Karaoke network system with broadcasting of background pictures

• US 5,810,603 A
• Filed: 08/23/1994
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Hirokazu, Semba, Youji, Ogita, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): CHENG, JOE H
• Application Number:
  US08/294,382
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 434/307 R-309, 434/318, 434/118, 434/365, 84/477 R, 84/609-613, 84/634-637, 84/644, 84/650-652, 84/662, 369/1, 369/2, 369/4, 369/48, 369/178, 369/192, 360/32, 360/72.2, 348/473, 348/595, 348/723, 348/563, 348/564, 348/484, 348/7, 348/12-14, 348/478, 348/488, 348/571, 358/335, 358/342, 379/93, 370/95.1, 370/95.2, 370/85.8, 370/432, 370/535, 340/825.03, 485/4.2, 485/5.1, 485/6.3, 395/250, 395/200.49, 704/769
• US Class Current: 434/307.00A
• 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 2240/265 CATV transmission, i.e. electrophonic musical instruments connected to community antennas or cable television networks

Abstract

A karaoke network system includes a central station for serving karaoke data and image data, and a group of karaoke terminals connected to the central station through a communication line having a common channel and a plurality of parallel channels for locally presenting a karaoke accompaniment and a background picture. The central station includes a first server responsive to a request command from karaoke terminal for transmitting to the common channel requested karaoke data individually addressed to the karaoke terminal, and a second server operative independently of the first server for transmitting to the parallel channels a plurality of different image data continuously broadcast to each karaoke terminal. The karaoke terminal includes an admitter for admitting the karaoke data addressed thereto from the common channel, and a selector for selecting one of the parallel channels to admit therefrom image data associated to the admitted karaoke data, such that the karaoke terminal can present the karaoke accompaniment and the background picture according to the simultaneously admitted karaoke data and the image data.

Claims

1. A karaoke network system comprising a central station for serving karaoke data and image data, and a group of karaoke terminals connected to the central station through a communication line having a common channel and a plurality of parallel channels for locally presenting a karaoke accompaniment and a background picture, wherein:

the central station includes first server means responsive to a request command from one of said group of karaoke terminals for transmitting to the common channel requested karaoke data individually addressed to said one of said group of karaoke terminals, and second server means operative independently of the first server means for transmitting to said plurality of parallel channels a plurality of different image data continuously broadcast to each karaoke terminal of said group of karaoke terminals; and

said one of said group of the karaoke terminals includes admitter means for admitting karaoke data addressed thereto from the common channel, and selector means for selecting one of the parallel channels of said plurality of parallel channels to admit therefrom image data associated with said admitted karaoke data, such that said one of said group of karaoke terminals presents said karaoke accompaniment and said background picture according to said simultaneously admitted karaoke data and said image data.

2. The karaoke network system of claim 1, wherein the first server means includes mailing means for transmitting the requested karaoke data in a packet form containing address information detectable by said one of said group of karaoke terminals issuing said request command.

3. The karaoke network system of claim 1, wherein the second server means includes multiplexing means for transmitting said plurality of different image data by means of carriers having different frequencies assigned to respective parallel channels.

4. The karaoke network system of claim 1, wherein the first server means includes means for transmitting the requested karaoke data together with designation information designating a parallel channel broadcasting associated image data so that the selector means can select the designated parallel channel according to the transmitted designation information.

5. A karaoke terminal apparatus connectable to a central station through a communication line having a plurality of channels for admitting therefrom karaoke data and image data so as to present a karaoke accompaniment and a background picture, the karaoke terminal apparatus comprising:

commander means for transmitting to the communication line a request command requesting the central station to transmit back corresponding karaoke data through a first channel of the communication line;

admitter means for admitting from said first channel the corresponding karaoke data containing at least accompaniment information and for admitting from said first channel designation information designating a second channel of the communication line, said second channel assigned image data associated with corresponding karaoke data;

selector means for selecting said second channel according to the designation information to admit therefrom said associated image data;

tone generator means for processing the accompaniment information to synthesize said karaoke accompaniment; and

graphic data processor means for processing said associated image data to reproduce said background picture simultaneously with the karaoke accompaniment.

6. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 5, wherein the commander means includes means for transmitting the request command by means of a carrier having a specific frequency assigned by the central station.

7. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 5, wherein the admitter means includes means for decoding address information contained in a packet form from the admitted karaoke data so as to check correspondency of the admitted karaoke data.

8. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 5, wherein the selector means includes means for accessing said second channel to retrieve therefrom said associated image data in the form of a video signal carried by a carrier having a specific frequency designated by the central station.

9. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 5, wherein the graphic data processor means includes character generator means for processing lyric information contained in the admitted karaoke data to generate lyric characters displayed in superposed relation to the background picture.

10. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 5, including a data processor selectively transferring the accompaniment information to said tone generator means.

11. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 10, wherein the commander means includes a transmitter transmitting the request command on a carrier having a specific frequency assigned by the central station.

12. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 10, wherein the admitter means includes an address checker decoding address information contained in a packet form from the admitted karaoke data so as to check correspondency of the admitted karaoke data.

13. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 10, wherein said data processor passes said designation information to the selector means so as to access said second channel to retrieve therefrom said associated image data in the form of a video signal carried by a carrier having a specific frequency designated by the central station.

14. The karaoke terminal apparatus of claim 10, wherein the graphic data processor means processes lyric information contained in the admitted karaoke data to generate lyric characters selectively transferred to a graphic processor and displayed in superposed relation to the background picture.

15. A karaoke network system comprising a central station for serving karaoke data and image data, and a group of karaoke terminals connected to the central station through a communication line having a common channel and a plurality of parallel channels for locally presenting a karaoke accompaniment and a background picture, wherein:

the central station includes a karaoke data server responsive to a request command from one of said group of karaoke terminals, said karaoke data server transmitting to the common channel requested karaoke data individually addressed to said one of said group of karaoke terminals, and an image data server operative independently of the karaoke data server, said image data server transmitting to said plurality of parallel channels a plurality of different image data continuously and substantially simultaneously broadcast to each karaoke terminal of said group of karaoke terminals; and

said one of said group of karaoke terminals includes an admitter admitting karaoke data addressed to said one of said group of the karaoke terminals from the common channel, and a selector selecting one of the parallel channels of said plurality of parallel channels to admit from said one of the parallel channels of said plurality of parallel channels said image data associated with said admitted karaoke data, such that said one of said group of karaoke terminals presents said karaoke accompaniment and said background picture according to said simultaneously admitted karaoke data and said image data.

16. The karaoke network system of claim 15, wherein the karaoke server includes a mailer transmitting the requested karaoke data in a packet form containing address information detectable by said one of said group of karaoke terminals issuing said request command.

17. The karaoke network system of claim 15, wherein the image data server includes a multiplexer transmitting said plurality of different image data on carriers having different frequencies assigned to respective parallel channels.

18. The karaoke network system of claim 15, wherein the karaoke data server includes a transmitter transmitting the requested karaoke data together with designation information designating a parallel channel broadcasting associated image data so that the selector can select the designated parallel channel according to the transmitted designation information.