WO2001075860A1

WO2001075860A1 - Apparatus for communication data processing

Info

Publication number: WO2001075860A1
Application number: PCT/JP2000/002133
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kouji Furukawa
Original assignee: Video System Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2000-03-31
Filing date: 2000-03-31
Publication date: 2001-10-11
Also published as: AU2000234590A1

Abstract

A portable telephone connects first processing means of a processing device with a server in the Internet. The server transmits digital data that may be musical data such as Karaoke data, which are then recorded in a first memory of a cartridge through second processing means. The contents read from the first memory are stored in a second memory, which is a semiconductor memory attached detachably to cartridge means. The memory means can be removed from the cartridge means and detachably attached to, for example, a portable microphone device to enjoy Karaoke.

Description

WO 01/75860 _aa _ PCT / JP00 / 02133

Description Communication data processor

【Technical field】

The present invention relates to a communication data processing device capable of connecting digital data via a communication network such as a telephone network to a portable telephone device or the like and storing and downloading the digital data in a recording medium such as a nonvolatile memory.

[Background Art]

Recent home game consoles are configured to be connected to mobile phone devices, etc., to distribute the contents of game software from servers, and to be able to enjoy games with home game consoles of other companies connected to the telephone line. You. Such home video game consoles are becoming widespread. It would be advantageous if a home game machine connected to a communication network such as a public telephone line could be used not only for playing games but also for other purposes.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides: (a) a processing apparatus main body,

Display means;

Manually operated input means;

A first connector,

A processing device main body having a first processing means for performing digital data communication with a server connected to the communication network, performing an arithmetic processing operation in response to an output of the input means, and leading out to a first connector; ,

(b) cartridge means,

A second connector that can be connected to and disconnected from the first connector,

A third connector,

A first memory to which digital data can be written,

Writes digital data via the second connector to the first memory, or Cartridge means including a second processing means for reading out from the memory and deriving digital data to the third connector;

(c) a memory means,

A fourth connector that can be connected to and disconnected from the third connector,

And a memory means having a nonvolatile second memory to which digital data can be written from a fourth connector.

According to the present invention, for example, a processing device body, which is an existing home game machine, transmits digital data from a server via a communication network including a public telephone line such as a mobile phone device or a PHS (Personal Handy phone System) terminal device. The processing device body includes a display device and an input device such as a key switch, and the first processing device performs arithmetic processing in response to an output of the input device. The operation is performed, the digital data is led out to the first connector, and the digital data from the server and the digital data as a result of the arithmetic processing operation are displayed on the display means. The processing device body further includes a speaker. Alternatively, the loudspeaker can convert digital data into an analog sound and output the sound. The display means is realized by, for example, a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal panel.

A cartridge means can be detachably attached to the processing apparatus main body. The second connector of the cartridge main body can be connected to and disconnected from the first connector of the processing device main body, and the digital data via the second connector is transmitted to the first connector built in the power cartridge main body by the second processing means. The data stored in the first memory is written to or read from the first memory, and the digital data from the second processing means is derived from the third connector.

The fourth connector of the memory means is connected to and detachable from the third connector of the cartridge means. The second memory provided in the memory means is non-volatile, writable, for example, a semiconductor, such as a commercially available flash memory, such as EEPR0M (electrically writable, erasable read-only memory). It may be a memory, for example, what is known as smart media (product name). The memory means having such a second memory is referred to as a cartridge means. It is used in a playback device in which the second memory is mounted and the stored contents are read out and played back.

According to the present invention, the identification data is stored in the second memory,

When the identification data stored in the second memory is predetermined identification data, the second processing means writes the digital data into the second memory.

According to the present invention, the identification data indicating the owner of the memory means is stored in the second memory, and the second processing means of the cartridge means provides the identification data of the second memory to the processing device main body. The first processing means compares the identification data preset in the server with the identification data in the second memory, and when the identification data in the second memory matches the predetermined identification data in the server, the second processing means stores the digital data in the second memory. For example, a copyright fee can be charged.

Further, the invention is characterized in that the digital data includes music data, for example, karaoke music data and other music data, for example.

According to the present invention, the memory means is digital data including karaoke music data and image data representing the lyrics and background of the song, whereby the music information including the karaoke music data and the image data is stored. Content distribution can be performed smoothly.

The present invention also includes a playback device, which comprises:

A fifth connector which can be connected to and detached from the fourth connector of the memory means,

Means for reading and reproducing digital data from the second memory via the fourth and fifth connectors.

According to the present invention, the fourth connector of the memory means is connected to the fifth connector of a reproducing device such as a karaoke microphone device, and the digital data is read from the second memory. The image data can be converted to sound, and the image data can be visually displayed and reproduced by a home television receiver or a monitor display device.

Also, in the present invention, the server may further include: In response to a signal, a part of digital data serving as a sample of a predetermined data unit is transmitted.

Also, in the present invention, the server transmits a part of digital data which is a sample of a predetermined data unit in response to a transmission request signal via a communication network by an operation of an input unit, and then transmits the transmission request by an operation of the input unit. The digital data of the entire data unit thus transmitted is transmitted, and a billing operation is performed for each portable downloader.

According to the present invention, only sound data as music data or, in addition, digital data such as image data is transmitted from a server via a communication network such as a public telephone line, and stored in the second memory means. For example, the amount charged such as a royalty fee is charged so that it can be charged. In this way, digital data is written to the second memory realized by a relatively small-capacity semiconductor memory or the like, and the memory means including the second memory is detachably attached to a reproducing device such as a portable karaoke microphone device. In addition, processing operations such as karaoke can be performed. The present invention is not limited to karaoke and the like, but can be implemented in other wide applications.

[Brief description of the drawings]

The present invention, these and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description and drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a simplified overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view showing the processing apparatus main body 4 and a configuration related thereto.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing functions of the processing apparatus main body 4 in a simplified manner.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the processing apparatus main body 4.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the cartridge means 12.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of another cartridge means 21. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the memory means 14.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the memory means 14.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the memory means 14. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of transmitting data from the server 24 and writing to the first memory 34 of the first processing means 23.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a communication data processing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. The communication data processing device 1 of the present invention can be connected to a public or wired terminal by a portable communication terminal device such as a mobile phone device or a PHS terminal device or by a terminal device 2 such as a stationary telephone device in a building or the like. It is connected to telephone line 3 and can perform Internet communication. The terminal device 2 is connected to the processing device main body 4 via a detachable line 11.

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view showing the processing apparatus main body 4 and a configuration connected to it. The second connector CN 12 of the cartridge means 12 is connected to the first connector CN 11 of the processing apparatus main body 4 so as to be connectable and detachable. The cartridge means 12 is also provided with a third connector CN 13. The fourth connector CN 14 of the relatively small memory means 14 is connected to and detachable from the third connector CN 13. The first connector CN11 is detachably fitted into a recess on one side of the housing 15 of the processing apparatus body 4, and the first and second connectors CN11 and C12 are electrically connected. Is done. On one side of the housing 16 of the cartridge means 12, the above-mentioned second connector CN12 is formed, and on the other side, a recess of the third connector CN13 is formed. The memory means 14 is detachably fitted into the recess of the third connector CN 13, and thus the third and fourth connectors CN 13 and CN 14 are electrically connected. The memory means 14 may be, for example, a semiconductor memory such as EPROM which is commercially available as smart media (trade name).

The memory means 14 may be mounted on the playback device 15 and, for example, music information such as music data stored in the memory means 14 may be sounded by the sounding member 17 such as an earphone.

Instead of the memory means 14, as shown in FIG. 1, a dedicated memory means 18 for storing karaoke music data may be used. Such memory means 1 8 The connector CN14 is formed as described above. The memory means 18 is detachably attached to the cartridge means 12 in the same manner as described above, and the cartridge means 12 is detachably attached to the processing apparatus main body 4. The cartridge means 12 includes a reproducing means, and can reproduce the digital data from the processing apparatus main body 4 in analog form using a reproducing member such as a headphone 19.

In order to use the processing apparatus main body 4 as a consumer game machine, the cartridge means 21 is detachably mounted. The cartridge means 21 includes a second connector CN 12, and is connectable to and detachable from the first connector CN 11 of the processing apparatus main body 4. The content distribution of the game is distributed via the terminal device 2 and stored in the cartridge means 21.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing functions of the processing apparatus main body 4 in a simplified manner. As described above, the cartridge means 12 is detachably connected to the processing apparatus main body 4 so that digital data can be written to the memory means.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the processing apparatus main body 4. The terminal device 2 has a terminal connector 22 for connection via a line 11. This terminal connector 22 is connected to a first processing means 23 realized by a microcomputer or the like. A display means 24 such as a liquid crystal panel, a manually operated input means 25 such as a key switch, and a first connector CN 11 are connected to the first processing means 23 and a power source such as a battery. Power is supplied from 26. Further, a random access memory 27 for storing image data and a work random access memory 28 for arithmetic processing are connected to the first processing means 23, and a speaker 29 for sound output is provided. Connected. The first processing means 23 performs a digital data communication operation with a server connected to the communication network 3 and performs an arithmetic processing operation in response to an output of the input means 25. The first processing means 23 derives the digital data from the server and the digital data obtained by performing the arithmetic processing to the first connector CN 11 and receives the digital data.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the cartridge means 12. The housing 16 contains a second connector that can be disconnected from the first connector CN 11 mentioned above. C12 is provided, and a third connector CN13 connectable to the memory means 14 is provided. The second processing means 32 realized by a microcomputer or the like is a memory controller, which is connected to the second and third connectors CN 12 and CN 13, and further includes a read-only memory 33 and a first access which is a random access memory. Connected to memory 34 and controls their memory operation. The second processing means 32 writes the digital data via the second connector CN12 to the first memory 34, reads the stored contents from the first memory 34, reads the stored contents of the read-only memory 33, 3 connector CN 13, _t 6 to derive their digital data is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of another cartridge unit 21. The cartridge means 21 includes a read-only memory 36 storing a game program for a home-use game machine, for example, and this memory 36 is connected to the second connector C12. The first processing means 23 of the processing apparatus main body 4 (see FIG. 4 described above) reads out the stored contents of the memory 36, and can enjoy the game with the other party through the public telephone line 3 through the terminal device 2. .

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the memory means 14. Memory means 1

4 includes a fourth connector CN14 and a second memory 37 connected to the fourth connector CN14. The second memory 37 is a writable nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and may be realized by, for example, a NAND flash EEPROM. The digital data from the fourth connector CN 14 is written into the second memory 37, and the stored contents of the second memory 37 are derived from the fourth connector CN 14.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the memory means 14, and FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the memory means 14. A memory assembly 42 is fixed to an attachment recess 41 of a base member 39 similar to a credit card made of a synthetic resin material by an adhesive or the like. In the memory assembly 42, the fourth connector CN 14 and the second memory 37 are electrically connected by a bonding wire 43, and are integrally fixed by an assembly body 44 made of a synthetic resin material. The fourth connector CN 14 faces one flat surface (the upper surface in FIG. 9) of the memory means 14 and simplifies the configuration. The memory 37 can be used in a wide range of technical fields. The power from the power supply 36 of the processing unit main body 4 via the second connector CN 12 is supplied to the second processing means 3 2 and the memory 34 of the force cartridge means 1 2 via the first connector CN 11 1. It is supplied from and driven.

The cartridge means 12 is mounted on the processing apparatus main body 4, and the memory means 14 is mounted on the cartridge means 12. Music data, such as music data and image data, are downloaded to the first memory 34 through the Internet using the mobile phone device 2, and the digital data downloaded to the first memory 34 is further stored in the memory means 1. Write to the second memory 37 of 4. The memory means 14 is mounted on the reproducing apparatus 15 shown in FIG. 2, and the music data of the music information data is converted into sound and can be listened to by the earphone 17. This music information data may be karaoke music data. In the memory 33 of the cartridge means 12, a program for music reproduction by the music compression technology Tw i η V Q method is stored, and the compressed data can be reproduced by the second processing means 32.

Further, the cartridge means 12a shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the processing apparatus main body 4, and a headphone 19 and a microphone 46 are connected to the cartridge means 12a via a line 47. The voice and singing voice of the player from the microphone 46 are converted into electric signals, and the progress of the game is changed by scoring the singing voice itself. Numerous voice trainings are available, so you can enjoy not only games but also karaoke, which will enhance your singing skills. By downloading and writing song data from a server via the Internet to a dedicated read-only memory 36 shown in FIG. 6, karaoke can be enjoyed. In this way, players can participate in events such as karaoke tournaments via the Internet. In addition, new karaoke songs can be downloaded from the server. After the game is over, it is possible to register for the entertainment show, and according to the digital camera, it is also possible to store the self-portrait in the first memory 34 and reproduce it by the display means 24.

FIG. 10 shows the data processing from the server 24 of the first processing means 23 (see FIG. 4 described above). 6 is a flowchart for explaining operations of transmission and writing to the first memory 34. Moving from step c1 to a2 in Fig. 10, the user operates the input means 25 to purchase, for example, image data and accompaniment data for karaoke, and a data unit for one karaoke song. A request to transmit sample data, which is part of the above, from the server 48 is made in step c3. As a result, the sample data is received by the processing means 23 from the server 48 via the public telephone line 3. When the sample data is received, the graphic controller operates the display means 24 to display an image of the sample data, and also outputs an audio output for one song of the accompaniment data by a speaker, for example. Do. The operator operates the input means 25 in step c5 in order to purchase a data unit for one song including such sample data of karaoke. As a result, the processing means 23 sends the karaoke image data and the accompaniment music data for one tune, which is one data unit corresponding to the sample data, to the server 48 via the public telephone line 3 via the terminal device 2. Perform all transmission requests.

At step c7, one karaoke image data and accompaniment data for one tune are received from the server 48. The received data, the processing unit 2 3, 3 by-out second work, the image data of _t thus for an entire song karaoke to be stored in step c 8 is written in the first memory means 3 4 and accompanying music data After is stored in the first memory means 34, in step c9, a reception completion signal is transmitted to the public telephone line 3 by the processing means 23. Thus, in step c9, a series of operations for purchasing data ends. In a second memory 37 of the memory means 14, identification data for identifying a user is stored in advance. This identification data is read from the memory 37 by the first processing means 32, and the predetermined processing is compared by the server 48 via the public telephone line 3 from the terminal device 2 by the operation of the first processing means 23. This operation is performed in step a3 of FIG. 10 described above. When the identification data in the memory 37 matches the predetermined identification data in the server 48, in step a4, sample data will be received.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the identification data is a cartridge means for each user. The data may be stored in the read-only memory 33 provided in the memory 12. According to the above-described embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to receive music information data, write the data in the memory means 14, and reproduce the music information, using the portable home game machine 4. . Data from the server 48 can be written to the memory 37 of the memory means 14 on the card. In a home-use game machine with a small capacity of the memory 28 of the processing unit 4, performance and playback are possible by writing a capacity of about music information data to the second memory 37 of the memory means 14. It is. The contents stored in the second memory 37 of the memory means 14 are read out, and unauthorized data can be prevented by an unchangeable authentication and decompression program. Further, the memory means 14 having the second memory 37 in which the data is written can reproduce the music using the reproducing means 15. In addition, by operating the input means 25, a selection type menu screen is displayed on the display means 24 so that music can be easily received. By providing a function to the connection destination server 48, music information can be easily obtained. A selection-type search function is provided, and music data can be easily received from the server 48. In addition, a membership-based network enables the secure purchase and reception of digital data such as music using identification data.

The present invention may be embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the above-described embodiment is merely an example in every aspect, and the scope of the present invention is set forth in the appended claims, and is not limited by the specification.

Furthermore, all modifications and changes belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

[Industrial applicability]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the cartridge means having the memory means is detachably connected to the processing apparatus main body, and the digital data from the communication network is written to the second memory of the memory means. Such a processing apparatus body may have, for example, a home game machine or an ellipse similar thereto, so that various functions can be performed using an existing processing apparatus body. It is easy to achieve. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the identification data is stored in the second memory, and thereby, for example, a server such as a server can charge the copyright fee or the like without fail. Digital data can be transmitted from the server and stored in the second memory for writing.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the acoustic data, which is music data, is stored in the second memory, and it is easy to enjoy music.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, a reproducing device such as a portable karaoke microphone device can be equipped with a memory means to reproduce sound data and image data. The present invention is not only implemented in connection with such karaoke, but can be used extensively for processing other digital data.

According to the fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, digital data from the server can be stored in the second memory via the communication network, and at this time, a part of one data unit such as one karaoke song is stored. The sample data that constitutes can be confirmed on the display means. Further, by further operating the input means, the entire data unit is transmitted from the server and stored in the second memory, so that accurate billing operation or the like can be easily performed. According to the concept of the present invention, the purchase and the viewing by charging the music data are not necessarily related to each other in the processing flow.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. (a) The processing device body,

Display means;

Manually operated input means;

A first connector,

A processing device for performing digital data communication with a server 48 connected to a communication network; and a first processing means for performing an arithmetic processing operation in response to an output of the input means and leading to a first connector. Body and

(b) cartridge means 12;

A third connector,

A first memory 34 to which digital data can be written,

Cartridge means including a second processing means 32 for writing digital data via the second connector to or reading from the first memory, and deriving digital data to the third connector;

(c) memory means 14;

And a non-volatile second memory 37 to which digital data can be written from the fourth connector.

2. The identification data is stored in the second memory,

The second processing means, when the identification data stored in the second memory is predetermined identification data, writes the digital data into the second memory. The communication data processing device according to 1.

3. The communication data processing device according to claim 1, wherein the digital data includes music data.

4. Includes a playback device, which is

Reading digital data from the second memory via the fourth and fifth connectors 4. The communication data processing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a reproducing unit.

5. The server according to claim 1, wherein the server transmits a part of digital data which is a sample of a predetermined data unit in response to a transmission request signal via a communication network by an operation of an input unit. A communication data processing device according to one of the preceding claims.

6. In response to the transmission request signal via the communication network by the operation of the input unit, the server transmits a part of the digital data as a sample of the predetermined data unit, and then transmits the digital data as a sample by the operation of the input unit. 6. The communication data processing device according to claim 5, wherein the digital data of the entire data unit is transmitted, and a billing operation is performed for each portable downloader.