JP2005338474A - Online karaoke machine and online karaoke system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distribute a large volume of musical data which sound musical sounds of high sound quality, in which a large number of the pieces of music do not input on an online karaoke terminal. <P>SOLUTION: The karaoke device 3 is constituted to replace large-volume data for sounding the musical sound of the high sound quality, when the vacant capacity of a storing means is fixed level or lower with a smaller volume data of a smaller data capacity than the large volume data. Thus, the large volume data can be distributed, without filling the storage means. Since the music, displaced with the small volume data is selected on the basis of history information and an index of popular spirit or the like received from outside, high newest regeneration frequency or high popular spirit musical data can be stored as the large volume data sounding the high sound quality. In addition, since the small volume data will not be deleted, even if a user rarely requests it, regeneration of the music can be carried out, without being connected to a distribution server 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication karaoke apparatus and a communication karaoke system that receive distribution of music data and the like from a distribution server via the Internet.

  Many of the karaoke apparatuses that are currently popular are communication karaoke apparatuses that receive distribution of karaoke music data from a server apparatus. Conventionally, music data and the like have been mainly distributed as data (hereinafter referred to as “MIDI data”) compliant with the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard and played using a sound source and a sequencer of a karaoke apparatus.

  However, recently, in order to produce performance sounds with a sense of realism close to live performances, music is digitized by linear PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) (hereinafter referred to as “linear PCM data”), or MP3 (MPEGAudioLayer3) is distributed. A method of distributing the data as compressed data (hereinafter referred to as “MP3 data”) and reproducing it with a karaoke apparatus is considered. A method for distributing and reproducing MP3 data is realized in some karaoke apparatuses. However, uncompressed audio data such as linear PCM data has a very large amount of data, and even compressed data such as MP3 data has a very large data capacity compared to MIDI data. There was a problem that a large number could not be stored in the storage device.

Therefore, a karaoke apparatus is considered that secures a free space in a storage medium by taking a music playback history and deleting music data with low playback frequency (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 06-250682

  However, since the karaoke device described in Patent Document 1 deletes the song data of the karaoke song that is not frequently played back, if this song is requested after the deletion, the song data must be downloaded from the distribution server again. I couldn't play. For this reason, there is a problem in that it takes a long time to start playing after a request for a karaoke song, and the user is kept waiting. Furthermore, when many retransmission requests are generated to the distribution server, the processing load on the distribution server side may increase.

  An object of the present invention is to increase the free capacity of a storage device of a karaoke device without erasing music data and to enable distribution of new large-capacity music data.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided communication means for receiving large-volume music data that is distributed from a distribution server that stores music data and that generates high-quality music, and that distributes the music. A storage means for storing data, a history information recording means for recording history information such as a distribution timing of the distributed music data and a reproduction frequency of the music data, and a data capacity larger than that of the large-capacity music data based on the history information Selection means for selecting large-capacity music data to be replaced with small-capacity music data, and replacement means for replacing the large-capacity music data with small-capacity music data based on the selection by the selection means. It is characterized by.

  In the communication karaoke apparatus according to the present invention, large-volume music data is distributed from the distribution server. History information such as the distribution time of the large-capacity music data and the reproduction frequency of the music data is recorded, and the music data with an old distribution time and the music data with a low reproduction frequency are replaced with small-capacity music data with a small data capacity.

  The invention according to claim 2 is a communication means for receiving large-capacity music data, which is a large-capacity music data that is generated from a distribution server that stores the music data and that produces high-quality music, and the distributed music Storage means for storing data, selection means for selecting large-capacity music data to be replaced with small-capacity music data having a data capacity smaller than that of the large-capacity music data based on an index such as popularity received from the outside, and the selection And replacing means for replacing the large-capacity music data with small-capacity music data based on the selection of the means.

  In the communication karaoke apparatus according to the present invention, large-capacity music data is downloaded from the distribution server. Furthermore, information such as popularity will be received from outside at a later date. As a result, the music data that is considered to be less popular is replaced with small-capacity music data with a small data capacity.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the above invention, the replacement by the replacement unit is executed when the free capacity of the storage unit becomes a predetermined value or less.

  In the present invention, when the free space of the storage device of the communication karaoke apparatus is sufficient, the large-capacity music data is stored as it is, and the large-capacity music data is replaced when the free capacity becomes below a certain level.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the above invention, the replacement unit compresses the large-capacity music data to create a small-capacity music data, and replaces the large-capacity music data with the small-capacity music data. And

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the above invention, the replacing unit replaces the large-capacity music data with the small-capacity music data distributed from the distribution server.

  As a method for replacing the large-capacity music data with the small-capacity music data, the large-capacity music data may be compressed and replaced with the small-capacity music data, or the large-capacity music data is erased and distributed from the distribution server. It may be replaced with small-volume music data.

  Invention of Claim 6 consists of the communication karaoke apparatus of Claim 5, and the delivery server which was connected with the said communication karaoke apparatus via a network, and memorize | stored large capacity music data and small capacity music data. It is characterized by.

  As described above, according to the present invention, by replacing the large-capacity music data distributed from the distribution server with the small-capacity music data, the free capacity of the storage device of the karaoke apparatus without erasing the music data. And new large-volume music data can be distributed. Karaoke songs to be replaced with small-capacity music data are selected based on historical information, popularity, and other indicators, so music that is mainly requested by karaoke users is large-capacity music data that produces high-quality music. You can remember it.

  In addition, since the replaced small-capacity music data is not deleted, even if it is rarely requested, it is possible to perform the performance without having to connect to the distribution server.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a communication karaoke system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The distribution server 1 stores music data of tens of thousands of songs, and distributes the music data and the like to a plurality of karaoke apparatuses 3 that are terminal devices. The distribution server 1 is connected to the Internet 2. Further, the karaoke device 3 as a terminal device is also connected to the Internet 2.

  Each piece of music data stores two types of data: large-capacity data that produces high-quality musical sounds and small-capacity data that has a smaller data capacity than the large capacity.

  The music data is distributed periodically during a predetermined time period, and also when there is a request from the karaoke apparatus 3 side.

  For example, MP3 data is set as large capacity data and MIDI data is set as small capacity data. Alternatively, linear PCM data may be large-capacity data, MP3 data may be small-capacity data, MP3 data having a high bit rate may be large-capacity data, and MP3 data having a low bit rate may be small-capacity data.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the distribution server 1. It has the control part 4 which controls operation | movement of the whole delivery server, the memory | storage part 5 which memorize | stores music data, etc., and the communication part 6 which communicates with the karaoke apparatus 3 via the network 2. FIG. The storage unit 5 stores large capacity data 7 and small capacity data 8. The communication unit 6 takes out the large-capacity data 7 or the small-capacity data 8 from the storage unit 5 according to the control of the control unit 4 and transmits it to the plurality of karaoke apparatuses 3 via the Internet 2.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the karaoke apparatus 3. The karaoke device 3 includes a control unit 9 that controls the operation of the entire karaoke device, a communication unit 10 that communicates with the distribution server 1 via the Internet 2, a storage unit 11 that stores data distributed from the distribution server 1, and music data. There is a performance section 12 for playing karaoke songs based on the above. Under the control of the control unit 9, the communication unit 10 makes a data retransmission request to the distribution server 1 and communicates with the distribution server 1 to receive data. The storage unit 11 is configured by a hard disk or the like, and stores history information 16 including large-capacity data 17, small-capacity data 18, and distribution timing and reproduction frequency of each piece of music data. Of the history information, the reproduction frequency information is uploaded to the distribution server 1 at a predetermined opportunity. The control unit 9 selects the large-capacity data 17 to be replaced with the small-capacity data 18 based on the history information 16 or an index such as popularity received from the outside, and the selected large-capacity data 17 is small. A data replacement processing program 14 that replaces the capacity data 18 is executed. Further, when there is a request for karaoke music, the control unit 9 retrieves music data stored in the storage unit 11 and executes a music reproduction processing program 15 for performing music performance in the performance unit 12.

  The operation of the communication karaoke system in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the data processing operation of the karaoke apparatus 3. The karaoke apparatus 3 receives the large-capacity data 7 periodically distributed from the distribution server 1 (s1). The distributed large volume data 7 is stored as the large volume data 17 in the storage unit 11 of the karaoke apparatus 3. Here, a large amount of large-capacity data 17 is accumulated, and regular distribution continues to be received until the free capacity of the storage unit 11 becomes below a certain level (s2). When the distributed large-capacity data is accumulated and the free capacity of the storage unit 11 becomes below a certain level, the control unit 9 scans the history information 16 (s3). The large-capacity data 17 to be replaced is selected based on the result obtained by scanning the history information 16 (s4). The history information 16 records the time when each piece of music data was distributed and the frequency of playing the music in response to a request from the singer. In the data selection processing program 13, music data whose distribution time is old or music data whose reproduction frequency is low is selected as music data to be replaced with the small-capacity data 18. Thereafter, a process of replacing the selected large-capacity data 17 with the small-capacity data 18 is performed (s5), and the replacement process is repeated until all the selected large-capacity data 17 is replaced with the small-capacity data 18 (s6). The operation is terminated when all the large-capacity data 17 thus replaced can be replaced with the small-capacity data 18.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing another data processing operation of the karaoke apparatus 3. The karaoke apparatus 3 receives the large-capacity data 7 periodically distributed from the distribution server 1 (s7). The distributed large volume data 7 is stored as the large volume data 17 in the storage unit 11 of the karaoke apparatus 3. Here, a large amount of large-capacity data 17 is accumulated, and the periodic distribution continues to be received until the free space in the storage unit 11 becomes below a certain level (s8). When the distributed large-volume data is accumulated and the free capacity of the storage unit 11 becomes below a certain level, the communication unit 10 requests the distribution server 1 to distribute popular information (s9). The popularity information includes, for example, information obtained by collecting the reproduction frequency information collected from each karaoke device by the distribution server 1. Thereafter, the popularity information distributed from the distribution server 1 is received (s10), and the control unit 9 selects the music data that is considered to be less popular as music data to be converted into the small-capacity data 18 (s11). Thereafter, the process of replacing the selected large-capacity data 17 with the small-capacity data 18 is performed (s12), and the process of replacing all the selected large-capacity data 17 with the small-capacity data 17 is repeated (s13). The operation ends when all the large-capacity data 17 can be replaced with the small-capacity data 18.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing operation for replacing the large-capacity data 17 with the small-capacity data 18. The operation of FIG. 5A shows a processing operation when the karaoke apparatus 3 replaces the large volume data 17 with the small volume data 18 by compressing the large volume data 17. The control unit 9 reads out the large volume data 17 to be replaced with the small volume data (s14). A process of sequentially compressing the read large-capacity data 17 is performed (s15). When the large-capacity data is linear PCM data, it is compressed into MP3 data. When the large capacity data is MP3 data, compression is performed by lowering the bit rate. Note that ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation) is known as a method for digitizing analog audio data, but here, processing for compressing linear PCM data into ADPCM data may be performed. The compressed data is stored in the storage unit 11 as small-capacity data 18 (s16). Thereafter, the large-capacity data 17 that has been compressed is deleted (s17). When all the large-capacity data 17 selected by the data selection processing program 13 is compressed and replaced with the small-capacity data 18, the operation is terminated (s18).

  The operation of FIG. 5B shows a processing operation when small-capacity data is received from the distribution server 1 and this small-capacity data is replaced with large-capacity data. First, the control unit 9 requests the distribution server 1 to distribute small capacity data corresponding to the large capacity data 17 to be replaced (s19). Thereafter, the small volume data distributed from the distribution server 1 is received (s20), and is stored in the storage unit 11 as the small volume data 18 of the karaoke song (s21). After the small volume data 18 is stored, the large volume data 17 of the karaoke song is deleted (s22). When all the large-capacity data 17 selected by the data selection processing program 13 has been replaced with the small-capacity data 18, the operation is terminated (s23).

  Here, the small-capacity data distributed by the distribution server 1 may be MIDI data, for example. This is because the karaoke apparatus cannot convert audio data such as PCM into MIDI data. The distribution server 1 may create MIDI data separately from the large volume data of the audio data and store it in the storage unit 5. If the large capacity data 17 is linear PCM data, the MP3 data may be distributed as small capacity data. If the large capacity data 17 is MP3 data, the MP3 data with a reduced bit rate is distributed as small capacity data. May be. Here, it is also conceivable to distribute ADPCM data as small-capacity data.

  As described above, in the karaoke apparatus 3 according to the present embodiment, the storage means is not filled by replacing the large-capacity data 17 with the small-capacity data 18 when the free capacity of the storage unit 11 becomes a certain amount or less. In addition, regular distribution of large volumes of data is possible. The music to be replaced with small-capacity data is selected based on historical information or an index such as popularity received from the outside. Therefore, the most frequently played music data or the most popular music data that produces high-quality musical sounds It is stored as capacity data. Furthermore, since the replaced music data is not erased, even if the karaoke user makes a rare request, it can be played back without having to connect to the distribution server.

  Note that the performance unit 12 of the karaoke apparatus 3 checks the storage unit 11 when a music playback request is received from the user, and if there is a large amount of data for the music to be played, plays it, and if there is not, the performance is small. Play capacity data. Therefore, the user who uses the karaoke apparatus 3 does not need to be aware of whether or not the data to be played and the data to be played is a reproduction of large-capacity data or small-capacity data. It does not require any operation.

  The data replaced by the karaoke system in the above embodiment is not limited to the karaoke song data, but may be inter-song CM data to be played back by the karaoke device when the karaoke song is not played. It may be video data displayed on a monitor. In the case of video data, large-capacity video data for reproducing high-quality video may be set as large-capacity data, and video data having a data capacity smaller than the large-capacity data may be set as small-capacity data. Specifically, MPEG2 data, which is a video compression method for reproducing high-quality video, may be set as large capacity data, and MPEG1 data having a data capacity smaller than MPEG2 data may be set as small capacity data. Alternatively, MPEG4 data having a smaller data capacity may be replaced with small capacity data.

The figure which shows the structure of the communication karaoke system which is embodiment of this invention Block diagram of distribution server Karaoke equipment block diagram Flow chart showing data processing operation of karaoke device Flow chart showing another data processing operation of the karaoke apparatus Flow chart showing processing operation for replacing large volume data with small volume data

Explanation of symbols

1-Distribution server 2-Internet 3-Karaoke apparatus 4-Distribution server control unit 5-Distribution server storage unit 6-Distribution server communication unit 7-Distribution server large-capacity data 8-Distribution server small-capacity data 9- Karaoke unit controller 10-Karaoke unit communication unit 11-Karaoke unit storage unit 12-Karaoke unit performance unit 13-Data selection processing program 14-Data replacement processing program 15-Music reproduction processing program 16-History information 17- Large capacity data for karaoke equipment 18-Small capacity data for karaoke equipment

Claims (6)

Communication means for receiving large-capacity music data, which is a large-capacity music data that is distributed from a distribution server that stores the music data, and that produces high-quality musical sounds;
Storage means for storing the distributed music data;
History information recording means for recording history information such as the distribution timing of the distributed music data and the reproduction frequency of the music data;
Selection means for selecting large-capacity music data to be replaced with small-capacity music data having a data capacity smaller than that of the large-capacity music data based on the history information;
Replacement means for replacing the large-capacity music data with small-capacity music data based on the selection of the selection means;
A communication karaoke apparatus comprising: Communication means for receiving large-capacity music data, which is a large-capacity music data that is distributed from a distribution server that stores the music data, and that produces high-quality musical sounds;
Storage means for storing the distributed music data;
Selection means for selecting large-capacity music data to be replaced with small-capacity music data having a data capacity smaller than that of the large-capacity music data based on an index such as popularity received from the outside;
Replacement means for replacing the large-capacity music data with small-capacity music data based on the selection of the selection means;
A communication karaoke apparatus comprising:   3. The communication karaoke apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the replacement by the replacement unit is executed when a free space in the storage unit becomes a certain amount or less.   The said replacing means compresses a large-capacity music data to create a small-capacity music data, and replaces the large-capacity music data with the small-capacity music data. The communication karaoke apparatus according to any one of the above.   4. The online karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replacing unit replaces the large-capacity music data with a small-capacity music data distributed from the distribution server. 5. .   6. A communication karaoke system comprising the communication karaoke apparatus according to claim 5 and a distribution server connected to the communication karaoke apparatus via a network and storing large-capacity music data and small-capacity music data.

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