Data transmission system for distributing video and music data

• US 5,774,672 A
• Filed: 04/30/1997
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Xing, Inc. (Brother Industries Limited), Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Xing, Inc. (Brother Industries Limited), Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Hibino, Yoshihiko, Nishimura, Osamu, Kiyohara, Yuji, Funahashi, Yasuhiro, Yasutomo, Yuichi, Ikami, Kazunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Christopher B.
• Application Number:
  US08/841,335
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/484, 348/738, 398/154, 398/200.61, 398/200.18, 398/200.33-200.57, 340/825.08, 84/609, 84/648
• US Class Current: 709/231
• 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 2240/125 Library distribution, i.e. distributing musical pieces from a central or master library
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/241 Telephone transmission, i.e. using twisted pair telephone lines or any type of telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/265 CATV transmission, i.e. electrophonic musical instruments connected to community antennas or cable television networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/16 Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/79 using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

In the karaoke system 1, a center 3 is connected to a plurality of karaoke terminals 5 by a coaxial cable 7. The center 3 divides the karaoke song data stored in the memory device 13 over several channels and transmits all the karaoke song data within a fixed time period in succession to the karaoke terminals 5 via the coaxial cable 7. This operation is performed regardless of whether or not a song is requested from one of the karaoke terminals 5. Whether the karaoke data transmitted in succession is data of a requested song is determined by the control portion 41 of a karaoke terminal 5. If so, karaoke performance processes are performed wherein the karaoke data is reproduced and the orchestral accompaniment and lyric image is outputted.

Claims

1. A data transmission system for transmitting, to each of a plurality of terminals, information which each terminal desires to receive, the data transmission system comprising:

a central control unit; and

a plurality of terminals connected to said central control unit via a transmission line,

wherein said central control unit includes data storing means for storing a plurality of data units and data multiplexing transmission means for serially transmitting the plurality of data units, each indicative of an individual information, over several channels via the transmission line to each of the plurality of terminals via the transmission line, the data multiplexing transmission means including modulating means for modulating each of the plurality of data units into an alternating current signal of a frequency band corresponding to one of the several channels, to thereby transmit the each data unit over the corresponding channel, and

wherein each of the plurality of terminals includes;

selecting means for selecting a data unit, indicative of information that the each terminal desires to receive, from the plurality of data units transmitted from the central control unit, each selecting means including;

channel selecting means for selecting a channel over which the data unit indicative of the desired information is transmitted;

data selecting means for selecting one data unit indicative of the desired information out of the plurality of data units transmitted over the channel selected by the channel selecting means, the data storage means storing the selected data unit at least temporarily until the output means processes the data unit;

judging means for determining which of the plurality of data units transmitted from the central control unit is indicative of the desired information; and

data input means for storing, into the data storage means, one data unit determined indicative of the desired information, the data storage means temporarily storing the data unit, the output means processing the data unit stored in the data storage means to output the desired information; and

request input means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit of the desired information, the data transmission means of the central control unit serially and repeatedly transmitting the plurality of data units regardless of whether a request is inputted by the request input means of each terminal, the judging means determining, in accordance with the inputted request, which of the plurality of data units is the data unit of the desired information;

output means for processing the data unit;

selected by the selecting means and for outputting the desired information;

terminal data storage means for storing at least the data unit selected by the selecting means, the terminal data storage means storing the selected data unit at least temporarily until the output means processes the data unit; and

channel information storing means for storing channel information that indicates over which of the several channels each of the plurality of data units is transmitted, wherein the channel selecting means selects the channel over which the data unit indicative of the desired information is transmitted, in accordance with the channel information.

2. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multiplexing transmission means includes channel information transmission means for transmitting, to each of the plurality of terminals, channel information that indicates over which of the several channels each of the plurality of data units is transmitted, and wherein the channel selecting means of each of the plurality of terminals selects the channel over which the data unit indicative of the desired information is transmitted, in accordance with the channel information.

3. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data storage means of each of the plurality of terminals includes data unit storing means for storing the plurality of data units serially transmitted from the central control unit, the selecting means of each of the plurality of terminals selecting the data unit, indicative of the desired information, from the plurality of data units transmitted from the central control unit and stored in the data unit storing means, the output means processing the selected data unit and outputting the desired information.

4. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the data unit storing means previously stores a plurality of additional data units indicative of individual information, the selecting means of each of the plurality of terminals selecting the data unit, indicative of the desired information, from the plurality of data units and the plurality of additional data units stored in the data unit storing means, the output means processing the selected data unit and outputting the desired information.

5. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of terminals further includes input means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit of the desired information, the selecting means selecting the data unit of the desired information, in accordance with the inputted request.

6. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of data units, transmitted to each of the plurality of terminals, includes information on a corresponding one of a plurality of images, wherein the input means of each of the plurality of terminals includes image request means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit of a desired image, wherein the selecting means selects the data unit of the desired image, in accordance with the inputted request, and wherein the output means processes the data unit selected by the selecting means so as to display the desired image, the data storage means temporarily storing the selected data unit at least until the output means processes the data unit.

7. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of data units, transmitted to each of the plurality of terminals, includes information on a corresponding one of a plurality of sounds, wherein the input means of each of the plurality of terminals includes sound request means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit for a desired sound, wherein the selecting means selects the data unit of the desired sound, in accordance with the inputted request, and wherein the output means processes the data unit selected by the selecting means so as to play the desired sound, the data storage means temporarily storing the selected data unit at least until the output means processes the data unit.

8. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of data units, transmitted to each of the plurality of terminals, includes information on a corresponding combination of a plurality of combinations of image and sound, wherein the input means of each of the plurality of terminals includes image and sound request means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit of a desired image and sound, wherein the selecting means selects the data unit of the desired image and sound, in accordance with the inputted request, and wherein the output means processes the data unit selected by the selecting means so as to display the desired image and play the desired sound, the data storage means temporarily storing the selected data unit at least until the output means processes the data unit.

9. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of data units, transmitted to each of the plurality of terminals, includes lyric data and accompaniment data for a corresponding one of a plurality of karaoke sounds, wherein the input means of each of the plurality of terminals includes song request means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit for a desired karaoke song, and wherein the output means processes the lyric data and the accompaniment data of the data unit selected by the selecting means so as to display a lyric image for the requested karaoke song and to play an accompaniment sound for the requested karaoke song, the data storage means temporarily storing the selected data unit at least until the output means processes the data unit.

10. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transmission means of the central control unit transmits the plurality of data units over a plurality of channels, the data transmission means including channel information transmission means for transmitting, to each of the plurality of terminals, channel information that indicates over which of the plurality of channels each of the plurality of data units is transmitted, and

wherein the judging means of each of the plurality of terminals includes channel selecting means for selecting, in accordance with the transmitted channel information, a channel over which the data unit indicative of the desired information is transmitted, the judging means judging which of the data units transmitted over the selected channel is indicative of the desired information, the data input means storing, into the data storage means, one data unit judged to be indicative of the desired information.

11. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of terminals further includes request input means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit of the desired information, the data transmission means of the central control unit serially and repeatedly transmitting the plurality of data units regardless of whether a request is inputted by the request input means of each terminal, the selecting means of each terminal selecting the data unit indicative of the desired information in accordance with the inputted request.

12. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data transmission system is a music distribution system, and wherein each of the data units comprises music information.

13. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of terminals is a karaoke terminal and wherein each of the plurality of data units comprise karaoke song data.

14. A data transmission system for transmitting information from a central control unit toward a plurality of terminals connected to the central control unit via a transmission line, the data transmission system comprising:

a central control unit; and

a plurality of terminals connected to said central control unit via a transmission line,

wherein said central control unit includes data transmission means for serially transmitting a plurality of information data units of a plurality of individual information to each of said plurality of terminals via the transmission line, data multiplexing transmission means for dividing the plurality of information data units to a plurality of channels and serially transmitting them to each of said plurality of terminals via the transmission line over the corresponding channels and channel information transmission means for transmitting channel information that indicates which of the plurality of channels each information data unit is transmitted on to each of said plurality of terminals, and

wherein each of said plurality of terminals includes;

data selecting means for selecting an information data unit of a desired information from the plurality of information data units serially transmitted from said central control unit;

temporary data storage means for temporarily storing the information data unit selected by the data selection means;

output means for processing the information data unit stored in the temporary data storage means and outputting the desired information;

request input means for inputting a request for receiving the information data unit of the desired information, the data transmission means of the central control unit serially and repeatedly transmitting the plurality of data units regardless of whether a request is inputted by the request input means of each terminal; and

judging means for determining which of the plurality of information data units is the data unit of the desired information in accordance with the inputted request.

15. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the data selecting means of each of the plurality of terminals includes data input means for storing, into the temporary data storage means, an information data unit judged to be indicative of the desired information.

16. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of terminals is a karaoke terminal and wherein each of the plurality of data units comprise karaoke song data.

17. A data transmission system for transmitting information from a central control unit toward a plurality of terminals connected to the central control unit via a transmission line, the data transmission system comprising:

a central control unit; and

a plurality of terminals connected to said central control unit via a transmission line,

wherein said central control unit includes;

data input means for inputting a plurality of new information data inputs of a plurality of new information;

data transmission means for serially transmitting the plurality of new information data units inputted to the data input means to each of said plurality of terminals via the transmission line;

data multiplexing transmission means for dividing the plurality of new information data units to a plurality of channels and serially transmitting them to each of said plurality of terminals via the transmission line over the corresponding channels; and

channel information transmission means for transmitting channel information that indicates which of the plurality of channels each new information data unit is transmitted on to each of said plurality of terminals, and

wherein each of said plurality of terminals includes;

memory means for previously storing a plurality of original information data of a plurality of original information, the memory means storing the plurality of new information data serially transmitted from the data transmitting means;

data selection means for selecting an information data unit of a desired information from the plurality of original information data units and the plurality of new information data units stored in the memory means;

output means for processing the information data unit selected by the data selection means and outputting the desired image; and

request input means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit of the desired information, the data transmission means of the central control unit serially transmitting the plurality of new information data units regardless of whether a request is inputted by the request input means of each terminal, the data selection means of each terminal selecting the information data unit indicative of the desired information in accordance with the inputted request.

18. A data transmission system as claimed in claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of terminals is a karaoke terminal and wherein each of the plurality of data units comprise karaoke song data.

19. A data transmission system for transmitting, to each of a plurality of terminals, information which each terminal desires to receive, the data transmission system comprising:

a central control unit; and

a plurality of terminals connected to said central control unit via a transmission line,

wherein said central control unit includes data storing means for storing a plurality of data units and data multiplexing transmission means for serially transmitting the plurality of data units, each indicative of an individual information, over several channels via the transmission line to each of the plurality of terminals via the transmission line, the data multiplexing transmission means including modulating means for modulating each of the plurality of data units into an alternating current signal of a frequency band corresponding to one of the several channels, to thereby transmit the each data unit over the corresponding channel and channel information transmission means for transmitting, to each of the plurality of terminals, channel information that indicates over which of the several channels each of the plurality of data units is transmitted, and wherein the channel selecting means of each of the plurality of terminals selects the channel over which the data unit indicative of the desired information is transmitted, in accordance with the channel information, and

wherein each of the plurality of terminals includes;

selecting means for selecting a data unit, indicative of information that the each terminal desires to receive, from the plurality of data units transmitted from the central control unit, each selecting means including;

channel selecting means for selecting a channel over which the data unit indicative of the desired information is transmitted;

data selecting means for selecting one data unit indicative of the desired information out of the plurality of data units transmitted over the channel selected by the channel selecting means, the data storage means storing the selected data unit at least temporarily until the output means processes the data unit;

judging means for determining which of the plurality of data units transmitted from the central control unit is indicative of the desired information; and

data input means for storing, into the data storage means, one data unit judged to be indicative of the desired information, the data storage means temporarily storing the data unit, the output means processing the data unit stored in the data storage means to output the desired information; and

request input means for inputting a request for receiving the data unit of the desired information, the data transmission means of the central control unit serially and repeatedly transmitting the plurality of data units regardless of whether a request is inputted by the request input means of each terminal, the judging means judging, in accordance with the inputted request, which of the plurality of data units is the data unit of the desired information;

output means for processing the data unit selected by the selecting means and for outputting the desired information; and

data storage means for storing at least the data unit selected by the selecting means, the data storage means storing the selected data unit at least temporarily until the output means processes the data unit.