Karaoke system having a playback source with pre-stored data and a music synthesizing source with rewriteable data

• US 5,654,516 A
• Filed: 09/09/1996
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Tashiro, Masashi, Semba, Youji
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US08/709,641
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 84/600, 84/601, 84/609, 84/610, 84/634, 84/645, 84/615
• US Class Current: 84/601
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/20 for transposition
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/365 the accompaniment information being stored on a host computer and transmitted to a reproducing terminal by means of a network, e.g. public telephone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/125 Library distribution, i.e. distributing musical pieces from a central or master library
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/245 ISDN [Integrated Services Digital Network]
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/271 Serial transmission according to any one of RS-232 standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals between a DTE and a DCE
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/291 SCSI, i.e. Small Computer System Interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/595 ADPCM [adaptive differential pulse code modulation]

Abstract

A karaoke system sounds a karaoke song designated according to a request command. The system includes a record unit defining a closed data source for readably recording a karaoke song, and a playback unit for reading the record unit to reproduce an audio signal representative of the karaoke song such that the record unit and the playback unit compose a playback karaoke equipment. The system further includes a supply unit defining an open data source for accessibly supplying a song data prescriptive of a karaoke song, and a synthetic unit for processing the supplied song data to synthetic size an audio signal representative of the karaoke song such that the supply unit and the synthetic unit compose a synthetic karaoke equipment. A total control unit is provided for selectively activating either of the playback and synthetic karaoke equipments according to a request command to achieve efficient use of the closed and open data sources. A sound unit receives the audio signal from the activated one of the playback and synthetic karaoke equipments to thereby readily sound a designated karaoke song.

Claims

1. A karaoke system for sounding a karaoke song according to a request command, the request command corresponding to a karaoke song desired by a singer, the karaoke system comprising:

music playback means for pre-storing music accompaniment data as a pre-stored data source, and for reading out the pre-stored music accompaniment data to reproduce an audio signal corresponding to the music accompaniment data;

music synthesizing means for storing music performance designation data as a rewriteable data source, and for synthesizing an audio signal in accordance with the music performance designation data;

control means for receiving the request command, and for selecting either of the music playback means and the music synthesizing means according to the request command, and for controlling a selected one of the music playback means and the music synthesizing means to output an audio signal; and

sound means receptive of the audio signal outputted by the selected one of the music playback means and the music synthesizing means, and for sounding a desired karaoke song corresponding to the received audio signal.

2. A karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the music playback means has a disc record medium for pre-storing the music accompaniment data as the pre-stored data source.

3. A karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the music synthesizing means includes means for storing the musical performance designation data in the form of song data which contains at least one of a duration of musical tones, a time length between adjacent musical tones and a tempo of a piece of music.

4. A karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the music synthesizing means includes means for storing the musical performance designation data in the form of MIDI data.

5. A karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the music synthesizing means further includes an external data source that is remotely accessed to supply the music performance designation data.

6. A karaoke system according to claim 5, wherein the external data source includes a remote host station having a database communicable with the control means for transmitting thereto music performance designation data in response to a request command, and storage means for stocking the transmitted music performance designation data to form a data file for re-use thereof.

7. A karaoke system according to claim 6, wherein the control means includes means responsive to a request command for issuing a first priority that is effective to select use of the pro-stored data source, a second priority that is effective to select re-use of the data file of the rewriteable data source, and a third priority that is effective to select direct use of the database of the external data source.

8. A karaoke system according to claim 6, wherein the control means includes means for preventing inadvertently designated music performance designation data from the external data source from being stocked into the storage means.

9. A karaoke system according to claim 1, including a separate loading implement for storing the music performance designation data, and being connectable to the music synthesizing means for loading thereinto the music performance designation data to fill the rewriteable data source.

10. A karaoke system including a host station and a remote branch for sounding a designated karaoke song according to a request command:

wherein the host station has an original database communicable with the remote branch to transmit thereto song data representative of a karaoke song in response to a request command; and

wherein the remote branch includes storage means for stocking the transmitted song data to form a stock data file, record means independent from the database and the data file for recording a karaoke song to form a separate data source of a different data type, control means responsive to a request command for firstly accessing the separate data source, then secondly accessing the stock data file if the designated karaoke song is not found in the separate data source, and thirdly accessing the original database if the designated karaoke song is not found in the stock data file, playback means connectable to the accessed separate data source for reproducing the designated karaoke song, and synthetic karaoke means receptive of the song data from either of the accessed stock data file and the original database for processing the song data to synthesize the designated karaoke song.

11. A karaoke control apparatus for integrally controlling a playback karaoke equipment having a pre-stored data source of karaoke songs and a synthetic karaoke equipment having rewriteable data source of karaoke songs, the apparatus comprising:

playback control means for controlling the playback karaoke equipment to access the pre-stored data source to reproduce a karaoke song;

synthetic karaoke control means for controlling the synthetic karaoke equipment to access the rewriteable data source to synthesize a karaoke song; and

total control means for selectively activating either of the playback and synthetic karaoke control means to select between the pre-stored and rewriteable data sources.

12. A karaoke control apparatus for integrally controlling a playback karaoke equipment having a pre-stored data source of karaoke songs, and a synthetic karaoke equipment communicable with a remote database of karaoke songs and having a data file taken from the database, the apparatus comprising:

first control means for controlling the playback karaoke equipment to access the pre-stored data source to reproduce a karaoke song;

second control means for controlling the synthetic karaoke equipment to access the data file to synthesize a karaoke song; and

total control means responsive to a request command for selectively activating the first and second control means to search a desired one of the karaoke songs according to given order of priorities assigned to the first and second control means.

13. A karaoke control apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising third control means for controlling the synthetic karaoke equipment to access the database to synthesize a karaoke song such that the total control means searches for a desired one of the karaoke songs according to a given order of priorities assigned to the first, second and third control means.

14. A karaoke system for sounding a designated karaoke song according to a request command, comprising:

record means defining a pre-stored data source for readably recording a karaoke song;

playback means for reading the record means to reproduce an audio signal representative of the karaoke song such that the record means and the playback means compose a playback karaoke equipment;

supply means defining a rewriteable data source for accessibly supplying a song data prescriptive of a karaoke song;

synthetic karaoke means for processing the supplied song data to synthesize an audio signal representative of the karaoke song such that the supply means and the synthetic karaoke means compose a synthetic karaoke equipment;

total control means for selectively activating either of the playback and synthetic karaoke equipments according to a request command to select between the pre-stored and rewriteable data sources; and

sound means receptive of the audio signal from the activated one of the playback and synthetic karaoke equipments to thereby readily sound a designated karaoke song.

15. A karaoke system for sounding a karaoke song according to a request command, the request command corresponding to a karaoke song desired by a singer, the karaoke system comprising:

a music playback device that pre-stores music accompaniment data as a pre-stored data source, and that reads out the pre-stored music accompaniment data to reproduce an audio signal corresponding to the music accompaniment data;

a synthetic karaoke device that stores music performance designation data as a rewriteable data source, and that synthesizes an audio signal in accordance with the music performance designation data;

a control device that receives the request command, and that selects either of the music playback device and the synthetic karaoke device according to the request command, and that controls a selected one of the music playback device and the synthetic karaoke device to output an audio signal; and

a sound circuit receptive of the audio signal outputted by the selected one of the music playback device and the synthetic karaoke device, and that sounds a desired karaoke song corresponding to the received audio signal.

16. A karaoke system according to claim 15, wherein the synthetic karaoke device further includes an external data source that is remotely accessed to supply the music performance designation data.

17. A karaoke system according to claim 16, wherein the external data source includes a remote host station having a database communicable with the control device for transmitting thereto music performance designation data in response to a request command, and a storage device that stocks the transmitted music performance designation data to form a data file for re-use thereof.

18. A karaoke system according to claim 17, wherein the control means includes means responsive to a request command for issuing a first priority that is effective to select use of the pre-stored data source, a second priority that is effective to select re-use of the data file of the rewriteable data source, and a third priority that is effective to select direct use of the database of the external data source.

19. A karaoke system according to claim 17, wherein the control device includes means for preventing inadvertently designated music performance designation data from the external data source from being stocked into the storage device.