JP3946669B2 - Online karaoke system that outputs messages related to customer's personal information to customers - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a communication karaoke system, and more particularly, to a technology for providing a new service to a customer by effectively utilizing a network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As is well known, the communication karaoke system that is widely used has a host device and a large number of karaoke playback terminals connected by a communication network, and the karaoke data distributed from the host device to each karaoke playback terminal is received. The karaoke data stored in each terminal is reproduced appropriately. When a customer performs a music selection operation using a remote control input device or the like attached to the karaoke playback terminal, the karaoke accompaniment music of the designated song starts to sound from the speaker, and at the same time, a lyric character string with singing timing is displayed on the CRT display. Appropriate videos and still images are displayed in the background of the lyrics. Various service functions that are directly related to the customer's singing operation are conceived, as seen not only in the karaoke playback terminal of the online karaoke system but also in an independent karaoke playback device. Has been applied.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The online karaoke system is a large-scale computer network in which a large number of karaoke playback terminals and host devices widely distributed on a nationwide scale are connected by a communication network such as a telephone network. It is a multimedia system that handles video information, text information, and video. There are many studies on adding new functions and developing new applications by effectively utilizing the network resources of such online karaoke systems.
[0004]
An object of the present invention is to provide a customer who enjoys karaoke singing in a karaoke box (a private room without a clerk) in which a karaoke playback terminal is installed by utilizing computer network resources inherent in a large-scale online karaoke system. The purpose of this service is to provide a customer service function that makes the familiar store clerk feel like a regular customer.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The basic configuration of a communication karaoke system that is an object of the present invention is that a host device and a number of karaoke playback terminals are connected via a communication network, and karaoke data distributed from the host device to each karaoke playback terminal is stored in each terminal. In other words, this is a system for appropriately reproducing karaoke data stored in each terminal. Of course, the karaoke playback terminal includes an audio output means for outputting karaoke accompaniment music and the like, and an image display means for displaying a character string of lyrics corresponding to the karaoke accompaniment music and an appropriate background video on the display.
[0006]
The online karaoke system according to the present invention is specified by the following items (1) to (9).
(1) A communication karaoke system in which a plurality of karaoke performance terminals can individually communicate with a host device via a communication network. (2) The host device includes a database in which customer-specific records associated with customer IDs are aggregated. , Updating the corresponding customer-specific record based on the customer-specific record update information received from the karaoke performance terminal, and when the customer-specific record request specifying the customer ID is received from the karaoke performance terminal, the corresponding customer-specific record (3) The customer-specific record includes basic registration information about the customer and customer music selection history information,
(4) The karaoke performance terminal includes music selection means, control means, storage means, output means, and performance means, and can store customer-specific records in the storage means and stores them when communicating with the host device. (5) The music selection means stores the customer ID, and outputs a music selection signal including the stored customer ID according to the user input. (6) Control The means enables a customer-specific record acquisition process, a message output process, and a performance process based on the music selection signal including the customer ID input from the music selection means. (7) The customer-specific record acquisition process is a music selection signal. If the customer-specific record corresponding to the customer ID is not stored in the storage means, the customer-specific record request specifying the customer ID is transmitted to the host device, and the host device responding to the request (8) The message output process reads the customer-specific record corresponding to the customer ID in the music selection signal from the storage means and receives a customer message based on the customer-specific record. Creation and output by the output means (9) The performance processing causes the performance means to perform the music specified by the music selection signal, and updates the customer-specific record in the storage means corresponding to the customer ID in the music selection signal. [0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
=== Basic configuration and functions of online karaoke system ===
The system configuration of one embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. This figure mainly represents the hardware configuration of the karaoke playback terminal 1. A large number of karaoke reproducing apparatuses 1 and host apparatuses 2 are connected by a communication network 3. The host device 2 is a computer having a considerably high speed and high functionality, and the central processing unit 4 in the karaoke playback terminal 1 is a computer similar to a general personal computer, and these constitute a computer network.
[0008]
The description will be focused on the configuration of the karaoke playback terminal 1. The central processing unit 4 is connected to the communication line network 3 via the modem 5. The karaoke data distributed from the host device 2 to the terminal 1 includes karaoke accompaniment music data converted into a MIDI signal and lyrics data including synchronization information of accompaniment. Karaoke data of a large number of songs distributed from the host device 2 is stored in the hard disk device 6.
[0009]
The main body of the terminal 1 has a user interface operation panel 7 including a display and a keyboard, and a remote control input device 8 is also attached. The operation panel 7 and the remote control input device 8 are coupled to the central processing unit 4 through the operation control unit 19, and the karaoke user performs various operation inputs such as music selection by the operation panel 7 or the remote control input device 8 of the main body. The operation contents and response information of the apparatus with respect to the operation input are displayed on the operation panel 7.
[0010]
The reproduction of the music is performed by the following route under the control of the central processing unit 4. The song data and the lyrics data of the designated song number are read from the hard disk device 6. Music data composed of MIDI signals are sequentially input to the synthesizer 9, converted into an audio signal, and output from the speaker 11 via the audio amplifier 10. In synchronization with this audio output, the central processing unit 4 sequentially converts the lyrics data into character strings and writes them into the video RAM 13, and performs a process of coloring the lyrics character strings indicating the progress of the song. The contents of the video RAM 13 are displayed on the CRT display 15 by the display control unit 14. Of course, the audio amplifier 10 has a mixing function with the output of the microphone 12.
[0011]
Moving picture information for background video and the like is reproduced by the CD-ROM player 17. The video control unit 16 is composed of a microcomputer that operates in response to a command from the main control device 4, and performs selection processing of video data to be reproduced, and the selected and determined video data is reproduced and compressed by the CD-ROM player 17. The reproduced data being restored is transferred to the display control unit 14. The display control unit 14 synthesizes the video signal from the video control unit 16 and the lyrics character string in the video RAM 13 and displays them on the video monitor 15.
[0012]
Needless to say, the hard disk device 6 can be replaced with another storage device, and the CD-ROM player 17 can be replaced with another image reproducing device such as a digital video disk. It is also easy to provide a signal path for reproducing an audio signal from the CD-ROM player 17 or an alternative device and inputting the audio signal to the audio amplifier unit 10 via the control unit 16 to sound the speaker 11. Furthermore, a satellite digital broadcasting system multi-channel TV broadcast receiver is attached, and the video of the appropriate channel received by this (select the video channel that matches the selected karaoke genre) video control unit 16. It can also be displayed on the CRT display 15 via the display control unit 14 as a background image of the lyrics of the karaoke song. As described above, the system configuration of the karaoke player can be implemented in various forms.
[0013]
=== Customer information file ===
A customer information file is created in the storage unit of the host device 2. The customer information file is a set of customer-specific records in which information related to each customer is organized. An example of the organization of the record for each customer is shown in FIG. An identifier (referred to as a customer ID) is set in order to individually identify customers. A customer-specific record is created for each customer ID. This includes the basic registration information items self-reported by the customer at the time of application, such as the customer's name, address, phone number, date of birth, hobby, occupation, workplace, family structure, and many other members of the system. Store history information that is a record of the past situation of the customer visiting the karaoke chain store, music selection history information that is a record of the song that the customer selected and karaoke sung, and the like. The store visit history information is a record in which the store visit date and store name are arranged in time series. The music selection history information includes information such as a record in which the request date and time and the song name are arranged in time series, a table in which the song name and the number of requests are contrasted, a favorite singer, a favorite music genre, and the like.
[0014]
The host device 2 manages the customer information file, and when the customer ID is specified from the karaoke playback terminal 1 and a customer-specific record transfer request is made as described later, the specified record is transmitted to the terminal 1. . That is, the karaoke playback terminal 1 can download an arbitrary record in the customer information file of the host device 1. The contents of the customer-specific record downloaded to the terminal 1 are updated according to the usage status of the customer. The customer-specific records downloaded to the terminal 1 are periodically uploaded to the host device 2 in a form integrated with other information collection processing of the system, and the contents of the customer information file of the host device 2 are updated. The contents of the record for each customer stored in the terminal 1 are not only updated in the terminal 1 but also updated by fetching the latest data from the host device 2.
[0015]
=== Acquisition Method of Customer ID in Terminal 1 ===
The remote control input device 8 includes a store remote control as an accessory of each terminal 1 and a personal remote control owned by a regular customer. The personal remote controller is manufactured so that a different ID code is generated for each unit as a preamble code in an output infrared signal or the like. By setting the correspondence between the ID code and the customer who owns the personal remote control, the ID code of the personal remote control can be used as the customer ID. That is, when a customer who enters a store performs a music selection operation with his / her personal remote controller at a terminal 1 at a certain karaoke store, the central processing unit 4 or the operation control unit 19 of the terminal 1 analyzes the remote control input signal and Recognize ID.
[0016]
Various other methods are conceivable, such as issuing an ID card such as a magnetic card in which the customer ID is recorded to each customer, and recognizing the customer ID by using the reader's ID card of the customer who visited the store.
[0017]
=== Procedure for sending a message to a customer ===
(A) When a customer who visits the store uses the personal remote controller for the first time, the central processing unit 4 of the karaoke playback terminal 1 recognizes the customer ID.
(B) Next, the central processing unit 4 checks whether or not a customer-specific record of the customer ID exists in a predetermined storage unit.
(C) If the corresponding customer-specific record does not exist in the terminal 1, the central processing unit 4 is connected to the host device 2 via a line, downloads the corresponding customer-specific record from the host device 2, and stores it in a predetermined storage unit. .
(D) Next, the central processing unit 4 analyzes the content of the corresponding customer-specific record in the predetermined storage unit, and in accordance with the content and a predetermined message organization rule, sends a message for the customer using the personal remote control. create.
(E) Next, the central processing unit 4 outputs (1) background music data at the time of sending a preset message to the synthesizer 9, and (2) writes the character string data of the message into the video RAM 13, 3 Instruct the video control unit 16 to reproduce the background video at the time of message transmission from the CD-ROM player 17 and give it to the display control unit 14.
Through the above procedure, the welcome music appealing to the customer sounds from the speaker 11, the background image such as the welcome animation is displayed on the CRT display 15, and the message with the character string for the customer is displayed on the image. Is done.
[0018]
=== Specific examples of messages and creation method ===
For example, the following message template information is stored in a predetermined storage unit of the central processing unit 4.
“**, welcome you to the 1st Airborne Shimbashi store. The visit to the 1st Airborne has been since the *** year, ** month, ** day *** store. "
“Mr. **, are you going to work in Sapporo? Please sing the ** that you told me in ** on the ** month ** day.”
“Congratulations to **, your eldest son, **, who entered elementary school.”
"**, singing the song of ** today will achieve 100 requests for the same song. We will prepare a souvenir gift at the reception, so please receive it when you return. . "
The portion marked with ** in such message template information is blank, and a specific customer message is created by applying the personal information read from the customer-specific record to this portion. For example, the following message can be generated.
“Welcome to Takahashi Otsuki, welcome to the 1st Airborne Shimbashi store. The visit to the 1st Airborne has been since the Ginza store on February 25 last year. Please enjoy yourself slowly.”
=== Variation of message creation ===
As described above, various message template information is stored in a predetermined storage unit of the central processing unit 4. We will call it a message template collection. Message template collections are classified into several types. One of them is a hobby group. As shown in FIG. 3, the hobby group is divided into a number of items such as reading, golf, fishing, horse racing, pachinko, travel, movie watching, etc., and a message hina that talks about each hobby for each item. The shape is set.
[0019]
For example, in the “Movie Appreciation” item, “Mr. **, have you seen the latest“ Shall We Don ’s ”? It ’s a really fun movie, and it ’s a masterpiece of a recent Japanese movie, and it ’s well received.” A template is set. In this case, the contents of the template should be updated as needed according to the latest information of the movie world. A template that needs to be updated frequently is created in the host device 2 and distributed to each karaoke playback terminal 1 through the communication network 3, and the contents of the message template collection in each terminal 1 are updated.
[0020]
Another example of a message template incorporating the latest information created by the host device 2 and distributed to each terminal 1 will be described. As a message template for the “Tsuri” item, “**, Tokyo Bay has been a kiss and horse mackerel season since June. According to Kisarazu's Daiichi Kosho Maru information, this year ’s kiss is small but some fishing is possible. "It seems to be enjoyable." As a message template for the “Horse Racing” item, “The Kumagusu Cup on May 19 was a dam dam boy and a peko-peko chance. The frame number was ▲ 7 ▼ ▲ 8 ▼, 920 yen, ** "Did you do it?"
[0021]
As is apparent from the above description, a system that creates a message template containing the latest information in the host device 2 and distributes it to each terminal 1 is a kind of information service system, and this is a type of information service system. They are arranged according to the contents of the customer-specific records, and output as a message format that directly calls each customer. Such an information service system for individuals can be applied in various ways.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, by effectively utilizing the computer network resources originally possessed by the communication karaoke system and adding relatively simple software to the host device and the karaoke playback terminal, respectively, In this relationship, it is as if a familiar store clerk is in contact with regular customers, and can automatically provide customer service based on the individual information of each customer, increasing customer satisfaction and being highly topical, Differentiation from conventional systems can be achieved. In particular, since the network is utilized, customer service based on the customer's individual information will appear at any karaoke store that is subscribed to the same system, so the impact on the customer is very large.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram centering on the configuration of a karaoke playback terminal of a communication karaoke system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of organization of customer-specific records constituting a customer information file in the communication karaoke system according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing each item of a hobby group in a message template collection in the communication karaoke system according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Karaoke playback terminal 2 Host apparatus 3 Communication line network 4 Central processing unit 5 Modem 6 Hard disk apparatus 7 Operation panel 8 Remote control input device 9 Synthesizer 10 Audio amplifier part 11 Speaker 12 Microphone 13 Video RAM
14 Display control unit 15 CRT display 16 Video control unit 17 CD-ROM player 19 Operation control unit

Claims (1)

A communication karaoke system in which a plurality of karaoke performance terminals can individually communicate with a host device via a communication network,
The host device includes a database in which customer-specific records associated with customer IDs are aggregated, updates the corresponding customer-specific records based on the customer-specific record update information received from the karaoke performance terminal, and specifies the customer ID When another record request is received from the karaoke performance terminal, the corresponding customer record is transmitted to the karaoke performance terminal,
Customer-specific records include basic registration information about customers and customer song selection history information,
The karaoke performance terminal includes a music selection means, a control means, a storage means, an output means, and a performance means, and can store a customer-specific record in the storage means and also stores it in the storage means when communicating with the host device. Sent customer-specific record update information,
The music selection means stores the customer ID, outputs a music selection signal including the stored customer ID according to the user input,
The control means enables customer-specific record acquisition processing, message output processing, and performance processing based on the music selection signal including the customer ID input from the music selection means,
In the record acquisition process for each customer, when the record for each customer corresponding to the customer ID in the music selection signal is not stored in the storage unit, the record request for each customer specifying the customer ID is transmitted to the host device and responded to this. Receive customer-specific records from the host device and store them in the storage means,
In the message output process, the customer-specific record corresponding to the customer ID in the music selection signal is read from the storage means, a message for the customer is created based on the customer-specific record, and output by the output means,
The performance karaoke system updates the customer-specific record in the storage means corresponding to the customer ID in the music selection signal while causing the performance means to perform the music specified by the music selection signal.

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