Online karaoke system with flying start performance

• US 5,768,396 A
• Filed: 06/24/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Sone, Takurou
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant, II, Jerome
• Application Number:
  US08/667,491
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 381/118, 381/61, 381/63, 84/630, 84/634, 84/662, 84/666, 84/701, 434/307 A
• US Class Current: 381/61
• 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 2220/011 Lyrics displays, e.g. for karaoke applications
• 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 2250/595 ADPCM [adaptive differential pulse code modulation]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2587 Laser Discs; Optical disc using analog recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00

Abstract

A karaoke system of an online type is comprised of a karaoke station for sounding a karaoke performance according to a performance data, and a host station for supplying the performance data to the karaoke station in response to a request. The host station has a transmitter unit for time-sequentially dividing the performance data into a plurality of parts, and for successively transmitting each part arranged according to progression of the karaoke performance in response to the request. The karaoke station has a receiver unit operative when a preceding one of the transmitted parts is received for commencing the karaoke performance based on the received preceding part while admitting a succeeding one of the transmitted parts in parallel to sounding of the karaoke performance to thereby maintain continuous progression of the sounding of the karaoke performance.

Claims

1. A karaoke system of an online type comprising:

a karaoke station for sounding a karaoke performance according to data representative of a performance; and

a host station for supplying the performance data to the karaoke station in response to a request, wherein

the host station includes a transmitter for time-sequentially dividing the performance data of one song containing at least accompaniment data and lyric data into a plurality of sequential parts, each of the plurality of parts containing at least a section of accompaniment data and a section of lyric data corresponding in time with each other, and for successively transmitting each sequential part arranged according to progression of the karaoke performance in response to the request, wherein the host station is remotely located from the karaoke station, and wherein the host station transmits the performance data over a telecommunication network to the karaoke station, and

the karaoke station includes a sequencer for commencing the karaoke performance upon receipt of a preceding one of the transmitted sequential parts based on the received preceding part prior to receipt of all of the plurality of parts at the karaoke station, the preceding part containing the corresponding sections of accompaniment data and lyric data which are required to begin the karaoke performance, the karaoke station receiving a succeeding one of the transmitted sequential parts in parallel to sounding of the karaoke performance to thereby maintain continuous progression of the sounding of the karaoke performance.

2. A karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the host station includes a memory for storing a database of the performance data composed of a plurality of data tracks corresponding to different kinds of events, such as accompaniment data and lyric data, involved in the karaoke performance, each data track containing a train of time-sequentially arranged data sections, and the transmitter including means for collecting coincident ones of the data sections from the respective data tracks to form each divided part of the performance data.

3. A karaoke system according to claim 1, the karaoke system further comprising means for canceling the performance data when a received preceding part indicates an inadvertent request of the performance data.

4. A method for an online communication of data representative of a karaoke performance from a host station to a karaoke station in response to a request for sounding a karaoke performance according to the performance data, the karaoke station including a sequencer, the host station being remotely located from the karaoke station, the method comprising the steps of:

time-sequentially dividing the performance data of one song containing at least accompaniment data and lyric data stored in the host station into a plurality of parts, each of the plurality of parts containing at least a section of accompaniment data and a section of lyric data corresponding in time with each other;

successively transmitting each part arranged according to a progression of the karaoke performance from the host station to the karaoke station via a telecommunication network in response to the request from the karaoke station;

commencing the karaoke performance at the sequencer upon receipt of a preceding one of the transmitted parts at the karaoke station prior to the receipt of all of the plurality of parts, the preceding part including sections of accompaniment data and lyric data which are required to begin the karaoke performance; and

admitting a succeeding one of the transmitted parts by the karaoke station in parallel to sounding of the preceding part in order to continue the sounding of the karaoke performance.