Karaoke system with built-in camera

• US 20050084835A1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Published: 04/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Singing Machine Company, Inc. (China Sinostar Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: The Singing Machine Company, Inc. (China Sinostar Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: So, Kin San, Lau, Kwok Piu
• Application Number:
  US10/966,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20050084835A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/307.A
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 13/08 of the prostate
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 15/00 Drugs for genital or sexual disorders for disorders of sex hormones A61P5/24; Contraceptives
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/02 specific for leukemia
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/632 Organic additives
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 401/12 linked by a chain containing hetero atoms as chain links
• CPC Class Codes: C07D 401/14 containing three or more hetero rings

Abstract

A karaoke system with built-in camera includes a decoder, a camera system, and a video selector. The decoder (e.g., a CDG decoder) receives data from a disc and provides a first video signal having graphics, e.g., for lyrics of a selected song. The camera system captures an image of a live scene and provides a second video signal. The video selector combines the first and second video signals to obtain a third video signal and can provide the first, second, or third video signal (e.g., based on user control) as an output video signal. A color eliminator can filter out a designated frequency (e.g., for a designated color such as blue) in the first video signal to provide a better output image for the third video signal. The decoder and camera system are synchronized with a common vertical timing signal and further use a common oscillator signal.

Claims

1. A karaoke system comprising:

a decoder operative to receive data from a disc and provide a first video signal having graphics defined by the data;

a camera system operative to capture an image of a live scene and provide a second video signal; and

a video selector operative to combine the first and second video signals to obtain a third video signal and to provide the third video signal as an output video signal.

2. The karaoke system of claim 1, wherein the video selector is operative to provide the first, second, or third video signal as the output video signal based on a control signal.

3. The karaoke system of claim 1, further comprising:

a color eliminator operative to receive the first video signal, filter out a designated frequency, and provide a filtered first video signal, and

wherein the video selector is operative to combine the filtered first video signal with the second video signal to obtain the third video signal.

4. The karaoke system of claim 3, wherein the designated frequency corresponds to a designated color.

5. The karaoke system of claim 4, wherein the designated color is blue.

6. The karaoke system of claim 1, wherein the decoder and the camera system are synchronized based on a common frame synchronization input signal that provides vertical timing for the first and second video signals.

7. The karaoke system of claim 1, wherein the decoder and the camera system use a common oscillator signal to generate color subcarriers for the first and second video signals.

8. The karaoke system of claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit operative to enable the camera system to adjust white balance of the image and disable the camera system from adjusting the brightness of the image.

9. The karaoke system of claim 8, wherein the control unit enables the camera system to adjust the white balance of the image when the karaoke system is powered on and not playing a CDG disc.

10. The karaoke system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first amplifier operative to amplify the first video signal and provide an amplified first video signal; and

a second amplifier operative to amplify the second video signal and provide an amplified second video signal, and

wherein the video selector is operative to combine the amplified first and second video signals to obtain the third video signal.

11. The karaoke system of claim 1, wherein the camera system is implemented on a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) integrated circuit.

12. The karaoke system of claim 1, wherein the graphics on the first video signal if for lyrics of a song.

13. The karaoke system of claim 1, wherein the graphics on the first video signal are for graphics, pictures, symbols, or any combination thereof.

14. The karaoke system of claim 2, wherein the control signal is indicative of user-selection for the first, second, or third video signal as the output video signal.

15. The karaoke system of claim 1, wherein the disc is a CDG (compact disc+graphics) disc.

16. A method of providing an output video signal from a karaoke system, comprising:

processing data from a disc to obtain a first video signal having graphics defined by the data;

capturing an image of a live scene with a camera system to obtain a second video signal;

combining the first and second video signals to obtain a third video signal; and

providing the third video signal as the output video signal.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

filtering out a designated frequency from the first video signal to obtain a filtered first video signal, and wherein the filtered first video signal is combined with the second video signal to obtain the third video signal.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

enabling the camera system to adjust white balance of the image for a particular operating scenario; and

disabling the camera system from adjusting the white balance of the image after the particular operating scenario.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a user-selection for the first, second, or third video signal; and

providing the first, second, or third video signal as the output video signal based on the user-selection.

20. An apparatus comprising:

means for processing data from a disc to obtain a first video signal having graphics defined by the data;

means for capturing an image of a live scene to obtain a second video signal;

means for combining the first and second video signals to obtain a third video signal; and

means for providing the third video signal as an output video signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for filtering out a designated frequency from the first video signal to obtain a filtered first video signal, and wherein the filtered first video signal is combined with the second video signal to obtain the third video signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for enabling the camera system to adjust brightness of the image for a particular operating scenario; and

means for disabling the camera system from adjusting the brightness of the image after the particular operating scenario.