JP2011043714A - Communication karaoke system generating automatically singing history of each customer classified based on feature of singing voice - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically and efficiently generate a singing history classified by each customer in each karaoke device, having superior handleability as data and having convenience as information to be used for service provision to a karaoke user, without requiring labor for input of individual ID or the like at every singing time by a customer, when the customer sings a karaoke musical composition. <P>SOLUTION: A database server 200 includes a voice feature database 210 acquired by summarizing the individual ID of each customer and voice feature data of each customer correlatively with each other. The karaoke device 100 analyzes a singing voice signal and generates voice feature data. When the generated voice feature data are not generated and recorded within a latest prescribed period, the karaoke device 100 inquires of the voice feature database 210 to acquire a corresponding individual ID, and generates and records a performance history classified by each customer by correlating the individual ID with the musical composition ID and the performance date and time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a communication karaoke system in which a plurality of karaoke apparatuses are connected to a database server via a communication network, and more particularly to a communication karaoke system that automatically creates a singing history for each customer based on the characteristics of singing voices.

  In the communication karaoke system, karaoke use histories recorded respectively by a large number of karaoke apparatuses distributed in a wide area can be collected and managed in a database server via a communication network and managed. By collecting the karaoke use histories of individual karaoke devices in the database server, it can be used for providing various services to stores and users of karaoke devices, for example, as shown in the following examples. In addition, it is possible to create a new service that uses the aggregated usage history.

<< Patent No. 3629450 (Patent Document 1) >>
Even if there are a large number of customers in a store that uses a karaoke device for customer service, the customer database that collects performance histories (music selection history or singing history) for each customer is provided in the database server. In addition to improving the quality of service by operating the karaoke device quickly in response to requests and requests, the karaoke device operation rate is improved by naturally guiding customers to karaoke.

<< Patent No. 3946662 (Patent Document 2) >>
This personal customer A listens to a song sung by another customer while a regular customer A enjoys karaoke, with respect to a personal karaoke song book system that creates and uses a favorite song list for each user in a karaoke device. It is automatically compiled as a list of songs (list of songs that have been listened to) that would have been listened to, and the songs that Customer A has listened to many times are introduced on the personal information screen of Customer A and registered in the favorite songs list Prompt.

<< Patent No. 3946669 (Patent Document 3) >>
Provided with a database that aggregates customer-specific records associated with customer IDs, updates corresponding customer-specific records based on customer-specific record update information received from a karaoke performance terminal, and requests customer-specific record requests that specify customer IDs When receiving from the karaoke performance terminal, the corresponding customer-specific record is transmitted to the karaoke performance terminal. The customer-specific record includes basic registration information related to the customer and customer music selection history information. For customers who enjoy karaoke singing in a karaoke box (private room without a store clerk), a customer service function that makes a familiar store clerk feel like a regular customer.

  Also, as exemplified below, voice feature data (voice print data) is extracted from the user's input voice as identification data for identifying the customer (user individual), and the customer-specific usage history is searched using this voice feature data. An online karaoke system has been developed.

<< JP-A-9-146563 (Patent Document 4) >>
The user's personal information is managed in a database using the voice print data as a key, the voice print data of the user who intends to use the service is extracted, and the user's personal information is searched using this voice print data. This eliminates the need for the user to input a personal ID or set an ID card, and does not require a device such as a personal remote control.

Japanese Patent No. 3629450 Japanese Patent No. 3946662 Japanese Patent No. 3946669 JP-A-9-146563

  The online karaoke system collects and records customer-specific usage histories created and recorded by a large number of karaoke devices distributed over a wide area on a database server via a communication network. Various services can be provided to customers, and the creation of new services that utilize the information gathered in the database server is also expected. However, for that purpose, it is premised that each customer's use history is created and recorded in each karaoke apparatus.

  Every time a karaoke device sings a karaoke piece arbitrarily selected by a customer along with an accompaniment performance, the karaoke apparatus records a record in which the song ID of the accompaniment performance and the performance date and time are associated with the customer ID (ie, personal ID) of the singer Create and record customer-specific usage histories recorded in chronological order.

  Various services can be provided by collecting and aggregating customer usage histories created and recorded for each karaoke device in this way in a database server via a communication network. In a karaoke device, each time a customer sings a karaoke piece of music, he / she has to ask the customer to input a personal ID that identifies the customer or some identifying information in place of the personal ID. This is troublesome and troublesome for the customer, and there is also a concern that the feeling of singing that has been raised is hindered by the time and effort required to input a personal ID each time a song is sung.

  As a means for omitting or simplifying the input labor of the personal ID or the like, it is conceivable to extract voice feature data such as voiceprint data from the input voice of the user and substitute the personal ID for the extracted voice feature data. . The voice feature data is obtained by analyzing the singing voice. If only this is seen, the voice feature data is associated with the song ID and the performance date and time instead of the personal ID, so that the customer does not have to input the personal ID or the like, and the usage history by customer (singing by customer) (History) can be created and recorded.

  In this case, the customer-specific singing history in which the music ID / performance date / time is associated with the voice feature data is aggregated / aggregated in the database server via the communication network, and the data aggregated in the database server is further collected. Various services will be executed using it.

  When the target data is retrieved from the data of the database server and used for executing this service, the voice feature data is used as key data for the retrieval. This is because the search target data (music ID and performance date / time) is created and recorded in association with the voice feature data, not the personal ID. However, an information search using the voice feature data as key data is extremely burdensome compared to an information search using a personal ID that can be described by a simple character code string as key data.

  On the other hand, the number of users handled in the online karaoke system may be as large as several million, and a processing request for retrieving a customer's singing history from a database also occurs at a frequency corresponding to the number of users. In this case, if the customer's singing history is created and recorded in association with the voice feature data of the customer, the recorded data (singing history) is also searched with the voice feature data. The processing burden is very large.

  For this reason, although the trouble of inputting the personal ID is simplified, the processing load on the system is greatly increased, and in particular, there is a problem that it becomes impossible to smoothly provide the service using the data recorded in the database. In other words, the customer-specific singing history in which the music ID / performance date / time is associated with the voice feature data can simplify the process of inputting the personal ID for the customer, but is not easy to use as data and provides services to karaoke users. As information to be used, it must be said that the utility value is low.

  The present invention has been made in view of the technical background as described above, and the purpose of the present invention is when a customer sings karaoke music in a communication karaoke system in which a plurality of karaoke apparatuses are connected to a database server via a communication network. Is easy to use as data and uses it to provide services to karaoke users without using the customer's trouble of inputting a personal ID every time they sing. The object is to provide a communication karaoke system capable of automatically and efficiently creating a customer-specific singing history as information for each karaoke device.

  The karaoke apparatus according to the present invention is specified by the following items (1) to (10).

(1) A communication karaoke system in which a plurality of karaoke apparatuses are connected to a database server via a communication network. (2) A database server is a voice that aggregates a customer's personal ID and customer voice feature data in association with each other. (3) When the database server receives voice feature data from the karaoke device, the database server performs a customer specifying process and a notification process. (4) The customer specifying process is closest to the received voice feature data. The voice feature data is searched from the customer database, and the corresponding personal ID is extracted. (5) The notification process communicates with the karaoke apparatus that has transmitted the voice feature data, and transmits the personal ID extracted by the customer specifying process. (6) The karaoke apparatus performs voice feature analysis processing, determination processing, inquiry processing, and history creation along with karaoke performance. (7) The voice feature analysis process analyzes the singing voice signal from the microphone to generate voice feature data, and records the voice feature data for each song in time series. (8) When the voice feature analysis process generates new voice feature data (a), the voice feature data set is compared with the voice feature data set generated and recorded for a plurality of songs sung during the most recent predetermined period. It is determined whether there is data that can be regarded as the same as the voice feature data (a). (9) The inquiry process determines that the voice feature data (a) is determined when the determination processing determines “No”. The personal ID (A) is received from the database server that responds to the database server, and the voice feature data (A) is associated with the personal ID (A) (10). Mosquito A performance history in which the music ID of the Laoke music, the date and time of the performance, and the personal ID associated with the inquiry processing to the voice feature data generated along with the performance is sequentially created.

  In a communication karaoke system in which a plurality of karaoke apparatuses are connected to a database server via a communication network, when a customer sings karaoke music, the customer does not have to take care of inputting a personal ID or the like every time the singing is performed. Using the characteristics of the customer's singing voice, the user-friendly singing history is highly efficient for each karaoke device as it is easy to use as data and highly convenient as information used to provide services to karaoke users. Can be created well.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the communication karaoke system of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the karaoke apparatus used with this invention system. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the determination process and inquiry process performed at the time of preparation of song history according to customer.

=== Configuration of online karaoke system ===
A schematic configuration of a communication karaoke system constituting an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, in the communication karaoke system of the present invention, a plurality of karaoke apparatuses 100 are connected to a database server 200 via a communication network.

=== Configuration on the database server side ===
The database server 200 includes a voice feature database 210 in which a personal ID that identifies a customer and customer voice feature data are associated and aggregated. At the same time, when the database server 200 receives voice feature data from the karaoke apparatus 100, the database server 200 performs a customer specifying process and a notification process.

  In the customer specifying process, the voice feature data closest to the received voice feature data is searched from the customer database 210, and the corresponding personal ID is extracted. That is, the personal ID corresponding to the received voice feature data is extracted.

  The notification process communicates with the karaoke apparatus 100 that has transmitted the voice feature data, and transmits the personal ID extracted in the customer specifying process to the karaoke apparatus 100.

=== Configuration on the Karaoke device side ===
The karaoke apparatus 100 performs voice feature analysis processing, determination processing, inquiry processing, and history creation processing along with karaoke performance.

  The voice feature analysis process analyzes the singing voice signal from the microphone to generate voice feature data, and records the voice feature data for each song in time series. This recording is intended for voice feature data generated for a plurality of songs sung during the most recent predetermined period. The most recent predetermined period is set based on the time during which the karaoke apparatus is exclusively used in the same group, but may be, for example, the nearest half day (daytime and nighttime) or a time unit of one day.

  As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, the determination process generates and records a plurality of songs sung during the most recent predetermined period when the voice feature analysis process generates new voice feature data (a). It is determined whether or not there is data in the voice feature data set that can be regarded as the same as the voice feature data (A).

  In the inquiry process, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, when the determination process is “No”, the voice feature data (A) is transmitted to the database server 200 and the personal ID is sent from the database server 200 responding thereto. (A) is received, and the voice feature data (a) is associated with the personal ID (a).

  As shown in FIG. 1, the history creation process associates the song ID of the played karaoke song, the performance date and time, and the personal ID associated by the inquiry process with the voice feature data generated along with the performance. Sequentially create a performance history.

=== Hardware configuration of karaoke equipment ===
FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of the hardware main body of the karaoke apparatus used in the system of the present invention.
This karaoke apparatus is a computer application device equivalent to a well-known personal computer, and the central processing unit 11 that forms the core of the karaoke apparatus forms a computer main body including a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM.

  Under the control and management of the central processing unit 11, a karaoke host device via a hard disk device 12 as a large-capacity external storage, an optical disk playback device 13 such as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, and a public communication line such as an optical communication line A communication control device 14 that communicates with a database server or the like, a user interface device 15 that exchanges input from the user and responses to the user, and generates an acoustic signal of accompaniment music based on MIDI music performance data Music generating device 16, accompaniment music, an acoustic device 17 that amplifies an acoustic signal from a microphone 171, etc., and produces a sound from a speaker 172, a display (display device) 18 using an LCD or PDP, and the like to be displayed on this display 18 A video processing device 19 for processing video data is installed.

  More specifically, the hard disk device 12 stores karaoke data including accompaniment music data mainly composed of MIDI data and lyric character data that is the origin of generation of lyrics subtitles for a large number of 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.

  The music generation device 16 generates accompaniment music from the accompaniment music data in the karaoke data. With respect to the lyric character data, a lyric subtitle image in which a portion to be sung is changed in color in synchronization with the accompaniment music is sequentially generated, and a bitmap is developed in the video RAM. Also, predetermined moving image data is sequentially transferred to the video processing device 19 in a predetermined order based on the script data, and the background moving image of the lyrics subtitle is decoded.

  The acoustic device 17 mixes and amplifies the accompaniment music generated by the music generation device 16 and the singing voice input to the microphone 171 and outputs the sound from the speaker 172. The video processing device 19 superimposes the lyrics subtitles on the decoded moving image and displays and outputs them on the display 18. Lyric subtitles are sequentially created from time-series lyrics character data synchronized with the progress of the accompaniment music.

  The user interface device 15 includes an operation panel 151 of the karaoke device main body and a karaoke remote control device 152. In order to exchange operation information with the karaoke remote control device 152, short distance wireless communication means (IrDA transceiver, infrared LED, infrared light receiving element) capable of bidirectional communication is provided.

  The central processing unit 11 identifies karaoke data, script data, table of contents information and the like of each music piece by the music piece ID, and manages this as a karaoke database. The central processing unit 11 receives a reservation command (request) from the user interface device 15. The reservation command includes a music ID (music identification code). When this reservation command is received, the music IDs included in the command are registered at the end of the processing reservation queue in the order of reception. And music ID is taken out sequentially from the head of a queue. When the music ID is extracted from the queue, the karaoke data for the corresponding music is extracted from the karaoke database and used for performance processing.

=== Characteristic Functions of the Invention Constructed in the Karaoke Apparatus ===
In addition to the basic functions described above, the karaoke apparatus 100 includes functions for performing the above-described voice feature analysis processing, determination processing, inquiry processing, and history creation processing.

  The voice feature analysis process analyzes the singing voice signal from the microphone 171 and generates voice feature data. The history creation process creates and records a customer-specific singing history in which a song ID of a performance song, a performance date and time, and a personal ID of a customer who is a singer are associated with each other. As described above, the personal ID is obtained by performing determination processing and / or inquiry processing based on the voice feature data.

  The customer-specific singing histories created and recorded by the karaoke apparatus 100 are collected and aggregated in a predetermined database (customer database) via a communication network, and used for providing services to karaoke users. What should be noted here is that in the process of creating the customer-specific singing history in the karaoke apparatus, the voice feature data generated by analyzing the singing voice of the customer is used to associate the singing history with the customer. However, the customer-specific singing history that is finally created and recorded is not voice feature data, but is associated with the personal ID of the customer who is the main voice feature data.

  Further, according to the present invention, personal data corresponding to the voice feature data analyzed and generated on the karaoke apparatus 100 side is acquired by a process of sending and inquiring to the database server 200 side. If there is data that can be regarded as the same as the voice feature data (a) generated and recorded for the song, the personal ID corresponding to the voice feature data (a) is acquired without performing the inquiry process. Can do.

  As a result, it is possible to streamline the processing of inquiries for obtaining a personal ID, and to reduce the processing load on the database server 200 and the communication load with the database server 200, thereby improving the processing efficiency.

  As described above, when a customer sings karaoke music, it is convenient to use as data and provides services to karaoke users without having to take care of inputting a personal ID or the like each time the customer sings. It is possible to automatically and efficiently create a customer-specific singing history as information to be performed for each karaoke device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Central processing unit 12 Hard disk device 13 Optical disk reproducing device 14 Communication control device 15 User interface device 151 Operation panel 152 Karaoke remote control device 16 Music generating device 171 Microphone 172 Speaker 17 Sound device 18 Display (display device)
19 Video processing device 100 Karaoke device 200 Database server 210 Voice feature database

Claims (1)

A communication karaoke system in which a plurality of karaoke apparatuses are connected to a database server via a communication network,
The database server includes a voice feature database in which customer personal IDs and customer voice feature data are aggregated in association with each other,
When the database server receives voice feature data from the karaoke device, it performs customer identification processing and notification processing,
The customer identification process searches the customer database for voice feature data that most closely matches the received voice feature data, extracts the corresponding personal ID,
The notification process communicates with the karaoke device that has transmitted the voice feature data, transmits the personal ID extracted in the customer identification process,
The karaoke device performs voice feature analysis processing, determination processing, inquiry processing, and history creation processing along with karaoke performance,
The voice feature analysis process analyzes the singing voice signal from the microphone to generate voice feature data, records the voice feature data for each song in time series,
When the voice feature analysis process generates new voice feature data (a), the determination process compares the voice feature data set generated and recorded for a plurality of songs sung during the most recent predetermined period. It is determined whether or not there is data in the feature data set that can be regarded as the same as the voice feature data (A),
In the inquiry process, when the determination process determines “No”, the voice feature data (a) is transmitted to the database server, and the personal ID (A) is received from the database server in response to the voice feature data (a). A) and personal ID (b)
The history creation process sequentially creates a performance history in which a song ID of a played karaoke song, a performance date and time, and a personal ID associated with an inquiry process to voice feature data generated along with the performance are associated with each other. Online karaoke system.

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