JPH1195761A - Karaoke machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a KARAOKE machine which is capable of realizing a song battle game by widening the music selection range of KARAOKE musical pieces to be randomly played. SOLUTION: A system control section 7 displays a random music selection mode on a display section 13 and waits for the input of the retrieval data on musical piece data, genre data, singer name data, singer distinction-of-sex data and hit generation data when the random music selection mode is set. When an operator inputs the desired retrieval data necessary for the random music selection, the system control section 7 retrieves classification data from the genre data of the inputted retrieval data, randomly selects the musical pieces from the matched KARAOKE musical pieces and stores the same into a playing music information storage section 15 to immediately start playing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a karaoke apparatus, and more particularly, to a karaoke apparatus configured to select and play a specified karaoke piece from a plurality of stored karaoke pieces.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a karaoke apparatus of this kind,
It is known that when a singer's name is input, one karaoke song randomly selected from the singers' songs is played (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-14692). In addition, it is described that, even if only the singer's name is specified, it is unclear which tune will be played, so that the pleasure of tune selection is increased.

[0003]

However, in the conventional karaoke apparatus, only the input singer name is used.
The singer's songs are only selected at random from karaoke songs to be played, so the selection range is very narrow and the songs to be played are roughly expected, so it is possible to create unexpectedness in the selection of songs Did not. As a result, the conventional karaoke apparatus cannot realize a singing battle game in which a plurality of members using karaoke compete with each other for the number of singable songs among karaoke songs played at random.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and a karaoke apparatus capable of realizing the above-mentioned singing battle game by expanding a selection range of karaoke music played at random. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a karaoke apparatus for selecting and playing a specified karaoke song from a plurality of stored karaoke songs. In the karaoke apparatus configured as described above, a desired number of classification data storage means for storing a plurality of classification data for classifying karaoke music in association with the karaoke music and search data for searching for karaoke music are input. Search data input means, and a plurality of classification data stored in the classification data storage means based on a desired number of search data input by the search data input means, and a plurality of karaoke songs matching the search data Karaoke music to be played is randomly specified from a plurality of karaoke music identified by the music identification means. That is characterized by comprising a track designation means.

The karaoke apparatus of the present invention according to claim 2 is
2. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the music designating means randomly designates a karaoke music piece to be played next, excluding the karaoke music piece that has been played out of the plurality of karaoke music pieces identified by the music piece identification means. It is characterized by the following.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First, the following terms are defined. The karaoke data is composed of font data and karaoke music data (defined below) necessary for displaying a lyric image of the karaoke music. The karaoke music data is data necessary for displaying a lyric image corresponding to the accompaniment of the karaoke music and the progress thereof, and includes karaoke accompaniment data, lyrics data, back chorus data, and the like.

[0008] Karaoke accompaniment data is data necessary for accompaniment of a karaoke song, for example, MID
I (Musical Instrument Digi)
(Tal Interface) standard, and the like. The lyrics data is data necessary to display, change colors, delete, etc. lyrics images corresponding to the progress of the accompaniment of the karaoke music.

The back chorus data is data necessary for performing a back chorus performance corresponding to the progress of accompaniment of a karaoke song, and is, for example, an MPEG (Movin).
It is composed of audio data coded based on the gPicture Element Group standard. The random music selection mode refers to searching for a plurality of classification data stored in the classification data storage means based on a desired number of search data input, and selecting a karaoke music piece to be played from a plurality of karaoke music pieces matching the search data. Is a mode in which the performance is specified at random.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a karaoke apparatus according to the present invention, and shows a basic configuration when applied to a communication karaoke system. Further, the karaoke apparatus 1 according to the present invention is shown in the outer broken line in FIG. Reference numeral 17 denotes a host computer which automatically connects to each karaoke apparatus via a telephone line and distributes karaoke music data to the karaoke apparatus 1 and other karaoke apparatuses (not shown).

Reference numeral 7 denotes a system control unit, which is composed of a microprocessor or the like for controlling the entire karaoke apparatus 1, and controls various input / output devices, manages memory, performs data processing, and the like. Further, in the case of the random song selection mode, the system control unit 7 identifies a plurality of karaoke songs matching the search data and randomly designates the karaoke songs to be played.

An operation unit 12 includes various keys, switches, and a remote controller (not shown) for setting various states of the karaoke apparatus 1. In particular, a desired number of search data for searching for karaoke songs can be input from the operation unit 12. Reference numeral 13 denotes a display unit, which includes an LCD, an LED, and the like for displaying information necessary for setting various states of the karaoke apparatus 1 to an operator.

A modem 5 exchanges data with the host computer 17 via an analog communication line such as a telephone line, and converts karaoke music data transmitted from the host computer 17 into digital signals. Reference numeral 6 denotes an auxiliary storage device, which is mainly composed of a rewritable storage medium such as a hard disk and a CD-ROM and a read-only storage medium, and includes an operating system (hereinafter referred to as “OS”), various control programs, and karaoke music data. And font data. The karaoke music data is distributed on a read-only storage medium such as a CD-ROM, and is taken in by the modem 5 under the control of the system control unit 7 and stored in the hard disk of the auxiliary storage device 6. Note that the auxiliary storage device 6 may be configured by a DVD-ROM, a DVD-RAM, or the like.

The management information storage unit (not shown) of the auxiliary storage device 6 stores a hard disk and a CD.
-Information necessary for managing the karaoke music data distributed by the ROM is stored as a karaoke music management table, and the karaoke music management table stores, for each music, a music number, classification data, a music version, The stored date (year, month, day) and information indicating the number of music selections after the storage are stored. By transmitting the information stored in the management information storage unit to the host computer 17, the system control unit 7 can notify the host computer 17 of the information of the karaoke music stored in the karaoke apparatus 1.

Usually, the karaoke music data is stored in a compressed state in order to minimize the storage capacity of the auxiliary storage device 6. The karaoke music data is not only taken in at the request of the user of the karaoke device 1, but is also taken automatically in a time zone when the karaoke device 1 is used less frequently, such as at night. 14
Is a main storage device, which is generally configured by a storage medium such as a semiconductor memory that can be rewritten and accessed at high speed, and under the control of the system control unit 7, an OS read from the auxiliary storage device 6, It stores a control program, reading performance, karaoke music data and font data in a decompressed state.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a music piece information storage unit, which is generally constituted by a rewritable and high-speed accessible storage medium such as a semiconductor memory. In the case of the selected karaoke music or the random music selection mode, information for specifying a karaoke music randomly selected within a predetermined search range is stored.

Reference numeral 2 denotes an external video reproducing apparatus, which is widely used for VTRs, video CD players, LD players,
Recently, MPEG players and DVDs (Digit
The video signal is reproduced and output from video data recorded on a video tape or various discs as a recording medium under the control of the system control unit 7.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a superimpose unit, to which font data and color change information stored in the main storage unit 14 are supplied by the system control unit 7. Further, the superimposing unit 9 adds a background video signal supplied from the external video reproducing device 2 according to an instruction of the system control unit 7,
The lyric image created based on the supplied font data and color change information is synthesized and output to an image display unit 3 described later.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a video display unit, which is a display device capable of simultaneously displaying a plurality of videos such as a wide TV and a monitor TV, which are widely used recently, in a plurality of windows. The video display unit 3 includes a plurality of video display devices 1 to N, and each video display device simultaneously displays a video based on a video signal input from the superimposition unit 9.

Reference numeral 8 denotes a MIDI sound source section, which is supplied with MIDI data in the karaoke music data stored in the main storage device 14 by the system control section 7;
The I data is output as a performance music signal by the function of the electronic musical instrument. Reference numeral 10 denotes a mixer / amplifier unit,
By synthesizing and amplifying the performance music signal output from the sound source section 8 and the signal of the singer's singing voice captured by the microphone 4 and outputting the synthesized music signal to the speaker 11, the performance music and the singing voice of the singer are reproduced as audible sounds. .

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the classification data in the karaoke music management table. The karaoke music management table is composed of music number, classification data, music version, stored date (year, month, day) and information indicating the number of music selections after storage for each karaoke music. Only related classification data will be described. The classification data includes song name data, genre data, singer name data, singer gender data, and hit date data corresponding to the karaoke song. However, this is only an example,
By adding other data such as composer data, lyricist data, music production date data, and country name data, the music classification can be expanded.

The song name data is data indicating a song name corresponding to the karaoke song, and is, for example, data such as “Yosaku” or “Rain of the Rain”. The genre data is data indicating a genre including a karaoke song, and is, for example, data such as “enka”, “pops”, and “anime”. The singer name data is data indicating a singer singing a karaoke song, for example, “Kitajima Suro”, “Yatsushiro A”
, "Tanimura S," and "Matsutoya Umi". However, if the singer is not well known, it may not be registered.

The singer gender data is data indicating the gender of the singer singing the karaoke song, and is data such as "male" and "female". However, if the singer is not well known, it may not be registered. The hit age data is data indicating the age at which the karaoke song was hit, and is, for example, year data such as "1975". However, if the date of the hit is not well known, it may not be registered.

Next, the operation of the karaoke apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above will be described in detail. When the operator turns on the power of the karaoke device 1, the system control unit 7 automatically downloads the OS stored in the auxiliary storage device 6 to the main storage device 14, performs various initial settings, and then waits for performance. Waits for an input from the operation unit 12.

In the case of normal song selection reservation, the operator operates the remote control included in the operation unit 12 while inputting the number of the song desired to be played, while looking at the information displayed on the display unit 13. In this case, the music selection is performed, but the description of the normal music selection reservation is omitted because it is not directly related to the present invention. The operator
When the user selects the random music selection mode by operating the remote control included in the operation unit 12 while watching the information displayed on the display unit 13, the system control unit 7 displays the random music selection mode on the display unit 13, It waits for search data input of song name data, genre data, singer name data, singer gender data, and hit date data in the classification data.

The operator operates the remote controller to input desired search data required for random music selection in the classification data. For example, in the case of song name data, inputting "rain" and "river" will give an instruction to search for karaoke songs that include "rain" or "river" in the song name data.
In the case of genre data, "enka" and "pops"
Is input, the genre data is an instruction to search for karaoke songs of "enka" or "pops". In the case of singer name data, inputting "Kitajima" will give an instruction to search for karaoke songs that include "Kitajima" in the singer name data. For singer gender data, enter "male"
The singer's gender data is an instruction to search for a karaoke song of “male”. In the case of hit age data, inputting "1970s" will change the hit age data from 1970 to 1
This is an instruction to search for the karaoke tune of 979.

When the operator finishes inputting desired search data required for random song selection (hereinafter, genre data is assumed to be "enka" and hit age data is assumed to be "1970s"), the remote controller Is operated to issue a search data input end instruction. When the system control unit 7 detects the end of the input of the search data, the genre data of the input search data is “enka” and the hit age data is “19”.
The genre data of the classification data is “enka” and the hit date data is “1970 to 1970”.
79, and in the case of FIG. 2, it is determined that the two songs "Yosaku" and "Rain of the Rain" match the search data, and randomly selected from them. (In the following, it is assumed that “rainy affection” is selected after “given work”) and stored in the music piece information storage unit 15. However, in this embodiment, only two karaoke songs match, but actually, a large number of karaoke songs match and a random song is selected from among them. Or it is difficult to predict.

Normally, the system control section 7 reproduces the performance tune in accordance with the registration order of the tune number data stored in the performance tune information storage section 15. Suppose that is also not registered. The system control unit 7 constantly searches the music piece information storage unit 15 and determines whether there is a music piece to be reproduced. Since the music number data is registered in the order of, the operation immediately proceeds to the operation of reproducing the performance music "Yakusaku".

The system control section 7 stores the performance music information storage section 1
5 based on the music number data stored in the auxiliary storage device 6
Searches for karaoke music data corresponding to the music number from the karaoke music data stored by, and decompresses the stored karaoke music data into karaoke accompaniment data, lyrics data and back chorus data. Once stored in the auxiliary storage device 6, the main storage device 14
Only the data necessary for the performance is transferred and stored.

Next, the system control section 7 executes MIDI based on the karaoke accompaniment data and the back chorus data.
By controlling the sound source section 8, a performance signal required for playing the music is reproduced, and the performance signal is reproduced by the mixer / amplifier section 10.
Output to Then, the mixer / amplifier section 10 reproduces the performance music and the singing voice as audible sound by synthesizing the performance signal and the singer's voice signal input from the microphone 4 and outputting to the speaker 11.

The system control section 7 controls the external video reproducing apparatus 2 based on the genre data of the music piece, and superimposes a background image according to the music genre on the superimposing section 9.
, And outputs the lyrics image to the superimposing unit 9, the superimposing unit 9 combines the background image and the character image and outputs the synthesized image to the image display device 3. Further, during the performance of the karaoke music piece “Yakusaku”, the system control unit 7 stores the karaoke music piece data of the “rainy yearning” to be performed next in the main storage device 14 and continues the performance of the karaoke music piece.

[0032]

As described above, according to the karaoke apparatus according to the present invention, the operator can input desired search data to arbitrarily widen the selection range of karaoke music to be played at random. Therefore, it is difficult to predict the tune to be performed, and it is possible to cause unexpectedness of the tune selection. As a result, it is possible to realize a song battle game in which a plurality of members who use karaoke compete for the number of singable songs among karaoke songs played at random.

If a karaoke apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a communication function and installed in each room of a karaoke box, a singing battle game between strangers can be played between the rooms. Since it is expected to increase, large economic effects can be expected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a karaoke apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing classification data in a karaoke music management table.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 karaoke device 2 external video playback device 3 video display unit 5 modem 6 auxiliary storage device 7 system control unit 8 MIDI sound source unit 9 superimpose unit 10 mixer / amplifier unit 12 operation unit 13 display unit 14 main storage device 15 performance music information Storage unit 17 Host computer

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A karaoke apparatus configured to select and play a designated karaoke song from a plurality of karaoke songs to be stored, wherein a plurality of classification data for classifying the karaoke songs correspond to the karaoke songs. Classification data storage means for additionally storing the search data; search data input means for inputting a desired number of search data for searching for karaoke songs; based on the desired number of search data input by the search data input means; A music identification means for searching a plurality of classification data stored by the classification data storage means and identifying a plurality of karaoke music pieces matching the search data; and a karaoke to play from among the plurality of karaoke music pieces identified by the music identification means. A karaoke apparatus characterized by comprising: music designating means for randomly designating music. 2. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the music designating means excludes the karaoke music piece whose performance has ended from among the plurality of karaoke music pieces identified by the music identification means, and performs the next karaoke music piece. A karaoke device characterized by randomly specifying