JP2005292222A - Karaoke device having feature in performance stop control - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a karaoke device which invalidates a performance stop command generated by a mal-operation. <P>SOLUTION: The karaoke device is provided with a user interface with which a performance stop command can be inputted during karaoke performance, a singing evaluating means which evaluates skill in singing based on the singing voice signals during the karaoke performance and outputs evaluation data that can discriminate an evaluation result to an arbitrary point in time and a control means which discriminates the evaluation result to that point in time during the karaoke performance when a performance stop command is inputted and can execute a conditional stop mode that stops the karaoke performance when the evaluation result is equal to or lower than a reference. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a karaoke apparatus characterized by a performance cancellation method, and more particularly to a technique for invalidating a performance cancellation instruction unintended by a user.

  Some karaoke apparatuses can perform specific operations in addition to the performance operation itself when performing karaoke music. As the specific operation, for example, there is an operation of recording a karaoke song by a singer on a portable recording medium such as a CD-R together with accompaniment music. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2002-287777, 2002-182665, 2002-182668, and 2002-182667, even if the singing fails, the best singing state is recorded on the CD-R. A karaoke recording device that can be used is disclosed. This recording device creates accompaniment music and singing voice in a recording file of a predetermined data format in units of music, and temporarily stores the file in a hard disk device or the like. The recorded file when the song is sung the best is transferred to the CD-R.

  In addition, there is also a specific operation in which a recording file is transmitted to a predetermined computer managed by a karaoke company instead of being recorded on a CD-R or the like and is entrusted to the karaoke company. According to this specific operation, for example, as in the karaoke communication learning method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-15673, the user transfers the recording file deposited with the karaoke business operator to a specialist judge. You can receive an examination service to be corrected.

In addition, as an additional function, performance is performed with an external MIDI musical instrument, a simulated musical instrument as disclosed in JP-A-11-85174, or a scat as disclosed in JP-A-2002-169576. There are ensemble functions that participate in singing, choral functions that participate in singing in the back chorus and duet, etc. that bring in instruments or sing by multiple people.
JP 2002-287777 A JP 2002-182665 A JP 2002-182668 A JP 2002-182667 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-85174 JP 2002-169576 A

  Many users who only want to enjoy singing at karaoke, even if they miss the singing timing of the song or sing it with a large pitch, they can rebuild their posture from the middle of the accompaniment music. Sing out. Re-singing from the beginning is time consuming and cumbersome, so people who think that it is more efficient to sing another song or reserve the same song again and sing than to spend time re-singing Many. At the same time, it is possible to avoid crushing opportunities for other companions to enjoy.

  On the other hand, users who want to use additional functions with specific actions such as recording, certification services, and singing scoring want to sing even a little and improve the degree of music perfection, so if they do not work well Tries to sing again from the beginning. In addition, when using the ensemble function as a specific action, it is necessary to prepare instruments such as instruments, and when using the choral function, it is necessary to prepare participants in addition to the singer himself. If the performance is started with insufficient preparation, it is difficult to reestablish the posture, and the player tries to perform from the beginning. For this reason, when a specific operation is designated and an additional function is used, it is often instructed to stop the performance on the way. However, if the performance is stopped where the user does not intend, the singing and performance that had been performed well would be wasted.

  Therefore, the present inventors thought that it would be convenient to be able to ignore the performance stop command that was not intended by the singer. If the performance stop command was received even though the singing was successful, I thought that it was an instruction that the user did not intend. On the other hand, if the singing was not good, I thought it would be an instruction to stop the performance as intended by the user. And, for the judgment of whether or not the singing was performed as expected, we focused on the well-known results of singing. That is, if the singing is not performed well, the scoring evaluation at that time will naturally not be good, and the present invention was created.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is specified by the following items (1) to (4).
(1) It is a karaoke apparatus provided with a user interface, singing evaluation means, and control means,
(2) The user interface can input a performance stop command during karaoke performance,
(3) The singing evaluation means evaluates the skill of the singing based on the singing voice signal during the karaoke performance, and outputs evaluation data that can discriminate the evaluation result up to an arbitrary time point.
(4) When a performance stop command is input, the control means discriminates the evaluation result up to that point during the karaoke performance, and executes a conditional stop mode for stopping the karaoke performance when the evaluation result is below the reference. Making it possible,

  In the present invention, preferably, the user interface can be set to either a conditional stop mode or an unconditional stop mode, and when the control means is set to the unconditional stop mode, a performance stop command is input. Karaoke performance shall be canceled when played.

  In this case, the user interface can specify the unconditional stop mode at the time of reservation input of the requested song, and the control means sets the unconditional stop mode during the karaoke performance of the requested song with the unconditional stop mode specification. It is desirable to execute.

  Alternatively, the user interface can specify a specific operation when inputting a reservation for a requested song, and the control means can execute a conditional stop mode during karaoke performance of the requested song with the specified operation specified in the requested song. Is desirable.

  In this case, it further comprises a recording means for making the accompaniment music signal and the singing music signal of the requested music into a recording file for each music piece, and the control means performs the operation of the recording means when a specific operation is designated in the requested music It is desirable to make it possible.

  Preferably, the singing evaluation means outputs the score of the scoring result for each predetermined section as evaluation data, and the control means discriminates the evaluation result based on the average value of each section.

  Alternatively, the singing evaluation means outputs the score of the scoring result for each predetermined section as evaluation data, and the control means displays the evaluation result based on the narrowness of the drop in the score based on the transition of the score of each section. It shall be determined.

  According to the karaoke apparatus of the present invention, when a performance stop command is received even though the progress of scoring is good, it can be judged invalid and invalidated. Therefore, a user of an additional function such as a singing recording function does not waste the singing up to now due to a performance stop command due to an erroneous operation, and a wasteful time is not lost due to an erroneous operation and the surroundings are not disturbed. Therefore, it is possible to use the additional function without hesitation, and as a result, it is possible to expect an effect of increasing the chance of using karaoke.

=== Network configuration including karaoke equipment ===
FIG. 1 shows a network configuration including a karaoke apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention. A wide area intranet is constructed by connecting a VPN 110 (Virtual Private Network) 70 using the Internet to a LAN 110 and a host device 90 installed in karaoke stores 100 at various locations of karaoke businesses. A karaoke device (the karaoke main body device 10 and an equipment attached thereto) is installed in each guest room 120 of the karaoke store 100 in each place, and the karaoke main body device 10 communicates with the host device 90 via the VPN 70.

=== Basic configuration and operation of karaoke apparatus ===
FIG. 2 shows a functional block configuration of the karaoke apparatus of the present embodiment. The karaoke apparatus 10 has substantially the same hardware configuration as a performance terminal of a known communication karaoke system. The central control unit 11 is a computer main body including a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, and controls each peripheral component unit to control the karaoke apparatus 10. The hard disk device 12 stores karaoke data including accompaniment music data mainly composed of MIDI data and lyric rendering data that is a generation origin of the lyric image for many karaoke songs. In addition, for the long-format video data in a predetermined format, script data that defines the video data processing sequence (storage location and processing order of video data to be processed, etc.) Table of contents information such as the release year and the singing part of the lyrics is also stored. And the central control part 11 identifies the karaoke data, script data, and table of contents information of each music by a music number, and manages this as a karaoke database.

  The central control unit 11 communicates with the host device 90 via the network interface 23. The host device 90 distributes karaoke data, script data, table of contents information, etc., about new music to the karaoke device 10 in a timely manner, or collects operation logs collected at any time by the karaoke device 10. The central control unit 11 receives the karaoke data sent from the host device 90 and updates the contents of the karaoke database, or transmits various information such as operation logs collected on the karaoke device 10 side to the host device. .

  When the operation control unit 13 of the karaoke apparatus 10 receives a performance reservation command via the remote control transmitter 30 or the operation panel of the karaoke apparatus 10 body by a user input, the command is transferred to the central control unit 11. The central control unit 11 stores the music number in the command in an internal RAM and manages it in a performance processing queue. The music numbers are sequentially extracted from the queue, the corresponding karaoke data is read from the hard disk device 12, and the accompaniment music data in the karaoke data is transferred to the synthesizer 19 to generate accompaniment music.

  On the other hand, with regard to the lyric rendering data, the lyric image in which the portion to be sung is changed in color in synchronization with the accompaniment music is sequentially developed in the video RAM 16 as a bitmap. Also, predetermined moving image data is sequentially transferred to the video controller 17 in a predetermined order based on the script data, and the background moving image of the lyrics image is decoded.

  The mixing amplifier 20 mixes and amplifies the accompaniment music and the singing voice input to the microphone 22 and outputs the sound from the speaker 21. The video control unit 17 superimposes the lyric image on the decoded moving image and outputs it on the display 18.

=== Singing recording function ===
This karaoke device 10 has a singing recording function for recording accompaniment music and a singing voice of a singer singing as a recording work in units of music as an additional function by a specific operation.

  The audio signal processing unit 26 of the karaoke apparatus 10 samples a mixed acoustic signal of the requested music accompaniment music from the synthesizer 19 and the singing voice input to the microphone 22 and A / D converts it into digital audio data. When the performance start timing information is received from the central control unit 11, the digital audio data is transferred to the central control unit 11. The central control unit 11 stores the digital audio data in an internal RAM or the like. When the performance is finished, the central control unit 11 creates the audio data into a data file of an appropriate format such as a WAVE file, and requests this file as a song recording work. Corresponding to the song ID of the song, it is temporarily stored in the built-in hard disk device 12.

The singing recording work created in this way is transferred to a storage medium such as a CD-R or transferred to a computer operated by a karaoke business operator for appropriate use. For example, as disclosed in detail in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-15673, a singing recording work is sent to a training intermediary server operated by a karaoke company and deposited, and an expert's correction instruction can be received. It can also be used for services.

=== Singing evaluation function ===
Moreover, this karaoke apparatus 10 is provided with a song evaluation function as a song evaluation means. And the singing scoring part 25 is provided as hardware for implement | achieving the function. When the central control unit 11 receives a user input indicating that the song evaluation function is used, the central control unit 11 sequentially transfers the pitch of the main melody (pitch reference value) in the karaoke data of the performance music to the singing scoring unit 25. The singing scoring unit 25 samples the singing voice signal input from the microphone 22, converts it into digital singing voice data, and extracts the singing voice pitch from this singing voice data. Then, the pitch reference value is compared with the singing voice pitch, and a score based on the comparison result, for example, every 100 bars (evaluation data) is output sequentially for each appropriate section. Further, in this embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3 as an example of the logical configuration of the evaluation data, the average score of the scores output sequentially is also output.
When the performance of all the singing parts is finished, such as after the performance is finished, the central control unit 11 totals the scores that have been sequentially output from the singing scoring unit 25 and displays the average score (final score) as an evaluation result. 18 or the evaluation result is temporarily stored as one of the performance histories.

=== Conditional stop mode ===
4 to 6 show processing flow charts of the control procedure according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, for a requested song with a singing recording function activation instruction as a specific operation, when the karaoke apparatus 10 receives a performance stop command during the performance of the requested song, the song is based on the evaluation data of the song up to that point. Thus, the performance stop processing is controlled (conditional stop mode, see FIG. 5).

  When requesting the song, the user who wants to create a song recording work inputs a start instruction for the song recording function to the karaoke apparatus 10 via the operation input device as a specific operation. For example, a button for accepting a start instruction for the song recording function may be provided on the operation panel 14 or the remote control transmitter 30. When the central control unit 11 of the karaoke apparatus 10 receives the requested song with the activation instruction of the singing recording function, the song number of the requested song and the recording instruction flag are associated with each other and registered in the queue.

  The central control unit 11 extracts requested songs in the order registered in the performance reservation queue and performs performance preparation / performance processing. When a recording instruction flag is attached to the requested song, the singing evaluation function is activated when the performance starts (steps 401 to 403 in FIG. 4).

  When the karaoke apparatus 10 receives a performance stop command during the performance of the requested music (step 501 in FIG. 5), the evaluation result is discriminated by referring to the evaluation data (step 502). For example, if the score at that time is equal to or less than a predetermined reference, a performance stop process is performed (step 503 → 505) as handling (determining) a valid performance stop instruction as intended by the singer. On the other hand, if the score at that time is higher than a predetermined reference value, it will be treated as an invalid performance stop instruction due to an erroneous operation that the singer did not intend, and the performance will be continued ignoring the performance stop command. (Steps 503 to 504).

  There are various evaluation data formats and application methods. If the average score of each section up to the time when the performance stop command is received is below a predetermined reference value, it can be handled as a valid instruction, and if it is above the reference value, it can be treated as an invalid instruction.

  Alternatively, if the score at that time is below the average score up to that time, if the width is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, it is treated as a valid instruction, and if the width is less than the predetermined value, it is treated as an invalid instruction. It is also possible to make it.

  Also, if the silence continues for a predetermined time or more despite being a part to be sung or the pitch to be sung is over a predetermined width, the received performance stop command is handled as a valid instruction. It is also possible. For example, such an event is recorded as evaluation data and a stop permission flag is set, and when a performance stop command is received, the stop permission flag is confirmed and treated as a valid instruction when the flag is set. This is possible. In this case, the stop permission flag is reset before the performance starts.

  In the present embodiment, for a requested song that is not accompanied by an instruction to activate the song recording function, if a performance stop command is received during the performance, the performance stop processing is performed (unconditional stop mode, see FIG. 6).

  The activation of the singing evaluation function (step 403) is not limited to the conditional stop mode, and may be activated for all requested songs regardless of the mode.

  Moreover, although the song recording function was illustrated as specific operation | movement, a chorus function, an ensemble function, another game function, etc. other than the test | inspection service based on a song recording function are applicable.

=== Other Embodiments ===
In the above embodiment, the unconditional stop mode is set for the normal request music, and the performance stop command is controlled by switching to the conditional stop mode for the request music accompanied by the specific operation (see FIG. 4). However, the mode switching method is not limited to this. For example, an appropriate user interface for setting one of the modes may be configured, and the user or a karaoke clerk may specify the karaoke use start time.

  Or you may make it designate a mode for every request music. In this case, when registering in the queue, a flag for designating any mode may be added.

  According to the karaoke apparatus described above, when a performance stop command is received, it is possible to control the performance stop processing by determining whether the instruction is an intended instruction or an instruction due to an erroneous operation according to the singing evaluation at that time.

It is a network block diagram including the karaoke apparatus in the Example of this invention. It is a functional block diagram of the said karaoke apparatus. It is the figure which illustrated the logic structure of the evaluation data in the said karaoke apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the switching procedure of conditional cancellation mode / unconditional cancellation mode in a present Example. It is a processing flow figure of conditional stop mode in a present Example. It is a processing flow figure of unconditional cancellation mode in a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

10 Karaoke device 11 Central control unit 12 Hard disk device

Claims (7)

A karaoke apparatus comprising a user interface, singing evaluation means, and control means,
The user interface can input a performance stop command during karaoke performance,
The singing evaluation means evaluates the skill of the singing based on the singing voice signal during the karaoke performance, and outputs evaluation data that can discriminate the evaluation result up to an arbitrary time point.
When the performance stop command is input, the control means discriminates the evaluation result up to that point during the karaoke performance, and enables the conditional stop mode to stop the karaoke performance when the evaluation result is below the standard. Karaoke equipment. The user interface can be set to either conditional abort mode or unconditional abort mode,
2. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the unconditional stop mode is set, the control unit stops the karaoke performance when a performance stop command is input. The user interface can specify the unconditional stop mode when entering the reservation for the requested song,
The karaoke apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit executes the unconditional stop mode during the karaoke performance of the requested song with the unconditional stop mode designation. The user interface can specify a specific action when entering a reservation for a requested song.
The karaoke apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control unit executes a conditional stop mode during the karaoke performance of the requested song with a specific operation designated for the requested song.   5. A recording unit comprising an accompaniment music signal and a singing music signal of a requested song as a recording file for each song, and the control unit enables the recording unit to operate when a specific operation is designated in the requested song. Karaoke apparatus as described in 1. The singing evaluation means outputs the score of the scoring result for each predetermined section as evaluation data,
The karaoke apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means discriminates an evaluation result on the basis of an average value of each section. The singing evaluation means outputs the score of the scoring result for each predetermined section as evaluation data,
The karaoke apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control means discriminates an evaluation result based on a transition of the score of each section on the basis of the narrowness of the decline of the score.

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