JP4190907B2 - Karaoke device that changes the musical instrument organization of each piece of music depending on the contract grade - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a function restriction method in a karaoke apparatus, specifically, a person who uses a karaoke company and a person who uses a karaoke apparatus for commercial purposes with various value-added performance functions that are added to a music performance to make a high-quality music performance state. It is related with the method for limiting based on the contents of the contract.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Recent karaoke devices are equipped with various value-added performance functions that can be used together with music performance. For example, a function that adds a back chorus obtained by sampling the real voice to karaoke accompaniment music, and a function that displays a dedicated video such as an appearance video of the original singer or a video that matches the content of the lyrics as the background video for lyrics subtitles Some have added value performance functions. In addition, it is natural that the usage fee varies depending on whether or not the value-added performance function is used. Based on the fact that only the first piece of music is played, the performance after the second number is added to the value-added performance function. In addition, a karaoke apparatus is disclosed that restricts the operation of the value-added performance function in accordance with a fee spent by a user (see Patent Document 1).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-38983
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The karaoke business operator and the karaoke store have signed a contract related to maintenance / inspection of the karaoke device and the addition of a new song, and the karaoke store pays a predetermined contract fee to the karaoke business operator according to the content of the contract. The contract fee may vary depending on the value-added performance function installed in the karaoke apparatus.
[0005]
At a karaoke store, not all value-added performance functions are necessary depending on the customer base. For this reason, installation of a karaoke device equipped with the minimum additional functions requires less capital investment and contract fees. However, the customer's preference is easy to change, and the value-added performance function desired by the customer changes from time to time. In order to respond to the ever-changing tastes of customers, replacing the karaoke machine itself with another model at any time requires a large amount of capital investment. Moreover, if a karaoke apparatus equipped with all value-added performance functions is installed, it can be used for all customers, but there is a possibility of paying for value-added performance functions that are rarely used.
[0006]
On the other hand, for a karaoke company, providing a karaoke device having a different function for each karaoke store increases the manufacturing cost of the karaoke device itself, and it is difficult to expect a profit from selling the karaoke device. The karaoke service provider wants to supply more expensive karaoke equipment equipped with all the additional performance functions, if possible, by narrowing down the models.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The karaoke apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the musical instrument organization of the accompaniment music changes depending on the contract grade, and the items (1) to (12) described as follows are essential components. It is a requirement.
(1) It is a karaoke device that includes communication means, karaoke database, storage means, performance means, and control means, and plays the accompaniment music of the requested song. (2) The communication means can communicate with the host device. (3) The karaoke database stores the music ID, the accompaniment music data, and the instrument organization specific table in association with each song, and (4) the accompaniment music data is separated into a plurality of instrument organization sections. (5) The musical instrument composition specifying table associates different instrument composition section information with each of a plurality of level values of the contract class. (6) The storage means stores a plurality of levels of the contract class. Storing a level value of one of the values (7) the playing means playing music based on the electronic score data under the control of the control means (8) The means performs contract grade update processing and performs the first to third processing when playing the accompaniment music of the requested song. (9) The contract grade update processing is performed by issuing an update command specifying the contract grade level value from the host device. When received, the level value of the storage means is rewritten to the notified level value. (10) The first process extracts the accompaniment music data of the corresponding music ID and the musical instrument organization specifying table from the karaoke database, and from the storage means. Reading the contract grade level value X (11) In the second process, extracting the instrument organization section information associated with the contract grade level value X from the instrument organization specification table read in the first process (12) Third In the process, electronic musical score data corresponding to the musical instrument organization section information extracted in the second process among the accompaniment music data extracted in the first process is transferred to the performance means. Be used to play the accompaniment music and [0008]
In the function restriction method in the karaoke apparatus, when the correspondence relationship between the number of timbres of an instrument that plays karaoke accompaniment music and contract information is described as additional function information for each song of a certain song, the additional function control means The music piece may be played with a predetermined number of timbres based on the unique contract information.
[0009]
Alternatively, when the correspondence between the organization of musical instruments that perform karaoke accompaniment music and contract information is described as additional function information for each piece of music, the additional function control means is configured to perform a predetermined operation based on the specific contract information. It is good also as playing the said music by musical instrument organization.
[0010]
In addition, when the correspondence between the acoustic output condition of the back chorus obtained by sampling the real voice and the contract information is described as the additional function information for each music piece, the additional function control means includes the unique contract information. Based on this, it is also possible to appropriately output the back chorus at the time of the music performance.
[0011]
When the correspondence between the display conditions of the dedicated video image created exclusively for this song and the contract information is described as the additional function information for each song of the music, the additional function control means is based on the unique contract information. It is good also as a function restriction | limiting system in the karaoke apparatus which controls display / non-display of a dedicated moving image image | video as a background image of a lyrics subtitle at the time of the said music performance.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
=== Configuration and operation of karaoke apparatus ===
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a karaoke apparatus including a singing practice support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This karaoke apparatus 1 has substantially the same configuration as a performance terminal of a known communication karaoke system. The central control unit 11 controls each peripheral component unit to control the karaoke device 1. The hard disk device 12 includes accompaniment music data mainly composed of MIDI data and generation origins of lyrics images for many karaoke songs. Karaoke data including lyric rendering data is accumulated. In the accompaniment music data, each of a large number of sound sources built in the synthesizer 16 is used as one musical instrument, and the sound generation / mute timing, pitch, volume, etc. are specified for the performance sound to be generated by each musical instrument. In addition, information (audio data file name, etc.) for specifying back-chorus audio data in ADPCM format obtained by sampling the real voice and pronunciation timing are also described in accompaniment music data as control data in MIDI data. Therefore, a back chorus audio data file is also stored in the hard disk device.
[0013]
The lyric rendering data includes lyric characters, lyrics character string display / erase timing, instruction information for changing the color of characters at the singing timing in the displayed character string, and the like. Furthermore, the hard disk device 12 stores moving image data for a long time in a predetermined format and script data that defines a processing sequence of moving image data (such as a storage location and a processing order of moving image data to be processed). And the central control part 11 identifies the karaoke data and script data of each music by a music number, and manages this as a karaoke database. The central control unit 11 communicates with a host device connected to a predetermined information communication network via the communication control unit 23 in a timely manner, obtains karaoke data, script data, etc. about new music pieces, and contents of the karaoke database. Is updated from time to time.
[0014]
When the central control unit 11 receives a performance reservation command including a music number from the operation panel 14 or the remote control transmitter 13 provided in the main body of the karaoke apparatus 1 via the operation control unit 15, the central control unit 11 stores the number in the internal RAM. And manage in the performance processing queue. Then, the music numbers are sequentially extracted from the queue, the corresponding karaoke data is read from the hard disk device 12, and the accompaniment music data in the karaoke data is transferred to the synthesizer 16 to generate accompaniment music. As for the back chorus, a designated audio data file is transferred to the synthesizer 16 at a designated timing. The synthesizer 16 has a built-in D / A converter for decoding ADPCM format audio data into an analog audio signal, and the audio signal obtained by decoding the transferred audio data file is an accompaniment originating from MIDI data. Output with audio signal of music.
[0015]
On the other hand, as for the lyric rendering data, the lyric image in which the portion to be sung is changed in color in synchronization with the accompaniment music is sequentially developed in the video RAM 20 as a bitmap. Also, predetermined moving image data is sequentially transferred to the video control unit 21 in a predetermined order based on the script data, and the background moving image of the lyrics image is decoded.
[0016]
The mixing amplifier 17 mixes and amplifies the accompaniment music and the accompanying back chorus, and the singing voice input to the microphone 19, and outputs the sound from the speaker 18. The video control unit 21 superimposes the lyric image on the decoded moving image and displays it on the display 22.
[0017]
=== Value-added performance function ===
The karaoke apparatus 1 has a value-added performance function that operates together with a music performance to produce a higher-quality music performance. In this embodiment, as a value-added performance function, a function of performing variably controlling 64 to 128 timbres of instruments capable of simultaneous sound generation, and variably controlling musical instrument organization such as the number of musical instruments and types of musical instruments. Functions, functions that add back chorus audio data recorded in ADPCM format to music performances, control the addition status, and music for which dedicated videos are prepared And a function to display and output as a background video. And the use of these value-added performance functions is restricted based on the contract contents between the karaoke store and the karaoke business. Note that the value-added performance function is not limited to those described above, and various functions can be considered.
[0018]
=== Contract Information ====
The karaoke apparatus 1 manages contract information for specifying contract contents. Specifically, the contract contents between the karaoke company and the karaoke store are ranked, and when the karaoke company installs the karaoke apparatus 1 in the store, the contract information indicates the rank according to the contract contents regarding the karaoke apparatus 1 itself. First, it is registered in a predetermined storage resource such as the hard disk device 12. Also, the host device manages the contract information for each karaoke device to be communicated. When the contract information is changed for a certain karaoke device, it communicates with the karaoke device, and the registered contract information is Overwrite with new contract information.
[0019]
=== Operating conditions for the value-added performance function ===
For each of the various value-added performance functions installed in the karaoke device 1, the operation restriction content is determined based on the contract information registered in the karaoke device 1. Further, the available value-added performance functions are different for each piece of music, and the hard disk device 12 of the karaoke apparatus 1 defines information for activating the various value-added performance functions installed by itself (by piece of music) Additional function information) is registered. FIG. 2 shows an outline of the additional function information for each music piece. In this example, a value-added performance function operable at the time of performance is described for each music number, and predetermined contract information is associated with detailed operation contents in each value-added performance function. The contract information defines four ranks A, B, C, and D. Further, additional function information for each song can be updated as needed, such as when a dedicated video is newly created for a certain song. Then, the latest additional function information for each music piece may be managed by the host device and distributed to the karaoke device 1 in a timely manner. Of course, depending on the model of the karaoke apparatus, the added value performance function may be different. In such a case, the host device may manage the additional function information for each music piece for each karaoke device.
[0020]
=== Operation of the value-added performance function ===
Here, it is assumed that rank B is registered in the karaoke apparatus 1 as unique contract information, and the user requests a song corresponding to the additional function information by song shown in FIG. The operation of the value-added performance function will be described.
[0021]
When the central control unit 11 processes the karaoke data of the music, the central control unit 11 extracts the additional function information for each music and the contract information unique to the karaoke device 1 from the hard disk device 12. Since the unique contract information is B, a string section is added to the musical instrument organization at the time of playing the music, the number of simultaneous sounds is 96, a back chorus is added up to the second chorus, and the background according to the script data Set to adopt exclusive video instead of video. That is, the MIDI data of the part corresponding to the string section is transferred to the synthesizer 16, the synthesizer 16 is controlled to set the number of simultaneous pronunciations to 96, and the video file of the dedicated video associated with the music number is separately controlled. The voice data file of the back chorus is read from the hard disk device 12 and the voice data file is transferred to the synthesizer 16 at the timing designated by the accompaniment music data up to the second chorus. As a result, the accompaniment music to which the string section is added is sound-output up to 96 sounds at the same time, and the back chorus is added to the accompaniment music at a designated timing until the performance of the second chorus is completed. Then, a dedicated moving image is displayed and output as a background image of lyrics subtitles.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
According to the function restriction method in the karaoke apparatus of the present invention, the additional performance function installed in the karaoke apparatus can be controlled based on a contract between the karaoke store and the karaoke company. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare karaoke machines according to the additional performance function to be installed. Therefore, in a karaoke store, it is possible to flexibly cope with changes in customer demographics and customer preferences without changing the karaoke apparatus itself. For a karaoke company, the assortment of karaoke devices can be minimized, and the manufacturing cost of the karaoke devices can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a karaoke apparatus equipped with a function restriction method of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of additional function information for each song that is a processing target of the function restriction method.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Karaoke apparatus 11 Central control part 12 Hard-disk apparatus 16 Synthesizer 21 Image | video control part

Claims (1)

A karaoke apparatus comprising communication means, a karaoke database, storage means, performance means, and control means for playing accompaniment music of a requested song,
The communication means can communicate with the host device,
The karaoke database stores a song ID, accompaniment music data, and an instrument organization specific table in association with each song,
Accompaniment music data is electronic score data that can be separated into a plurality of instrument organization sections,
The instrument organization specification table associates different instrument organization section information with each of the plurality of level values of the contract grade,
The storage means stores one level value among a plurality of level values of the contract grade,
The performance means plays music based on the electronic score data under the control of the control means,
The control means performs contract grade update processing, and performs first to third processing when performing the accompaniment music of the requested song,
In the contract grade update process, when the update command specifying the contract grade level value is received from the host device, the level value of the storage means is rewritten to the notified level value,
The first process extracts the accompaniment music data of the corresponding music ID and the musical instrument organization identification table from the karaoke database, and reads the contract grade level value X from the storage means,
The second process extracts the instrument organization section information associated with the contract grade level value X from the instrument organization specification table read in the first process,
The third process is a karaoke apparatus in which accompaniment music is played by transferring electronic score data corresponding to the musical instrument organization section information extracted in the second process from the accompaniment music data extracted in the first process to the performance means.

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