WO2002080080A1

WO2002080080A1 - Method for providing idol star management service based on music playing/song accompanying service system

Info

Publication number: WO2002080080A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/000540
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hyun-Wha Jeon
Original assignee: Hanseulsoft Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2001-03-27
Filing date: 2002-03-27
Publication date: 2002-10-10
Also published as: KR100757399B1; KR20020076078A

Abstract

A method for an idol star management service based on a music playing/song accompanying service system is disclosed. The method for an idol star management service based on a music playing/song accompanying service system includes the steps of: a) determining whether a user connected to a virtual fan club of the music playing/song accompanying service server is a member of the virtual fan club based on a user authentication; b) if the user is the member of the virtual fan club, allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes, if not, making the user join the virtual fan club; and c) calculating points of performing the execution mode, and providing the idol of the virtual fan club with the points.

Description

METHOD FOR PROVIDING IDOL STAR MANAGEMENT SERVICE BASED ON MUSIC PLAYING/SONG ACCOMPANYING SERVICE SYSTEM

Technical Filed

The present invention relates to a method for providing idol star management service based on music playing/song accompanying service (referred to as "musical performance/accompaniment service") system, and a computer readable recording medium storing instructions for executing the same method; and, more particularly, a method for providing idol star management service based on musical performance/accompaniment service system, on a network based musical performance/accompaniment service, especially for solo and/or vocal solo services, or the concert and/pr chorus services for the distributed users, using a Virtual Orchestra System (hereinafter, referred to as a VOS) file, which is converted from a digital musical file (such as, a MIDI file) to make a direction of performance and play back for each musical instrument, and a computer readable medium storing programs for realizing them.

Background Art

Generally, as accompaniment unit of making sounds of various musical instruments or something for singers, an electric accompaniment played back by electronic sounds processing devices replaces a lot of manual accompaniment ■with the development of the electronic engineering. These devices offer accompaniment by synthesizing and signalizing the digital sound module for some musical instruments excluding human voice.

These days, a noraebang (karaoke) service, which integrates these electronic devices with television, and gives singers the lyric texts with background videos on TV for amusement, is common. These accompaniment devices include memory devices storing accompaniment data for many songs, and have to update the memory devices for the latest songs.

For the portability of such accompaniment devices to accompany in outdoors, some portable devices storing the data for some songs are wired or wirelessly connected with an amplifier or TV. However, it is not easy to update the data for the latest song, therefore the devices have to be replaced by the new devices for the latest songs on regular basis.

As the development of the digital data communication and Internet, people easily download the favorite songs, which are digitalized files including not only the accompaniment data but also the singers' voice data, and listen to them through their computer system with a sound card.

Especially, the various types of musical data in data communication networks, such as Internet, are easy to process and convert according to users' demand and equipment's need.

Lately, MP3 file is very popular, which is a compressed musical file downloaded from networks and is transmitted to a portable device through cable for playing back, but, it requires a lot of memory capacity 3 to 5 Mega bytes for 1 song) and the transmission speed is too slow.

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a kind of music file, which can automatically play back sounds, or music through the electronic devices, and it has international standards for the compatibility of the data exchange among electronic musical instruments. Most electronic musical instruments can send/receive the data based on MIDI standards. For example, the electronic musical instruments for domestic use are divided into the electronic organ, the electronic piano, the electronic keyboard, etc. and these instruments, that synthesize and output sound waves using the well-known analog or digital circuit, also follows the MIDI standards.

In other words, MIDI has been considered as international standards for the compatibility in transmitting information on playing of musical instruments, and it recommends the dedicated five-pin cable for sending/receiving channel and system messages. Also, MIDI recommends that the channel message may include the performance information, such as scale, interval, dynamic and transformation of timbre programs, etc.

Recently, there are many cases where the data can be shared with PCs (Personal Computers), and the electronic musical instruments can be controlled by the PCs. For the PCs to control the musical instruments with a MIDI port, the signals in the PC are required to be converted into MIDI signals for electronic musical instruments, and then the MIDI interface is necessarily required for this purpose. The MIDI interfaces may be divided into the intelligent type with CPU and the non-intelligent type without it. In the present techniques, sixteen-different channel information can be transmitted through just one cable, therefore the MIDI file, which has the sounds of sixteen different musical instruments, can be easily transmitted (it is obvious that the extension of the channel information is available to the ordinary skilled in the art) .

A network based musical performance/accompaniment service system is suggested as a technique using these environments and resources. A network based musical performance/accompaniment service system provides a user with musical performance/accompaniment services, especially for solo and/or vocal solo services, or concert and/or chorus services for the distributed users, using a virtual orchestra system (VOS) file, which is converted from a digital musical file (such as, a MIDI file) to make a direction of performance and playing back for each musical instrument, so that the system provides the users with various events such as team play service in which members of a team play a concert together, and an order service (individual or team) in which a score of the play of a user or a team is counted, through chatting between members.

Also, the network based musical performance/accompaniment service system provides a service that can allow the user to compete with other user by providing a list of ranking order in estimation point or achievement on play of music.

However, there is a limit that the user must satisfy own point and order because in the ranking order service, the object of the ranking order is the user.

Disclosure of the Invention

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for providing idol star management service based on musical performance/accompaniment service system and a computer readable medium storing instruction for executing the same method, which provides evaluation data obtained by playing the musical performance/accompaniment or a mileage point obtained by buying goods related to a star.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, comprising the steps of: a) determining whether a user, which connects to a virtual fan club site of a musical performance/accompaniment service server, is a member of the virtual fan club; b) if he/she is not member of the virtual fan club, entering the user to the virtual fan club, if so, allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, comprising the steps of: a) allowing a user to connect to a musical performance/accompaniment service server after user authentication; b) allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club. In accordance with further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium storing instructions for executing a method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, the method comprising the steps of: a) allowing a user to connect to a musical performance/accompaniment service server after user authentication; b) allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club.

In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer readable recording medium storing instructions for executing a method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, the method comprising the steps of: a) allowing a user to connect to a musical performance/accompaniment service server after user authentication; b) allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a musical performance/accompaniment service system in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of a musical performance/accompaniment service system in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of user computer system of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a musical performance/accompaniment server;

Fig. 5 is a diagram of another hardware system to which the present invention is applied;

Fig. 6 is a diagram of another hardware system to which the present invention is applied;

Fig. 7 is a diagram of musical performance/accompaniment service system in accordance with the present invention of Figs. 5 and 6;

Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing idol star management service based on musical performance/accompaniment service system;

Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment a method of generating the VOS file for a musical performance/ accompaniment service in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating relation between delta time information of the digital musical file and the absolute time information of the VOS file;

Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method for converting the delta time information of the digital musical file to the absolute time information of the VOS file;

Fig. 12 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of the generating method of an electronic score in the process of partitioning the notes for each musical instrument and storing them in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 13 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of the complexity adjustment method in the process of partitioning the notes for each musical instrument and storing them in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the step of executing the musical performance in accordance with the present invention of Fig. 8; Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a solo executing method in the musical performance/ accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a concert executing method in the musical performance/ accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 17 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a vocal solo executing method in the musical performance/ accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a chorus executing method in the musical performance/ accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the inquiry or the modification of user information executing method in the musical performance service method in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 20 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an electronic score displaying method in the musical performance service method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 21 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a designated sound outputting method in the musical performance service method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 22 is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of an evaluation data displaying method in the musical performance service method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 23 is a diagram illustrating the structure of the VOS noraebang (Karaoke) performance environment in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 24 is a diagram illustrating a star registration process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 25 is a diagram illustrating a process of selecting a game (musical performance/accompaniment) in which the user wants to participate in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 26 is a diagram illustrating a point displaying method in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 27 is a diagram illustrating a point providing method to the star in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 28 is a diagram illustrating a ranking announcement procedure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 29 is a diagram illustrating a ranking announcement procedure in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 30 is a diagram illustrating a ranking announcement procedure in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Best mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a musical performance/accompaniment service system in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, the musical performance/accompaniment service system in accordance with the present invention includes: a musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 providing the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file representing notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, a noraebang music file representing the lyric texts, a singing order, an accompaniment sound by inserting sync between a lyric texts and a beat to the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file, and a chorus/concert function for plural users using musical performance/accompaniment service program; and a user computer 11 connected with the musical performance/accompaniment main server through communication networks, such as PSTN or Internet, for downloading, installing and storing the VOS file, accompaniment (noraebang) file, and musical performance/accompaniment service program, and executing the chorus/concert function for plural users.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of a musical performance/accompaniment service system in accordance with the present invention. Referring to Fig. 2, the musical performance/accompaniment service system in accordance with the present invention includes a musical performance/accompaniment main server 10, musical performance/accompaniment local servers 20 and user computers 11. The musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 provides a chorus/concert function for plural users using musical performance/accompaniment service program, the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file representing notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, a noraebang music file representing the lyric texts, the singing order, and the accompaniment sound by inserting sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file. The musical performance/accompaniment local server 20 downloads the VOS file, the accompaniment (noraebang) file, and musical performance/accompaniment service program from musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 connected through a communication network, such as an Internet, and executing the solo function, the chorus/concert function, or the chorus/concert function for the distributed users by connecting to another local servers through a communication network, such as an Internet. The user computer 11 is connected with the musical performance/accompaniment local server 20 through a communication network, such as an Internet, for downloading, installing and storing the VOS file, accompaniment (noraebang) file, and musical performance/accompaniment service program, and executing the chorus/concert function or the vocal solo/solo function for users on its own or another musical performance/accompaniment local server.

A plurality of users on one or more musical performance/accompaniment local server are connected through Internet play in concert/chorus by selecting a music for a concert/chorus.

For example, when the communication networks in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 is Internet, the present invention provides the VOS file using the TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), which is a kind of network protocol for data exchange between different types of computer systems, or IPX (Internet Packet exchange) protocol (or referred as IPX/SPX (Sequence Packet exchange)) for the data exchange in LAN, and, therefore, the users on remote area or local area play in concert or concert/chorus by selecting a music through chatting.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a user computer system of the embodiments of Figs . 1 and 2.

Referring to Fig. 3, the user computer 11 for a musical performance/accompaniment service includes Internet or PSTN access unit, musical file providing unit 31, displaying unit 34, input unit 33, musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32, output unit 35 and a speaker 36.

The Internet or PSTN access unit 30 connect the user computer to the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 or musical performance/accompaniment local server 20 through Internet or sending/receiving the information, such as the VOS file, the accompaniment (noraebang) file, the musical performance/accompaniment service programs. The musical file providing unit 31 provide the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file received by the Internet or PSTN access unit 30, represent notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, a noraebang music file, which are received by the Internet or PSTN access unit 30, represent the lyric texts, the singing order, and the accompaniment sound by inserting sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file. The displaying unit 34 displays the lyric texts and the singing order in the accompaniment file, or the notes of the VOS file as an electronic score showing the playing order. The input unit 33 (for example, a microphone or a keyboard) gets the voice inputs of singers according to the singing order on displaying unit 34 or the playing operation inputs of users according to the playing order of the notes on an electronic score. The musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 store accompaniment files and the VOS files, provide the lyric texts and the singing order in the accompaniment files to the displaying unit 34, convert the notes of the VOS file into an electronic score showing the playing order, provide it to the displaying unit 34, output the voice input from the input unit 33 (a microphone) and the accompaniment sound excluding the users voice, or outputting the designated sound from the input unit 11 (a keyboard, etc.) and the background sound excluding the designated sound. The output unit 35 synthesizes the users voice and the accompaniment sound, or the designated sound and the background sound from the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit, and play it back. The speaker 36 output the sound from the output unit 35.

The input unit 33 is a device for getting inputs from users, for which a keyboard, a mouse, MIDI instrument, joypad and simulative musical instrument are available and they may get the playing operation input of the users according to the playing order of notes in the electronic musical score on the displaying unit 34.

The displaying unit 34 might be a monitor, LCD panel, screen, or TV, which shows the lyric texts and the singing order in the accompaniment files or the VOS files as a type of an electronic score.

The musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 download and store the accompaniment files and the VOS files from the musical performance/accompaniment file providing unit 31 using the set-top box, game devices, noraebang equipments , provide the lyric texts and the singing order in the accompaniment files to the displaying unit 34, convert the notes of the VOS file to an electronic score showing the playing order and provide it to the displaying unit 34, process the user input, and output the voice input from the input unit (a microphone) 33 and the accompaniment sound excluding the users voice, or the designated sound from the input unit (a keyboard, etc.) 11 and the background sound excluding the designated sound. The musical file providing unit 31 provide the accompaniment (noraebang) files, and the VOS file, which are required for musical performance/accompaniment services, using network lines, hard discs, CD-ROMs. The VOS file is a musical file representing notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, and the method of partitioning notes will be explained in the later part of this description.

The VOS file can be read from the user's terminal or downloaded from external source through communication networks, such as another host on networks, satellite, or set-top box. The accompaniment (noraebang) files represents the lyric texts, the singing order and the accompaniment sound by inserting the sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS file.

The output unit 35 synthesize the users' voice and the accompaniment sound from the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32, or MIDI output message (the designated sound and the background sound), and play back the music using a MIDI module, a software MIDI, a FM synthesizer, etc.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embodiment of a musical performance/accompaniment server.

Referring to Fig. 4, the musical performance/accompaniment servers 10 and 20 for a musical performance/accompaniment service in accordance with the present invention include a network unit, a service control unit 42, a software storing unit 43, a musical file storing unit 44, a multiplex chorus/concert unit 45 and a database 46 The network unit 41 is connected to user computers 11 through the communication networks, such as Internet and PSTN, for receiving the singing (vocal solo/chorus) data or the playing (solo/concert) data from user computers 11, and transmitting the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file representing notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, a noraebang music file representing the lyric texts, the singing order, and the accompaniment sound by inserting sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file, the musical performance/accompaniment service programs, and the singing/playing data of other users. The service control unit 42 receives the singing/playing data of the users, the accompaniment (noraebang) file, the VOS file or the musical performance/accompaniment service programs and controlling the service. The software storing unit 43 stores the musical performance/accompaniment service program, and provides the musical performance/accompaniment service programs in response to the request of the service control unit 42. The musical file storing unit 44 classify and store the accompaniment (noraebang) file and the VOS file based on genre, and provide the musical file requested by the user to the service control unit 42 and user computer 11 through the network unit 41. The multiplex chorus/concert unit 45 selects music and the musical instrument to be played in chorus/concert for plural users through a communication networks, such as an Internet, provide an environment for playing in chorus/concert, and transmit the singing/playing data of each user to all the users. The database 46 stores information on the user subscribing the musical performance/accompaniment servers 10 and 20, the musical file stored in the musical file storing unit 44 and evaluation data (point numbers for songs, or evaluation grade for each musical instrument and the concert, such as "Excellent", "Very Good", "Good"...)

As described above, for the musical performance file, the VOS file is used and the accompaniment (noraebang) file represents the lyric texts, the singing order, and the accompaniment sound by inserting sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS file. The background sound excluding the playing sound by users playing operation can be blank out for the clear recognition of the playing state. Fig. 5 is a diagram of another hardware system to which the present invention is applied, the hardware system is a communication network in which Internet/intranet is connected to a radio communication network.

First, a procedure for interfacing the Internet/intranet with the radio communication network will be described.

Referring to Fig. 5, the communication network in which Internet/intranet is connected to a radio communication network includes a signal interface unit 53 and a voice converting unit 54 and provides the musical performance/accompaniment service .

Here, the radio communication network includes a mobile switching center (MSC), a base transceiver station (BTS) 52, a base station controller (BSC), and communicates with a mobile station (MS) 51.

However, the radio communication network is well known to one ordinary one skilled in the art, and therefore, for only easy description, detailed explanation on the radio communication network except for signal processing functions will be skipped.

The signal processing functions will be described herein below.

The MS 51 is a portable terminal that moves within coverage of the BTS and communicates with the BTS 52. The signals are transmitted from the MS 51 to the MSC through the BTS 52 and the BSC. The signals from the MSC are transmitted to the MS 51 through the BTS 52.

The MS 51 may be a cellular mobile communication terminal, a Personal Communication System (PCS) terminal, an International Mobile Telecommunication (IMT-2000), a next generation mobile communication terminal such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS), and a Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) .

Generally, when receiving a text message, the BTS uses a data burst message of a paging channel of a code division multiple access (CDMA) system is used, and a data burst message of a forward traffic channel in case that the BTS is busy.

Also, when transmitting the text message, the BTS uses a data burst message of an access channel, and a data burst message of a reverse traffic channel in case that the BTS is busy.

The message transmitted from the mobile station 51 is transmitted to the MSC through the BTS 52 and the BSC. The message from the MSC is received at the MS 51 through the BTS 52 and the BSC.

The BTS 52 allows the MS 51 to be coupled to the BSC, and performs a wired/wireless conversion function. In other words, the BTS 52 communicates with the MS through the radio resource and communicates with the BSC through the wired resource.

The BSC couples the BTS 52 to the MSC, controls connection among the base transceiver stations 52, and performs the signal processing for communication between the BTS 52 and the MSC.

The MSC handles a call for the mobile communication subscriber, performs call establishment/release functions by connecting to the BSC and performs a call processing and value added services. Since Internet/intranet and the radio communication network support different voice compression methods from each other, a signal processed in the Internet/intranet cannot be processed in the radio communication network, and therefore, the signal is converted in the signal interface unit 53 and the voice converting unit 54 in case that song accompaniment/music playing service is offered in various networks .

For interfacing the different networks in the signal interface unit 53 and the voice converting unit 54, the signal is converted as a voice format that can support commonly in both two different networks, and then the signal can be converted again as a voice format suitable for the other network.

A virtual orchestra system (VOS) music file is used for the musical performance/accompaniment service. The VOS file is generated based on a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) file.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, based on the VOS file and the accompaniment (noraebang) file, in a virtual environment (e.g., Internet environment), a plurality of users, for example, station A (in United States of America), station B (in Japan), station C (in Republic of Korea) ... and station N can sing together, or each of the stations plays a different musical instrument at the same time, and therefore, can play concert.

The musical performance/accompaniment service is performed by overlapping user's voice over the accompaniment sound, or overlapping a designated sound selected by the user over the background sound provided by the web server 55.

Of course, in order to provide the musical performance/accompaniment service as mentioned above, the web server 55 generates and provides to the users the VOS file representing notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, and the noraebang music file representing the lyric texts, the singing order, and the accompaniment sound by inserting sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the MS 51 includes the musical performance/accompaniment service apparatus 74 of Fig. 2, which supports VOS interface for the musical performance/accompaniment service. The web server 55 allows the user to perform solo/concert or vocal solo/chorus functions by providing the musical performance/accompaniment program.

The MS 51 connects to the web server 55 through different networks (Internet/radio communication network), downloads, installs and stores the musical performance/accompaniment (noraebang) program, to thereby allow the user to play the accompaniment (Noraebang), the

^• personal playing (solo) or the chorus/concert with multiple users . Referring to Fig. 7, that mobile station 51 includes an input unit 71, a displaying unit 72, a speaker 73 and a musical performance/accompaniment service apparatus 74 having a musical performance/accompaniment file providing unit 741, a musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 742 and an output unit 743. The musical performance/accompaniment file providing unit 741 receives the accompaniment (i.e., noraebang) files, each of which represents the lyric texts and the singing order in the accompaniment file, or musical performance (i.e., virtual orchestra system (VOS)). files, each of which represents notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, the designated sound and the background sound. The displaying unit 72 displays the lyric texts and the singing order in the noraebang file, or an electronic score showing the notes of the VOS file according to the playing order. The input unit 71 (e.g., a microphone or a keypad) receives the voice inputs of signers according to the singing order displayed on the displaying unit 72 or playing operation inputs of users according to the playing order of the notes on the electronic score. The musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 742 stores the accompaniment files and the VOS files, provides the lyric texts and the singing order in the accompaniment files to the displaying unit 72, converts the notes of the VOS file into an electronic score showing the playing order, provides it to the displaying unit 72, outputs the voice input from the input unit 71 (a microphone) and the accompaniment sound excluding the users voice, or outputting the designated sound from the input unit 71 (a keyboard) and the background sound excluding the designated sound. The output unit 743 synthesizes the users' voice and the accompaniment sound, or the designated sound and the background sound from the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 742, and play it back. The speaker 73 outputs the sound from the output unit 743.

Here, the user uses the keypad of the MS in order to play the musical performance. However, it is apparent that a various input device can be used as the input unit for playing the musical performance.

The musical performance/accompaniment service apparatus 74 includes the musical performance/accompaniment file providing .unit 741, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 742 and the output unit 743.

First, it is described the case that the user which has the MS and is a member of the musical performance/accompaniment service, requests the musical performance/accompaniment service to the web server 55 through the radio communication network.

Here, it is assumed that the musical performance/accompaniment service apparatus 54 is included in the MS . If the user (i.e., a customer who wants to perform the musical performance/accompaniment) sends a call (for example, press "1+SEND" or "1" for a long time, it is apparent to one skilled in the art that the call can be performed by others ways), the web server 55 operates an automatically response system (ARS) and offers menus for the musical performance/accompaniment service to the user. At this time, the web server 55 can provide the musical performance/accompaniment service menu through a voice or a short message service (SMS) to the user. Of course, it is apparent that, in the web server 55, a guide, instead of the ARS, can record all items related to the service. However, the method is already well known to one skilled in the art, detailed description on this method will be skipped.

1. Noraebang 2. Musical performance

Of course, it is apparent that the musical performance/accompaniment service menu can be equipped to the mobile station 51. In this case, the menu download process is skipped, and the user can immediately request music through the musical performance/accompaniment service menu. If the user selects the noraebang service (No. 1) or the musical performance (No. 2) service, the web server 55 reads an index list that has music information is stored to database 60 and then sends the same to the mobile station

51. Since the index list is stored according to a great classification (by music type (pop song, song etc..)), an intermediate classification (e.g., name of singer) and a small classification (e.g., title of music), the web server 55 reads the index list and sends the same according to a gradual selection request of the user. Also, if user inputs an initial letter of the title of the music unlike the gradual index transmission, the web server 55 extracts and indexes the music of which title includes the initial letter inputted by the user, from the index list stored on the database 60, and transmits the indexed list to the mobile station 51.

The mobile station 51 allows the displaying unit 72 to display the index list, and the user can select and download the music among those in the received index list. At this time, it is apparent that the downloaded music can be stored in a memory, and therefore, the download procedure can be skipped from now on.

Here, the noraebang service provides the vocal solo or the chorus, and the musical performance service provides the solo or the concert by many users' composing orchestra. It is apparent to an ordinary one skilled in the art that the input unit 11 of the mobile station 51 includes not only the keypad but also a keyboard, a simulative musical instrument (e.g., a device having a shape of a piano keyboard, calliope, string, percussion instrument, wind instrument and a drum) according to mode (interface) selection.

When using the keypad as an interface, the keypad is displayed on the displaying unit 72, and musical performance indication bar indicating the playing order is sequentially dropped on the keypad on the displaying unit. When using the keyboard, the keypad is displayed in the displaying unit, and musical performance indication bar indicating the playing order is sequentially dropped on the keyboard on the displaying unit. Of course, it is apparent that the method as mentioned above can be applied when using another device.

The input device in accordance with this invention can be used for not only the musical performance/accompaniment file but also other music file. As mentioned above, though the present invention can be implemented in the wired network such as Internet or the wireless network using the mobile station, for only easy description, the present invention will be described in the network based the musical performance/accompaniment service system illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.

In this embodiment, an object of the idol star management service is not the user but an idol star. The method for providing idol star management service will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for providing idol star management service based on the musical performance/accompaniment service system.

Referring to Fig. 8, a user connects to the musical performance/accompaniment service server through user authentication at step S801.

Then the user is allowed to connect to the virtual fan club site in the musical performance/accompaniment service server at step S803, and it is determined the user is .a member of the virtual fan club or not at step S805. If the user is not a member of the virtual fan club, the user is led to enter the virtual fan club at step S807, and then the process continues to the step S803. If the user is a member of the virtual fan club, the user is allowed to select an execution mode at step S809. Here, the execution mode includes a musical performance mode, a shopping mode and an inquiry/modification of user information mode. The musical performance mode includes a solo mode, a concert mode, a vocal solo mode and a chorus mode. If the musical performance mode is selected, the musical performance/accompaniment service is executed at step S811, and then the evaluation data of playing result is diplayed at step S813. The evaluation data is awarded to the user as various formats, for example, point numbers for songs, or evaluation grade for musical performance, such as "Excellent", "Very Good", "Good" "Poor", etc. Also, in case of the musical performance, the score is estimated for each musical instrument and the concert.

The evaluation data is summarized at step S821, the summarized data is provided to the star of the virtual fan. club at step S823, the summarized data is compared with that of another virtual fan club at step S825, and then it is determined whether another operation is necessary to be executed or not at step S829. If the shopping mode is selected at step S809, a shopping mall is connected at step S815 and the user is allowed to buy goods related to the star of the virtual fan club at step S817, and then a mileage point for the shopping is diplayed at step S819. The mileage point is summarized at step S821, the summarized point is provided to the star of the virtual fan club at step S823, the summarized data is compared with that of another virtual fan club at step S825, and then it is determined whether another operation is necessary to be executed or not at step S829.

If the inquiry/modification of user information mode is selected, the user information stored in the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 is loaded and modified at step S827, and then the process goes to the step to determine whether another operation is necessary to be executed or not.

In another embodiment, the user connects to the musical performance/accompaniment service server through the user authentication without connection to the virtual fan club site, and then selects the execution mode. Then the user obtains the evaluation data by playing the musical performance/accompaniment, and provides the obtained evaluation data to the star of the virtual fan club. The user buys the goods related to the star of the virtual fan club after connecting to the shopping mall, and obtains the mileage point for the goods bought by the user.

The mileage point is summarized and then provided to the star of the virtual fan club. The method for providing idol star management service is applied to not only to the network based the musical performance/accompaniment service system using the VOS files but also the musical performance/accompaniment service system using other music files having MP3 or wave (WAV) format etc.

The star of the virtual fan club can be an object who people like, for example, a sportsman, a talent, a movie star, a hero/heroin of a cartoon etc. as well as a singer.

Also, by measuring the score of the musical performance of students belonging to a class or a school, the idol star managing method can be used for education, for example, measurement of the musical performance among the classes or schools.

Here, the musical performance includes a personal playing (solo), a vocal solo, a concert and a chrous.

The generating process of the VOS file in the musical performance/accompaniment servers 10 and 20 will be explained concretely in the following.

Fig. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment a method of generating the VOS file for a musical performance/ accompaniment service in accordance with the present invention, and represents the partitioning and storing procedure of notes. Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining the concept of the delta time and the absolute time, and Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the conversion procedure of the delta time information of a MIDI file to the absolute time information in accordance with the present invention.

As illustrated in Fig. 9, to obtain necessary information from messages in a MIDI format music file, the formation of the VOS file in the musical performance/accompaniment servers 10 and 20 classifies MIDI messages on the basis of type and stores them in a memory at step S901. For the reference, the messages are divided into control messages (such as volume control, effect, etc), playing messages, and musical instrument configuration messages, etc. and a time domain of the entire message in the MIDI file is defined as a delta time. In the delta time system, all the time information of message are decided based on a time gap between the prior time information and the current time information (see Fig. 10).

During the formation of the VOS file in the present invention, the MIDI format message defined as the delta time have to be converted to those of the absolute time for a Virtual Orchestra playing at step S902.

The meaning of the delta time and absolute time is easily understood by Fig. 10 illustrating the display of the time information for playing a message. That is, in Fig. 10, the left part shows the delta time information and the right part the absolute time information.

Also, the conversion of the delta time to the absolute time can be explained by the flowchart of Fig. 11. That is, the conversion of the delta time information of the MIDI format message to the absolute time information is accomplished by an initialization of setting the first value of the delta time as the initial value of the absolute time at step S1101, and it repeatedly performs the steps of deciding if there is any unconverted delta time information at step S1103 and setting the absolute time value of the current target message by adding the current delta time value of target message to the previous absolute time value at step SI105 until there is no more messages having unconverted delta time information.

Then, in a construction of the note messages for users to play, the present invention forms a VOS file so that a user may select just one musical instrument through all the playing time, change the instrument during the playing time, or plural users may play with each their own musical instrument simultaneously. In some cases, the playing operation input devices to play all the range of notes without any modification such as simplification may be required, but in most case unskilled people don't require to play the sophisticated music in such a way. The simplification of the playing operation is necessary so that unskilled people play musical instruments without excessive training, and, on the contrary, the advanced playing operation is required for the specialized players through the complication of the playing operation at step S903. For example, the simplification process of a musical score will be explained in the following referring to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13.

Referring to Fig. 12, all the range of notes can be confined within just one octave by removing the octave element in notes ("g" of 6a and 6b). Among the notes, semi-tones can be replaced with whole-tones ("e" of 6a and 6b). Through these processes, the original musical score 6a can be simplified to a new type of electronic musical score 6b at step S904. However, such a new electronic musical score 6b actually has both the original information for users to direct the normal playing operation and simplified information of the playing operation.

Also, if necessary, additional modification, such as a change of the arrangement of the note and deletion of the notes to be played, can be made for the new style electronic score generated at step S905. For example, an editor can be used for adjusting the complexity by deleting the notes, as illustrated in Fig. 20.

On the other hand, when the original score has idle time, or is modified by changing the arrangement or deleting the notes, additional advertising information (advertising words, images, sound clips for some corporation, goods, music) can be inserted for such idle time. In this case, specifying the display time of the advertising information enlarges the utility of the VOS file at step S906.

Finally, the VOS file is generated at step S907. Fig. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the step of executing the musical performance/accompaniment service of Fig. 8.

As illustrated in Fig. 14, in the musical performance/accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention, the users select a function at step S1401. According to the selection of a function, when downloading the musical performance/accompaniment service program, the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file representing notes for each musical instrument in the timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing order and the musical instruments, and a noraebang music file representing the lyric texts, the singing order, and the accompaniment sound by inserting sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS (Virtual Orchestra System) file, the musical performance/accompaniment service program, the accompaniment (noraebang) file, and the VOS file are downloaded from the software storing unit 43 and the musical file storing unit 44 of the musical performance main server 10 at step S1403. The musical performance/accompaniment service program is installed at the user computer 11 at step S1405, the necessity of another playing is decided at step S1415, and the process returns to the selection step of a function at step S1401, if needed, while goes to the exit step, if not needed.

When the result of selecting a function is the solo (personal playing) function, it is executed at the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 or the user computer 11 at step S1407, and the process go to the deciding step of necessity of another execution at step S1415.

When the result of selecting a function is the concert (team playing) function, it is executed connecting with the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 at step S1409, and the process goes to the deciding step of necessity of another playing at step S1415.

When the result of selecting a function is the vocal solo function, it is executed at the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 at step S1411 or the user computer 11, and the process goes to the deciding step of necessity of another playing at step S1415.

When the result of selecting a mode is the chorus function, it is executed at step S1413, being . connected with the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10, and the process goes to the deciding step of necessity of another playing at step S1415.

Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a personal playing in the musical performance/accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention. As illustrated in Fig. 15, in the personal playing (solo) at step S1205 in the musical performance/accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention, the user decides if the personal playing executed through the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 at step S1501. When the result of selecting a function is not the personal playing (solo) function, the music and the musical instruments to be played are selected at the user computer 11 at step S1503, and the user computer 11 displays the electronic score through the displaying unit 34 at step S1505. In most case, the length of an electronic score is too long to be displayed on screen at a time, so the electronic score should be scrolled to the part to be played according to the playing timing. This displaying process is as illustrated in Fig. 16. That is the notes of part A are transformed to part B.

When the user plays according to the electronic score on the displaying unit 34, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 of the user computer 11 receives the playing operation input of the user, synthesizes the playing operation input with the background sound, and outputs it at step S1507.

After playing of the user, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 displays the evaluation data for the musical instruments for the selected music.

When the result of selecting a function is the personal playing (solo) function, the user selects music in the VOS file stored in the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10. If the selected music exists, the user selects a musical instrument at step S1517. If not, the user first downloads the VOS file for the selected music at step S1515, and selects a musical instrument at step S1517. After that, the user computer 11 displays the electronic score on the displaying unit 34 at step S1519. The displaying procedure is the same as the displaying of step S1505. The user plays according to the electronic score on the displaying unit 34, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 of the user computer 11 receives the playing operation input from the input unit 33, synthesizes it with the background sound, and outputs it at step S1521.

After that, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 outputs the evaluation data for the selected musical instrument on the displaying unit 34 at step S1523.

Finally, the information on the performance, such as the evaluation data for the musical file, etc., is stored in the database of the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 at step S1525. The necessity of another execution is examined at step S1527, and the process returns to the selecting step at step S1511, if the user wants to, while goes to the exit step, if the user doesn't want.

The step of receiving the playing operation input of the user, and outputting it at steps 1507 and 1521 is explained more concretely in the following. When the user plays with the input unit 33 according to the displaying unit 34, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 recognizes the user input. After that, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit outputs the notes corresponding to the user input keys (MIDI output messages for the designated sound) and the other notes for the unselected musical instruments (MIDI output messages for the background sound) to the output unit 35 at a real time. For the normal (not simplified) electronic score, such as for playing of a MIDI instrument, the input goes out without any simplification process, while, for the simplified electronic score, the note nearest to the real input, instead of the original input, goes out through a simplification process.

For example, as illustrated in Fig. 21, if the user puts down 'Do' after a lapse of 100s (C) from the starting point, and if 'Do' of the 5th (b) octave exists at a position after a lapse 90s, and that of 6th octave (a) is at the 105s, the notes nearer to the user input (a), that is, the note after a lapse of 105s may be decided to be played. Then, the sound corresponding to the notes played by the user with a musical instrument and the background sound corresponding to the notes played by the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 35 automatically, not by the user, are mixed at a real-time by the output unit 32, and go out through the speaker 36. During this processing, the evaluation of the playing 16b, compared with the original music 16a, can be shown as illustrated in Fig. 22.

Fig. 16 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the concert function in the musical performance/ accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention.

As illustrated in Fig. 16, in the concert function at step S1409 in accordance with the present invention, the users logged on the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 communicate one another for selecting a music to be played in concert at step S1601, select a genre for the selected music at step S1603, and finally decide the music for a concert at step S1605. When the music for a concert is selected at step S1605, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 of each user computer 11 determines if the selected music is in the user computer 11 at step S1607, and the user, who doesn't have the selected music in his computer 11, downloads the selected music for a concert first at step S1609. If the user has the selected music in his computer 11, the service control unit 42 of the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 displays the list of the candidate musical instruments for the selected music on the user computer 11 at step S1611. Then, each player of the concert selects a musical instrument from the list of the candidate musical instruments at step S1613, and the information on the result of the selection of the users are sent to each user. When the electronic score of the selected music is displayed on each user's computer 11 at step S1615, each user plays his musical instrument at step S1617. The musical performance/accompaniment main server 10, which is connected to each user, transmits the playing operation input of each user to the rest of the users, and the result is displayed on the displaying unit 34.

The musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 integrates the inputs of the users, calculates the evaluation data and transmits it to each user at step S1619, stores the information on the concert playing at step S1621, decides whether another music is asked to be played, and goes to exit step, if not, while returns to step S1601, if so.

When two users play in concert, the designated sound of first and second user are mixed with the sound of other musical instruments, which are not played by the users, at a real time, and the orchestral (concert) playing is accomplished by making the mixed sound heard to each user using communication networks such as Internet. It is obvious that the concert playing for more than two users follows the same way.

Fig. 17 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a vocal ,^s°-⁰ function in the musical performance/accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention.

As illustrated in Fig. 17, in the vocal solo (personal playing) function at step S1411 in the musical performance/accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention, the user decides if the vocal solo (personal singing) is executed through the musical performance/accompaniment main server at step S1701.

If the result is not the vocal solo through the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10, the user selects a song in the user computer 11 at step S1703, and the user computer displays the lyric texts through the displaying unit 34 at step S1705. In this time, the singing order is displayed with the lyric texts (for example, by making the characters to be sung blink or displaying them as bold characters) and the accompaniment sound is outputted.

When the user sings according to the lyric texts on the displaying unit 34, the musical performance/accompaniment processing device 32 of the user computer 11 gets the voice input of the user, synthesize the voice input with the background sound and output it at step S1707.

When the song is finished, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 displays the evaluation data for the singer on the displaying unit 34 at step S1709.

If the result is the vocal solo through the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10, the user selects a song in the accompaniment files stored in the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 at step S1711, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 of the user computer 11 determines if the selected music is in the user computer 11 at step S127. If the selected music is not in the user computer, the user downloads the selected music first at step S1715, while the lyric texts are displayed on the user computer if it is at step S1717. When the user sings according to the lyric texts on the displaying unit 34, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 of the user computer 11 get the user's voice input, synthesizes the voice input with the background sound and output it at step S130. When the song (vocal solo) is finished, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 displays the evaluation data for the singer on the displaying unit 34

(for example, point numbers, or evaluation grade, such as "Excellent", "Very Good", "Good" "Poor"...) at step S1721.

Finally, the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 stores the information on the song such as the evaluation data, in the database 46 of the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 at step S1723, decides whether another song is asked to be played at step S1725, and goes to the exit step, if not, while returns to the selecting step (step S1711), if so.

The accompaniment (noraebang file) file representing the lyric texts, the singing order for the singer, and the accompaniment sound can be implemented easily by the sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS file.

Fig. 18 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a chorus function in the musical performance/accompaniment service method in accordance with the present invention. " As illustrated in Fig. 18, in the chorus function at step S1413 in accordance with the present invention, the users logged on the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 communicate with one another for selecting a music to be. played in chorus at step S1801, select a genre for the selected song at step S1803, and then finally select the song for a chorus at step S1805.

When a song is selected at step S1805, the musical performance/accompaniment processing unit 32 of each user computer 11 determines if the selected song is in the user computer 11 at step SI807, and the user, who doesn't have the selected song in his computer 11, downloads the song first at step S1809. If the user has the selected song in his computer 11, the service control unit 42 of the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 displays the lyric texts on the displaying unit of the user computer 11 at step S1811.

When each singer play in chorus according to the lyric texts on the displaying unit 34, the musical performance/accompaniment main server 10, which is connected to each user, transmits the voice of each singer to the rest of the users, and the result is displayed on the displaying unit 34.

The musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 integrates the voice inputs of the users (that is, collects the voice inputs of the users and, synthesizes them with the accompaniment sound), and output it at step S1813, calculates the evaluation data and transmits it to each user at step S1815, stores the information on the chorus at step S1817, decides whether another music is asked to be played at step S1819, and goes to exit step if not, while returns to the communicating step (step S1801), if so.

When two users play in chorus, the voice data of first and second singer are mixed with the accompaniment sound at a real time, and the orchestral (chorus) playing is accomplished by making the mixed sound heard to each user using communication networks such as Internet. It is obvious that the chorus playing for more than two users follows the same way.

Fig. 19 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of the inquiry or the modification of user information executing method in the musical performance service method in accordance with the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 19, in the inquiry or the modification of user information executing method at step S827 in the musical performance service method in accordance with the present invention, whether the inquiry of the user information is asked is decided at step S1901, and the user information is transmitted to the user computer 11 and showed in the displaying unit 34 at step S1903, if it is. If the modification, not the inquiry, of the user information is asked, the user information is transmitted to the user computer 11, and displayed at step S1905. The musical performance/accompaniment main server 10 updates the altered user information in the database 46 at step S1909, when the user changes the user information at step S1907.

Fig. 24 is a diagram illustrating a star registration process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

If the user connects to the virtual fan club site of the musical performance/accompaniment service server after login, a message requesting the user to be a guardian angel of the star is appeared, the user selects a singer, and then the user is registered as the guardian of the singer.

Fig. 25 is a diagram illustrating a process of selecting a game (musical performance/accompaniment) in which the user wants to participate in accordance with the present invention. The user selects a game channel (for example, "star room", "free battle", ^•••), and begins to play the selected game. According to performance ability, the user can be classified to a predetermined level, for example, a beginner, a mania, an ultra mania, etc. Fig. 26 is a diagram illustrating a point displaying method in accordance with the present invention.

When playing the musical performance/accompaniment game with a counterpart, a person who obtains a higher point, i.e., plays the musical performance/accompaniment game more correctly, becomes a winner. For example, a value of sensitivity can may be 0 ~ 10 point.

Fig. 27 is a diagram illustrating a method for providing a point to the star in accordance with the present invention. The user can use his/her point (for example, sensitivity) in order to raise singer's popularity and user's contribution rate in a certain space, e.g., "star item shop".

Referring to Fig. 27, there are four items in this embodiment, 'star balloon' (sensitivity 100 consumption),

'a word of star' (sensitivity 200 consumption), 'star picture' registration (sensitivity 300 consumption) and

'fan letter' (sensitivity 300 consumption).

Fig. 28 is a diagram illustrating a ranking announcement procedure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

The popularity is summarized for each star and announced at a predetermined time (for example, Saturday 6

P.M.). When the most popular star is announced, a list of 5 guardian angels that have highest contribution is announced together.

There are some popularity grading methods as follows:

1) Singer - A ranking of the singer is extracted and listed based on popularity accumulated for a week (week, the first half-year, the second half year)

(* Popularity = number of playing the song x 3 + amount of star item unit sales + bonus point that guardian angel gets) ; 2) Guardian angel - A ranking of the guardian angel obtaining the most point among the members in each virtual fan club is extracted and listed at every a week (week, accumulation); and

3) Individual contribution - The most contributive user is selected regardless of the star to which he/she belongs (week, accumulation).

* The bonus point is given to the singer to which the most contributive three users belong (in order to provide a chance of reversion). Fig. 29 is a diagram illustrating a ranking announcement procedure in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 29, Abata of the representative guardian angel (who is the most contributive to the virtual fan club of the star) stands with a balloon that symbolizes the corresponding singer.

Two Abatas which are representatives of the guardian angels in the virtual fan clubs of the first and second popular singers stand side by side with the balloons corresponding to the singers, the height of the balloon of the singer who is winning is higher than that of the balloon of the other.

Fig. 30 is a diagram illustrating a ranking announcement procedure in accordance with further another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 30, in an extended chart, the grades of the singers in addition to most popular two singers are showed. Except for the services as mentioned above, a plurality of services can be added. Some of the services are will be described as follows:

1) Direct connection (a button for one touch connection to each room) ; 2) Option - Special effect animation on/off,

Return to default key, Use of hardware MIDI port,

Supporting peripheral controller of VOS pad; 3) Item (Luck, Point item, Lottery, Item balance, variation) ;

4) Intensifying hit effect wheng playing musical performance;

5 ) Random game - Game in which item mode is randomly displayed, Song which is randomly played, Popular pattern extraction - Funny pattern is appeared regardless of the song; 6) Observation mode; 7) Handicap for each level (Ultra is rarely decided) and Sensitivity (in proportion to complexity of music);

8) Role-playing type progress (composition of stage having divergence by clear %);

9) Music appreciation (or Music chatting) - Service in which the user is chatting with listening of music;

10) Music quiz (guess of lyric text);

11) One's own music;

12) CAN music clinic (recommendation of music suitable for user's feeling); 13) Theme room;

14) Troll (play in turn - according to contents);

15) Couple room - awarding the same point to two persons according to love item (choice of higher point between the two points ) ; 16) Team play (2:2) ;

17) 1:1:1 ...Free for all - Battle in which multiple users participate;

18) l:n - Battle in which multiple users play games against a best player among the participated users (the highest point among points of the multiple users is compared with the point of the best player);

19) Recital - Play at front of many people;

20) Concert - Composition of band and playing music; and 21) Melody mail: Interactive musical performance mail service based on CAN music game interface.

In the present invention, the VOS file, which partitioning the notes for each musical instrument, is generated from a MIDI file or other sources, and the accompaniment file is generated by inserting the sync between the lyric texts and the beat to the VOS file.

The users can play in concert or chorus with other users in a virtual environment based on the VOS file and the accompaniment (noraebang) file. It is realized by synthesizing the users' voices and the accompaniment sound or superposing the designated sound directed by the users and the sound effect of the background sound provided by the system. Since the present invention directs the timing of playing operation visually to the users, not only the skilled player but also the ordinary people may play the music more easily, and, the present invention may also adjust the complexity of performance by adding or deleting the input keys, and generate the advanced sound effect such as the scratch effect. Also, in accordance with the present invention, the result is evaluated by comparing the playing operation directed to the users with the real operation input by the users, and is given to the users as feedback, therefore the present invention is useful not only for amusement but also for contest.

The present invention may be implemented for a user mode or plural users not only in communication networks such as the Internet or the mobile terminal, but also a noraebang (karaoke), a game room, an arcade and a digital satellite-broadcasting network.

Referring to Fig. 23, in an application for noraebang (karaoke), the VOS installed karaoke system is used for a terminal, and the VOS controllers (preferably, simulative musical instruments such as keyboard instruments, stringed instruments, percussion instruments, wind instruments) for noraebang (karaoke) with ten or more buttons may be used for the input device. For output device, a well-known output system in karaoke may be used without a lot of change. The communication system may be achieved by the network system among the karaoke devices.

On the other hand, in game rooms, by installing the VOS system in each terminal, a user or plural users may play the music using each their own terminal. In arcades, by inserting coins, the selected music may be played with hands or feet, and the game may be continued according to the grade of the game.

In the digital satellite-broadcasting system, the VOS player is installed on the set-top box. The information on the selected music is transmitted from the digital satellite, and the electronic score is displayed on a TV screen, therefore, the music may be played by the keypad of well-known remote controller according to the score.

The terminal device in the present invention is not confined to well-known computer system, and any kind of terminal devices with network means and web browser for executing the service programs in the present invention is available .

In this embodiment, one or more users play in on-line state connected to the service control unit of the server, using the computer system through communication networks, or in off-line state executing the downloaded performance service program at a terminal device. The user/users play in vocal solo/chorus or solo/concert by selecting a musical instrument and playing to an electronic score displayed on the screen. Although the simplification of playing music is supposed so that one may play some musical instruments without much training, the wide range adjustment of complexity is realized by changing the key input (preferably, more than 20 input keys) so that extend the musical range to two or five octaves, and it is obvious that such a transformation has the same effect as the embodiment of the present invention and is within the technical aspect of the present invention. Also, the MIDI instrument may be used for an input device because the MIDI instrument doesn't make real sound but send out signals for sounds, and the correctness of the playing of the MIDI instrument may be compared with the real musical score. Further, feet as well as hands may be used for input and it is obvious that it is within the technical aspect of the present invention. Also, the simulative musical instruments used in a noraebang (karaoke), a game room, an arcade can be made in the shape of real musical instruments for amusement and it is obvious that it is within the technical aspect of the present invention.

As apparaent from the above description, a plurality of users connected to the musical performance/accompaniment server through the wired/wireless network provides his and other users' points obtained by playing the musical performance to an idol star of the virtual fan club to which the users belong, and manages the idol star.

The method described above can be embodied as programs and stored to computer readable recording medium, for example, a CD-ROM, a RAM, a ROM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optic disk, etc.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, comprising the steps of: a) determining whether a user, which connects to a virtual fan club site of a musical performance/accompaniment service server, is a member of the virtual fan club; b) if he/she is not member of the virtual fan club, entering the user to the virtual fan club, if so, allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, if a musical performance mode is selected, whrein the step b) includes the steps of: bl) determining whether musical performance/accompaniment service program is established in a terminal of the user, if not, providing the musical performance/accompaniment service program and a musical performance/accompaniment file; b2 ) allowing the user to play music included in the musical performance/accompaniment file; and b3) displaying evaluated data for the music.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the musical performance file is a Virtual Orchestra System

(VOS) file representing notes for each musical instrument in timing of playing operation by partitioning notes based on the playing orders and the musical instruments, and wherein the VOS file is generated by classifying MIDI messages by type to get the necessary information from musical message stored in MIDI files; and converting delta time information in the MIDI file to absolute time information.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the musical performance mode includes solo, concert, vocal solo and chorus modes .

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the terminal is a data communication terminal.

6. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the terminal is a radio data communication terminal.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, if a shopping mode is selected, wherein the step b) includes the steps of : bl) allowing the user to connect to a shopping mall and to buy goods related to the star of the virtual fan club; and b2 ) providing a mileage point to the user according to the goods bought by the user.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, if a user information inquiry/modification mode is selected, wherein the step b) includes the step of: bl) performing inquiry/modification of user information in case of a verified user.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the evaluation data score is represented as points or grades (for example, Excellent, Very good, good, poor), and the musical performance is evaluated for each instrument or for concert in case of the musical performance.

10. The method as recited in any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the point providing to the virtual fan club is used for comparison with other virtual fan clubs.

11. A method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, comprising the steps of: a) allowing a user to connect to a musical performance/accompaniment service server after user authentication; b) allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes ; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, if a musical performance mode is selected, whrein the step b) includes the steps of: bl) determining whether musical performance/accompaniment service program is established in a terminal of the user, if not, providing the musical performance/accompaniment service program and a musical performance/accompaniment file; b2 ) allowing the user to play music included in the musical performance/accompaniment file; and b3 ) displaying evaluated data for the music.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the musical performance file is a Virtual Orchestra System

14. The method as recited in claim 11, if a shopping mode is selected, wherein the step b) includes the steps of: bl) allowing the user to connect to a shopping mall and to buy goods related to the star of the virtual fan club; and b2 ) providing a mileage point to the user according to the goods bought by the user.

15. A computer readable recording medium storing instructions for executing a method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, the method comprising the steps of: a) allowing a user to connect to a musical performance/accompaniment service server after user authentication; b) allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club.

16. The computer readable recording medium as recited in claim 15, if a musical performance mode is selected, whrein the step b) includes the steps of: bl ) determining whether musical performance/accompaniment service program is established in a terminal of the user, if not, providing the musical performance/accompaniment service program and a musical performance/accompaniment file; b2 ) allowing the user to play music included in the musical performance/accompaniment file; and b3 ) displaying evaluated data for the music.

17. The computer readable recording medium as recited in claim 15, if a shopping mode is selected, wherein the step b) includes the steps of: bl) allowing the user to connect to a shopping mall and to buy goods related to the star of the virtual fan club; and b2 ) providing a mileage point to the user according to the goods bought by the user.

18. A computer readable recording medium storing instructions for executing a method for providing an idol star management service based on a musical performance/accompaniment service system, the method comprising the steps of: a) allowing a user to connect to a musical performance/accompaniment service server after user authentication; b) allowing the user to select and perform one of execution modes; and c) calculating a point of the user according to a result of performing the execution mode, and providing the point to a star of the virtual fan club.