Portable downloader connectable to karaoke player through wireless communication channel

• US 5,808,224 A
• Filed: 03/17/1997
• Issued: 09/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONELS, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US08/819,472
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 84/600, 84/601, 84/609, 84/610, 84/634, 84/644, 84/645, 84/670, 434/307 A, 395/442, 206/307, 206/457
• US Class Current: 84/609
• 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 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/245 ISDN [Integrated Services Digital Network]
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/295 Packet switched network, e.g. token ring circuit-switched networks, e.g. traditional analog telephone transmission G10H2240/241
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/595 ADPCM [adaptive differential pulse code modulation]

Abstract

A karaoke system has a player for presenting a karaoke accompaniment according to a song data selected in response to a request, and a loader coupled to the player for downloading thereinto a song data. The loader is comprised of a casing having a first face, one coupling member disposed in the first face, a primary storage disposed in the casing for storing a plurality of song data, and a transmitter for retrieving the song data from the primary storage to transmit the same through the one coupling member. The player is comprised of a housing having a second face arranged such as to confront the first face when the loader is placed in a coupled state with the player, another coupling member disposed in the second face in opposed relation to the one coupling member to thereby form a wireless coupler under the coupled state, a secondary storage disposed in the housing, a receiver for receiving the song data transmitted through the wireless coupler to store the same into the secondary storage, and a sound synthesizer responsive to a request for selectively retrieving a desired song data from the secondary storage so as to sound the karaoke accompaniment.

Claims

1. A karaoke system comprising:

a player installed in a location for providing a karaoke accompaniment according to data representative of a song selected in response to a request; and

a portable loader capable of being carried to the location and detachably coupled to the player for downloading thereinto data representative of a song, wherein

the portable loader comprises;

a casing having a first face;

a first coupling member disposed in the first face;

a primary memory disposed in the casing for storing data representative of a plurality of songs; and

a transmitter for retrieving the data representative of songs from the primary memory to transmit the same through said first coupling member, wherein

the player comprises;

a housing having a second face arranged so as to engage with the first face in opposed relation thereto when the loader is coupled to the player;

a second coupling member disposed in the second face in opposed relation to said first coupling member to thereby form a wireless communication channel in the coupled state;

a secondary memory disposed in the housing;

a receiver for receiving the data representative of the songs transmitted through the wireless communication channel to store the same into the secondary memory; and

a sound generator responsive to a request for selectively retrieving data representative of a desired song data from the secondary storage so as to sound the karaoke accompaniment.

2. A karaoke system according to claim 1, the karaoke system further including a circuit disposed in one of the player and the loader for monitoring the contents of the primary memory and the secondary memory to detect data representative of a new song which is stored in the primary memory but not stored in the secondary memory, and for controlling the transmitter to selectively transmit the data representative of the new song from the loader to the player through the wireless communication channel.

3. A karaoke system according to claim 1, the karaoke system further including a bi-directional wireless communication channel formed between the player and the loader for exchanging a control message effective to control the downloading of the data representative of songs.

4. A karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein said first coupling member comprises a photoemitter for emitting an optical signal modulated by data representative of songs, and said second coupling member comprises a photodetector for receiving the optical signal to thereby extract the data representative of songs.

5. A karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein said first coupling member comprises a first antenna for transmitting an electromagnetic signal modulated by the data representative of songs, and said second coupling member comprises a second antenna for receiving the electromagnetic signal, wherein the wireless communication channel is formed when the antennae are brought in close proximity.

6. An amusement system comprising:

a player for providing a play according to information containing at least one of a program and data, and a plurality of loaders selectively coupled to the player for downloading different items of the information, wherein each loader comprises;

a memory medium for storing at least one item of the information;

a casing for accommodating the memory therein, the casing being formed in one of a plurality of shapes, the particular shape of the casing visually indicating the corresponding item of the stored information to enable ready selection of a desired loader, the casing including;

a first coupling member disposed on the casing; and

a transmitter for transmitting the item of the information stored in the memory through said one coupling member, and wherein

the player comprises;

a second coupling member arranged so as to engage said first coupling member to thereby form a wireless communication channel when a selected one of the loaders is coupled to the player,

a receiver for receiving the transmitted item of the information through the wireless communication channel; and

a processor for processing the received item of the information to provide a desired kind of the play.

7. An amusement system according to claim 6, wherein the processor comprises a circuit for selectively providing one of a karaoke play, a game play and an instrument play according to the downloaded item of the information.

8. A loader connectable to a player for downloading thereinto information representative of at least one of a program and data to enable the player to provide a desired performance responsive to the information, the loader comprising:

a memory for storing the information;

a casing for accommodating the memory therein, the casing being formed in one of a plurality of shapes, the particular shape of the casing visually corresponding to the performance to be provided by the player;

a coupling member disposed on the casing so as to form a wireless communication channel with the player; and

a transmitter for transmitting the information stored in the memory to the player through the wireless communication channel.