Apparatus for switching picture items of different types by suitable transition modes

• US 6,248,944 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Emi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLETCHER, MARLON T
• Application Number:
  US09/396,096
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 358/908, 386/52-53, 386/55, 386/94, 846/00--02, 846/09--12, 846/34--36, 846/49--52, 846/66--68, 844/77.R, 84D/IG.6, 434/307.A, 434/307.R
• US Class Current: 84/477.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/02 Boards or like means for providing an indication of notes

Abstract

A karaoke apparatus is constructed for producing karaoke accompaniments of requested songs while switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor. In the karaoke apparatus, a sound source block works in an operating period when a requested song is present for producing the karaoke accompaniment, and does not work in a non-operating period when a requested song is absent. A picture source block provides picture items of different types suitable for use in either of the operating period and the non-operating period. A picture mixing block provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when a preceding picture item is switched to a succeeding picture item along a passage of the operating period and the non-operating period. A control block selects one of the transition modes according to the type of the preceding picture item and the type of the succeeding picture item for enabling the picture mixing block to connect the preceding picture item to the succeeding picture item by the selected transition mode.

Claims

1. A picture switching apparatus for switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor, comprising:

a switching section that provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is to be connected to another picture item; and

a control section that selects one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item for enabling the switching section to switch said one picture item to said another item by the selected transition mode.

2. The picture switching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the switching section provides a plurality of transition modes including two or more of a cross-fade transition mode where said one picture item fades out and said another picture item fades in, a cut-in/cut-out transition mode where said one picture item is cut out and said another picture item is cut in, a blanking transition mode where said one picture item is switched momentarily to a blank picture and then switched to said another picture item, and an effect transition mode where said one picture item is connected to said another picture item by a visual effect selected from dissolving, scrolling and wiping.

3. A method of switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is to be connected to another picture item;

selecting one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item; and

switching said one picture item to said another item by the selected transition mode.

4. A machine readable medium for use in a picture switching apparatus having a processor and a monitor, the medium containing program instructions executable by the processor for causing the picture switching apparatus to perform a process of switching picture items of different types displayed on the monitor, wherein the process comprises the steps of:

providing a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is to be connected to another picture item;

selecting one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item; and

switching said one picture item to said another item by the selected transition mode.

5. A karaoke apparatus for producing karaoke accompaniments of requested songs while switching picture items of difference types displayed on a monitor, comprising:

a sound source block that works in an operating period when a requested song is present for producing the karaoke accompaniment and that does not work in a non-operating period when the requested song is absent;

a picture source block that provides picture items of different types suitable for use in either of the operating period and the non-operating period;

a picture mixing block that provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is switched to another picture item along a passage of the operating period and the non-operating period; and

a control block that selects one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item for enabling the picture mixing block to connect said one picture item to said another picture item by the selected transition mode.

6. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the picture source block provides picture items of different types including a dedicated background video type suitable for use in the operating period of a corresponding requested song, and at least one of a free background video type suitable for use in the non-operating period, a commercial message type suitable for use in the non-operating period and an alert type incidentally usable in either of the operating period and the non-operating period.

7. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the picture mixing block provides a plurality of the transition modes including two or more of a cross-fade transition mode where said one picture item fades out and said another picture item fades in, a cut-in/cut-out transition mode where said one picture item is cut out and said another picture item is cut in, a blanking transition mode where said one picture item is switched momentarily to a blank picture and then switched to said another picture item, and an effect transition mode where said one picture item is connected to said another picture item by a visual effect selected from dissolving, scrolling and wiping.

8. A karaoke apparatus for producing karaoke accompaniments of requested songs while switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor, comprising:

a sound source block that works in an operating period when a requested song is present for producing the karaoke accompaniment and that does not work in a non-operating period when the requested song is absent;

a picture source block that provides picture items of different types suitable for use in either of the operating period and the non-operating period;

a picture mixing block that provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is switched to another picture item along a passage of the operating period and the non-operating period; and

a control bock that selects one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item for enabling the picture mixing block to connect one said picture item to said another picture item by the selected transition mode, wherein

the picture source block provides picture items of different types including a dedicated background video type suitable for use in the operating period of a corresponding requested song, and at least one of a free background video type suitable for use in the non-operating period, a commercial message type suitable for use in the non-operating period and an alert type incidentally usable in either of the operating period and the non-operating period,

the picture mixing block provides a plurality of transition modes including two or more of a cross-fade transition mode where said one picture item fades out and said another picture item fades in, a cut-in/cut-out transition mode where said one picture item is cut out and said another picture item is cut in, a blanking transition mode where said one picture item is switched momentarily to a blank picture and then switched to said another picture item, and an effect transition mode where said one picture item is connected to said another picture item by a visual effect selected from dissolving, scrolling and wiping, and

the control block selects the blanking transition mode for switching said one picture item selected from the dedicated background video type, the free background video type, the commercial message type and the alert type to said another picture item of the dedicated background video type.

9. A karaoke apparatus for producing karaoke accompaniments of requested songs while switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor, comprising:

a sound source block that works in an operating period when a requested song is present for producing the karaoke accompaniment and that does not work in a non-operating period when the requested song is absent;

a picture source block that provides picture items of different types suitable for use in either of the operating period and the non-operating period;

a picture mixing block that provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is switched to another picture item along a passage of the operating period and the non-operating period; and

a control bock that selects one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item for enabling the picture mixing block to connect one said picture item to said another picture item by the selected transition mode, wherein

the picture source block provides picture items of different types including a dedicated background video type suitable for use in the operating period of a corresponding requested song, and at least one of a free background video type suitable for use in the non-operating period, a commercial message type suitable for use in the non-operating period and an alert type incidentally usable in either of the operating period and the non-operating period,

the picture mixing block provides a plurality of transition modes including two or more of a cross-fade transition mode where said one picture item fades out and said another picture item fades in, a cut-in/cut-out transition mode where said one picture item is cut out and said another picture item is cut in, a blanking transition mode where said one picture item is switched momentarily to a blank picture and then switched to said another picture item, and an effect transition mode where said one picture item is connected to said another picture item by a visual effect selected from dissolving, scrolling and wiping, and

the control block selects the cut-in/cut-out transition mode for switching said one picture item selected from the dedicated background video type, the free background video type, the commercial message type and the alert type to said another picture item of the alert type.

10. A karaoke apparatus for producing karaoke accompaniments of requested songs while switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor, comprising:

a sound source block that works in an operating period when a requested song is present for producing the karaoke accompaniment and that does not work in a non-operating period when the requested song is absent;

a picture source block that provides picture items of different types suitable for use in either of the operating period and the non-operating period;

a picture mixing block that provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is switched to another picture item along a passage of the operating period and the non-operating period; and

a control bock that selects one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item for enabling the picture mixing block to connect one said picture item to said another picture item by the selected transition mode, wherein

the picture source block provides picture items of different types including a dedicated background video type suitable for use in the operating period of a corresponding requested song, and at least one of a free background video type suitable for use in the non-operating period, a commercial message type suitable for use in the non-operating period and an alert type incidentally usable in either of the operating period and the non-operating period,

the picture mixing block provides a plurality of transition modes including two or more of a cross-fade transition mode where said one picture item fades out and said another picture item fades in, a cut-in/cut-out transition mode where said one picture item is cut out and said another picture item is cut in, a blanking transition mode where said one picture item is switched momentarily to a blank picture and then switched to said another picture item, and an effect transition mode where said one picture item is connected to said another picture item by a visual effect selected from dissolving, scrolling and wiping, and

the control block selects the cross-fade transition mode for switching said one picture item selected from the dedicated background video type and the free background video type to said another picture item of the commercial message type.

11. A karaoke apparatus for producing karaoke accompaniments of requested songs while switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor, comprising:

a sound source block that works in an operating period when a requested song is present for producing the karaoke accompaniment and that does not work in a non-operating period when the requested song is absent;

a picture source block that provides picture items of different types suitable for use in either of the operating period and the non-operating period;

a picture mixing block that provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is switched to another picture item along a passage of the operating period and the non-operating period; and

a control bock that selects one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item for enabling the picture mixing block to connect one said picture item to said another picture item by the selected transition mode, wherein

the picture source block provides picture items of different types including a dedicated background video type suitable for use in the operating period of a corresponding requested song, and at least one of a free background video type suitable for use in the non-operating period, a commercial message type suitable for use in the non-operating period and an alert type incidentally usable in either of the operating period and the non-operating period,

the picture mixing block provides a plurality of transition modes including two or more of a cross-fade transition mode where said one picture item fades out and said another picture item fades in, a cut-in/cut-out transition mode where said one picture item is cut out and said another picture item is cut in, a blanking transition mode where said one picture item is switched momentarily to a blank picture and then switched to another picture item, and an effect transition mode where said one picture item is connected to said another picture item by a visual effect selected from dissolving, scrolling and wiping, and

the control block selects the cross-fade transition mode for switching one said picture item selected from the commercial message type and the alert type to said another picture item of the free background video type.

12. A karaoke apparatus for producing karaoke accompaniments of requested songs while switching picture items of different types displayed on a monitor, comprising:

a sound source block that works in an operating period when a requested song is present for producing the karaoke accompaniment and that does not work in a non-operating period when the requested song is absent;

a picture source block that provides picture items of different types suitable for use in either of the operating period and the non-operating period;

a picture mixing block that provides a plurality of transition modes selectively adaptable when one picture item is switched to another picture item along a passage of an operating period and the non-operating period; and

a control bock that selects one of the transition modes according to the type of said one picture item and the type of said another picture item for enabling the picture mixing block to connect one said picture item to said another picture item by the selected transition mode, wherein

the picture source block provides picture items of different types including a dedicated background video type suitable for use in the operating period of a corresponding requested song, and at least one of a free background video type suitable for use in the non-operating period, a commercial message type suitable for use in the non-operating period and an alert type incidentally usable in either of the operating period and the non-operating period,

the picture mixing block provides a plurality of transition modes including two or more of a cross-fade transition mode where said one picture item fades out and said another picture item fades in, a cut-in/cut-out transition mode where said one picture item is cut out and said another picture item is cut in, a blanking transition mode where said one picture item is switched momentarily to a blank picture and then switched to another picture item, and an effect transition mode where said one picture item is connected to said another picture item by a visual effect selected from dissolving, scrolling and wiping, and

the control block selects the effect transition mode for switching said one picture item selected from the commercial message type and the alert type to said another picture of the commercial message type.