JPH08166869A - Centralized management type information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To reflect the update of a program on a master equipment side on a slave equipment side without delay by down-loading a program file for the slave equipment, stored on the master equipment side, to the slave equipment side when program files stored on the master and slave equipment sides are different in version. CONSTITUTION: A server 16 includes a microcomputer 12 and a hard disk 14 and serves as the kernel of control over a central controller L. The server 16 updates and stores the program file for the slave equipment by a file transfer means, which down-loads the program file for the slave equipment stored in a master-equipment side storage means to a slave-equipment side storage means according to a command sent from a host computer through telephone modems 8. Thus, the program for the slave equipment is updated simultaneously with the updating operation for the program file for the central controller L and then the generation of a time lag between the update of the program file for the central controller L and the update of the program file for the slave equipment is evaded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a centralized management type information processing apparatus having a master unit for outputting data and a slave unit for executing processing based on the data output from the master unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a centralized management type information processing apparatus which is usually composed of a plurality of slave units and one master unit, and each slave unit executes processing based on data output from the master unit. There is. As an example of such a centralized management type information processing device,
It is usually composed of multiple slave units and one master unit. The master unit distributes musical sound data in response to a request from the slave unit, and the slave unit outputs music based on the received musical sound data. There is a karaoke device. In this centralized management type karaoke device, consistency between the program that operates the master unit and the program that functions the slave unit is required, and when the program on the master unit side is updated by version upgrade or the like, the program on the slave unit side is usually updated. Updates are also needed. Also, every time the program is updated on the master unit side, the update work on the slave unit side program is manually performed.

[0003]

However, the manual updating work as described above often requires special skill, and is not easy. Further, when updating the program on the master unit side is operated on the host side via a communication line as in the case of online karaoke, a time lag may occur before updating the program on the slave unit side.

The present invention has been made for the purpose of reflecting the update of the program on the master side in the centralized management type information processing apparatus as described above on the slave side easily without delay.

[0005]

As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the centralized management type information processing apparatus according to claim 1 is based on a master unit for outputting data and a data output from the master unit. In a centralized management type information processing apparatus including a slave unit for executing processing by a master unit, a master unit-side storage unit provided in the master unit for storing a slave unit program file, and the slave unit program provided in the slave unit Handset storage means for storing a file, version of the handset program file stored in the handset storage means, and version of the handset program file stored in the handset storage means And a version of the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit and the slave unit program stored in the slave unit side storage unit. It is provided and a file transfer unit for downloading the slave unit side storage unit a program file for the child device and version of the file is stored in the base-side storage means upon different.

The centralized management type information processing apparatus according to claim 2 is the centralized management type information processing apparatus according to claim 1,
A startup file transfer means is provided for downloading the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit to the slave unit side storage unit when the slave unit is activated.

A centralized management type information processing apparatus according to a third aspect is the centralized management type information processing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, in which the child machine is stored in the parent machine side storage means. And a file transfer means for requesting the download to the file transfer means when the version of the slave program file and the version of the slave program file stored in the storage device side are different. Is configured to download the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit to the slave unit side storage unit after the request by the request unit.

A centralized management type information processing apparatus according to claim 4 is the centralized management type information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the collating means is provided in the slave unit and the master unit side storage is provided. The master unit is provided with master unit side version data output means for outputting to the collating means version data relating to the version of the slave unit program file stored in the means.

A centralized management type information processing apparatus according to claim 5 is the centralized management type information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the collating means is provided in the master unit and the slave unit side storage is provided. The handset unit is provided with handset side version data output means for outputting version data relating to the version of the handset program file stored in the means to the collating means.

A central control type information processing apparatus according to claim 6 is the central control type information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the master unit is a karaoke master unit which outputs musical sound data. The slave unit is a karaoke slave unit that outputs a music piece based on the musical sound data output from the karaoke master unit.

[0011]

In the centralized management type information processing apparatus having the above structure, the master unit side storage means provided in the master unit stores the slave unit program file. The child device side storage means provided in the child device stores a child device program file. The collating means collates the version of the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit with the version of the slave unit program file stored in the slave unit side storage unit. The file transfer means, when the version of the child machine program file stored in the parent machine side storage means and the version of the child machine program file stored in the child machine side storage means are different, the parent machine side storage means The program file for the slave unit stored in the storage unit is downloaded to the storage unit on the slave unit side.

Therefore, when the program on the master unit side is updated by version upgrade or the like in the centralized management type information processing device, the program file for the slave unit updated to match the program on the master unit side is updated on the master unit side. If stored in the storage means, the child machine program file (version upgrade version) stored in the parent machine side storage means by the collation by the collating means and the child machine program file stored in the child machine side storage means (Before version upgrade)
It is determined that the versions of and are different. At this time, the file transfer means downloads the slave unit program file (version upgrade version) stored in the master unit side storage unit to the slave unit side storage unit. As a result, it is not necessary to manually update the program on the slave side each time the program on the master side is updated, and there is no need to update the program on the master side and the program on the slave side. The occurrence of time lag is avoided. Therefore, the update of the program on the master side can be reflected on the slave side easily without delay.

According to another aspect of the centralized management type information processing apparatus of the present invention, when the slave unit is activated, the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit is downloaded to the slave unit side storage unit. Since a time file transfer means is provided, it is only necessary to store the program for executing communication with the master unit in the non-volatile memory (hard disk, ROM, etc.) of the slave unit. It is not necessary to store it in the non-volatile memory.
Therefore, the non-volatile memory (hard disk,
It is possible to save the capacity of the ROM).

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centralized management type information processing apparatus, wherein the requesting means provided in the slave unit has a version of the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit and the slave unit side storage unit. When the version of the child machine program file stored in the file is different, the file transfer means is requested to download. The file transfer means downloads the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit to the slave unit side storage unit after the request by the request unit.

Since the slave unit program file is transmitted from the master unit in response to a request from the slave unit, for example, the slave unit program file is transmitted from the master unit although the slave unit is not ready to accept the program file. The inconvenience of being transmitted can be avoided, and the download of the program file for the child device can be executed more reliably.

According to another aspect of the centralized management type information processing apparatus of the present invention, the collation means is provided in the slave unit, and the master unit stores version data relating to the version of the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit. Since the base unit side version data output unit for outputting to the collation unit is provided, the collation work can be performed according to the operating state of the slave unit, for example, when the slave unit is activated but not used for actual processing. It becomes possible to do.

According to another aspect of the centralized management type information processing apparatus of the present invention, the collating means is provided in the master unit and the slave unit stores version data relating to the version of the slave unit program file stored in the slave unit side storage unit. Since the handset-side version data output means for outputting to the collating means is provided, the collating means may be provided only in the parent machine, and the entire configuration can be simplified.

According to another aspect of the centralized management type information processing apparatus of the present invention, the master unit is a karaoke master unit which outputs musical sound data.
The slave unit is a karaoke slave unit that outputs music based on the musical sound data output from the karaoke master unit, and is configured as a centralized management type karaoke device. In this centralized control type karaoke device, normal karaoke performance may not be possible unless the update of the program on the master unit side is reflected on the slave unit side without delay. However, by adopting the configuration according to claim 1 above, It is possible to avoid such inconvenience. Moreover, by having the structure described in claims 2 to 5, the operation as described above is performed.

Particularly, in the centralized control type karaoke apparatus, the update of the program of the master unit by communication from the host is usually performed at midnight when the centralized control type karaoke apparatus is not in business.
Since the operation is performed in the early morning, the configuration according to claim 2 causes virtually no time lag between the update of the program on the master side and the update of the program on the slave side.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the information processing apparatus of the present invention is embodied as a centralized control type karaoke apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. Here, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration mainly of a central control unit L in the centralized control type karaoke apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.

The centralized control type karaoke device 1 comprises a central control device L and a plurality of karaoke terminal devices C, and the central control device L and each karaoke terminal device C are connected by a communication cable. In this embodiment, an RS-232C cable for transmitting an input signal and a coaxial cable for transmitting video / music data are used.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the central control unit L
Has a telephone modem 8 connected to a telephone line, receives music data and the like sent from a host computer (not shown) via the telephone modem 8, and sends various data to the host computer. it can. Further, the central control unit L has a well-known microcomputer (microcomputer) 12 and a hard disk 14 built-in, converts a digital data such as a server 16 and music data which is a core for controlling the central control unit L into an RF signal, and An RF modem 10 for converting RF signals such as song selection information from the karaoke terminal device C into digital data, a head amplifier 18 for mixing RF signals such as video / song data and sending the mixed signal to each karaoke terminal device C, Six disc players 20 for reproducing images from an image data storage disc (not shown),
It is composed of an input / output interface 22 and the like for connecting each disc player 20 and the server 16 and the like.

The telephone modem 8 receives the music data sent from the host computer via the telephone line, and transmits information such as which music is selected and how often, to the host computer. Is a modulation / demodulation circuit of. In the centralized control type karaoke apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, in order to maintain a state in which the latest song is always provided, for example, a host computer (not shown) stores data of a new song on a telephone line from midnight to early morning when it is not open. Is transmitted to the central control unit L via the telephone modem 8 and stored in the song data storage section 14a of the hard disk 14.
At this time, if the memory capacity of the song data storage unit 14a is exceeded, new songs are stored by excluding infrequently used songs. Since the new song data is taken in at night, etc. outside business hours, the central control unit itself cannot be turned off during that time.

The server 16 is the microcomputer 12
And song data storage unit 14a and program storage unit 14b
And a hard disk 14 composed of, and music data (performance data and lyrics data) corresponding to the music selection data based on the music selection data transmitted from each karaoke terminal device C.
Is read from the music data storage unit 14a of the hard disk 14, converted into an RF signal by the RF modem 10, and transmitted to the music data temporary memory 38 (see FIG. 2) provided in each karaoke terminal device C via the head amplifier 18. A central control device for controlling the entire karaoke centralized management device by notifying each karaoke terminal device C of the current correspondence between each channel and the video genre, or by grasping and managing the operating status of each karaoke terminal device C. It is the control device that is the core of L.

The song data storage unit 14a of the hard disk 14 in the server 16 is a storage device for storing performance data and lyrics data as song data, and the performance data is MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Data). Interface) Stores data based on the standard.

Further, the program storage unit 14b of the hard disk 14 stores a child machine program file used in the karaoke terminal device C, and the server 1
6 can send this slave unit program file to the karaoke terminal device C when requested by the karaoke terminal device C. Further, the server 16 can update and store the above-mentioned slave device program file according to the command and data transmitted from the host computer via the telephone modem 8.

In the present embodiment, the number of servers 16 is one. However, for example, two identical servers 16 are prepared, and the function of the central control unit L is stopped even if a problem occurs in one of them. It may be possible to avoid it. The head amplifier 18 is an image signal read by the disc player 20 and converted into an RF signal, and an RF signal such as song data read from the song data storage section 14a of the hard disk 14 and converted into an RF signal by the RF modem 10. It is a device that mixes and multiplexes signals and sends them to each karaoke terminal device C, and is connected to each karaoke terminal device C by a coaxial cable.

The disc player 20, which is identified by the server 16 on the basis of the video genre assigned to each of them, reads the video of the video genre in charge from the video reproduction disc, converts the NTSC video signal into an RF signal,
It is a disk player that sends data to the karaoke terminal device C via the head amplifier 18. At this time, in the karaoke terminal device C, the video signal of the genre that matches the content of the song to be played is selected from the video signals transmitted.

Next, the internal structure of the disc player 20 for reproducing such a video reproducing disc will be described in detail with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the disc player 20 in the central control unit L of the centralized control type karaoke apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the disc player 20
Is a serial input / output circuit (SIO) 24, a disc changer player (hereinafter, simply referred to as a player) 26, a well-known microcomputer 28, an MPEG1 decoder 30, and a modulator 3.
It is composed of 2 etc. Serial input / output circuit (SI
O) 20 receives the video genre information from the server 16 and reproduces the reproduced RF video data from the head amplifier 1.
8 is an interface circuit for sending the data to the device 8.

The player 26 comprises a well-known changer section and a player section (both not shown). The changer unit is provided with four video storage disks in this embodiment, and replaces the video storage disks in a predetermined order or according to a command from the microcomputer 28.

The player section plays back the video storage disk set by being replaced by the changer section, and the microcomputer 28 selects the video storage disk to be played back by the player 26. At this time,
The player 26 is configured to read the video data from a video storage disc that stores edited video data of various genres.

The microcomputer 28 is a microcomputer that controls the operation of the entire disc player 20, and plays a player section and a player section so as to reproduce a video storage disc in which edited video data of the video genre in charge identified by the server 16 is stored. It controls the changer unit.

The MPEG1 decoder 30 is an electric circuit for decoding the video data compressed and recorded in the video storage disk according to the MPEG1 standard into a video signal. MPEG1
The video signal decoded by the decoder 30 is transmitted to the modulator 3
2 is sent. The modulator 32 is an MPEG1 decoder 3
It is an electric circuit for converting a video signal decoded into 0 and converted into a commercial color television signal (NTSC) into a frequency band of each channel and outputting an RF signal. The video signal converted into the RF signal by the modulator 32 is transferred to the input / output interface 22 via the serial input / output circuit (SIO) 24, is mixed with the music data or the like as described above, and is transmitted to each karaoke terminal device C. Is output.

Next, the internal structure of each karaoke terminal device C will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the karaoke terminal device C of the centralized control type karaoke device 1 according to the embodiment. The karaoke terminal device C includes an operation panel 34 for selecting and inputting a song that the user wants to sing, a controller 36, a song data temporary memory 38 for temporarily storing song data sent from the central control device L, lyrics data and an image. A video mixer 40 for synthesizing data, a MIDI device 42 for generating musical instrument performance signals based on performance data, a serial input / output circuit (SIO) 44 for inputting / outputting data to / from the central control unit L, and a central control unit L. It is composed of an RF modem 46 for communicating with the tuner, a tuner 48 for selecting a channel of a video signal transmitted from the central control unit L, and the like. In addition,
As described above, the song data and video data are stored in the central control unit
Is transmitted from the head amplifier 18 through the head amplifier 18.

In the karaoke terminal device C, the performance data is amplified and the performance data and a microphone 54 which will be described later are provided.
The amplifier mixer 50 for mixing the song data input from the device into audio data and the monitor television 56 for displaying the image data are connected, and further the amplifier mixer 5 is connected.
0 is equipped with a panel touch key, an operation knob, etc. for adjusting the volume balance between the performance and the song, as well as various adjustments such as echo, volume, and tone, and also, the audio data input from the amplifier mixer 50. A speaker 52 for outputting to the outside and a microphone 54 for the user to input song data are connected.

The operation panel 34 is an input means for the user to select an arbitrary song and adjust the pitch of the performance sound. Since the operation panel 34 is provided with a remote controller 34a, the user Music selection, etc. can be performed by remote control. The video mixer 40 is read from the song data storage section 14a and sent out via the head amplifier 18 to output R
The song data temporary memory 3 received via the F modem 46
8 is a device for synthesizing the lyrics data in the song data stored in 8 and a video RF signal read from the video storage disk by the player 26 and sequentially sent out through the head amplifier 18, and the synthesized video The data is displayed on the monitor television 56. The lyrics data informs the user of the corresponding singing portion by reversing the predetermined lyrics portion in synchronization with the output of the performance sound of the musical instrument.

The MIDI device 42 stores performance sounds of various musical instruments, is read from the music data storage section 14a, is sent out via the head amplifier 18, is received via the RF modem 46, and temporarily stores the music data. It is a sound source that generates a musical performance signal of a musical instrument based on the musical performance data among the musical piece data stored in the memory 38. The generated musical instrument performance signal is transmitted to the amplifier mixer 50, and is output from the speaker 52 together with the singing voice.

The song data temporary memory 38 is for temporarily storing the song data read from the song data storage section 14a of the hard disk 14, sent through the head amplifier 18, and received through the RF modem 46. It is a storage device, and the stored contents are sequentially updated along with the music selection operation. In the centralized control type karaoke device 1 according to the present embodiment, the server 16 of the central control device L supplies song data to all karaoke terminal devices C, and it is necessary to end the data transmission promptly. Therefore, each karaoke terminal device C has a song data temporary memory 38.
It is necessary to store all song data once and then take it out sequentially.

The controller 36 has a CPU 36.
This is a well-known microcomputer provided with a, a ROM 36b, and a RaM 36c, and controls the overall operation of the karaoke terminal device C, such as taking in the operation state on the operation panel 34 and instructing the corresponding processing. ROM36
In b, a program for communicating with the central control unit L, a program for storing the slave unit program file sent from the central control unit L in the RAM 36c, and the like are stored in advance. CPU 36a is a ROM
In addition to executing communication with the central controller L according to the program read from 36b, the operation of the entire karaoke terminal device C is controlled according to the slave unit program file sent from the central controller L and stored in the RAM 36c. . The procedure of transmitting the slave unit program file from the central control unit L will be described in detail later.

As described above, on the side of the central controller C, the video information output from the six disc players 20 can be distinguished from each other (that is, by the six output systems).
It is sent to the karaoke terminal device C via the head amplifier 18. Then, in the karaoke terminal device C, a video signal of a genre suitable for the content of the song to be played is selected from the video signals to be sent. This is because the tuner 48 is controlled by a command from the controller 36. Then, the desired signal is taken in.

The operation of the centralized control type karaoke apparatus 1 having such a configuration will be described below. First, the karaoke performance will be described. When the karaoke user operates the operation panel 34 of the karaoke terminal device C to select a desired song, the selected song data is transmitted to the central control unit L via the communication cable. In the central controller L that has received the transmitted music selection data, the server 16 reads the corresponding music data from the music data storage unit 14a of the hard disk 14, and the read music data is passed through the head amplifier 18. The song data is transmitted to the karaoke terminal device C on which the selection operation has been performed. The song data transmitted to the karaoke terminal device C is stored in the song data temporary memory 38 of the karaoke terminal device C.

The disc player 20 also reads the edited video data belonging to the video genre identified by the player 26 from the video storage disc, and the read edited video data is read by the modulator 32 as a video RF signal. And is transmitted to the karaoke terminal device C via the head amplifier 18.

In the karaoke terminal device C which receives these data, the tuner 48 is instructed by the controller 36.
Of the edited video data transmitted, the same data of the genre that matches the content of the song to be played is selected and fetched. Then, in synchronization with this, the lyrics data is sequentially extracted from the music data temporary memory 38, and the video mixer 4
0 is combined with edited video data. in this way,
Since the video data in which the edited video data and the lyrics data are combined is displayed as the lyrics telop and video from the monitor television 56, the user sings a song in accordance with the performance while referring to the lyrics displayed on the monitor television 56. Further, the edited video data is displayed as a background video on the monitor television 56 when the user sings while referring to the lyrics.

At the same time, the performance data is taken out from the music data temporary memory 38 in synchronization with the MIDI data.
The performance data is generated by the device 42 as a performance signal of the musical instrument. In this way, when the performance data is converted into an analog performance signal, it is sent to the amplifier mixer 50 and electrically amplified, and at the same time mixed with the user's singing data input via the microphone 54, The mixed performance data and singing data are input to the speaker 52 as an audio signal and output from the speaker 52 to the outside.

This is the processing relating to karaoke performance,
Next, in the centralized control type karaoke apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration, a process relating to transmission / reception of the slave unit program file between the central control device L and the karaoke terminal device C will be described with reference to the drawings. 4 to 6 are flowcharts of processes executed on the karaoke terminal device C side upon reception of the child device program file, and FIG. 7 is executed on the server 16 upon transmission of the child device program file. Although it is a flowchart of the processing to be performed, since file reception and file transmission are closely related,
Description will be made with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7 as appropriate.

First, the transmission and reception of a file when the karaoke terminal device C is activated will be described. Karaoke terminal device C
When the power of is turned on and the karaoke terminal device C is activated,
The controller 36 starts the startup file reception process shown in FIG. 4 and executes a file reception subroutine (S101).

In the file reception subroutine shown in FIG. 5, the controller 36 requests the central control unit L to transmit the slave unit program file (S103), and the central control unit L transmits the slave unit program file. Wait (S105). On the other hand, the central control unit L repeatedly executes the file transmission process shown in FIG. 7 at a preset timing. In this file transmission processing, the microcomputer 12 determines whether or not there is a transmission request for the slave unit program file from the karaoke terminal device C (S201).
Here, if there is no transmission request (NO in S201), the microcomputer 12 ends this routine once, but if it is determined that there is a transmission request (YES in S201), the next S203.
Then, the slave unit program file is transmitted to the karaoke terminal device C that has requested the file transmission, and this routine ends.

As shown in FIG. 5, the controller 36 of the karaoke terminal device C requests the central controller L to transmit the slave unit program file in step S103, and then proceeds to step S105 where the central controller L sends the file. Wait for the transmission of the program file for the slave unit. If the slave unit program is transmitted (YES in S105), the process proceeds to S107, where the slave unit program file transmitted from the central control unit L is R.
The data is stored in the AM 36c, the present subroutine is terminated, and the process returns to the main routine.

After that, the karaoke terminal device C executes the control processing of the entire karaoke terminal device C in accordance with the child device program file stored in the RAM 36c as described above. In this way, when the karaoke terminal device C is activated, the child device program file stored in the program storage unit 14b of the central control device L is downloaded to the karaoke terminal device C, so that the karaoke terminal device C itself. It becomes unnecessary to store the slave unit program file for use in controlling the above in a non-volatile memory. Therefore, the capacity of the non-volatile memory (hard disk, ROM, etc.) of the karaoke terminal device C can be saved.

Next, the operating-time file receiving process executed by the karaoke terminal device C during its operation will be described.
When the karaoke terminal device C finishes the above-mentioned boot-time file reception process and enters a normal operating state, the karaoke terminal device C executes the operation-time file reception process shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the operation-time file reception process is started, the controller 36 inquires of the central control unit L the version of the slave unit program file stored in the program storage unit 14b of the hard disk 14. , Receives the data (S111). Next, the controller 36 receives the received data and its own RAM 3
The version of the child machine program file stored in 6c is checked to determine whether the child machine program file stored in the program storage unit 14b of the central controller L has been updated (S113).

If the version of the slave unit program file stored in the RAM 36c and the version of the slave unit program file stored in the program storage unit 14b do not match, the program storage unit 14 will be described.
Since the child machine program file stored in b has been updated (YES in S113), the controller 36
Shifts to S115, executes the above-mentioned file reception subroutine, and stores the slave unit program file transmitted from the central control unit L in the RAM 36c in the same manner as described above.

Upon returning from the processing of this file reception subroutine, the controller 36 proceeds to S117. Further, when the child machine program file stored in the program storage unit 14b is not updated (S1
If NO in 13), the controller 36 proceeds to S117. In this S117, the controller 36 waits for a lapse of time and returns to S111. To be precise, the controller 36 is configured to once terminate this operating-time file reception processing routine when it proceeds to S117, and wait for a lapse of one hour before restarting. Therefore, the controller 36 can execute other control processing during this one hour.

In this way, the karaoke terminal device C monitors whether or not the slave unit program file stored in the central control unit L is updated during its operation, and if there is any update of the slave unit program file. , It is possible to receive the updated program file for the child device almost immediately.

Therefore, when the slave unit program file needs to be updated, it is only necessary to store the update slave unit program file in the program storage unit 14b of the central control unit L, and each karaoke terminal device. It is not necessary to manually install the update-purpose program file for each C unit.

Further, in the case where the update of the program file for causing the central control unit L to function is operated by the host computer side connected through the communication line, like the centralized control type karaoke apparatus 1 of this embodiment. Updating the program file for the slave unit together with the updating operation of the program file for the central controller L and storing it in the program storage unit 14b, the program file for the central controller L and the karaoke terminal device are updated. It is possible to prevent a time lag from occurring in updating the slave unit program file in C.

The central control type karaoke apparatus 1 of this embodiment is
Although the above-described operation and effects are exhibited by the above-described configuration, in the centralized control type karaoke device 1, the central control device L
Is the master of the present invention, the karaoke terminal device C is the slave of the present invention, the program storage unit 14b of the hard disk 14 is the master storage of the present invention, and the RAM 36c is the slave storage of the present invention. Applicable Further, the microcomputer 12 of the central control unit L functions as the file transfer means, the startup file transfer means, and the master side version data output means of the present invention, and the karaoke terminal device C.
The controller 36 of 1 functions as the matching means, the file transfer means, the file transfer means at startup, and the request means of the present invention.

The centralized control type karaoke apparatus 1 of the embodiment
In the above, each karaoke terminal device C transmits the version of the slave unit program file stored therein to the central control unit L, and the version of the slave unit program file transmitted by the central control unit L side It is also possible to compare the stored version of the program file for the child device and, if the two do not match, send the program file for the child device stored by itself to the karaoke terminal device C. By doing so, it is not necessary to provide a means (verification means) for version verification in each karaoke terminal device C, and the overall configuration can be simplified.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0061]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when updating the program on the master unit side in the centralized management type information processing apparatus by updating the version, etc., the version is updated to match the program on the master unit side. If the updated program file for the slave unit is stored in the storage unit on the master unit side, it is not necessary to manually update the program on the slave unit side every time the program is updated on the master unit side. Therefore, the time lag between the update of the program on the master side and the update of the program on the slave side is avoided. Therefore, the update of the program on the master side can be reflected on the slave side easily without delay.

According to the centralized control type information processing apparatus of the second aspect, the non-volatile memory (hard disk, R
OM etc.) capacity can be saved. According to the centralized management type information processing apparatus of claim 3, since the slave unit program file is transmitted from the master unit in response to a request from the slave unit, for example, when the slave unit is not ready to accept the program file. Nevertheless, the inconvenience of transmitting the slave unit program file from the master unit is avoided, and the slave unit program file can be downloaded more reliably.

According to the centralized control type information processing apparatus of claim 4, for example, when the slave unit is activated but not used for actual processing, the collation work is performed according to the operating state of the slave unit. It becomes possible to do. According to the centralized management type information processing apparatus described in claim 5, the collating means may be provided only in the parent machine, and the entire configuration can be simplified.

According to the centralized management type information processing apparatus of claim 6, in the centralized management type karaoke apparatus including the karaoke master unit and the karaoke slave unit, the update of the program on the master unit side is reflected on the slave unit side without delay. To be done. Moreover, by having the structure described in claims 2 to 5, the operation as described above is performed.

In particular, in the centralized management type karaoke apparatus, the update of the program of the master unit by communication from the host is usually performed at midnight when the centralized management type karaoke apparatus is not in business.
Since the operation is performed in the early morning, the configuration according to claim 2 causes virtually no time lag between the update of the program on the master side and the update of the program on the slave side.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an entire centralized control type karaoke apparatus of an embodiment and a structure of a central control unit.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of a disc player included in a central control unit of the centralized control type karaoke apparatus of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a structure of a karaoke terminal device of the centralized control type karaoke device of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a start-up file reception process executed by the karaoke terminal device of the centralized management type karaoke device of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a file reception subroutine executed by the karaoke terminal device of the centralized control type karaoke device of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an in-operation file reception process executed by the karaoke terminal device of the centralized control type karaoke device of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a file transmission process executed by the central control device of the centralized control type karaoke device of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Centralized management type karaoke device (centralized management type information processing device), 12 ... Microcomputer (file transfer means, file transfer means at startup, base unit side version data output means), 14 ... Hard disk ( Base unit storage unit), 14b ... Program storage unit (base unit storage unit), 36 ... Controller (verification unit, file transfer unit, startup file transfer unit, request unit), C.
..Karaoke terminal device (child device), L ... Central control device (parent device).

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A centralized management type information processing apparatus comprising: a master unit that outputs data; and a slave unit that executes processing based on the data output from the master unit. Master unit side storage means for storing a program file, slave unit side storage unit provided in the slave unit for storing the slave unit program file, and the slave unit program stored in the master unit side storage unit Collating means for collating a file version with a version of the slave unit program file stored in the slave unit side storage unit; and a version of the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit And the version of the slave unit program file stored in the slave unit-side storage unit are different from each other, the slave unit program stored in the master unit-side storage unit is different. Centralized information processing apparatus is characterized by providing a file transfer unit for downloading the file to the slave unit side storage unit. 2. A start-up file transfer means for downloading the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit to the slave unit side storage unit when the slave unit is activated. The centralized management type information processing device according to claim 1. 3. A version of the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit and a version of the slave unit program file stored in the slave unit side storage unit. When the file transfer means is different, the request means for requesting the download is provided, and the file transfer means stores the program file for the slave unit stored in the master side storage means after the request by the request means. 3. The centralized management type information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the central management information processing apparatus is configured to download to the storage device side storage means. 4. The master unit side version data output for providing the collating unit with the slave unit, and outputting to the collating unit the version data regarding the version of the slave unit program file stored in the master unit side storage unit. 4. The centralized management type information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein means is provided in the master unit. 5. A slave unit version data output for providing the collating unit to the master unit, and outputting to the collating unit version data relating to the version of the slave unit program file stored in the slave unit storage unit. The centralized management type information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein means is provided in the slave unit. 6. The master unit is a karaoke master unit which outputs musical sound data, and the slave unit is a karaoke slave unit which outputs music based on the musical sound data output from the karaoke master unit. The centralized management type information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.