Remote control device, sound-reproducing system and karaoke system

• US 5,993,220 A
• Filed: 01/21/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakano, Hideki, Nakamura, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US08/785,550
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 434/118, 434/307 R-309, 434/318, 434/365, 84/477 R, 84/601, 84/608-610, 84/625, 84/630-634, 84/645, 369/24, 369/30, 369/48, 369/84, 369/40, 348/706, 348/734, 348/738, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 360/5, 360/15
• US Class Current: 434/307.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/363 using optical disks, e.g. CD, CD-ROM, to store accompaniment information in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/066 MPEG audio-visual compression file formats, e.g. MPEG-4 for coding of audio-visual objects
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/245 ISDN [Integrated Services Digital Network]
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence

Abstract

A karaoke system is provided with a reproducing section and a remote control device. The reproducing section at least reproduces an accompaniment signal. The remote control device controls the operation of the reproducing section and is provided with an input section, a storage and a sending section. A control signal for controlling the operation of the reproducing section and information showing the order of reproducing an accompaniment signal by the reproducing section are input from the input section. The storage stores reservation information showing the order of reproduction and the personal information of a user both input via the input section. The sending section sends at least one of reservation information and the personal information of a user both stored in said storage to the reproducing section. The reproducing section reproduces an accompaniment signal specified via the input section and the operation of the reproducing section is controlled based upon at least one of personal information and a control signal both sent from the remote control device.

Claims

1. A remote control device of a sound-reproducing system for controlling the operation of the sound-reproducing system, said device comprising:

an input section for inputting a control signal for controlling the operation of said sound-reproducing system and information showing the order of reproducing at least an audio signal by said sound-reproducing system;

a storage for storing the information input from said input section for showing said reproducing order and the personal information of a user; and

a sending section for sending at least one of the information showing said reproducing order and said personal information of a user both stored in said storage to said sound-reproducing system.

2. A remote control device of a sound-reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein:

personal information stored in said storage includes at least the identification number of a user.

3. A remote control device of a sound-reproducing system according to claim 2, wherein:

personal information stored in said storage further includes at least information for setting a state in which an audio signal is reproduced by said sound-reproducing system.

4. A remote control device of a sound-reproducing system according to claim 1, wherein:

said system further comprises a display for displaying at least information stored in said storage.

5. A sound-reproducing system comprising:

a reproducing section for regenerating at least an audio signal; and

a remote control device provided with an input section for inputting a control signal for controlling the operation of said reproducing section and information showing the order of reproducing an audio signal by said reproducing section, a storage for storing information showing said reproducing order and the personal information of a user both input from said input section and a sending section for sending at least one of information showing said reproducing order and said personal information of a user both stored in said storage to said reproducing section and for controlling the operation of said reproducing section, wherein;

said reproducing section reproduces an audio signal specified via said input section; and

the operation of said reproducing section is controlled based upon at least one of personal information and a control signal both sent from said remote control device.

6. A sound-reproducing system according to claim 5, wherein:

said reproducing section comprises a receiving section for receiving information sent from said remote control device and a control section for controlling the operation of said reproducing section based upon output from said receiving section.

7. A sound-reproducing system according to claim 6, wherein:

said control section controls so that an audio signal specified by the personal information of a user sent from said remote control device is reproduced by said reproducing section.

8. A sound-reproducing system according to claim 5, wherein:

said reproducing section further comprises a housing for housing plural recording mediums in each of which plural audio signals are recorded; and

said reproducing section takes a recording medium specified by said remote control device out of said housing and reproduces an audio signal specified by said remote control device.

9. A sound-reproducing system according to claim 5, wherein:

personal information stored in said storage includes at least the identification number of a user.

10. A sound-reproducing system according to claim 9, wherein:

personal information stored in said storage further includes at least information for setting a state in which an accompaniment signal is reproduced by said reproducing section.

11. A sound-reproducing system according to claim 5, wherein:

said remote control device further comprises a display for displaying at least information stored in said storage.

12. A karaoke system, comprising:

a reproducing section for reproducing at least an accompaniment signal; and

a remote control device provided with an input section for inputting a control signal for controlling the operation of said reproducing section and information showing the order of reproducing an accompaniment signal by said reproducing section, a storage for storing reservation information showing said reproducing order and the personal information of a user both input from said input section and a sending section for sending at least one of said reservation information and the personal information of a user both stored in said storage to said reproducing section and for controlling the operation of said reproducing section, wherein;

said reproducing section reproduces an accompaniment signal specified via said input section; and

the operation of said reproducing section is controlled based upon at least one of personal information and a control signal both sent from said remote control device.

13. A karaoke system according to claim 12, wherein:

personal information stored in said storage further includes at least the identification number of a user.

14. A karaoke system according to claim 13, wherein:

personal information stored in said storage further includes at least information for setting a state in which an accompaniment signal is reproduced by said reproducing section.

15. A karaoke system according to claim 12, wherein:

said remote control device further comprises a display for displaying at least information stored in said storage.

16. A karaoke system according to claim 12, wherein:

said reproducing section comprises a receiving section for receiving information sent from said remote control device and a control section for controlling the operation of said reproducing section based upon output from said receiving section.

17. A karaoke system according to claim 16, wherein:

said control section controls so that an accompaniment signal specified by the personal information of a user sent from said remote control device is reproduced by said reproducing section.

18. A karaoke system according to claim 16, wherein:

said reproducing section further comprises a housing for housing plural recording mediums in each of which plural accompaniment signals are recorded; and

said reproducing section takes a recording medium specified by said remote control device out of said housing and reproduces an accompaniment signal specified by said remote control device.

19. A karaoke system according to claim 16, wherein:

said control section informs a user of information showing the balance based upon information showing a used amount in personal information stored in said storage.

20. A karaoke system according to claim 12, wherein:

said system further comprises means for informing a user that the reproduction of an accompaniment signal reserved based upon said reservation information by said reproducing section is to be started based upon personal information from said remote control device.