Drive-in interactive system

• US 5,885,085 A
• Filed: 11/20/1996
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Fujita, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/753,150
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 434/307 R-309, 434/318, 434/365, 84/477 R, 84/609-613, 84/634-673, 84/644, 84/650-652, 84/662, 381/78, 381/86, 463/40, 359/159, 359/172, 359/180, 340/825.08, 340/901, 370/449, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.3, 455/526, 348/8, 348/12-14, 348/102, 348/564, 348/739, 386/96, 386/102, 369/47, 345/1, 345/327, 344/734, 353/837
• 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 2220/011 Lyrics displays, e.g. for karaoke applications
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405

Abstract

A drive-in interactive performance system including a parking space in which at least a car can be parked and an interactive performance apparatus associated with the parking space and operable from within the car. The drive-in interactive performance system allows a user in the car to enjoy a variety of interactive performances, such as, for example, a karaoke performance, an interactive game and the like. For example, in a karaoke interactive system, the user operates a command device in the car to select a karaoke song and send a karaoke request signal for the karaoke song to the karaoke apparatus. A wireless microphone picks up the voice of the user who is sitting and singing in the car and sends a voice signal of the user'"'"'s voice to the karaoke apparatus. The karaoke apparatus generates a karaoke performance signal based on the karaoke request signal and the voice signal and also generates an image signal for an image associated with the selected song. A projector device is installed adjacent the parking space for projecting the image onto a projector screen installed in front of the car. The karaoke performance signal is transmitted to a car radio system of the car so that karaoke performance is performed in the car.

Claims

1. A karaoke system for a car having a radio, the system comprising:

a karaoke apparatus;

a space for parking the car, the space being associated with the karaoke apparatus;

a command device that selects a karaoke song and sends a song request signal associated with the karaoke song to the karaoke apparatus;

a microphone device that sends a voice signal to the karaoke apparatus;

an operation signal generating device in the karaoke apparatus that generates a karaoke performance signal based on the song request signal and the voice signal and an image signal for an image associated with the karaoke song selected by the command device;

an image forming device disposed adjacent the parking space for forming the image generated by the karaoke apparatus; and

a transmitter device coupled to the karaoke apparatus for transmitting the karaoke performance signal to the car radio.

2. A karaoke system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a first receiver device coupled to the karaoke apparatus and a second receiver device coupled to karaoke apparatus, wherein the microphone device is a wireless microphone for transmitting the voice signal to the first receiver device, and the command device is a wireless command device for transmitting the song request signal to the second receiver device.

3. A karaoke system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the wireless command device is an infrared command device for transmitting an infrared light signal representative of the song request signal, and the second receiver device is an infrared light receiver for receiving the infrared light signal sent from the infrared command device.

4. A karaoke system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operation signal generating device comprises a mixer device that mixes the karaoke performance signal and the voice signal to form the karaoke performance signal and a radio transmitter, coupled to the transmitter device, that generates a radio signal representative of the karaoke performance signal and receivable by the car radio of the car.

5. A karaoke system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the image forming device comprises an image projector and a projector screen disposed adjacent the parking area and wherein the image projector projects the image onto the projector screen.

6. A karaoke system for a car having a radio, the system comprising:

a karaoke apparatus;

a space for parking the car, the space being associated with the karaoke apparatus;

a wireless command device that selects a karaoke song and sends a song request signal associated with the karaoke song;

a command signal receiver device connected to the karaoke apparatus that receives the song request signal and sends the song request signal to the karaoke apparatus;

a wireless microphone that transmits a voice signal representative of voice of a user;

a receiver antenna connected to the karaoke apparatus that receives the voice signal and sends the voice signal to the karaoke apparatus;

a karaoke performance signal generating device in the karaoke apparatus that generates a karaoke performance signal based on the song request signal and the voice signal;

an image signal forming device in the karaoke apparatus that generates an image signal for an image associated with the karaoke song selected by the wireless command device;

an image forming device disposed adjacent the parking space for forming the image; and

a transmitter antenna coupled to the karaoke performance signal generating device for transmitting the karaoke performance signal to the car radio.

7. A karaoke system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the wireless command device is an infrared command device for transmitting an infrared light signal representative of the song request signal, and the command signal receiver device is an infrared light receiver for receiving the infrared light signal sent from the infrared command device.

8. A karaoke system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the image forming device comprises an image projector and a projector screen disposed adjacent the parking area wherein the image projector projects the image onto the projector screen.

9. A method of operating a karaoke system comprising the steps of:

parking a car having a car radio in a parking space;

associating the parking space with a karaoke apparatus;

sending a song request signal for a karaoke song from inside the car to the karaoke apparatus;

sending a voice signal representative of voice of a user from inside the car to the karaoke apparatus;

generating a karaoke performance signal based on the song request signal and the voice signal and an image signal for an image associated with the karaoke song;

forming the image on an image forming screen provided adjacent the parking space; and

sending the karaoke performance signal to the car radio.

10. A method of operating a karaoke system as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the steps of sending the song request signal from a wireless command device to a first receiver device coupled to the karaoke apparatus and sending the voice signal from a wireless microphone to a second receiver device coupled to the karaoke apparatus.

11. A method of operating a karaoke system as set forth in claim 9, further comprising the steps of converting the karaoke performance signal into a radio signal receivable by the car radio and transmitting the radio signal to the car radio of the car.

12. A method of operating a karaoke system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the step of forming the image include projecting the image onto a projector screen disposed adjacent the parking space.

13. A method of operating a karaoke system comprising the steps of:

parking a plurality of cars, each of the cars having a car radio in a corresponding plurality of parking areas;

associating the plurality of parking areas with a karaoke apparatus;

sending a song request signal for a karaoke song from within at least one of the plurality of cars to the karaoke apparatus;

sending a voice signal representative of voice of a user from within at least one of the plurality of cars to the karaoke apparatus;

generating a karaoke performance signal based on the song request signal and the voice signal and an image signal for an image associated with the karaoke song;

forming the image on an image forming screen provided adjacent each of the plurality of parking areas; and

sending the karaoke performance signal to the car radio of each of the plurality of cars.

14. A method of operating a karaoke system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising the steps of sending the song request signal from a wireless command device to a first receiver device coupled to the karaoke apparatus and sending the voice signal from a wireless microphone to a second receiver device coupled to the karaoke apparatus.

15. A method of operating a karaoke system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising the steps of converting the karaoke performance signal into a radio signal receivable by the car radio of each of the plurality of cars and transmitting the radio signal to the car radio of each of the plurality of cars.

16. A method of operating a karaoke system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the step of forming the image includes projecting the image onto a projector screen disposed adjacent each of the plurality of parking areas.

17. An interactive performance system for a car having a car radio, the system comprising:

an interactive performance apparatus, the interactive performance apparatus including a storage device that stores interactive performance data for at least an interactive performance, the interactive performance data including at least image data and sound data;

a space for parking the car, the space being associated with the interactive performance apparatus;

a wireless controller device that sends a performance command signal to the interactive performance apparatus for controlling the interactive performance;

a performance signal generating device in the interactive performance apparatus that generates an image signal based on the image data in the interactive performance data and a sound signal based on the sound data in the interactive performance data in response to the performance command signal;

an image forming device disposed adjacent the parking space for forming the image representative of the image signal; and

a transmitter device coupled to the interactive performance apparatus for transmitting the sound signal to the car radio.

18. An interactive performance system as set forth in claim 17, further comprising an actuator system installed in a floor of the parking area and coupled to the interactive performance apparatus, wherein the actuator system is actuated to move the floor synchronized with at least the image signal.