JP4550006B2 - Karaoke utilization system in which a karaoke machine and a tablet computer used in the vicinity communicate and cooperate with each other - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a karaoke utilization system in which a karaoke apparatus and a tablet computer used in the vicinity thereof cooperate with each other by communicating with each other, and in particular, displays a food-related image on an unused tablet computer. It relates to technology that can be ordered easily.

  In recent karaoke stores, electronic table of contents devices (product names such as DAM station, Denmoku, Kyoku NAVI, Navikara) composed of tablet computers are widely used in place of thick karaoke table of contents. Since the computing ability, storage ability, and communication ability of a tablet computer are extremely large, as will be exemplified below, development of this type of electronic table of contents apparatus for various uses related to karaoke is underway.

<Patent No. 3649679>"Information processing system of a karaoke store characterized by a keep bottle management system"
When the remaining amount of the customer's keep bottle is displayed realistically on the display of the guest room terminal and the drink of the bottle is ordered, the keep bottle image with the remaining amount reduced is displayed.
<Patent No. 3645192>"Karaoke recording system for producing albums for each user"
A guest room terminal linked with the karaoke apparatus can be used as a karaoke recording controller, and a karaoke recording work can be produced in association with the customer's ID, and the recorded work can be recorded on a customer-specific disc medium and taken home.
<Patent No. 3629450>"Karaoke device integrated with karaoke customer service support device"
When the customer database is stored in the guest room terminal linked to the karaoke device and the customer ID is entered, the customer list is displayed. When a customer is selected from the list, the song selection list created for the customer is displayed. The karaoke device can be requested from among them.
<Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-338147>"Electronic money billing karaoke system for executing additional functions associated with karaoke performance at a user's request"
Charges for paid services such as recording karaoke songs can be settled by an electronic money handling system provided in the guest room terminal. The karaoke store can manage the changes that occur at that time.

As described in Non-Patent Document 1, a self-order POS system that allows the electronic table of contents apparatus to function as an electronic menu type self-order apparatus has been put into practical use.
XING Inc. “Order Entry System”, [online], November 9, 2005, [Search on December 20, 2005], Internet <URL: http://www.xing.co.jp/news/ news051109.html>

As for the self-order POS system, many technical documents are disclosed as exemplified below.
《Act No. 63-179557》 “Visual menu order system with touch sensor”
Menu video is played back with a video disc player and displayed on a monitor TV with a touch panel on a personal computer. Order information on food and drinks entered by customers is transmitted wirelessly to a POS register and a kitchen printer to print an order slip and perform accounting processing. Do.
<< JP-A-5-314149 >>"Cooking Order Device"
When the customer sits at the table and switches the changeover switch, the dish menu reproduced on the menu video device is displayed on the touch panel display device that was displaying a television program or the like. The price of each dish on the screen is displayed at the same time by superimposing characters.
<Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-74218>"Electronic Menu Device and Electronic Ordering System"
When changing menus, it is only necessary to shoot products with an electronic still camera and store them in the menu data storage unit, so there is no need to wait for photo development and printing as in normal menus. it can.
<< JP-A-2001-338035 >>"Service network system for restaurants"
In addition to the basic functions of the self-order POS system, it provides services such as browsing TV, video and the Internet, games such as fortune-telling and questionnaires, and introducing sister shops and other stores.
<< JP-A-2003-317155 >>"Ordering service system in a restaurant"
While the ordered food is served, you can enjoy games such as sweepstakes and quizzes programmed in the passenger terminal.
<< JP-A-2005-84897 >>"Ordering service system in a restaurant or the like and a display unit therefor"
In order to increase the enjoyment of meals before and after meals, you can take pictures of your friends and receive prints with the digital camera provided at the audience terminal.

  The applicant has developed a system in which a multi-purpose tablet computer used in a karaoke box is equipped with an advanced electronic table of contents function and an electronic menu type self-order function. If such a tablet computer is used, various advanced functions that are not the table of contents or menu of the printed matter can be realized by the advanced information processing function of the computer.

  Even with tablet computers that have been introduced to karaoke stores with such a large amount of development and introduction costs, all customers listen to and sing along with the singing during karaoke performances, and chat with friends and friends between performances. There are many cases where people are enjoying and enjoying being left without being used by anyone. Therefore, the present inventors thought that they would like to effectively use an unused tablet computer.

  Therefore, if a tablet computer that is not in use displays a video related to food and drink that can be provided in the store, and the customer who sees it can order the food and drink of the video with a simple operation, the tablet computer can be used effectively. Not only that, but also the store sales will be improved.

The karaoke utilization system according to the present invention is specified by the following items (1) to (13).
(1) The karaoke utilization system includes a karaoke device and a tablet computer that can communicate with each other, and the tablet computer can communicate with a POS system at a karaoke store. (2) The tablet computer is interactive in response to user input. (3) The music selection reservation program searches the music index database for music according to user input, and can execute application programs including a music selection reservation program and a food ordering program. (4) The food order program searches the food item list from the food item database according to the user input, and transmits the performance reservation message including the music ID of the searched music to the karaoke device. The food item ID of the searched food item (5) The karaoke device can access a video database storing a plurality of video works related to food and drink (6) (7) When a karaoke device receives a performance reservation message from a tablet computer, the music ID in the message is placed in a performance reservation queue. (8) The tablet computer sets the inactive flag when there is no user input for substantially operating the application program. (9) The karaoke device is currently in the tablet computer. Sending a check message (10) The tablet computer can check the current check message from the karaoke device. When the inactive flag is set, the inactive message is returned to the karaoke device. (11) The karaoke device receives the inactive message from the tablet computer as a response to the current status check message. When extracting a video work from the video database and sending it to the tablet computer (12) When the tablet computer receives the video work from the karaoke device, the tablet computer displays the video work and a predetermined user during the display When there is an input, hand over the food item ID attached to the video work to the food order program (13) The food order program is activated when the food item ID is handed over, and the food item Order information can be received by extracting and displaying information on food items corresponding to the food item ID from the eye database. Possible to perform the operation of transmitting to the POS system creates an order message including the food article eyes ID upon reception

  According to the karaoke utilization system of the present invention, a multifunctional tablet computer that can be used as an electronic table of contents device or a self-order device automatically displays an image when not operated by a customer. It is possible to reduce the chances of playing and improve the efficiency of system use. In addition, since an image for soliciting food and drink orders can be displayed and ordered by a simple operation, sales of food and drinks are increased, and business efficiency is improved.

=== Outline of the system ===
The karaoke utilization system according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a karaoke apparatus 10 installed in a karaoke store and one to several tablet computers 20. FIG. 1 illustrates a network configuration including the karaoke utilization system of the present embodiment. The karaoke store 100 includes a large number of guest rooms 120, and one karaoke apparatus 10 and one to several tablet computers 20 are installed in each guest room. Each device is connected to the in-store LAN 50, and a known communication karaoke system is constructed by the karaoke device 10, the tablet computer 20, and an external karaoke server.
The online karaoke system is connected to a well-known POS system.

=== Basic Configuration of Karaoke Apparatus 10 ===
The karaoke apparatus 10 is a performance terminal of a known communication karaoke system, and is an application apparatus of a general-purpose personal computer. As illustrated in the block configuration in FIG. 2, the central control unit 11 controls the whole. The hard disk device 12 stores various information such as a karaoke database and a video database in addition to the main computer program. The operation / display panel unit 13 can input various types of information by the user and can display various types of information for the user. The communication processing unit 14 communicates with an external karaoke server and various servers operated by business operators via a communication line. Moreover, it is configured to be able to communicate with the tablet computer 20 in the same room via the LAN 50.

  The karaoke device 10 extracts the karaoke data of the corresponding song from the karaoke database for the requested song specified by the karaoke user using the operation / display panel 13 or the tablet computer 20 as the karaoke remote controller, and the performance processing unit 15 Pass to.

  Karaoke data of each song is a data set in which song ID, MIDI performance data, recording data, lyrics subtitle data, and background video designation data are organized. The performance processing unit 15 performs stereo accompaniment music based on the karaoke data under the control of the main computer 11, amplifies the music signal with the mixing amplifier 16, and emits the sound from the speaker. In addition, the video processing unit 17 changes the color of the lyrics subtitles in synchronization with the progress of the performance based on the lyrics subtitle data for the corresponding music, and extracts the background video data from the video database based on the background video designation data. The background video of the lyrics subtitle is displayed on the display 18.

=== Configuration of Tablet Computer 20 ===
FIG. 3A shows an external perspective view of the tablet computer 20 of this embodiment, and FIG. 3B shows a state in which the tablet computer 20 is set on the charging stand. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4 as a block configuration, the tablet computer 20 is a well-known tablet-type general-purpose computer, and includes a central control unit 21 including a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM, a hard disk device 22 and a touch panel. A display 23 and a communication interface 24 are provided. The display unit of the touch panel display 23 is connected to the CPU bus via the video processing unit 25, and the operation input unit is connected to the CPU bus via the input detection circuit 26. The communication interface 24 is connected to the LAN 50 via the wireless access point 40.

  The hard disk device 22 stores location information (such as an IP address) of the karaoke device 10 in the vicinity (in the same room) as an operation target such as performance reservation, and is configured to be able to communicate with the karaoke device 10 via the LAN 50. The tablet computer 20 is operated by a built-in secondary battery, and the secondary battery is charged by setting the tablet computer 20 on the prepared charging stand 30.

  The hard disk device 22 stores a music index database in which table-of-contents information of karaoke music similar to that stored in the karaoke device 10 is stored. Then, in a normal operation mode (normal mode), the table of contents information of the music desired by the user is retrieved from the music index database and presented, or an instruction input for reserving the performance of the user is received, and a performance reservation message is received. Is generated and transferred to the karaoke apparatus 10.

  In addition, the hard disk device 22 stores application programs for executing well-known karaoke scoring functions, karaoke recording functions, and the like, and can be executed in the normal mode.

  In addition, the hard disk device 22 stores a food item database that collects information on food items that can be provided in the store (food information) and manages the food item ID as key information. And as a well-known self-order device, it searches the food / drink information of the food / drink desired by the customer from the food / drink item database, presents the menu process for accepting the user's order input, and receives the received order information. A food and drink ordering program to be output to the POS system is also stored.

=== Video database ===
As shown in FIG. 2, the karaoke apparatus 10 of this embodiment stores a database logically divided into a main video database and a sub video database in the hard disk device 12 as a video database related to karaoke music. Yes. In the main video database, videos prepared for display on the display 18 together with the lyrics subtitle video during karaoke performance (collected as background video) are collected. As is well known, as the background video, there are a video work dedicated to the music associated with the music ID and a shared video used for a plurality of music (see Japanese Patent No. 3294526).

  In the sub-video database, food-related video works prepared for displaying on the display 23 of the tablet computer 20 during karaoke performance are collected. The video work in the sub-video database is a video related to food and drink that can be provided at the store. For example, it is a video work that introduces the recommended items of the store manager using seasonal ingredients, today's sale items, items with the highest sales rankings, and so on. In this embodiment, for example, a video work for a spring dinner time and a video work for a lunchtime in December are produced for each season and time period, and one work can be specified by the time of playback. It is supposed to be.

  As will be described later, since these video works are streamed to the tablet computer 20 when the tablet computer 20 is not in use, the sub-picture database is in the form of highly efficient compression-encoded digital data for convenience. Stored in

  In addition, for a plurality of foods and drinks included in each video work, the item IDs of the foods and drinks are associated (multiplexed) along the video playback time series of each food and drink, and during the video playback, The item ID of the food and drink is configured to be output. For example, by associating the food item ID with timing data designating the reproduction timing of the video, the video reproduction section of a certain food and beverage and the food item ID are associated with each other.

  Note that the karaoke apparatus 10 does not necessarily have the video database. A system in which a video database server is provided on a LAN or the Internet, and a plurality of karaoke apparatuses 10 each access a video database and download a desired video work as necessary.

=== Operation of Tablet Computer 20 ===
FIG. 5 illustrates a processing flow when the tablet computer 20 is turned on and activated. When the tablet computer 20 is turned on and started, first, a normal mode top screen is displayed on the display 23 by an initialization process (s10).

  On the top screen, as illustrated in FIG. 6, buttons for executing various application programs such as music selection reservation, karaoke scoring, karaoke recording, and food order are arranged. When the input detection circuit 26 detects an operation input instructing one of the buttons by the user, the application program corresponding to the instruction content input by the operation is executed to perform various processes (s12 → s14).

  On the other hand, when a predetermined time elapses without the user performing any operation input, the timer set for the predetermined time expires without the input detection circuit 26 detecting the operation input by the user (s12 → s15). Then, the tablet computer 20 switches the operation mode from the normal mode as described above to the power saving mode so that nothing is displayed on the display 23 or a screen saver is displayed. In addition, an inactive flag for indicating the power saving mode is set in an appropriate storage unit (s16).

  Further, the tablet computer 20 is configured to be able to detect that it is set on the charging stand 30, and the inactive flag is set only when the tablet computer 20 is in the power saving mode and set on the charging stand 30. Configure. As will be described later, in this embodiment, the video work received from the karaoke apparatus 10 is reproduced and output to the display 23 when not in use (that is, in the power saving mode) in which the inactive flag is set. Therefore, even if it is set in the charging stand 30 even in the power saving mode, by displaying the received video work on the display 23, the secondary battery can be obtained without obtaining the power saving effect by not displaying anything on the display 23. Can be prevented from increasing.

  The timer is started with the initialization process (s11). If the input detection circuit 26 detects an operation input by the user before the timer expires (before a predetermined time has elapsed), the inactive flag is reset (s12 → s13). The timer started at this time is reset, restarted again, and waits for the next operation input (s13 → s12).

=== Collaboration of Karaoke Device 10 and Tablet Computer 20 ===
The karaoke apparatus 10 starts karaoke performance in cooperation with the tablet computer 20. That is, when a user executes the music selection reservation program of the tablet computer 20 according to the above description and performs an operation input for specifying and reserving a performance request, the tablet computer 20 transmits a performance reservation message including the music ID of the request music. It is generated and transmitted to the karaoke apparatus 10 in the same room.
When the karaoke apparatus 10 receives a performance reservation message including a music ID of a performance reservation target from the tablet computer 20 in the same room, the karaoke apparatus 10 registers and manages the music IDs in a queue in the order received. When the performance is started, the music IDs are extracted in the order registered in the queue, and the karaoke data for the music is extracted and transferred to the performance processing unit 15 as described above.

  In addition, the karaoke apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment confirms the usage status of the tablet computer 20 regularly at predetermined intervals or at appropriate occasions. The flow of processing at that time is illustrated in FIG. When the karaoke device 10 inquires about the usage status of the tablet computer 20, the karaoke device 10 generates a current status check message in a predetermined format and transmits it to the target tablet computer 20 (s21).

  When the tablet computer 20 receives the current status check message from the karaoke apparatus 10 in the same room, the tablet computer 20 checks whether or not the inactive flag is set. If the inactive flag is set, an inactive message in a predetermined format for notifying that is generated and returned to the karaoke apparatus 10.

  If the inactive flag is not set (or cleared), nothing need be returned. In that case, the karaoke apparatus 10 is configured to wait for a reply for a predetermined time and determine whether or not an inactive message is returned. Alternatively, the tablet computer 20 may generate and return an active message in a predetermined format.

=== Food-related video ===
When the karaoke apparatus 10 receives an inactive message from the tablet computer 20 (s22), the karaoke apparatus 10 appropriately extracts a video work from the sub-video database (s23). In the present embodiment, as described above, the video work produced for each season and time zone is stored, and the video suitable for the current season / time zone is based on the current time at which the video work is to be extracted. The work can be specified. Even if the current time is 19:00 on May 25th, the video work produced for the spring dinner time is extracted. This video work includes, for example, spring recommended wild vegetable dishes, sale items limited to dinner time, and top ranking items for dinner time.

The karaoke apparatus 10 performs streaming transmission of the extracted video work to the tablet computer 20 using a predetermined protocol such as RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol) (s24).
When the unused tablet computer 20 in which the inactive flag is set receives the streaming data of the video work from the karaoke apparatus 10, the tablet computer 20 sequentially transfers it to the video processing unit 25. The video processing unit 25 sequentially reproduces the received streaming data (s17 to s18 in FIG. 5), and causes the touch panel display 23 to output a video.
In this way, food and drink related video works are displayed on the unused tablet computer 20.

  As described above, the streaming data received by the tablet computer 20 includes the item ID of the food or drink to be reproduced. When the tablet computer 20 receives the streaming transmission of the video work and reproduces and outputs this video, if the user performs a predetermined operation to order the food or drink being reproduced, the item ID of the food or drink is set. It is possible to take out and order based on it.

  For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, it is configured such that an “order” button 81 is displayed at one corner of the display 23 during display of a video work, and the customer touches and inputs this, and the input detection circuit 26 (S19), the tablet computer 20 takes out the item ID attached to the streaming data and activates the food order program. When the food and drink ordering program is activated, food and drink information corresponding to the item ID is first extracted from the food and drink item database. This food / beverage information includes item names, prices, calorie values, raw materials, the location of image information, and the like. Based on this food / beverage information, as illustrated in FIG. 9, along with the display of the detailed information of the item, a screen on which the order quantity 91 and the like can be designated and displayed is displayed. Then, when the customer inputs an operation such as touching the “Order” button 92 by specifying the quantity, an order message in a predetermined format including the item ID, the order quantity, the guest room number, etc. is generated, and the POS system (S20). In this embodiment, the data is transmitted to the kitchen terminal and the POS cash register terminal of the POS system.

Based on this order information, the kitchen terminal prints out an order slip including information such as the guest room number, its item, and the number of items with an attached printer. Based on the received order slip, the store clerk performs cooking and serving.
The POS cash register terminal stores the received order information as settlement data in a predetermined format and accumulates it by room number. A billing slip is printed based on the accumulated data when the customer leaves the room and the fee is settled.

=== Other processing ===
When a user performs an operation other than a predetermined order input, such as touching a part other than the “order” button 81 on the screen while the video work is displayed, and the input detection circuit 26 detects it. (S18 → s12), the tablet computer 20 returns the operation mode to the normal mode, and the reproduction / output processing of the video work is stopped. Further, the inactive flag is reset (s13).
In this way, if the customer performs an operation input other than the order input during the video work reproduction, the tablet computer 20 returns from the power saving mode to the normal mode and displays the top screen (FIG. 6).

  The tablet computer 20 may notify the karaoke apparatus 10 when the inactive flag is reset (s13). Upon receiving the notification, the karaoke apparatus 10 stops streaming transmission of the video work to the tablet computer 20.

=== Other Embodiments ===
The form of the video work and the extraction method from the sub-video database are not limited to the above embodiment. By associating and managing appropriate attribute items to the video works in the sub-video database, it is possible to search by various methods based on various attribute items in the database as well known, and from among many video works. It is also possible to configure to extract an appropriate video work. For example, many video works related to karaoke music are produced and stored in the sub-video database. As an example, a video work is suitable for the genre of karaoke music and the contents of lyrics (for example, food and drink appearing in the lyrics, scenery). “Music genre” and “lyric content” are provided as attribute items of the sub-video database, and the attribute values are described and managed in association with each video work. When an inactive telegram is received from the tablet computer 20 (s22), the karaoke song being played, the karaoke song already played immediately before, or the genre and lyrics contents of the karaoke song to be played from now on. A sub-video database is searched based on this, and a video work suitable for the music can be extracted.

  Create a video work dedicated to karaoke music (for example, a video work for beer product promotion made according to the content of the karaoke music, or a video work consisting of food and drink of the original artist) It may be managed as an attribute item. When an inactive message is received from the tablet computer 20 (s22), a dedicated video work is extracted based on the song ID of the karaoke song being played or before and after the performance.

In the said Example, although it is set as the structure which can order one type of food and drink during reproduction | regeneration when there is user input, it is not restricted to this.
For example, with respect to a plurality of item IDs that are included in the video work in association with the reproduction time series, it is possible to order all the item IDs of food and drink reproduced up to the point of user input. The tablet computer 20 temporarily stores the item ID of the reproduced food and drink in the memory. If the user performs an input such as instructing the “order” button 81, the item IDs of the food and drink being reproduced at that time are additionally stored, and based on the plurality of item IDs stored in the memories, respectively. The food / beverage information corresponding to the item is extracted from the food / beverage item database, and as shown in FIG. 10, the item name and price are displayed in a list on the display 23, and the order quantity 93 of each item is displayed so as to be designated and input. . When the user inputs that the order is to be specified by appropriately specifying the quantity, for example, the quantity of the item that the user does not want to order is set to zero, the tablet computer 20 displays the one or more item IDs and the respective order quantity, An ordering message in a predetermined format including a guest room number is generated and output to the POS system.

  When the user inputs to identify one item on the screen where multiple items are listed, detailed information such as calorie intake and nutritional components for that item is displayed, and the order for that item is entered. You may comprise so that it may receive (refer FIG. 9).

  Alternatively, the item ID attached to the video work may be included in the header portion of the video work file without being associated with the reproduction time series. In that case, if there is a user input during video reproduction, all item IDs included in the work can be ordered in the same manner as described above (see FIGS. 9 and 10).

  The tablet computer 20 can take a method of notifying itself that it is not in use without waiting for a status inquiry from the karaoke apparatus 10. For example, when switching to the power saving mode and setting the inactive flag (or instead of setting the inactive flag), an inactive telegram is generated and the karaoke apparatus 10 is notified of the status. Receiving the notification, the karaoke apparatus 10 takes out the corresponding video work from the sub-video database based on the time and transmits it to the tablet computer 20.

  The karaoke utilization system of the present invention can of course be applied to a store in a business category such as a karaoke pub in which one karaoke apparatus 10 is installed. The above embodiment can be applied as it is to the tablet computer 20 installed in the vicinity of the karaoke apparatus 10.

It is the figure which illustrated the network structure containing the karaoke utilization system which concerns on a present Example. The hardware configuration of the karaoke apparatus which concerns on a present Example is illustrated. 1 is an external perspective view of a tablet computer according to an embodiment. The hardware configuration of a tablet computer is illustrated as above. It is a processing flowchart of the state management in a tablet computer same as the above. It is an example of the top screen of a tablet computer same as the above. It is a processing flowchart in the karaoke apparatus which concerns on a present Example. It is an example of the display screen of the food-related image which concerns on a present Example. It is an example of the screen of the food-drink order which concerns on a present Example. It is an example of a food and drink order list screen according to the present embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

10 Karaoke device 20 Tablet computer 23 Touch panel display 30 Charging stand

Claims (1)

Karaoke utilization system specified by the following matters (1) to (13).
(1) The karaoke utilization system includes a karaoke device and a tablet computer that can communicate with each other, and the tablet computer can communicate with a POS system at a karaoke store. (2) The tablet computer is interactive in response to user input. (3) The music selection reservation program searches the music index database for music according to user input, and can execute application programs including a music selection reservation program and a food ordering program. (4) The food order program searches the food item list from the food item database according to the user input, and transmits the performance reservation message including the music ID of the searched music to the karaoke device. The food item ID of the searched food item (5) The karaoke device can access a video database storing a plurality of video works related to food and drink (6) (7) When a karaoke device receives a performance reservation message from a tablet computer, the music ID in the message is placed in a performance reservation queue. (8) The tablet computer sets the inactive flag when there is no user input for substantially operating the application program. (9) The karaoke device is currently in the tablet computer. Sending a check message (10) The tablet computer can check the current check message from the karaoke device. When the inactive flag is set, the inactive message is returned to the karaoke device. (11) The karaoke device receives the inactive message from the tablet computer as a response to the current status check message. When extracting a video work from the video database and sending it to the tablet computer (12) When the tablet computer receives the video work from the karaoke device, the tablet computer displays the video work and a predetermined user during the display When there is an input, the food item ID attached to the video work is handed over to the food order program. (13) The food order program is started when the food item ID is handed over, and the food item. Order information can be received by extracting and displaying information on food items corresponding to the food item ID from the eye database. Possible to perform the operation of transmitting to the POS system creates an order message including the food article eyes ID upon reception