JP3141012B2 - How to send karaoke data - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of transmitting karaoke data, and more particularly, to a method of transmitting karaoke data that reduces the load on facilities and operations at a karaoke store or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a karaoke set has been introduced locally at each karaoke store, but with the advent of the so-called communication karaoke system, a karaoke terminal capable of communicating with a host or the like has been used for the karaoke set.
FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of such a communication karaoke system, in which a plurality of karaoke terminals 4 and a host 2 and a sub-host 3 are communicably connected via an ISDN line or a general public line.

The karaoke terminal 4 has a terminal body 10
That the communication I / F 12 has been added to the
1 receives karaoke data via the communication I / F 12 and stores it in the internal hard disk 13, but the other parts have the same configuration as the local karaoke set. That is, in addition to the speaker 8 and the monitor 9, an audio player 5, a background video player 6, or a laser disk player 7 is externally connected to the terminal main body 10. A music decoder 14 and an audio signal generation circuit 15 that generate an audio signal based on the music data read out from the speaker 13 and send it to the speaker 8, and a telop video signal is generated from the music data and reproduced by the background video player 6. The telop generating circuit 16 and the synthesizing circuit 1 which are superimposed on the background video signal and sent to the monitor 9
7 are provided.

In this communication karaoke system, a new song or the like created in the new song production section 1 is input to the host 2 as data, and the data of the new song or the like is first sent to the sub-host 3 via the ISDN line and held therein. . This data is
After that, when there is a request, it is sent from the sub host 3 to the communication I / F 12 of the karaoke terminal 4 via the general public line, and the hard disk 1 is controlled by the controller 11.
3 is stored. Thus, the data of the new song is distributed to each karaoke terminal 4.

[0005] When a desired song of karaoke performance is set or reserved in the karaoke terminal 4 at a karaoke shop or the like, the music data of the song is read from the CD of the audio player 5 if it exists, or the music data of the song is read. If the music data exists on the hard disk 13, it is read from the hard disk 13, and the reproduced performance sound or the like is output from the speaker 8. At this time, the background video data of the background that matches the tune is read from the CD held by the background video player 6, and the reproduced background video is displayed on the monitor 9. Thus, a karaoke performance by the karaoke terminal 4 is performed.

As a conventional karaoke system using a CATV system, a CATV system shown in FIG.
A CATV system in which a center 21 and a CATV terminal 22 are connected via a CATV cable 20 is known.

In this case, the CATV center 21 includes, in addition to a basic portion for retransmitting a television broadcast signal,
A laser disk player (LD) for reproducing background images and performance sounds, a modulation circuit for modulating the reproduced signal into a frequency band of a predetermined channel, and a CAT by mixing the signals;
A mixer for sending out to the V cable 20 is provided.
On the other hand, the CATV terminal 22 is mainly composed of ordinary terminal equipment such as a converter and a television receiver, to which a karaoke audio stereo for improving a sound effect is added.

In such a system, if there is a request for karaoke performance, the tune is transferred from the karaoke store to the CATV center 2.
Request to 1 operator by telephone. At the karaoke store, the user operates the converter of the CATV terminal 22 to select a karaoke broadcast channel, and waits for a while. Then, when the order comes around and the desired music is reproduced at the CATV center 21, the signal is transmitted to the CATV center 21.
It is transmitted to the karaoke broadcast channel via the cable 20. In this way, the karaoke shop customers waiting for their turn can enjoy the karaoke performance.

[0009]

On the other hand, in order to solve the inconvenience of telephone requests, a karaoke system as shown in FIG. 8 using a bidirectional CATV is conceivable. This is because the converter of the CATV terminal 24 transmits the number of the desired music to be played to the CATV center 23 via the upstream channel of the CATV cable 20 in response to a predetermined operation of the commander, etc. A laser disc player (LD) is controlled to reproduce the desired music, and this signal is transmitted to a karaoke broadcast channel on the CATV cable 20.

However, in the conventional karaoke system as shown in FIG. 6, not only the local system but also the communication karaoke system, each terminal is provided with an audio player and a background video player in addition to the terminal body. I had to keep it. This is because, even if new songs and the like can be distributed online, karaoke performances must be performed independently for each karaoke set because it is necessary to immediately respond to the requests of customers of each karaoke set.

That is, in a karaoke store, an audio player with a built-in CD changer must be employed, and a plurality of CDs in which music data of 10,000 music or more have been recorded must be inserted into the audio player.
Also, the background video player must employ a CD changer built-in type, and a plurality of CDs on which a total of 80 or more patterns of background video data are recorded must be inserted into the player.

For this reason, the karaoke store must hold a large amount of music data and the like while enduring the heavy burden of capital investment. In addition, troublesome management must be performed, such as adding or replacing CDs according to the trend or the like. Therefore,
The problem is to remove the burden of holding and managing a large number of music data on the terminal side.

On the other hand, in the case of a karaoke system using a CATV system, there is another inconvenience because background images and performance sounds are transmitted for each karaoke channel. That is, in CATV, the number of channels is finite,
Since the number of karaoke channels cannot exceed the number of karaoke channels, the number of karaoke terminals that can be serviced independently and simultaneously is limited to at most several tens.
Moreover, since the demand for karaoke performances is concentrated on weekend nights and the like, a sufficient karaoke service cannot be achieved at the peak without sacrificing services such as general retransmission. However, it is too costly to set up a new CATV system solely for the karaoke service. Therefore, removing the restriction on the number of connectable terminals is also an issue.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and there is no need for the terminal to hold and manage a large number of music data and the like, and there is no undesired restriction on the number of terminals. It is an object to realize a method of transmitting karaoke data. Another object of the present invention is to realize a method of transmitting karaoke data, which can easily add a song at any time.

[0015]

The structure, operation and effect of the first means for solving the above problems will be described below.

A first solution of the karaoke data transmission method is a karaoke data transmission method for transmitting background video data and music data from a center to a plurality of terminals,
A plurality of background video data are repeatedly transmitted on different channels, respectively, and the music data of a plurality of songs and channel data indicating a channel on which the background video data related to each of the songs are transmitted are repeatedly transmitted on at least one same channel. And the music data of the plurality of songs
During a round of repeated transmission of channel data, a popular song
'S musical performance data is a method which is characterized that you plurality of locations insert.

Here, the above-mentioned "channel etc." means, in addition to the original channel which is a frequency band separated every 6 MHz required for transmitting a set of video and audio data in the NTSC system, for example. For example, 64QAM (Quadrature A
mplitude Modulation (quadrature amplitude modulation) or 16 level V
Video or sound equivalent to the original channel by being subjected to frequency multiplexing processing or time division multiplexing processing based on a technique such as SB (Vestigial SideBand: residual sideband modulation) and transmitted and separated on the receiving side. Is a concept including a logical channel that can be transmitted by separating the data.

The "background video data" is MPEG-
2 (Moving Picture Coding Experts Group)
Data compression / expansion processing may or may not be performed based on techniques such as the ZW compression algorithm (Lempel, Ziv, Welch). “Sound data” includes back chorus sound and performance data in addition to performance sound data. Means data related to music such as lyrics telop, which is also MIDI for controlling automatic performance instruments
(Musical Instrument Digital Interface) includes performance data and digital audio signals according to the standard.
Data compression / expansion processing may or may not be performed based on a technique such as encoding in G or the like. Further, any data may be expressed in any data format of analog data or digital data in the process.

In the karaoke data transmission method according to the first solution, a plurality of background video data are repeatedly transmitted from a transmission center to a plurality of terminals on different channels, respectively. A desired background image for karaoke performance can be displayed without the large number of recording media and the playback devices.

Also, since the music data of a plurality of music pieces is repeatedly transmitted from the transmission center to the plurality of terminals through at least one channel or the like, each terminal waits at least one cycle by monitoring the received music data. Then, music data of a desired music can be obtained. As a result, a desired performance sound or the like for karaoke performance can be output without a large number of recording media on which performance sounds and the like are recorded and a reproducing device therefor.

Here, the music data of the plurality of music pieces and the
During a round of repeated transmission of
Since the music data is inserted at multiple locations,
The time can be shortened.

In addition, since both the background video data and the music data are repeatedly transmitted from the center independently of the request from the terminal, the number of terminals capable of performing karaoke simultaneously in parallel is limited by the number of channels. I will not receive it. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to eliminate not only the necessity of holding and managing a large number of music data and the like on the terminal side, but also the undesired restriction on the number of terminals.

Further, since the channel data is transmitted together with each piece of music data, the music data and channel data are added to a plurality of music pieces as one of the music pieces at the center side and repeatedly transmitted, for example, in order to add a new music piece. Each terminal can immediately receive the data of the new song or the like and output a performance sound or the like based on the music data, and the background associated with the new song or the like based on the channel data. It is also possible to select and display video data. As a result, the terminal can immediately use the additional music without performing any special processing for receiving distribution of the new music or the like.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to hold and manage a large number of music data on the terminal side, and there is no restriction on the number of terminals, and it is also possible to easily add music at any time. .

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A mode for carrying out the karaoke data transmission method of the present invention achieved by the first solution will be described.

[First Embodiment] In a first embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of (Karaoke) terminals are provided from a (Karaoke data distribution) center in order to carry out the first solution means described above. Karaoke data for transmitting background video data (of a plurality of background videos in which background videos of a plurality of songs are classified according to characteristics such as genres and aggregated for each common portion) and sound data (for each of the plurality of songs). A transmission method, in which (above) a plurality of background video data is repeated (in parallel) by (via) different channels (for a plurality of videos based on a transmission medium such as a CATV line or a satellite communication line or an ISDN line) or the like (Continuously) and transmitting the music data of the plurality of music pieces to at least one music piece (for the music piece based on the same or separate transmission medium as the video channel or the like). Through the channel (via at least one channel at a time), and together with the music data of each of the plurality of music pieces (at the same time as a continuous and integrated set of data via the same channel, etc.), The background video data (for the background video) associated with the songs (of the video data) (by being correspondingly classified) is transmitted (via) (corresponding to the plurality of video channels) Channel data indicating a channel is transmitted.

Here, music data of a plurality of music pieces (described above) and
Popular during one round of repeated transmission of channel data
The music data of the music is inserted at a plurality of places.

[0028]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A preferred embodiment of a transmitting / receiving apparatus for performing a method of transmitting karaoke data according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall block diagram of a first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an existing CATV system that performs general services such as retransmission using a frequency band of 550 MHz or less. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the center side, FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the terminal, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an allocation state of each channel established on the transmission cable. is there.

This system includes a center (a karaoke data transmitting apparatus) 30 for performing a karaoke data distribution process in addition to a process of retransmitting a general broadcast, a CATV cable 20 for transmitting the transmission signal and the transmission data, and The cable comprises a plurality of karaoke terminals (karaoke data receiving devices) 40 connected to the cable in the same manner as a general CATV terminal to receive karaoke data.

The center 30 is a general CATV unit for performing retransmission and up-down bidirectional data communication using a frequency band of 550 MHz or less, as well as a server comprising a microcomputer, an ISDN line connection I / F, and the like. The management apparatus 31 includes a management apparatus 31 and a video server 32 that manages and controls the management apparatus 31 and stores and transmits background video data. The background video data has 80 patterns, and each pattern is digital data in which background videos of a large number of music pieces are classified according to characteristics such as genres and are aggregated for each common part. The background video data has already been compressed in accordance with the MPEG-2 technology, so that the storage capacity of the video server 32 and the transmission capacity of the CATV cable 20 can be reduced.

The video server 32 of the center 30 comprises a storage unit such as a hard disk, a readout circuit thereof, and a controller for controlling them, and constantly reads 80 patterns of background video data from the storage unit and sends it to the subsequent control code addition circuit. Send out. Regarding the data of any pattern, after the last data is read, the data is read and transmitted again from the first data. Thus, the center 30 includes a video data supply unit that repeatedly reproduces a plurality of background video data.

In the center 30, after the video server 32, a control code adding circuit for adding a control code for identification or the like to the received background video data, and a background video data of 80 parallel patterns, that is, 80 channels, are transmitted by 64QAM.
A 64QAM modulation circuit 35 for modulating according to the technique is provided. As a result, data for four channels is transmitted in a band of 6 MHz for one channel of conventional analog broadcasting. Then, it is frequency-multiplexed by this modulation to 625
The 80-channel background video data converted into a signal in the frequency band of MHz to 750 MHz is transmitted to the CATV cable 20 by the mixer 38. As a result, the center 30 includes video data transmitting means for continuously transmitting the reproduced background video data in parallel via a plurality of video channels or the like based on the transmission form of the CATV line.

The center 30 further includes a server management device 3
The music server 33 is also provided with a music server 33 which is managed by the PC 1 and holds and sends digital music data. The music data includes more than 10,000 songs.
MPE for back chorus sound according to DI standard
The data has already been compressed according to the G technique, so that the storage capacity of the music server 33 and the transmission capacity of the CATV cable 20 can be reduced.

When storing the music data of a certain music in the music server 33, the server management device 31 of the center 30 transmits a channel number through which background video data related to the music is transmitted, for example, the music is a mood song. When a background video suitable for this is transmitted using the background video channel 3, channel data including the number of the background video channel 3 is generated. Then, the channel data is added to the head of the music data. As a result, the center 30 includes channel data generating means for generating channel data.

The music server 33 of the center 30 is composed of a storage unit such as a hard disk, a readout circuit thereof, a controller for controlling the same, and the like. It is constantly read from the storage unit and sent to the subsequent control code adding circuit. Regarding any set of data, the read cycle time is already set to be within 30 seconds within the allowable range of the waiting time. After reading the data of the last music, the data of the first music is read again from the data of the first music. Read and send. Thereby, the center 30
Is provided with music data supply means for repeatedly reproducing music data of a plurality of music pieces.

In the center 30, after the music server 33, a control code adding circuit for adding a control code for identifying a music number or the like to the received music data, and 10 sets of parallel music data, ie, 10 channels, of 64 QAM. A 64QAM modulation circuit 36 for modulating according to the technique is provided. The frequency is multiplexed by this modulation to 56
The music data of 10 channels converted into a signal in the frequency band of 5 MHz to 625 MHz is transmitted to the CATV cable 20 by the mixer 38. This allows
The center 30 includes music data transmission means for sequentially transmitting both the reproduced music data and the generated channel data via at least one of the channels via the music channel.

The center 30 further sends a request for a song not held in the music server 33 to the CATV cable 2.
0 from the karaoke terminal using the uplink data communication, a controller for receiving the karaoke terminal, a laser disk player 34 for reproducing the disc corresponding to the requested music in accordance with the control of the controller, and a control code adding circuit subsequent thereto. 64QAM modulation circuit 37 and 5
Transmission is performed in a frequency band of 50 MHz to 565 MHz. As a result, the center 30 reproduces / reproduces a song, such as an animated theme song, which is inappropriate in the background video of 80 patterns held in the video server 32 together with the unique background video.
By sending it, you can perform a fine-tuned karaoke service.

When the server management device 31 of the center 30 receives data such as a new song created by the new song production section 1 from the host 2 via the ISDN line in addition to the above-described processing,
After adding the channel data to the music data, the music server 33 stores the new music data so that the music data such as the new music is stored at the end of the set having the smallest data amount among the ten music data sets held in the music server 33. Control. This allows
The center 30 can easily and dynamically add a new song or the like at any time.

The karaoke terminal 40 uses the CATV cable 2
0, a general converter for receiving retransmission signals and performing up-down bi-directional data communication using a frequency band of 550 MHz or less, and a speaker 8, a monitor 9, and a hard disk 13 similar to a communication karaoke system. It includes a music decoder 14 (as an audio circuit), an acoustic signal generation circuit 15, a telop generation circuit 16 and a synthesis circuit 17, and further includes a tuner 42 and 64QAM in addition to the controller 41 in place of the controller 11 in FIG.
Demodulation circuit 43, separation circuit 44 and MPEG2 decoder 45
And music channel selection table 46 and PLL (Phase Locked Loo
p) A circuit 47 is provided. The audio player 5, the background video player 6, and the laser disk player 7 are omitted, and the karaoke terminal 40 is small and inexpensive.

The controller 41 of the karaoke terminal 40
It is mainly composed of a microcomputer, and controls circuits such as the PLL circuit 47 and the music decoder 14 under bus connection (see the thick line in FIG. 3) by program processing. Further, in order to receive and respond to the access from the center 30, there are also provided a circuit for receiving downlink communication data of the CATV cable 20, a circuit for transmitting uplink communication data such as a request signal, and the like.

Further, the controller 41 has an attached commander (not shown) and a receiving circuit therefor.
When a customer of a karaoke store or the like inputs a desired music number by remote control using the commander, the music number is sequentially stored and held in an internal memory. Thereby, the karaoke terminal 40 is provided with an input means for selecting / designating a music piece to be played in accordance with a predetermined input operation such as setting / reserving a music piece number.

In the karaoke terminal 40, a tuner 42 receivably connected to the CATV cable 20.
Is a tuner that performs selective tuning at least in the range of 550 MHz to 750 MHz according to the oscillation signal from the PLL circuit 47. The 64QAM demodulation circuit 43 is a reception signal processing circuit for demodulating a signal selected and received by the tuner 42 according to the QAM technique, and restores karaoke data of a predetermined channel. Further, the separation circuit 44
It is composed of a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or the like, and determines whether the karaoke data is background video data or music data by referring to the added control code. The data is transmitted to the controller 45, and in the case of music data, the channel data is separated so that the data can be accessed from the controller 41 together with the remaining data. When the background video data and the music data are in channels of different frequency bands and can be simultaneously received, the tuners 42 and 64Q
The AM demodulation circuit 43, the separation circuit 44, and the PLL circuit 47
Provide a set.

The music channel selection table 46 is a table provided in a ROM or the like. The upper and lower limit values and the like of the music numbers are set for the music to be transmitted to each music channel. Thus, the number of the corresponding music channel of the music can be easily obtained from the music number. Further, the controller 41 obtains the number of the channel corresponding to the music number set / reserved in the internal memory while referring to the music channel selection table 46, and tunes the tuner 42 to the corresponding frequency band. To control the PLL circuit 47. Such a controller 41 or PL
The karaoke terminal 40 is configured such that the karaoke terminal 40 selects one of a plurality of video channels and music channels as a reception target by the L circuit 47 and the like, and a music channel according to selection / designation by the input unit. And a control means for causing the receiving object selecting means to select any one of the receiving objects as the receiving object.

Further, the controller 41 includes the separating circuit 4
When monitoring the music data etc. of 4 and the music number matches,
By controlling the separating circuit 44, the music data is transmitted to the music decoder 14 having a buffer capable of holding at least one music at a time, and the background data indicated by the channel data according to the channel data separated from the music data. A process of controlling the PLL circuit 47 so that the tuner 42 tunes to the corresponding frequency band of the channel is also performed. However, when the music decoder 14 is performing a performance operation, only the music data of the next music piece is acquired, and the transmission of the music data to the music decoder 14 is also performed until the performance ends.

The controller 41 and the separating circuit 4
According to 4 or the like, the karaoke terminal 40 selects the music data of the music selected and designated by the input means from the music data received through the music channel when the music channel is selected by the reception target selecting means. There is provided a music data receiving means for simultaneously extracting the channel data corresponding to the music together and sending the extracted music data together to an audio circuit. Further, in response to the termination of the channel data extraction by the music data receiving unit, the karaoke terminal 40 sets one video channel from among a plurality of video channels as a reception target based on the extracted channel data and selects a reception target selection unit. Is also provided with control means for making the selection.

The controller 41 includes a separating circuit 44
After sending the music data to the music decoder 14 from the DSP
Music decoder 14, MIDI sound source and DS
A character signal of the music data is controlled by controlling a sound signal generation circuit 15 composed of P and the like and a telop generation circuit 16 composed of a character generator and the like.
To the telop generation circuit 16 to generate a telop video signal of the music, and also decodes MIDI-format musical instrument performance sound data and chorus data of the music data in accordance with the corresponding standard, and generates an audio signal generation circuit from the decoded data. At 15, an analog sound signal is generated. Then, the telop video signal is superimposed on the background video by the synthesizing circuit 17, and the audio signal is
To be sent. Thereby, the karaoke terminal 40 includes a control means for causing the audio circuit to output a performance sound or the like based on the music data from the music data receiving means upon completion of the channel data extraction by the music data receiving means. It has become.

The MPEG2 decoder 45 is composed of a DSP, a frame memory and the like, receives background video data from the separation circuit 44, and subjects the background video data to decompression processing according to the MPEG-2 technique. Then, the background video signal restored by the decompression process is converted into an analog video signal and transmitted to the monitor 9 via the synthesizing circuit 17. By this and the above-mentioned controller 41, the karaoke terminal 40, when any of the video channels is selected by the receiving object selecting means, converts the video data received through this video channel into the background video display Is provided with a video data receiving means for sending out to the display device of (1).

The hard disk 13 receives the latest 10 songs from the karaoke terminal 40 in response to processing such as addition / update from the controller 41.
It stores and holds music data for 00 songs. Then, the controller 41 uses the music data of the hard disk 13 when the music stored in the hard disk 13 is requested, thereby omitting the process of waiting for the music data from the music channel after waiting in order, Immediately tune the background video channel.
As a result, the karaoke terminal 40 can provide a quick karaoke service for the latest requested music.

The specific operation of the karaoke system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is an example of each channel established on the CATV cable 20 and its data flow.

When the center 30 starts operation for providing a service, uplink and downlink data channels and a plurality of broadcast channels every 6 MHz are established in a frequency range of 550 MHz or less in the CATV cable 20, and these channels are transmitted through these channels. General services such as transmission of retransmitted images and two-way data communication are provided, along with the following karaoke service.

First, the server management device 31 and the video server 3
2, 64 QAM modulation circuit 35, mixer 38, etc.
CATV cable 2 for background video data for 80 channels
0 is transmitted in the frequency band of 625 MHz to 750 MHz. In this manner, a plurality of background video channels are established, and a plurality of background video data, which are background videos of a plurality of songs to be karaoke, classified according to characteristics such as genres and aggregated for each common portion, are arranged in parallel. Is repeatedly and continuously transmitted through each corresponding channel. In background channel 1, an image of the atmosphere of a woman looking at the sea from a harbor or a cape, that is, a background image suitable for enka (image 1) is constantly and repeatedly played. The background video (video 2) suitable for is constantly and repeatedly played. The other channels are the same except for differences in video.

The server management device 31, the music server 3
3, 64 QAM modulation circuit 36, mixer 38, etc.
The CATV cable 2 has 10 channels of music data for 10,000 songs, which are divided into 10 sets of approximately 1,000 songs.
It is transmitted to a frequency band of 565 MHz to 625 MHz at 0. In this way, one or more music channels are established, and in each channel, music data of a plurality of music pieces of a set corresponding to the channel among the plurality of music pieces is sequentially transmitted via the channel. In addition, the channel data is also transmitted simultaneously with each piece of music data as continuous and integrated group data via each channel. In the music channel 1, the music data of the first set of one hundred and several hundred songs, that is, music 1-1, music 1-2, music 1-3,... Thousands of songs in the second set, ie, song 2-1 and song 2-2, song 2-
The music data of 3,... Are continuously and continuously repeatedly played. The other channels are the same except for the difference between songs.

In this way, the center 30 establishes a channel in the frequency band of 550 MHz or more, repeatedly transmits a plurality of background video data on different background video channels, and transmits at least one piece of music data and channel data of a plurality of music pieces. A karaoke service is provided without interrupting a general CATV broadcasting service by repeatedly transmitting the data on one channel or the like.

The 55 in the CATV cable 20
The frequency band of 0 MHz to 565 MHz is left free for the laser disk player 34, the 64QAM modulation circuit 37, and the like to appropriately use as 10 channels.

Next, while such karaoke data is being transmitted, the CATV cable 2 is connected at the karaoke store.
It is assumed that the customer designates two desired song numbers, for example, the song numbers 1-1 and 2-2, to the karaoke terminal 40 connected to the karaoke terminal 0. Then, the karaoke terminal 40 checks whether or not the music data of the music 1-1 is stored in the hard disk 13. If the music data of the music 1-1 exists, the data is sent to the music decoder 14 and the karaoke performance is started immediately.

In this case, in the karaoke terminal 40, the controller 41 accesses the music channel selection table 46 and
The channel number 1 for the music to which the desired music data is or should be sent is determined from the number of the music 1-1, the controller 41 controls the PLL circuit 47, and the tuners 42 and 64QAM demodulation circuits corresponding thereto. 43, separation circuit 44
Receiving music data via music channel 1
Be monitored. Then, the music data and channel data of the music 1-1 can be obtained in 10 seconds or more on average, although it varies in a range of 0 to about 30 seconds. It should be noted that the music data of the popular tune may be inserted at a plurality of places during one cycle of the karaoke data of the set, and in this case, the waiting time can be reduced to several seconds or less.

Of these data, music data is sent to the music decoder 14 and channel data is sent to the controller 41. Further, the controller 41 controls the PLL circuit 47 based on the channel data, and the tuners 42, 64QAM demodulation circuit 43, and the separation circuit 4
4 sends the background video data via the background video channel to the MPEG2 decoder 45. For example, if the channel data indicates the background video channel 80, the background video data of this channel is sent to the MPEG2 decoder 45.

Then, a background video (video 80) with a telop is displayed on the monitor 9 by the MPEG2 decoder 45, the telop generating circuit 16, and the synthesizing circuit 17, and
Song 1-1 from the speaker 8 by the audio signal generation circuit 15
Music and back chorus. Thus, the karaoke performance service for the song 1-1 is provided to the customer by the karaoke terminal 40.

Moreover, during this performance, the controller 41 controls the PLL circuit 47 and the separation circuit 44, and the music data and channel data of the music piece 2-2 are obtained in the same manner as described above. However, these data are stored in the separation circuit 44.
Is stopped. Then, after the performance of the song 1-1 is completed, it is sent to the music decoder 14 and used for channel selection of the background video data related to the song 2-2. Thus,
With respect to the reserved music piece 2-2, it is possible to provide a performance sound and a background video without waiting the customer. If the reception frequency of the tuner 42 cannot be changed during the reproduction of the background video, another tuner 42 or the like is provided as described above, so that the next music data or the like is fetched.

As is apparent from the above description, the contents of the background video channel and the music channel are not affected at all by the number of karaoke terminals, so that the karaoke system is only required to be within the range physically permitted by the CATV system. Can support any number of karaoke terminals.
Moreover, the karaoke terminal is a simple one in which the audio player and the background video player are omitted. Therefore, the karaoke system of this example is compatible with the existing or new CA.
It can be built inexpensively by piggybacking on a TV system.

The background video is limited to a special one from the content of the tune such as an animated tune or a nursery rhyme, and the video of only 80 patterns transmitted via the background video channel may be insufficient. In such a case, a request is sent from the karaoke terminal 40 to the center 30 via the up channel, and in response to this, a pair of background video data and sound data of the requested music reproduced by the laser disk player 34 are transmitted to the center 30. From 550MHz
It is transmitted via an empty channel in the frequency band of ５６565 MHz, and at the start of the transmission, information on the start of request music transmission including channel number information is transmitted via a downlink channel (see, in FIG. 4). Therefore, the karaoke terminal 40 that has made the request can provide an appropriate karaoke service to the customer by selecting the channel. Such cases are rare,
Even if there are many karaoke terminals, it is possible to make do with 10 channels.

Further, the example in which the channel data is transmitted together with the music data has been described. However, one of the music channels is allocated exclusively to the channel data, or a general downlink channel is used to collectively separate the music data from the music data. Channel data may be sent. Further, the channel data may be collectively received immediately after turning on the power of the karaoke terminal and stored in a hard disk or the like. Alternatively, the channel data may be fixedly stored in the karaoke terminal in advance. As a result, it is possible to reduce the time required to accumulate and wait for the arrival of channel data and the like at the start of use or at the time of resetting.

[Second Embodiment] A second embodiment of the karaoke data transmitting / receiving apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. This system replaces and extends the CATV cable in the first embodiment with a satellite communication line or a combination of a satellite communication line and a cable.

That is, although a detailed description is omitted, the center 300 whose transmitting unit is adapted to satellite communication transmits background image data and music data in place of the center 30 in FIGS. Instead of the CATV cable 20, it is transmitted via the satellite 200 and in part via the satellite 200 and the subsequent relaying CATV station and the CATV cable 20, and many karaoke terminals 40 can receive it. Therefore, even with this system, karaoke performances can be enjoyed on many terminals without having to maintain and manage a large number of troublesome music data on the terminals.

[0065]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a plurality of background video data are repeatedly transmitted on different channels, and a plurality of music data are repeatedly transmitted on at least one channel. With this arrangement, many terminals can simultaneously perform karaoke performances in parallel regardless of the number of channels, without the need for a large number of recording media recording background images or performance sounds and the like, and a playback device for the terminals. . Therefore, there is an advantageous effect that not only the necessity of holding and managing a large number of music data and the like on the terminal side, but also the undesired restriction on the number of terminals can be eliminated.

Further, the channel data is transmitted together with the music data so that the terminal can immediately use the additional music without performing any special processing for receiving distribution of a new music or the like. became. Therefore, there is an advantageous effect that the terminal does not need to hold and manage a large number of music data and the like, and there is no restriction on the number of terminals, and it is also possible to easily add music and the like.

Further, when arbitrary music data is selected from repeatedly transmitted music data, channel data of a channel transmitting background video data corresponding to the selected music data is obtained at the same time. It is possible to select a background image data and perform a musical piece.

Further, music data and channel data of a plurality of music
During one round of data transmission, the music data
In this case, wait
The effect is that the time is shorter.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a karaoke data transmitting / receiving apparatus according to the present invention.
1 is an overall block diagram of a first embodiment applied to an ATV.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the center side.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the terminal.

FIG. 4 is an example of each channel and data flow on the transmission cable.

FIG. 5 is an overall block diagram of a second embodiment of the karaoke data transmitting / receiving apparatus of the present invention in which the transmission medium is satellite communication.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional so-called communication karaoke system.

FIG. 7 is a conventional karaoke system using CATV.

FIG. 8 is a plan of a karaoke system using bidirectional CATV.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 New song production department (Song distribution) 2 Host 3 Sub host 4 Karaoke terminal (Karaoke data receiving device) 5 Audio player (Song data recording CD-ROM)
Changer) 6 Background video player (video data recording CD-RO)
M changer) 7 laser disk player (LD) 8 speaker 9 monitor 10 terminal main unit 11 controller 12 communication I / F 13 hard disk 14 music decoder 15 acoustic signal generation circuit 16 telop generation circuit 17 synthesis circuit 20 CATV cable 21 CATV center 22 CATV Terminal 23 CATV center 24 CATV terminal 30 Center (Karaoke data distribution center) 31 Server management device 32 Video server 33 Music server 34 Laser disk player (LD) 35, 36, 37 64 QAM modulation circuit 38 Mixer (MIX) 40 Karaoke terminal 41 Controller 42 Tuner 43 64 QAM demodulation circuit 44 Separation circuit 45 MPEG2 decoder 46 Music channel selection table 47 PLL circuit (Phase Locked Loop)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method of transmitting background video data from a center to a plurality of terminals.
This is a method for transmitting karaoke data that transmits music data.
To repeat multiple background video data on different channels.
Send backAnd  Music data of a plurality of songs and the spine associated with each of those songs
Channel data indicating the channel on which the scene video data is transmitted
Data on at least one same channelDo
With Repetition of music data and channel data of the plurality of songs
During one round of transmission, music data for popular songs
Insert A karaoke data transmission method.