatus in which background video could not be distributed, a huge amount of data for linking all video data groups to all music data groups was used for a fixed amount of video data groups. It was usual to hold index data. This index data is prepared for a group of video data for each genre of video content, and when reproducing a music, an index corresponding to the genre of the music is browsed, and any of the video data registered in the index is read. Is used, and this is reproduced. However, in a communication karaoke apparatus capable of distributing background video, video data is added / updated together with music data, and there is a problem in a method of linking music data and video data using such an index. is there. Also, if index data is added / updated every time video data is added / updated, the communication cost increases because the amount of index data is enormous and all index data needs to be transmitted. There is.
[0010]
In the above description, the case where the background video is transmitted to the karaoke apparatus side by distribution has been described as an example. However, for example, update / addition of video data is performed via a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM. Even in this case, a similar problem occurs.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to easily establish a cooperative relationship between a video and a music piece even when video data used for performing video reproduction along with music reproduction is updated or added.
[0011]
Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention
(1) A music reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, includes a music data storage unit for storing music data, and a music data stored in the music data storage unit. Music reproduction means for reproducing music based on the video data, video data storage means for storing video data, and video reproduction means for reproducing video based on the video data stored in the video data storage means. The video playback means performs video playback along with music playback by the music playback means. Such a music reproducing device can be realized as a karaoke device in which a music reproducing device reproduces a karaoke song and a video reproducing device reproduces a background video, for example. Of course, the device may be such that the music is not a karaoke song but a normal music song.
[0012]
In such a music reproducing apparatus, the video data storage means stores information (song specifying information) for specifying the corresponding music to be reproduced in correspondence with the video data. When the music is played back by the user, there is provided a search means for searching for video data in which the music is designated as the corresponding music in the music designation information. Then, the video reproduction means reproduces the video data based on the search result of the search means.
[0013]
As a method of storing the music designation information corresponding to the video data, the music designation information may be included in the video data, or the video data may be stored in an index table format indicating the correspondence between the video data and the music designation information. It may be stored together with the data.
[0014]
In this way, the video data storage means stores the music designation information corresponding to the video data, and when the music reproduction means reproduces the music, the video data specifying the music as the corresponding music in the music designation information is searched. Therefore, for example, even if the video data is updated / added, the music designation information corresponding to the video data is added / updated. Can be easily realized. In the conventional method of specifying a video from a song, for example, if an attempt is made to reproduce a video dedicated to the song along with the reproduction of a song, both the index information and the video data or both the song data and the video data are updated / added. Therefore, even if it is desired to update only the video data, both must be updated, which is inefficient. On the other hand, in the case of the present invention, there is no need to change or update both of them, and it is efficient. In this way, even if the video data used for playing the video along with the music playback is updated or added, the cooperative relationship between the video and the music can be easily achieved, and the music data / video data can be distributed externally. If the present invention is applied to, for example, a communication karaoke apparatus which can be distributed from the center, the communication cost does not increase.
[0015]
(2) As a method of determining video data to be used for video reproduction by the video reproduction means, for example, the following two methods are available.
First, as described in claim 2, there is a method in which index information is created and stored in advance. That is, the video data has song designation information, and the index information generation unit extracts the song designation information of all the video data stored in the video data storage unit, and indicates the correspondence between the video data and the song data. Index information is generated, and the index information is stored in the index information storage unit. Then, the search means determines video data to be used for video playback based on the index information stored in the index information storage means. The generation of the index information may be performed every time the video data is updated or added in the video data storage means.
[0016]
With this configuration, the video data can be determined only by searching for the index information alone, so that the processing time required for the determination can be reduced. Also, if the present invention is applied to, for example, a communication karaoke device or the like in which music data and video data can be distributed from an external distribution center, communication becomes unnecessary because index information itself is generated in the device, thereby increasing communication costs. There is no.
[0017]
On the other hand, without generating such index information, a search may be performed in real time at the time of video reproduction, as described in claim 4. In other words, the video data has music designation information, and the search means, when it is necessary to perform video playback along with music playback by the music playback means, the music designation information of the video data stored in the video data storage means Is searched, and the video reproducing means reproduces the video data in which the music to be reproduced by the music reproducing means is specified as the corresponding music in the music specifying information based on the search result. If index information is generated in advance, the search speed will be increased. However, if there is no practical problem even if the search is performed in real time when necessary due to the enhancement of the CPU, the index information is generated. It is not necessary.
[0018]
(3) By the way, the music and the video do not necessarily have to be in a one-to-one relationship, and may be one-to-many (plural). That is, the same song may be designated as the corresponding song in the song designation information of a plurality of video data. In that case, for example, when deciding finally video data to be used for video reproduction, the video data may be selected, for example, at random, but may be set forth in claim 5. That is, the music designation information also includes priority information when the video data including the information is used for the corresponding music. If the search means includes a plurality of pieces of video data specifying the music to be played by the music playing means as the corresponding music in the music specifying information, the search means considers the priority order information and takes the video into account. The video data used for reproduction is determined. For example, the one with the highest priority is selected.
[0019]
(4) Further, as described in claim 6, the music designation information also includes information indicating an expiration date for permitting the video data including the information to be used for the corresponding music, and the search means is provided. The video data used for video reproduction may be determined in consideration of the expiration date information. The idea is to keep the background video content fresh by replacing the background video for a while, because if the same song is repeatedly played back with the same content of video data, it will gradually feel old-fashioned. It is. For example, the video data may be used within the expiration date, but after the expiration date, the video data is not used for the corresponding music. It does not mean that the video data itself is not used for any music, but if the expiration date is made different for each corresponding music, a certain music A is used because the expiration date has passed. However, it is naturally possible to use another song B because it is within the expiration date.
[0020]
(5) For example, when the availability of video data is determined based on the expiration date as in the above (4), it is conceivable that the video data to be used for video playback cannot be determined only based on the music designation information. In view of this, it is conceivable to make the configuration shown in claim 7. That is, information (genre information) indicating the genre of the corresponding music piece to be reproduced based on the video data is also included in the video data. Then, the search means specifies the music to be played by the music playing means as the corresponding music in the music designation information, and when there is no video data within the expiration date indicated by the expiration date information, Determines video data to be used for video reproduction based on genre information. In the case of the music designation information, the music and the video are tightly matched, but in the case of the genre information, the matching is relatively “loose”. By having such a matching method of both systems, it is possible to more appropriately establish a cooperative relationship between the video and the music.
[0021]
In the case where the video playback unit and the search unit in the music playback device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 are realized by a computer, the video playback unit and the search unit can be provided as, for example, a program executed by the computer. Such a program is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a hard disk, a ROM, and a RAM, and is loaded and executed on a computer as necessary. The function as a video reproducing means can be realized by loading and executing the program through the interface.
[0022]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the following examples, and can take various forms as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.
[0023]
[Configuration of Karaoke Apparatus and Peripheral Equipment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the communication karaoke apparatus 1 of the present embodiment and the configuration of peripheral devices during operation.
The communication karaoke apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU 14 that controls the entire communication karaoke apparatus 1, and the following units connected to the CPU 14, that is, an operation panel 10 for performing a song reservation operation and the like, image information, and the like. A video processing unit 11 for visualization, an MPEG decoder 12 as a means for reproducing MPEG2 video data, a hard disk storing music data for karaoke performance (see FIG. 2), video data (see FIG. 3) and other various data (HDD) 13, a memory 15 for storing system programs and setting data necessary for various settings, a LAN interface 16, a USB interface 17, a MIDI sound source section 18 for playing back music based on MIDI data (song data), Mixing the sound reproduced by the MIDI sound source section 18 and the singing voice of the user (singer) And a voice processing unit 19 for performing equal as appropriate audio processing.
[0024]
The audio processing unit 19 is connected to the amplifier 20, and the electric signal related to the audio information output from the audio processing unit 19 is amplified and output by the amplifier 20 to the speaker 22, and the accompaniment music and the user The singing voice of (singer) is emitted. The singing voice of the user (singer) is input to the audio processing unit 19 via a microphone (hereinafter, simply referred to as a microphone) 23. The video processing unit 11 is connected to a monitor 26 that displays a background image, lyrics, and the like. The LAN interface 16 can communicate with the distribution center 50 via the Internet 30 by the ADSL modem 27 connected via a LAN cable. The USB interface 17 can be connected to, for example, a DVD-ROM drive 24 as an option.
[0025]
Here, the operation panel 10 is operated by the user, and allows selection of an arbitrary song, adjustment of the pitch of the performance sound, adjustment of the volume balance between the performance and the song, and other various adjustments such as echo, volume, and tone. Switches and buttons for performing the operation.
The hard disk 13 stores music data, content data such as image information, and the like. Then, when a song is selected via the operation unit of the operation panel 10, the CPU 14 calls up song data and image information from the hard disk 13 and outputs the data in synchronization with the video processing unit 11 and the MIDI sound source unit 18. Has become.
[0026]
The MIDI data output from the CPU 14 is converted into an analog performance sound signal in the MIDI sound source section 18, sent to the audio processing section 19, and converted into an appropriate singing sound signal of the user through the microphone 23. Mixing at a ratio. Then, the mixed singing sound signal and performance sound signal are sent to the amplifier 20 and are electrically amplified. Further, the sound is output from the amplifier 20 to the speaker 22 and is output as voice and performance sound from the speaker 22 to the outside.
[0027]
On the other hand, the video processing unit 11 reproduces a lyrics video based on image information (lyrics data) read from the hard disk 13 by the CPU 14 under the control of the CPU 14. The image information (background image data) read from the hard disk 13 by the CPU 14 is reproduced as a background image by the MPEG decoder 12, combined with the lyrics image by the image processing unit 11, and output to the monitor 26. As a result, the lyrics telop is displayed on the screen of the monitor 26 together with the background video.
[0028]
The software for the processing executed by the CPU 14 is also stored in the hard disk 13.
With such a configuration, the user can sing using the microphone 23 in accordance with the karaoke performance played from the speaker 22 while referring to the lyrics telop displayed on the monitor 26.
[0029]
In the present embodiment, the hard disk 13 corresponds to a “song data storage unit”, a “video data storage unit”, and an “index information storage unit”, and the CPU 14 and the MIDI sound source unit 18 correspond to a “song reproduction unit”. , The CPU 14 and the MPEG decoder 12 correspond to “video playback means”. The CPU 14 also corresponds to “search means” and “index information generation means”. Further, the operation panel 10 corresponds to “designating means”.
[0030]
[Song data format]
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the format of music data recorded in the hard disk 13.
The music data is recorded as one music and one file as contents for each music, and is collected in the / song directory in the hard disk 13 (see FIG. 2A), and the music data is distributed via the Internet 30 or the like. Distribution is possible from the center 50. The music number itself of the music is given to the file name, and a file containing music data to be played can be specified by music selection (input of music selection number) by a user operation on the operation panel 10. .
[0031]
The inside of the music data is divided into music attribute information and MIDI musical sound data / text subtitle data (see FIG. 2B). The music data and the subtitle data are used for performing karaoke music performance by controlling the MIDI sound source section 18 and the video processing section 11 by the CPU 14 using reproduction software. No detailed explanation is given.
[0032]
On the other hand, the music attribute information is further divided into a music name, a singer name, a genre code, and the like. In the case of the example shown in FIG. 2B, the music data file (s000555.sng) of the music number 555 is composed of a music name “Maru-Red Boy”, a singer name “Utami Yoko”, and a genre code “6”. According to the genre code table (see FIG. 2C) specified for the operation of the communication karaoke apparatus 1, it can be seen that the genre is "jujube".
[0033]
[Video data format]
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the format of video data recorded in the hard disk 13.
The video data is recorded as one video and one file as content of several tens of seconds to several minutes, and is collected in the / video directory of the hard disk 13 (see FIG. 3A). The distribution can be performed from the distribution center 50 via the Internet. . Although a serial number is assigned to the file name as a management number, the management number itself has no meaning indicating a relationship with a music or the like.
[0034]
The inside of the video file is divided into two pieces, video attribute information and MPEG2 video data (see FIG. 3B). The MPEG2 video data is compressed video data according to the MPEG standard, and can be played back at the time of shooting / editing by being sent to the MPEG decoder 12 (see FIG. 1).
[0035]
As shown in FIG. 3B, the video attribute information further stores a genre code and a plurality of pieces of music designation information. is there.
The song designation information is further divided into a song number, an expiration date, and a priority. According to the example of FIG. 3, the video data file v00123. The video recorded in the vob is an animation of the genre code [5], which is desired to be reproduced at the music number [105], and whose expiration date is [2003/01/01] to [2004/03/2004]. 10], and the priority is [9].
[0036]
In this case, if the video file is within the validity period, it is shown that the music file is reproduced at the highest priority of the ninth priority at the music number 105. At the same time, since the genre code is an animation of 5, regardless of the expiration date, if the music and the video are matched by the genre method, it is possible that the music of the matching genre may be selected. I have.
[0037]
It is also possible to take an invalid value [0] for the genre code of this video attribute information. If [0] is specified, the reproduction selection in the genre method does not occur. The video can be completely specialized.
[0038]
As described above, a plurality of pieces of music designation information can exist, and this makes it possible to establish a many-to-one relationship between music and video. That is, one video can be used for a plurality of songs.
[Description of operation of communication karaoke apparatus 1]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of a communication process performed by the communication karaoke apparatus 1.
[0039]
The communication karaoke apparatus 1 starts a communication process in a regular cycle such as every predetermined time (for example, every 24 hours) (D01), establishes a network connection with the distribution center 50 (D02), and newly produces the content from the distribution center 50. The obtained music data and video data are acquired (D03). Since the data distribution processing by this communication is already a general implementation mode, it will not be described in detail.
[0040]
When all the new data has been obtained, the connection with the distribution center 50 is disconnected (D04). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the distribution of the video file has been received, that is, whether or not the distribution data includes the video data shown in FIG. 3 (D05). If the distribution of the video file has not been received (D05: NO), the communication processing is terminated (D08). On the other hand, if the distribution of the video file has been received (D05: YES), the automatic generation processing of two types of index files, that is, the generation processing of the genre video index file (D06) and the generation processing of the song number designation index file (D07), Do. Details of these automatic generation processes will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
[0041]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing details of the genre video index automatic generation processing executed in D06 of FIG. FIG. 6 shows the format of a genre video index generated by this processing.
When the genre video index generation process starts (E01), first, the old index file in the hard disk 13 is deleted (E02), and a new empty index file is created (E03).
[0042]
Next, in the loop processing of E04 to E08, all the video files are searched and processed for a directory (/ video directory) storing a large number of video files. In the / video directory, a large number of video files are already stored from the stage of product shipment of the communication karaoke apparatus 1, and video files newly added or updated in the previous communication processing are included. is there. The format of the video file is as described above.
[0043]
When one video file is selected in the in-loop processing of E04 to E08, the header part of the video file, that is, the video attribute information in FIG. 3 is read (E05). According to the genre codes 1 to 6 written in the video attribute information, the file name of the same file is described in any one of the genre 1 to 6 file name lists in the genre video index data shown in FIG. Is incremented (+1) (E06). By this processing, the video file is registered in the genre video index. Further, as described above, the genre code may indicate invalid “0”, but in this case, the process of E06 is not substantially performed, and the genre code is not registered in the genre index.
[0044]
When the file name registration process (E06) is completed, the process proceeds to the process of the next video file (E07), and is repeated until the same process is completed for all video files (E08). When the processing of all video files is completed, the genre video index generation processing ends (E09).
[0045]
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing details of the automatic generation process of the music number designated video index executed in D07 of FIG. FIG. 8 shows the format of the music number designation video index generated by this processing.
When the process of generating the song number designation video index starts (G01), first, the old index file in the hard disk 13 is deleted (G02), and a new empty index file is created (G03).
[0046]
Next, in the loop processing of G04 to G08, all video files are searched and processed for a directory (/ video directory) storing a large number of video files.
When one video file is selected in the in-loop processing of G04 to G08, the header part of the video file, that is, the video attribute information in FIG. 3 is read (G05). Next, after adding the data size and the file name to the head of the video attribute information, a process of writing the index data is performed (G06). In other words, the process of collecting only the attribute information at the head of the video file together with the file name of the video file into the music number designated video index file is performed. By this processing, the video file is registered in the music number designated video index.
[0047]
Upon completion of the registration process (G06), the process proceeds to the process of the next video file (G07), and the process is repeated until the same process is completed for all video files (G08). When the processing of all the video files is completed, the process of generating the music number designated video index is completed (G09).
[0048]
Note that the automatic generation process of the music number designated video index shown in FIG. 7 corresponds to a process as “index information generating means”.
The operation in which the communication karaoke apparatus 1 receives distribution of video data by communication and generates two types of index data in the apparatus has been described above with reference to FIGS.
[0049]
Next, how the two types of index data, the music data, and the video data thus generated are used to perform a karaoke music performance will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
The performance process shown in FIG. 9 is started when a user performs a panel operation on the operation panel 10 (I01), and waits for the input of a music number (I02). When the music number is input and the music data corresponding to the music number is read (I03), the music number designated video index is searched in the processing of I04 to I09. As shown in FIG. 8, the song number designation video index stores song designation information as shown in FIG. 8, and the song designation information contains song number as shown in FIG. It is checked whether or not there is a song number matching the song number received from the user (I05). If there is no matching song number (I05: NO), the process proceeds to the next data (I08).
[0050]
If the song numbers match (I05: YES), the current date is used together with the song number within the expiration date (see FIG. 3) stored in the song designation information using a calendar (not shown) referenced by the CPU 14. Is checked (I06). If it is within the expiration date (I06: YES), the (video) file name (see FIG. 8) included in the data is added to the selection candidate buffer in the memory 15 as a selection candidate (I07). On the other hand, if the current date is not within the expiration date (I06: NO), the process proceeds to I08 without adding to the selection candidate.
[0051]
As described above, in the processing of I04 to I09, the music number designated video index is checked, and the file name of the video data that individually designates the selected music is extracted. Of course, this extraction result may be zero.
Therefore, in I10, it is determined whether or not the selection candidate buffer is empty (that is, the selection candidate is zero). If the selection candidate is zero (I10: YES), the process branches to I11, and the genre image index will be determined in the future. Is switched to the video selection algorithm using. At I11, a process is performed to select a list corresponding to the genre code of the music accepted at I02 from the genre video index data shown in FIG. 6 and randomly select a video file name from the list.
[0052]
On the other hand, if there is one or more selection candidates in I10 (I10: NO), secondary extraction is performed to select the video file name having the highest priority value from the selection candidates (I12). This priority value is a value described in the priority item in the music designation information shown in FIG.
[0053]
As described above, the video file selected by one of the two video selection methods of the video selection using the genre video index in I11 or the video selection using the music number designation video index in I12 is reproduced in I13. Is started and output from the MPEG decoder 12 to the video processing unit 11 as a video signal.
[0054]
At I14, the reproduction of the music and the subtitle text of the music selected by the user is also started. The details of the data reproduction processing are common implementations, and thus description thereof is omitted.
When the reproduction of the music in I14 is started, the reproduction of the music is stopped in I15 (or a stop operation by the user on the operation panel 10), and when the reproduction of the music is completed, the performance process ends in I16. Then, it waits for the next song.
[0055]
Note that the processing of I04 to I09 in FIG. 9 corresponds to the processing as “search means”.
[Effects of Embodiment]
(A) According to the communication karaoke apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, when performing a karaoke song, video data having the number of the song to be played as song designation information from the song number designation video index data stored in the hard disk 13 , And a background image is displayed using the searched image data. Therefore, for example, even when the video data is updated / added, the video reproduction using the updated / added video data can be easily realized with the reproduction of the existing music. In the conventional method of specifying the video data side from the music data side, for example, when an attempt is made to reproduce a video dedicated to the music along with the reproduction of a certain music, both the index information and the video data or both the music data and the video data are Since it is necessary to update and add, even if only the video data is to be updated, both must be updated, which is inefficient. On the other hand, in the case of the present embodiment, there is no need to change / update both of them, so that it is efficient. As described above, even when the video data used for performing the video playback along with the music playback is updated or added, the cooperation between the video and the music can be easily achieved. Is distributed from the distribution center 50, but since the amount of data to be distributed is relatively reduced, the communication cost does not increase.
[0056]
(B) Also, as shown in FIG. 9, the image processing apparatus has both a video selection method based on a genre video and a video selection algorithm specific to a song number. Therefore, it is possible to freely determine the video data to be common to both, or to make the video data unique to a complete music number that is not common, and it is possible to freely determine the video data at the time of producing the video data.
[0057]
(C) Also, in the selection of a unique video by specifying a song number, since the specified information has an expiration date and a priority, for example, a video obtained by tying up a popular song only for a certain period is used. With the convergence of popularity, it becomes possible to return to the matching video in the usual genre.
[0058]
[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above-described embodiment, when the video data is distributed, the music number designated video index data and the genre video index data are generated and stored in the hard disk 13. With this configuration, the video data can be determined only by searching for the index data alone, so that the processing time required for the determination can be reduced. However, it is also possible to adopt a method of searching in real time when it is necessary to search for video data without generating such index data.
[0059]
That is, video data as shown in FIG. 3 is stored in the hard disk 13, and at the time of search, video attribute information in the video data is searched in order. Of course, the time required for the search is relatively increased as compared with the case where the index data is generated in advance as in the above-described embodiment. It is not necessary to generate index information.
[0060]
(2) In the above-described embodiment, the video data is distributed from the distribution center 50 to the communication karaoke apparatus 1 as a so-called communication karaoke system, but the video data is distributed via a storage medium such as a CD-ROM or a DVD-ROM. The same effect can be obtained even when updating / adding a file.
[0061]
In addition, the present invention can be similarly applied to a music reproducing apparatus other than the karaoke apparatus, as long as video data used for performing video reproduction along with music reproduction is updated / added.
(3) In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the music piece designation information is included in the video data, and the music number designation video index data is generated based on the music piece designation information. Alternatively, data indicating the correspondence between the file name of the video data and the music designation information may be distributed from the distribution center 50 to the communication karaoke apparatus 1. That is, in the above-described embodiment, data in a format such as song number designation video index data generated in the communication karaoke apparatus 1 is distributed.
[0062]
However, it is preferable to distribute the music data including the music designation information as in the above-described embodiment in the following points. For example, in a communication karaoke system, a case is considered in which music number designated video index data is first delivered to communication karaoke devices nationwide, and then 10 video data are delivered. It is natural that the communication situation is different for each karaoke device, so that some devices have completed acquisition of all ten video data, and some devices have acquired only two. In this case, in the latter karaoke apparatus, although ten pieces of video data to be newly distributed are registered in the song number designation video index data, only two pieces of video data are actually received. This causes a problem that video data cannot be found during actual video reproduction. Then, for example, when it is finished to distribute 10 video data, it may seem that the correspondence information should be distributed again. However, even though it is a high-speed line, it takes a long time to distribute the video data. If the finished video data is not individually available, the advantage of being able to update the video data according to time is reduced. Therefore, from such a viewpoint, there is an advantage in the method of distributing the music data including the music designation information as in the above-described embodiment.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a communication karaoke apparatus 1 according to an embodiment and a configuration of peripheral devices during operation.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of music data recorded in a hard disk 13 of the communication karaoke apparatus 1 of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of video data recorded in a hard disk 13;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of a communication process performed by the communication karaoke apparatus 1.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating details of a genre video index automatic generation process executed in D06 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a genre video index generated by the processing of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing details of a process of automatically generating a music number designated video index executed in D07 of FIG. 4;
8 is an explanatory diagram showing a format of a music number designation video index generated by the processing of FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a karaoke performance process executed by the communication karaoke apparatus 1 of the embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Communication karaoke apparatus, 10 ... Operation panel, 11 ... Video processing part, 12 ... MPEGE decoder, 13 ... Hard disk, 14 ... CPU, 15 ... Memory, 16 ... LAN interface, 17 ... USB interface, 18 ... MIDI sound source part, 19: Audio processing unit, 20: Amplifier, 22: Speaker, 23: Microphone, 24: DVD-ROM drive, 26: Monitor, 27: ADSL modem, 30: Internet, 50: Distribution center.

Claims (9)

Music data storage means for storing music data;
Music playback means for playing music based on music data stored in the music data storage means,
Video data storage means for storing video data;
Video playback means for playing back video based on video data stored in the video data storage means,
Wherein the video playback unit is a music playback device that plays back video along with music playback by the music playback unit,
The video data storage unit stores information (hereinafter, referred to as song designation information) for specifying a corresponding song for which the video data is to be reproduced in correspondence with the video data. At the time of reproduction, a search means for searching for video data specifying the music as a corresponding music in the music designation information,
The music playback device is a music playback device that plays back video data based on a search result of the search unit. The music playback device according to claim 1,
The video data has the music designation information,
further,
Index information generating means for extracting music designation information of all video data stored in the video data storage means, and generating index information indicating a correspondence between the video data and the music data,
Index information storage means for storing the index information generated by the index information generation means,
With
The music reproducing device, wherein the search unit determines video data to be used for video reproduction based on the index information stored in the index information storage unit. The music reproducing device according to claim 2,
The index information generating means includes:
A music reproducing apparatus for generating the index information every time video data is updated or added in the video data storage means. The music playback device according to claim 1,
The video data has the music designation information,
The search means, when it is necessary to perform video playback along with music playback by the music playback means, searches for music designation information of video data stored in the video data storage means,
The music reproducing device, wherein the video reproducing means reproduces, based on the search result, video data in which the music to be reproduced by the music reproducing means is specified as a corresponding music in the music specifying information. The music playback device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The music designation information also includes priority information when video data including the information is used for the corresponding music,
The search means, when there is a plurality of video data specifying a music to be played back by the music playing means as the corresponding music in the music specifying information, the video is also taken into consideration with the priority information. A music playback device that determines video data used for playback. The music playback device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The song designation information also includes information indicating an expiration date that permits the video data including the information to be used for the corresponding song,
A music playback device, wherein the search means determines video data to be used for video playback in consideration of the expiration date information. The music playback device according to claim 6,
The video data also includes information (hereinafter, referred to as genre information) indicating a genre of a corresponding music piece to be reproduced based on the video data,
The search unit specifies a song to be played by the song playback unit as a corresponding song in the song designation information, and there is no video data within the expiration date indicated by the expiration date information In such a case, a music playback device that determines video data to be used for video playback based on the genre information. The music playback device according to claim 1,
A music reproducing apparatus, wherein the music is a karaoke music, the video is a background video, and the music reproducing apparatus further includes a specification unit for specifying a karaoke music stored in the music data storage unit. A program for causing a computer to function as the video playback unit and the search unit in the music playback device according to claim 1.

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