JP2006133309A - Session management server device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system which enables each player participating in a net session to start each play at the same timing. <P>SOLUTION: The session management server device 20 sends a play start count-down signal indicating the remaining time length up to the session start to each session terminal 10 of a plurality of the players entering the same session room. A controller 17 of the session terminal 10 receiving the play start count-down signal makes the display element 15 to display the remaining time length up to the play start. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for supporting a music session using a network.

A service called “net session” that allows remote music players to perform music sessions by using a network has become widespread. This service is provided when a “session terminal”, which is a dedicated device specialized for a net session, accesses a server device that mediates exchange of musical tone information between these terminals.
This session terminal has a function of decoding and encoding a musical sound signal in addition to a communication function. When a performer plays an electronic musical instrument connected to his / her session terminal, the musical tone signal is transmitted from his / her session terminal to the other performer's session terminal via the server device in near real time. Is emitted as music from the terminal. A music session is realized by performing such processing mutually.

By the way, in the case of the net session service, since it is not possible to directly communicate with the other party who performs the music session, there is a problem that the timing of starting the performance of the music is difficult to align as compared to the case of performing the live music session. As a technique for solving this type of problem, Patent Document 1 and the like have been proposed. The musical tone signal generator disclosed in this document is equipped with means for notifying the tempo according to the progress of music data, so-called count-in means, etc., in order to accurately guide the performance start timing by the performer.
However, the musical tone signal generator disclosed in the same document has been devised on the premise of guiding the timing of the start of performance when solo music is performed, and is a network that is always performed with a plurality of performers participating. It was unsuitable for the session.
JP 2003-150163 A

  The present invention has been devised under such a background, and an object thereof is to provide a system in which each player who participates in a net session can start each performance at the same timing.

  A session management server device, which is a preferred aspect of the present invention, includes a participation application receiving means for receiving player identification information from each of a plurality of session terminals seeking participation in a music session, and the received player identification information. A countdown for transmitting a storage means for storing as a set and a performance start countdown signal indicating the remaining time until the start of performance to each session terminal that is a source of each player identification information stored as a set in the storage means Musical tone information for receiving musical tone information from each of the session terminals after transmitting the signal start means and the performance start countdown signal, and transmitting the received musical tone information to one or a plurality of session terminals different from the transmission source Transfer means.

  In this aspect, a message for inquiring whether or not performance preparation is completed is transmitted to the session terminal that is the source of each player identification information stored as a set in the storage means, and from each session terminal that is the destination It further comprises preparation completion confirmation means for receiving a message that the preparation for performance has been completed, and the countdown signal transmission means is a predetermined number that is the destination of the message for inquiring whether or not the performance preparation has been completed. The performance start countdown signal may be transmitted on condition that a message indicating that performance preparation has been completed is received from the session terminal.

Further, the apparatus further comprises sequence information storage means for storing music sequence information each representing the length of time from the start of the performance of the music to be played in the music session to the start of each performance event included in the music, The countdown signal transmission means, after transmitting the performance start countdown signal, measures the elapsed time length from the start of performance, and in accordance with the passage of time length represented by the music sequence information stored in the sequence information storage means, You may make it transmit the event countdown signal showing the remaining time length until the start of a performance event.
Further, the countdown signal transmission means transmits the event countdown signal to the session terminal that has transmitted the player identification information received by the participation application reception means after the performance start countdown signal is transmitted. May be.

  According to the present invention, each performer participating in the net session can start each performance at the same timing.

(Embodiment of the Invention)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described.
First, main terms used in the following description are defined. “Operator” means an operator that provides various services using a network. “Performer” means an individual who participates in a music session with the support of an operator. Each performer is given a performer ID which is unique identification information for identifying each performer. “Musical sound information” means information representing a code string obtained by performing compression coding processing on a musical sound signal.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a session system according to the present embodiment. As shown in the figure, this system includes a plurality of session terminals 10 and a session management server device 20. These nodes are synchronized with each other with the assistance of an NTP (network time protocol) server 30 shown in the figure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the session terminal 10. The terminal 10 is used by a performer, and as shown in the figure, a tone signal input unit 11, a tone signal output unit 12, a communication unit 13, an encode / decode unit 14, a display unit 15, and an operation unit 16 are used. And a control unit 17.
The musical sound signal input unit 11 inputs a musical sound signal from the electronic musical instrument 40 to the terminal 10. On the other hand, the tone signal output unit 12 outputs a tone signal from the terminal 10 to the speaker 50. The communication unit 13 establishes a connection with the apparatus 20 based on the network address of the session management server apparatus 20 registered in advance, and transmits and receives various information.

When the musical tone signal is supplied from the musical tone signal input unit 11, the encoding / decoding unit 14 supplies the musical tone information obtained by performing the encoding process on the musical tone signal to the communication unit 13, while the musical tone information is received from the communication unit 13. Is supplied to the tone signal output unit 12 as a tone signal obtained by decoding the tone information.
The display unit 15 is a display that displays various types of information. The operation unit 16 is a touch panel for inputting various information.
The control unit 17 controls each of the above units. The characteristic operation performed by the control unit 17 will be described in detail later with reference to a flowchart.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the session management server device 20. As shown in the figure, the server device 20 includes a CPU 21 that performs various controls, a RAM 22 that provides a work area to the CPU 21, a ROM 23 that stores an IPL (initial program loader), a network interface 24, a computer display 25, a hard disk 26. Etc. The hard disk 26 stores a player registration database 26a, a session music database 26b, and a music session support program 26c.
The performer registration database 26a is provided for authentication of the session terminal 10 accessing the own apparatus 20, and stores all performer IDs issued by the administrator to each performer.

The session music database 26b is an aggregate of a plurality of records each corresponding to a session music. The session music means each of a plurality of music prepared in advance by an operator to be performed by a player who participates in a music session.
One record constituting the database 26b is made by associating the music sequence information of the music for each session with the music name information indicating the music name.

  FIG. 4 is a data structure diagram showing an example of music sequence information. As shown in the figure, this music sequence information defines the time length from the start of the performance of the session music to the start of one or more performance events included in the music in chronological order. A performance event means a group of musical sounds that are to be played at a predetermined location in a music piece, and corresponds to each measure forming the music piece, “sabi” in the music piece, or the like. For example, in the example of FIG. 4, the start of performance event 1 is defined as the time when 10 seconds have elapsed from the start of performance, and the start of performance event 2 is defined as the time when 20 seconds have elapsed from the start of performance. I understand that.

The music session support program 26c is a program for causing the CPU 21 to realize functions unique to the present embodiment. When this program is executed by the CPU 21, a session management table is formed in the RAM 22.
FIG. 5 is a data structure diagram of the session management table. This table is a collection of a plurality of records each corresponding to one music session. In the example of FIG. 5, four records are provided. This means that the session management server device 20 can manage four music sessions individually. One record constituting this table has five fields of “session”, “participation application member”, “ready member”, “in-session flag”, and “performance music”.

  In the “session” field, session identification information which is a unique number assigned in advance to each music session is stored. In each field of “participation application member” and “ready member”, the player IDs transmitted from the session terminal 10 to the own device 20 are stored at different timings. As will be described in detail later, the player ID is first stored in the “participation application member” field, and when the source session terminal 10 is ready to start a music session, this time, Is to be stored in the “Ready Member” field. When the number of performer IDs stored in the “ready member” field of a record reaches a predetermined number, for example, three, the session terminal 10 that is the source of the performer IDs is sent to the session terminal 10. The start signal is to be given.

  In the “in-session flag” field, information “1” indicating that the music session has already started or “0” indicating that the music session has not yet started is stored. In the “performance music” field, song name information of a session music piece to be played in a music session is stored. As will be explained in detail later in the description of the operation, the song name information stored in this field is the first player in the “Ready Member” field at the time of the first application for a music session. The ID is to be selected when the ID is stored.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The operation of this embodiment is divided into session participation application processing, session start guidance processing, and midway participation guidance processing.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the session participation application process.
This process is started when any performer accesses the session management server device 20 from his / her session terminal 10.

The CPU 21 of the session management server device 20 that has received access from the session terminal 10 transmits display data of the performer ID request screen to the session terminal 10 (S100).
The control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 that has received the display data causes the player ID request screen to be displayed on the display unit 15 (S110). On this screen, a character string indicating the content of “Please input the player ID” and an input field for the player ID are displayed. A player who refers to this screen inputs his or her player ID through the operation unit 16.

When the performer ID is input, the control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 transmits the performer ID to the session management server device 20 (S120).
The CPU 21 of the session management server device 20 that has received the performer ID determines whether or not the performer ID is stored in the performer registration database 26a (S130).

In step 130, the CPU 21 that has determined that the player ID is not stored in the player registration database 26 a transmits a message for refusing login to the session terminal 10 (S 140). When the session terminal 10 receives this message, this process ends.
On the other hand, in step 130, the CPU 21 having determined that the player ID is stored in the player registration database 26a, the display data of the session room guidance screen generated based on the stored contents of the session management table in the RAM 22 is displayed in step 120. Is transmitted to the session terminal 10 that has transmitted the player ID (S150).

The control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 that has received the display data displays a session room guidance screen on the display unit 15 (S160).
FIG. 7 is a session room guidance screen. This screen represents the storage contents of each record in the session management table as presence / absence of entry into a virtual room called “session room”. A character string indicating the content “Please select a session room to enter” is displayed at the top of the screen. In the lower part of the same screen, the stored contents of the session management table are displayed as a table in which two items of “session room” and “entrant” are associated with each other. In this table, the session identification information stored in the “session” field of the session management table is displayed as the “session room” item, and one or more performers stored in the “participation member” field. The ID is displayed as an item of “room entry”.

The player who refers to the session room guide screen selects the session room in which he / she enters the room by using the operation unit 16.
When a session room is selected by the operation unit 16, the control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 uses the session management server to store the session identification information of the selected session room and the player ID input on the player ID request screen. It transmits to the apparatus 20 (S170).

The CPU 21 of the session management server device 20 that has received the session identification information and the player ID specifies a record corresponding to the received session identification information from the session management table (S180).
Subsequently, the CPU 21 stores the player ID in the “participation application member” field of the record identified in step 180 (S190).

When the player ID is stored, the CPU 21 determines whether or not the stored content of the “in-session flag” field of the record specified in step 180 is “1” or “0” (S200). ).
As a result of the determination in step 200, if the stored content of the “in-session flag” field is “0”, the session start guidance process is executed, and if “1”, the midway participation guidance process is executed. In other words, if a performer enters a session room where a music session has not yet started, he / she will join the music session from the beginning through the session start guidance process, while the music session has already started. If you enter the session room, you will join the music session from the middle through the midway participation guidance process.

8 and 9 are flowcharts showing the session start guidance process. In step 200 in FIG. 6, the CPU 21 that has determined that the stored content of the “in-session flag” field is “0”, the song name information is stored in the “performance music” field of the record identified in step 180. It is determined whether it has been performed (S210).
When determining in step 210 that the song name information is not stored, the CPU 21 selects one of the song name information stored in the session song database 26b (S220). In this step, song name information is randomly selected using a known random number generation algorithm or the like. Then, the CPU 21 stores the selected music name information in the “performance music” field of the record specified in step 180 (S230).

  The CPU 21 is obtained by embedding the song name information stored in the “performance music” field of the record identified in step 180 and all the player IDs stored in the “participation application member” field in a predetermined template. The display data of the start preparation completion confirmation screen is transmitted to the session terminal 10 that has transmitted the session identification information and the player ID in step 170 (S240). If it is determined in step 210 that the song title information is stored, steps 240 to 230 are not executed, but step 240 is immediately executed.

The control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 that has received the display data causes the display unit 15 to display a start preparation completion confirmation screen (S250).
FIG. 10 is a start preparation completion confirmation screen. In the upper part of this screen, "The person who is in the same session room as you is as follows. The session will start as soon as three people including you are ready. Are you ready?" Is displayed. Furthermore, the music title information and the player ID embedded in step 240 are displayed below it. A button labeled “Preparation OK” is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

The player who refers to this screen understands the name of the song prepared by the session management server device 20 for the current music session and the player ID of another player who plays the song together. Then, when you are ready, select the button at the bottom of the screen.
When the “preparation OK” button is selected, the control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 transmits a message indicating that preparation is complete to the session management server device 20 (S260).

  Upon receiving this message, the session management server device stores the performer ID transmitted by the originating session terminal 10 in step 170 in the “ready member” field of the record identified in step 180 (S270). ). The CPU 21 having stored the performer ID in the “ready member” field determines whether or not the total number of performer IDs stored in the field has become three (S280).

In step 280, the CPU 21 having determined that the total number of player IDs stored has become three, the song sequence information stored in the session song database 26 b in association with the song name information selected in step 220 is used. The data is read out to the RAM 22 (S290).
Subsequently, the CPU 21 rewrites the stored content of the “in-session flag” field of the record identified in step 180 from “0” to “1” (S300).

The CPU 21 sends a performance start countdown signal indicating the remaining time length until the start of the music session to the session terminal 10 that is the originator of each player ID stored in the “ready member” field of the record identified in step 180. Is transmitted (S310).
Upon receiving the performance start countdown signal, the control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 displays the remaining time length until the start of the music session on the display unit 15 (S320). Specifically, a character string indicating the contents of “3 seconds ago” → “2 seconds ago” → “1 second ago” is displayed every other second in this order, and the character string “1 second ago” is further displayed. The character string “START!” Is displayed at the timing when one second has elapsed since the display.

Each performer who refers to the display content of the display unit 15 starts playing the electronic musical instrument 40 at the same time when the character string “START!” Is displayed.
Further, the control unit 17 of each session terminal 10 that has displayed the character string “START!” On the display unit 15 transmits a message confirming that the session has started to the session management server device 20 (S330).
Receiving this message, the session management server device 20 starts measuring the elapsed time length from the start of the session (S340).

When a performer who refers to the character string “START!” Starts playing his / her electronic musical instrument 40, the session terminal 10 of the performer uses a musical tone signal input from the electronic musical instrument 40 to the own terminal 10 as musical tone information. The process of transmitting to the session management server apparatus 20 and the process of outputting the musical sound information transmitted from the session management server apparatus 20 to the own terminal 10 as a musical sound signal to the speaker 50 are performed in parallel. Further, the CPU 21 of the session management server device 20 performs a process of immediately transferring the musical tone information received from one session terminal 10 to the other session terminal 10.
By exchanging musical tone information via the session management server device 20 as described above, each session terminal 10 can also receive a musical tone signal input to another remote session terminal 10 from its speaker 50. As a result, a real-time music session between remote players can be realized.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing midway participation guidance processing.
This process is executed when it is determined in step 200 of FIG. 6 that the stored content of the “in-session flag” field is “1”.
The stored content of the “in-session flag” is “1” that the music session has already been started, that is, the musical sound information of at least three session terminals 10 including the terminal 10 that has undergone the session start guidance process. This means that exchanges are actually taking place. Therefore, the CPU 21 executes the midway participation guidance process shown in the drawing while executing the control of the exchange of musical tone information via the own device 20 by the session terminals 10.

  The CPU 21 having determined that the stored content of the “in-session flag” field is “1”, the song name information stored in the “performed song” field of the record identified in step 180 and the “ready member”. The display data of the confirmation screen for completion of participation preparation obtained by embedding all the player IDs stored in the field in the predetermined template is transmitted to the session terminal 10 that has transmitted the player ID in step 170. (S350).

The control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 that has received the display data causes the display unit 15 to display a midway participation preparation completion confirmation screen (S360).
FIG. 12 is a confirmation screen for completion of preparation for participation. At the top of this screen is a text string that says "Your session is already in the session room where you entered, so you will be participating from the middle. Are you ready?" Is displayed. Furthermore, the music title information and the player ID embedded in step 340 are displayed below it. A button labeled “Preparation OK” is displayed at the bottom of the screen.

The player who refers to this screen understands the name of the song prepared by the session management server device 20 for the current music session and the other players who are currently playing the song. Then, when you are ready, select the button at the bottom of the screen.
When the “preparation OK” button is selected, the control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 transmits a message indicating that preparation is complete to the session management server device 20 (S370).

Receiving this message, the CPU 21 of the session management server device 20 stores the performer ID that the originating session terminal 10 has transmitted in step 170 in the “ready member” field of the record identified in step 180. (S380).
Subsequently, in step 380, the CPU 21 sends the session terminal 10 that is the originator of the player ID newly stored in the “ready member” field to the session that is the originator of another player ID stored in that field. The musical tone information transmitted from the terminal 10 to the own device 20 is transferred (S390).

The session terminal 10 that has received the transferred musical tone information outputs the musical tone information to the speaker 50 as a musical tone signal. Then, from the speaker 50, the performance contents of the already performed music session are emitted as musical sounds. By listening to this musical tone, the performer understands the current progress of the music for the session being played in the music session that he / she will join in the middle.
Subsequently, the CPU 21 issues the next performance event based on the elapsed time from the start of the session that started timing in step 340 and the content of the musical tone sequence information read out to the RAM 22 in step 290. Is identified (S400).

Then, an event countdown signal indicating the remaining time until the performance event specified in step 400 is transmitted to the session terminal 10 participating in the music session from the middle (S410).
The control unit 17 of the session terminal 10 that has received the event countdown signal causes the display unit 15 to display the remaining time length until the next performance event is started (S420). Specifically, the character string indicating the contents of “3 seconds ago” → “2 seconds ago” → “1 second ago” is displayed every other second in this order, and the character string “1 second ago” is further displayed. The character string “START!” Is displayed at the timing when one second has elapsed since the display.
The performer who refers to the display content of the display unit 15 listens to the performance content of the other performers emitted from the speaker 50, and at the timing when the character string “START!” Is displayed, The performance of the musical instrument 40 is started.

In the present embodiment described above, the remaining time length until the performance starts is displayed on the display unit 15 of the session terminal 10. Therefore, if a plurality of performers entering the same session room start playing based on the remaining time length displayed on the display unit 15 of each session terminal 10, the start timings of the performances coincide with each other. Can be made.
In addition, the display unit 15 of the session terminal 10 displays the length of time remaining until the start of the performance event of the session music piece to be played in the music session. Therefore, if a performer who participates in a music session that has already been started starts playing based on the length of time displayed on the display unit 15 of his / her session terminal 10, the performance already performed is performed. It is possible to participate in a music session at an appropriate timing without interfering.

(Other embodiments)
This embodiment can be modified in various ways.
In the above embodiment, when there are three player IDs stored in the “ready member” field of the session management table, the music sequence information is read out to the RAM 22, but this music sequence information is read out. The number of player IDs serving as the trigger may be four or five.
In the above-described embodiment, when a performer enters a session room, the session management server device 20 automatically selects the music for session performed by the performer who has entered the session room. On the other hand, the session management server device 20 may present a music selection screen in which all pieces of music name information stored in the session music database 26b are arranged, and the performer may select a desired music from this screen. .

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a session system. It is a hardware block diagram of a session terminal. It is a hardware block diagram of a session management server apparatus. It is a data structure figure of music sequence information. It is a data structure figure of a session management table. It is a flowchart which shows a session participation application process. It is a session room guide screen. It is a flowchart which shows a session start guidance process (first half part). It is a flowchart which shows a session start guidance process (second half part). It is a start preparation completion confirmation screen. It is a flowchart which shows a midway participation guidance process. This is a confirmation screen for completion of preparation for participation.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Each session terminal, 11 ... Music signal input part, 12 ... Music signal output part, 13 ... Communication part, 14 ... Encoding / decoding part, 15 ... Display part, 16 ... Operation part, 17 ... Control part, 20 ... Session Management server device, 21 ... CPU, 22 ... RAM, 23 ... ROM, 24 ... network interface, 25 ... computer display, 26 ... hard disk, 40 ... electronic musical instrument, 50 ... speaker

Claims (4)

Participation application receiving means for receiving player identification information from each of a plurality of session terminals seeking participation in a music session;
Storage means for storing each received player identification information as a set;
A countdown signal transmission means for transmitting a performance start countdown signal representing a remaining time length until the start of performance to each session terminal of a transmission source of each player identification information stored as a set in the storage means;
After transmitting the performance start countdown signal, music information is received from each of the session terminals, and music information transfer means for transmitting the received music information to one or a plurality of session terminals different from the transmission source thereof. Session management server device. In the session management server device according to claim 1,
A message for inquiring whether or not performance preparation is completed is sent to the session terminal that is the source of each player identification information stored as a set in the storage means, and performance preparation is completed from each session terminal that was the destination A preparation completion confirmation means for receiving a message to the effect that
The countdown signal transmission means includes
The performance start countdown signal is provided on condition that the preparation completion confirmation means has received a message indicating that performance preparation has been completed from a predetermined number of session terminals that are destinations of messages inquiring whether or not the performance preparation has been completed. Send session management server device. In the session management server device according to claim 1,
Sequence information storage means for storing music sequence information each representing the length of time from the start of performance of the music to be played in the music session to the start of each performance event included in the music;
The countdown signal transmission means includes
After transmitting the performance start countdown signal, the elapsed time length from the performance start is counted, and the remaining time until the start of the performance event is matched with the passage of the time length represented by the music sequence information stored in the sequence information storage means. A session management server device that transmits an event countdown signal indicating a time length. In the session management server device according to claim 3,
The countdown signal transmission means includes
A session management server device that transmits the event countdown signal to a session terminal that is a source of player identification information received by the participation application receiving means after the performance start countdown signal is transmitted.

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