Online karaoke system with data distribution by broadcasting

• US 6,074,215 A
• Filed: 07/16/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Tsurumi, Kanehisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheng, Joe H.
• Application Number:
  US09/118,164
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 434/307 R-309, 434/318, 434/365, 84/477 R, 84/601, 84/603, 84/609, 84/610, 84/625, 84/630, 84/631, 84/634, 84/645, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.3, 348/7, 348/9, 348/12, 348/13, 348/478, 709/219, 340/825.08, 370/449, 370/432, 370/476, 463/25, 463/40, 206/307, 206/457, 381/61, 375/240, 375/259, 341/60
• 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 2240/066 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 2240/261 Satellite transmission for musical instrument purposes, e.g. processing for mitigation of satellite transmission delays
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/295 Packet switched network, e.g. token ring

Abstract

A karaoke online system distributes karaoke data blocks having identification codes from a center station to a plurality of karaoke terminals through a broadcast network. In the center station, a transmitter broadcasts the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes to the broadcast network. In the karaoke terminal, a receiver receives the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes from the center station through the broadcast network. A buffer memory temporarily memorizes each of the karaoke data blocks received by the receiver. A storage device stores the karaoke data blocks after each of the karaoke data blocks is temporarily memorized in the buffer memory. A controller discriminates the karaoke data blocks while each of the karaoke data blocks stays in the buffer memory according to the identification codes attached to the karaoke data blocks for judging as to whether each of the karaoke data blocks should be transferred from the buffer memory to the storage device. The controller further operates when judging that the karaoke data block should be transferred for driving the storage device to store the karaoke data block.

Claims

1. An online karaoke system comprising a transmitting apparatus and a plurality of receiving apparatuses for distributing karaoke data blocks having identification codes from the transmitting apparatus to the plurality of the receiving apparatuses through a broadcast network, wherein

the transmitting apparatus comprises broadcasting means for broadcasting the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes to the broadcast network, and wherein

the receiving apparatus comprises receiving means for receiving the karaoke data blocks broadcast by the transmitting apparatus through the broadcast network, temporary memory means for temporarily memorizing the karaoke data blocks received by the receiving means, storage means for storing the karaoke data blocks after being temporarily memorized in the temporary memory means, discriminating means for discriminating the karaoke data blocks while staying in the temporary memory means according to the identification codes attached to the karaoke data blocks, judging means operative based on results of discriminating the karaoke data blocks for judging as to whether each of the karaoke data blocks should be transferred from the temporary memory means to the storage means, and drive means operative when the judging means judges that the karaoke data block should be transferred for driving the storage means to store the karaoke data block.

2. The online karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the receiving apparatus is changeable between a drive mode with more energy consumption where the storage means is able to store the karaoke data blocks and a sleep mode with less energy consumption where the storage means is unable to store the karaoke data blocks, and wherein the receiving apparatus can change from the sleep mode to the drive mode when the judging means judges that the karaoke data block should be transferred from the temporary memory means to the storage means.

3. The online karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting means of the transmitting apparatus broadcasts the same karaoke data blocks at different rates, and wherein the receiving means of the receiving apparatus can receive the karaoke data blocks selectively at one of the different rates.

4. The online karaoke system according to claim 1, wherein the broadcasting means of the transmitting apparatus repeatedly broadcasts the same karaoke data blocks at cycles.

5. An online karaoke system comprising a transmitting apparatus and a plurality of receiving apparatuses for distributing karaoke data from the transmitting apparatus to the plurality of the receiving apparatuses through a broadcast network, wherein

the transmitting apparatus comprises broadcasting means for broadcasting the same karaoke data to the broadcast network at different data transfer rates, and wherein

the receiving apparatus comprises selecting means for selecting one of the different data transfer rates, receiving means for receiving the karaoke data at the selected data transfer rate from the transmitting apparatus through the broadcast network, temporary memory means for temporarily memorizing the karaoke data received by the receiving means, and storage means for storing the karaoke data after being temporarily memorized in the temporary memory means.

6. A communication system comprising a transmitting apparatus and a plurality of receiving apparatuses for distributing karaoke data blocks having identification codes from the transmitting apparatus to the plurality of the receiving apparatuses through a broadcast network, wherein

the transmitting apparatus comprises a transmitter that broadcasts the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes to the broadcast network, and wherein

the receiving apparatus comprises a receiver that receives the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes from the transmitting apparatus through the broadcast network, a buffer memory that temporarily memorizes each of the karaoke data blocks received by the receiver, a storage device that stores the karaoke data blocks after each of the karaoke data blocks is temporarily memorized in the buffer memory, and a controller that discriminates the karaoke data blocks while each of the karaoke data blocks stays in the buffer memory according to the identification codes attached to the karaoke data blocks for judging as to whether each of the karaoke data blocks should be transferred from the buffer memory to the storage device, the controller further being operative when judging that the karaoke data block should be transferred for driving the storage device to store the karaoke data block.

7. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the receiving apparatus is changeable between an active state with more energy consumption such that the storage device is able to store the karaoke data blocks and an inactive state with less energy consumption such that the storage device is unable to store the karaoke data blocks, and wherein the receiving apparatus can restore from the inactive state to the active state when the controller judges that the karaoke data block should be transferred from the buffer memory to the storage device.

8. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the transmitter broadcasts a set of the karaoke data blocks in a stream such that each of the karaoke data blocks is sequentially transmitted with the identification code that identifies an order of each karaoke data block in the stream, and wherein the receiver sequentially receives the karaoke data blocks transmitted in the stream and the controller operates according to the identification codes to keep the order of the karaoke data blocks during the course of storing the karaoke data blocks into the storage device.

9. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the transmitter repeatedly broadcasts a set of the same karaoke data blocks, and wherein the controller operates when the order of the karaoke data blocks is disturbed during the course of storing the karaoke data blocks for controlling the storage device to stop the storing and then to restart the storing when a next set of the same karaoke data blocks is received.

10. The communication system according to claim 8, wherein the transmitter broadcasts the same set of the karaoke data blocks separately in a fast stream and in a slow stream, and wherein the receiver selects the fast stream to receive the karaoke data blocks when the receiving apparatus works fast and otherwise selects the slow stream to receive the karaoke data blocks when the receiving apparatus works slow.

11. A karaoke apparatus for providing a karaoke service according to karaoke data blocks distributed through a broadcast network from a host apparatus that broadcasts the karaoke data blocks with identification codes to the broadcast network, the karaoke apparatus comprising:

a receiver that receives the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes from the host apparatus through the broadcast network;

a buffer memory that temporarily memorizes each of the karaoke data blocks received by the receiver;

a storage device that stores the karaoke data blocks after each of the karaoke data blocks is temporarily memorized in the buffer memory; and

a controller that discriminates the karaoke data blocks while each of the karaoke data blocks stays in the buffer memory according to the identification codes attached to the karaoke data blocks for judging as to whether each of the karaoke data blocks should be transferred from the buffer memory to the storage device, the controller further being operative when judging that the karaoke data block should be transferred for driving the storage device to store the karaoke data block.

12. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the storage device is changeable between an active state with more energy consumption such that the storage device is able to store the karaoke data blocks, and an inactive state with less energy consumption such that the storage device is unable to store the karaoke data blocks, and wherein the controller controls the storage device to restore from the inactive state to the active state when the controller judges that the karaoke data block should be transferred from the buffer memory to the storage device.

13. A host apparatus for distributing karaoke data blocks to a plurality of karaoke apparatuses through a broadcast network, the host apparatus comprising:

a database that provides an update set of karaoke data blocks and arranges the karaoke data blocks in a stream to feed the karaoke apparatuses; and

a transmitter that broadcasts the update set of the karaoke data blocks separately in a fast stream and in a slow stream so as to enable each of the karaoke apparatuses to select the fast stream to receive the karaoke data blocks when the karaoke apparatus works fast, and to otherwise select the slow stream to receive the karaoke data blocks when the karaoke apparatus works slow.

14. A method of distributing karaoke data blocks having identification codes from a transmitting apparatus through a broadcast network to a plurality of receiving apparatuses having a storage device that stores the karaoke data blocks after each of the karaoke data blocks is temporarily memorized in a buffer memory, the method comprising the steps of:

broadcasting the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes to the broadcast network from the transmitting apparatus;

receiving the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes by the receiving apparatus from the transmitting apparatus through the broadcast network;

temporarily memorizing each of the karaoke data blocks received by the receiver apparatus in the buffer memory;

discriminating the karaoke data blocks while each of the karaoke data blocks stays in the buffer memory according to the identification codes attached to the karaoke data blocks for judging as to whether each of the karaoke data blocks should be transferred from the buffer memory to the storage device; and

driving the storage device to store the karaoke data block when it is judged that the karaoke data block should be transferred to the storage device.

15. A machine readable medium for use in a communication system having a CPU for distributing karaoke data blocks having identification codes from a transmitting apparatus through a broadcast network to a plurality of receiving apparatuses each having a storage device that stores the karaoke data blocks after each of the karaoke data blocks is temporarily memorized in a buffer memory, the medium containing program instructions executable by the CPU to cause the communication system to perform the method comprising the steps of:

broadcasting the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes to the broadcast network from the transmitting apparatus;

receiving the karaoke data blocks with the identification codes by the receiving apparatus from the transmitting apparatus through the broadcast network;

temporarily memorizing each of the karaoke data blocks received by the receiver apparatus in the buffer memory;

discriminating the karaoke data blocks while each of the karaoke data blocks stays in the buffer memory according to the identification codes attached to the karaoke data blocks for judging as to whether each of the karaoke data blocks should be transferred from the buffer memory to the storage device; and

driving the storage device to store the karaoke data block when it is judged that the karaoke data block should be transferred to the storage device.