JPH10222178A - Request system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a user to perform a request operation easily and surely based on a request history by preparing as the request history with a history preparing means the user's request accepted by an accepting means. SOLUTION: An audio response equipment 20 accepts an audience's request from a subscriber's telephone 50 through a public telephone line 40, and responds with information concerning the broadcast schedule of a recorded instrumental accompaniment applicable to the request as voice information. A host computer 11 prepares the history of the request, on the basis of identification information such as an ID possessed by each audience, from each audience's request accepted by the audio response equipment 20, and store the history in an external storage device 12. The audio response equipment, on the possibility of repeated request for a previously requested piece of music, gives notice to the audience by responding to the subscriber's telephone 50 with the request history prepared by the host computer 11 also as voice information.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a request system capable of requesting service information and desired information including, for example, music information such as karaoke information and video information such as movie information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a karaoke request system using CATV, people who can request karaoke music are registered as members. In order for such a member to request a karaoke song in the system, the member must first make a call to a karaoke request receiving device in the CATV broadcasting center. Then, the karaoke request receiving device automatically receives the telephone call from the member. Then, the member who made the call searches for the song number of the karaoke song to be requested from the song book of the so-called karaoke song, and announces (request guidance) transmitted from the center.
Dial the song number.

[0003] Thereafter, a karaoke request device on the side of the CATV broadcast center determines the presence or absence of the requested song, and if the song exists in the storage device of the device, determines that the song can be played and accepts the request, , And the requested music is reproduced and broadcasted in a predetermined request program.

[0004]

However, in the request system as described above, for example, if the same member wants to broadcast the same karaoke song as the previously requested karaoke song again and wants to request it again, You have to dial the song number again, just as you did. At this time, the member had to remember the song number of the previously requested karaoke song, otherwise, the member had to look up the song number again in the songbook, and it was troublesome to make a request. Further, even if the member remembers the song number of the karaoke song, the user has to dial the same song number as in the previous operation as a request operation, which is troublesome.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and has as its object to provide a request system capable of acquiring desired information by more easily inputting a request.

[0006]

In order to achieve this object, a request system according to claim 1 is a request system for providing desired information in response to a user's request, and receiving the request. It is characterized by comprising receiving means, history creating means for creating a history of the requests accepted by the accepting means, and history notifying means for notifying the request history created by the history creating means.

[0007] The request system of the present invention can obtain desired information in response to a request. In addition to this basic function, the receiving means receives a request, the history creating means creates a history of the request accepted by the accepting means, and the history notifying means uses the request history created by the history creating means for the user. Notify etc.

[0008] Therefore, once the history creating means creates the request from the user accepted by the accepting means as the request history, the history notifying means is used when the user requests the information requested previously. Notifies the user etc. of the history of requests made in the past.

Therefore, the user can more easily and reliably perform the request operation based on the notified request history.

That is, the user does not perform a normal request operation, but operates in a simpler manner, so that an information provision control means such as a central control device for controlling the entire request system can provide the history information. Since control is performed so as to provide information corresponding to the user's request from the request history created by the creating means, the user must step on the first request when trying to request the same content again. It is not necessary to follow the same procedure as when it had to be done, and it is possible to save the trouble of operating the request.

That is, the user can easily obtain desired information by inputting a request more easily.

In this case, even if the user of the request system remembers that he / she made a request in the past, the user of the request system can obtain an accurate history of the past request such as, for example, whether the request was made last time or was made twice before. Often do not remember.

For this reason, it is very effective that the history notifying means notifies the user or the like of the request history.

The request history may not be a user's own past request history, but may be, for example, a request history of the same generation as the user or a request history of the same region. If the history notifying means can notify such a request history, the user can recognize, for example, what kind of information is requested in each generation or region and easily request the information. Can be done.

[0015] In such a request system, the information providing side often limits the users who can make a request, for example, by membership. In addition, the user not only makes a request for desired information from a past request history made by the user himself, but also, for example, makes a desired request from a request history made by another person having a certain relationship with the user. It is possible to do it.

Accordingly, a request system according to a second aspect is the request system according to the first aspect, wherein the history creating means creates a history of the request based on the identification information of the user. And

Therefore, since the history of the request created by the history creating means is managed based on the identification information of the user, each of the users registers their own identification information, for example, at the center side. It can access its own request history and make a request based on it based on the matching procedure with the identification information.

Also, the request history of another user can be accessed through a procedure based on the above-described identification information collating procedure, and in that case, the other user can be accessed. Can also be recognized.

In the service provided in the request system having such a configuration, various contents can be considered. For example, as described in claim 3, the information provided in response to the request is a request information which is musical sound information. There is a system. The music information in this case may be, for example, karaoke information, MTV, or the like.

Therefore, in the case of a request system capable of providing karaoke information, for example, a user recognizes a request number assigned to each karaoke song that can be provided by looking at a song book, and, for example, by telephone. When a dial input or an input is made in an input format by a remote control device, the accepting unit accepts the request, and the history creating unit creates a history of the request accepted by the accepting unit. Therefore, if the user later requests the same karaoke song again as the previously requested karaoke song, the requested karaoke song has already been created as the request history by the history creating unit, so the history notifying unit Notifies the user of the created history. Therefore, the user can more easily input a request based on the notification made by the history notifying means, and the information provision control means can use the request created by the history creating means based on the simple request. Control to provide karaoke information from the history.

Therefore, the user is not required to perform an operation procedure such as re-entering the first request number. For example, for each requested song in the request history created by the history creating means, a song book Rather than inputting a simple number (in this case, a simple number such as one digit instead of a five-digit number in a songbook) or a history order etc. A desired karaoke song can be requested again by an easy operation method.

In this case, the content created as the request history may be the title of a karaoke song. Since the karaoke information is composed of a karaoke performance song, a lyrics telop and a background image, The history may be configured so that each component of the karaoke information can be recognized. Therefore,
For example, when a user has a favorite video during a karaoke performance, the user may want to view the video again and may be provided with the video by an easy request operation.

In the case where video information such as a movie can be provided by the request system, some of the users may want to re-watch the movie which has been watched by the previous request. .

Therefore, a request system according to a fourth aspect is the request system according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the information provided in response to the request is video information. Features. Here, the image information may be an image such as the above-mentioned movie information, local sightseeing information, or a TV program.

Therefore, the history notifying means notifies the history of the past request from the request history of the movie information created by the history creating means, so that the user can provide the movie information based on the notice. Since the control is performed, the user can enjoy the desired movie again by a simpler operation method as in the case of providing the karaoke information described above.

[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a request system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a request system 1 capable of providing karaoke information in response to a request in this embodiment.
It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of 00. As shown in FIG. 1, the request system 100 is configured by connecting a broadcast center 10 which is a provider of karaoke information and a subscriber telephone set 50 for a user to request via a public telephone line 40. I have.

The broadcast center 10 includes the host computer 1
The host computer 11 operates based on the first command, and also functions as history creating means in the present invention. In addition, the host computer 11 also has a function of controlling to provide the requested information from a request history described later in response to a request from a viewer. The host computer 11 includes a voice response device 20 serving as a reception unit and a history notification unit according to the present invention, an external storage device 12 that stores karaoke song data, request history data created for each user ID, and the like. For example, a display device 13 that can display a user's request status, request history information, and the like, and a karaoke reproducing device 14 that performs karaoke performance are connected.

Broadcasting means 16 for broadcasting the karaoke information reproduced by the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14 to each viewer who is a user of the request system 100 is connected to the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14. .

The function of each component in the broadcasting center 10 having the above configuration will be described.

First, the voice response apparatus 20 receives a viewer request from the subscriber's telephone 50 via the public telephone line 40, and further responds to the request with information on a scheduled karaoke song broadcast start as voice information. I do. In addition, it has the following functions.

That is, when the viewer makes a request from the subscriber telephone set 50, the request history of the karaoke music created by the host computer 11, which will be described later, is also recorded as audio information in consideration of requesting the previously requested music again. By responding to the subscriber telephone 50,
It informs the viewer. Thus, when the viewer requests the previously requested karaoke song again, he / she listens to the request history of the karaoke song notified from the voice response device 20 so as to bother checking the song number from the song book and making the request. It is possible to save the trouble of performing the operation. The specific request operation will be described later.

The host computer 11 creates a history of requests received from the voice response device 20 from each viewer based on identification information such as an ID possessed by each viewer. To store the history. When the request history that has already been created is stored in the external storage device 12, the host computer 11 additionally writes the request from the viewer to the request history of the corresponding ID.

The host computer 11 reads the karaoke song data from the external storage device 12, sends the karaoke song data to the karaoke reproducing device 14, and executes the karaoke performance.

Broadcasting means 16 connected to the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14 modulates karaoke music data composed of background video and audio reproduced by the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14,
The data is transmitted to receiving equipment such as a television receiver installed on the viewer side.

The broadcasting center 10 and the receiving equipment on the viewer side may be connected by a cable, for example, as in a CATV system, or may be wireless, as in a normal broadcasting system.

As described above, the external storage device 12 stores a large amount of karaoke song data of, for example, 10,000 songs or more, and a history of karaoke requests made by viewers for each identification information such as viewer ID. .

The display device 13 displays various information for the operator at the broadcast center to confirm, in addition to the above-described viewer request status and request history information.
As a result, the display device 13 becomes a history notification unit, similarly to the voice response device 20.

Next, the flow of signals centering on the host computer 11 will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the host computer 1
1 is a CPU 11a that controls the host computer 11.
And a CPU for storing an operation program of the CPU 11a
And a memory 11b.

Then, the voice response device 20 exchanges control signals with the CPU 11a of the host computer 11.
Therefore, the CPU 11a controls the voice response device 20 to control the incoming call of the public telephone line 40 (see FIG. 1), and to control the transmission of the voice message in the device 20 after the call is received (selection from a plurality of messages). I do.

The voice response device 20 sends the request code and the dial pulse of the viewer ID received through the public telephone line 40 to the CPU 11a of the host computer 11 as numerical information. Then, the numerical information is stored in the CPU memory 11b in the host computer 11 by the CPU 11a. The CPU 11a
Numerical information composed of the above-mentioned request code and user ID code stored in the CPU memory 11b is read, and the corresponding location of the ID code and the request code in the request history table 12a stored in the external storage device 12 The number of requests is incremented.

The CPU 11a reads the request history table 12a corresponding to the code stored in the external storage device 12 based on the viewer ID code.
The message is transmitted to the voice response device 20.

The CPU 11a exchanges control signals and data signals with the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14 and transmits the karaoke music data read from the external storage device 12 to the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14.

Since the background video data of the karaoke music data has a huge data amount, the CPU 11a
May transmit only the request code and the performance data to the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14, and the karaoke reproducing apparatus 14 may execute the karaoke music by synchronizing the reproduction of the background video with the reproduction of the music. In addition, the karaoke playback device 14
The playback status is returned to the CPU 11a. This allows
The CPU 11a can determine the playback timing of the karaoke song to be played next.

Next, the operation of the request system capable of providing karaoke information having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the present request system, the time zone in which the viewer can make a request (the request can be accepted) can be set, for example, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm in one day. is there. Therefore, the CPU 11a in the host computer 11
First, it is determined whether or not it is within the reception period of the karaoke request from the viewer (S1). If it is outside the receiving period (S1: N), the request receiving process is terminated as it is.

On the other hand, if it is within the reception period of the karaoke request (S1: Y), the CPU 11a
At S2, it is determined whether there is an incoming call from the subscriber telephone set 50 (S2). When it is determined that there is an incoming call (S2: Y), the process proceeds to an ID input subroutine (S3).

Here, regarding the ID input subroutine,
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The CPU 11a causes the voice response device 20 to transmit a voice response message, for example, "Please enter your subscriber number", and urges the viewer to enter a subscriber number.

Then, the viewer inputs a subscriber number, and the voice response apparatus 20 receives a dial pulse indicating the subscriber number transmitted from the subscriber telephone set 50, and further receives a CP.
When U11a receives the dial pulse from the voice response device 20 (S31), it determines whether the subscriber number represented by the dial pulse exists in the subscriber database registered in advance in the external storage device 12. To see if the subscriber number entered by the viewer is valid (S32). As a result, if the corresponding subscriber ID exists (S32: input completed), the process returns to the main routine and shifts to S4.

On the other hand, if there is no subscriber ID entered in the subscriber database (S32: no applicable person), for example, a voice message "Please re-enter subscriber number" is sent to voice response device 20. Then, the process returns to S31 and waits for entry of the subscriber number. Even if the number of re-entries exceeds a predetermined number set in advance, the corresponding subscriber ID
Does not exist (S32: input error), the reception of the request is stopped (S33), and S in the main routine is stopped.
Return to 1.

Next, a password input subroutine in S4 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 as a next operation in which a corresponding subscriber ID exists.

After confirming the existence of the subscriber ID, the CPU 11a
Causes the voice response device 20 to transmit a voice response message, for example, "Please enter a password", and prompts the viewer to input a password.

Then, the viewer inputs a password, the voice response apparatus 20 receives a dial pulse or tone signal representing the password transmitted from the subscriber telephone set 50, and further, the CPU 11a The transmitted dial pulse or tone signal is transmitted to the voice response device 2
0 (S41), it is checked whether or not the password corresponds to a previously registered subscriber ID by referring to a subscriber database in the external storage device 12 (S4).
2).

As a result, when the password matches the subscriber ID registered in advance (S42: input completed), the process returns to the main routine and shifts to S5.

On the other hand, if the subscriber ID does not match the entered password (S42: password error), for example, a voice message saying "Please re-enter the password" is sent to the voice response device 20, and the process returns to S41. return,
You will be prompted for a password. If the password does not match the subscriber ID even if the number of re-entries exceeds a predetermined number set in advance (S42: input error), acceptance of the request is stopped (S43), and the process proceeds to S1 in the main routine. Return.

Next, as an operation after the password coincides with the subscriber ID, a music selection number input subroutine in S5 will be described with reference to FIG.

After the password and the subscriber ID match, C
The PU 11a is stored in the external storage device 12,
For example, the karaoke request history table 12a as shown in FIG. 7 is searched (S51), and it is determined whether there is a past request history of the subscriber (S52). According to the karaoke request history table shown in FIG. 7, the viewer of the subscriber code "12345"
Minutes, 19:03 and 20: 5, the request code “02
007 "," 03551 "and" 01237 "are requested.

As a result of the search of the karaoke request history table 12a, if there is a past request history corresponding to the subscriber ID (S52: YES), the CPU 11a reads the request history table and stores the request history.
For example, "The song you requested before is the song name ○ (request code 01237) one song before, the song title △△ (request code 03551) two songs before, and the song title □□ (request code 02007) three songs before. If you want to request them again, press # for 1
(Corresponds to request code 0127), 2 (corresponds to request code 03551), 3 (request code 02
007). Is transmitted to the subscriber telephone 50 by the voice response device 20 as a voice message such as "", and guidance of the request history is performed (S56). Then, the CPU 11a waits for a numeric input from the viewer (S57).

The karaoke request table 12a
May be set to be limited to, for example, a predetermined period, or to be limited to a predetermined number of pieces of music.

For example, the history stored in the request history table 12a may be automatically deleted from the table 12a when, for example, 48 hours have elapsed.

Then, for example, if the viewer wishes to re-request the requested song that he / she requested one song before, and dials in the number “1”, the CPU 11a
Detects the input, refers to the karaoke request history table 12a, and responds to the corresponding request code “012”.
37 "is read, and a music selection number is obtained (S58). Then, the CPU 11a further sends a voice message to the voice response device 20 to the subscriber telephone 50, for example, "The requested song is XX. Press # if you like. Please press * if you make a mistake." To confirm the viewer's request input (S5).
9).

When it is detected that "1" has been input by the viewer (S59: YES), the process returns to the main routine and shifts to S6.

On the other hand, when it is detected that "9" has been input by the viewer (S59: NO), the flow returns to S56 again to execute the request history guidance.

In S52, if there is no past request history corresponding to the subscriber ID in the karaoke request history table 12a (S52: NO), the voice response device 20
Then, for example, a voice message such as "Please input a song number." Is transmitted to the subscriber telephone set 50, and an input of a request number is awaited (S53).

Then, the CPU 11a checks whether or not the karaoke song data corresponding to the input request number exists in the external storage device 12 (S54), and if the karaoke song data corresponding to the number does not exist. Is (S5
4: music selection number error), and the process returns to step S53 to wait for music selection number input.

On the other hand, if the corresponding karaoke tune does not exist even if the tune selection number is repeatedly input a predetermined number of times (S54: input error), the reception of the request is stopped (S55), and S1 in the main routine is executed. Return to

Returning to the main routine, the CPU 11a
A request code corresponding to the request input by the viewer in S57 or S53 is recorded in the request history table 12a in the external storage device 12 (S
6). Alternatively, if the history table 12a has not been created, the history table 12a is created and then the table 12a is recorded. Then, the process returns to S1 again.

According to the request system of the present embodiment described above, when the viewer wants to request the karaoke song once requested again, it is not necessary to look up the song number of the requested song from the song book again, which is simpler. Requests can be made in a secure and reliable way.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the specific examples, the present invention is not limited to such specific examples, and it can be said that various implementations can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. Not even.

For example, in the present embodiment, the karaoke request system using CATV is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to a karaoke apparatus installed in a karaoke box or the like.

That is, the user can make a karaoke request using a remote controller or the like, and store request history information for each user in a karaoke apparatus or a center apparatus connected to the karaoke apparatus by communication means.
The object of the present invention can also be achieved by adopting a configuration in which the history information can be notified on a display screen or the like of the karaoke apparatus.

The present invention can be applied not only to the provision of the karaoke information described above but also to the provision of video information such as a movie. When the present invention is applied to a movie request system, a movie which has been watched before can be obtained. You can watch it again in a simpler way.

[0075]

As is apparent from the above description,
According to the request system of the first aspect, once the history creating unit creates a request from the user accepted by the accepting unit as a request history, the information previously requested by the user is again requested. In such a case, the history notifying means notifies the user of the request history made in the past.

Therefore, the user can easily and reliably perform the request operation based on the notified request history.

That is, when the user performs an operation in a simpler manner, instead of performing a normal request operation, the information provision control means such as a central control device for controlling the entire request system is used. Since control is performed so as to provide information corresponding to the user's request from the request history created by the creating means, the user must step on the first request when trying to request the same content again. It is not necessary to follow the same procedure as when it had to be done, and it is possible to save the trouble of operating the request.

Further, according to the request system of the second aspect, the history of the request created by the history creating means is managed based on the identification information of the user, so that each of the users has their own It is possible to access its own request history based on the collation procedure of the identification information with the identification information already registered on the center side, for example, and make a request based on it.

The request history of another user can also be accessed through a procedure based on the above-described identification information collation procedure, for example, by recognizing the interest of the other user. can do.

Further, according to the request system of the third aspect, the operation procedure of re-entering the first request number is omitted, and for example, each request in the request history created by the history creating means is completed. A simple number assigned to the song in place of the song number in the songbook (in this case, simple numbers such as one digit can be set instead of five digits in the songbook) or history A desired karaoke song can be requested again by an easier operation such as inputting an order or the like. In this case, the title of the karaoke song may be created in the request history, but the karaoke information is composed of the karaoke performance song, the lyrics telop and the background video. Karaoke information may be configured to be recognizable. Therefore, when a user has a favorite video, for example, the user may be provided with the video by an easy request operation.

Further, according to the request system of the fourth aspect, the information provision control means controls to provide the movie information requested in the past from the request history of the movie information created by the history creation means. For the user, as in the case of the provision of the karaoke information described above, the desired movie can be reproduced again by a simpler operation method.
You can appreciate it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram that embodies a request system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration related to a host computer.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a request process in the request system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating request processing in the request system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a request process in the request system of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a request process in the request system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a request history table in an external storage device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 host computer 12 external storage device 14 karaoke reproducing device 20 voice response device 50 subscriber telephone

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A request system for providing desired information in response to a user request, a receiving unit for receiving the request, a history generating unit for generating a history of the request received by the receiving unit, A request system comprising a history notifying unit for notifying a request history created by the unit. 2. The request system according to claim 1, wherein the history creating unit creates a history of the request based on user identification information. 3. The request system according to claim 1, wherein the information provided in response to the request is musical sound information. 4. The request system according to claim 1, wherein the information provided in response to the request is video information.