JP3765625B2 - Data communication system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data communication system in which data communication is periodically performed between a host station and a terminal device, and in particular, the terminal device calls a host station when performing data communication from the terminal device to the host station. The present invention relates to a data communication system capable of changing a call cycle as necessary.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a data communication system in which data communication is periodically performed between a host station and a terminal device, the data communication start time is set for each terminal device, for example, a predetermined time every day or a predetermined time every week on a predetermined day of the week. Generally, data communication is performed in advance through a telephone line. For example, in a communication karaoke system, a host station is automatically called from a karaoke terminal device in a cycle of once a day in order to obtain new song data early, and a karaoke from the host station side based on such a call. It distributes karaoke song data to terminal devices.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when communicating via a modem when calling a host station from a terminal device, a predetermined negotiation time (usually about 10 seconds, which is used for mutual confirmation of the other party) immediately after the start of communication. This negotiation time is also a time required every time a call is made to the host station. Therefore, when the call cycle for calling the host station from the terminal device is short, the negotiation time is added to the access time (connection time) to the host station every time the host station is called. As a result, there is a problem that the connection time by the telephone line becomes long and the call charge becomes expensive. At this time, in the call charge settlement system, it is assumed that the call charge is calculated by rounding up the connection time through the telephone line, so this settlement system spurs an increase in the telephone charge.
[0004]
Further, depending on the installation location of the terminal device and the like, there is a case where it is not necessary to shorten the call cycle of data communication. For example, there is little need to be able to sing a new song quickly at a business store that has customers such as karaoke cafes and karaoke snacks using an online karaoke system. In this case, if the call cycle is short, the call charge becomes expensive as described above. On the other hand, there may be a case where it is desired to shorten the calling cycle only when the theme song becomes popular as a new program such as television is broadcast. In this case, if the calling cycle is long, there is a possibility that a new song cannot be sung in a karaoke box or the like. As described above, when the calling cycle is set at a constant interval, there is a problem in that it may not be possible to match the usage status of the terminal device. In such a case, if it is possible to change the calling cycle for calling the host station on the terminal device side, the above situation can be solved. However, in the conventional data communication system, the host device calls on the terminal device side. None have the function of changing the cycle.
[0005]
In addition, a company that operates and manages a data communication system, for example, a communication karaoke system, has a telephone line of a host station corresponding to the time required for negotiation and the time required for connection or disconnection of the telephone line if the calling cycle is short. Since the operation time increases, there is a problem that it is necessary to increase the number of installed host stations, which is expensive.
[0006]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described conventional problems, and it is possible to change a calling cycle for calling a host station when necessary when performing data communication from the terminal device to the host station. An object of the present invention is to provide a data communication system that can reduce the communication fee required for data communication and can reduce the number of installed host stations.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the object, a data communication system according to claim 1 is a data communication system in which data communication is periodically performed between a host station and a terminal device, and data is transmitted from the terminal device to the host station. Calling cycle changing means for changing a calling cycle for calling a host station when performing communication , wherein the terminal device is a communication karaoke terminal device, and the data is karaoke song data. .
[0008]
In the data communication system according to the first aspect, the calling cycle for calling the host station can be changed as necessary by the calling cycle changing means on the terminal device side. As a result, it is possible to reduce the call charge by optimizing the call time required for data communication in accordance with the usage status of the terminal device, and it is possible to reduce the number of installed host stations.
[0009]
Also, the data communication system according to claim 2, in a data communication system of claim 1, wherein the call cycle changing means, and changes the call period in days.
[0010]
In the data communication system according to claim 2 , the call cycle for calling the host station by the call cycle changing means is set according to the installation location of the communication karaoke terminal device, the usage situation of the customer layer where the communication karaoke terminal device is used, and the like. By changing on a daily basis, new karaoke song data can be obtained at an appropriate time.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a data communication apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings based on an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a communication karaoke system. First, a schematic configuration of the communication karaoke system will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication karaoke system.
[0012]
In FIG. 1, a communication karaoke system S basically includes a plurality of communication karaoke systems connected via a telephone line 2 from a telephone exchange 3 connected to a host station 4 serving as a relay station that distributes karaoke song data. It is comprised from the terminal device 1.
[0013]
Here, the host station 4 has a database for storing karaoke song data, and the karaoke song data is sequentially stored in the database every time a new song is released. The host station 4 distributes new karaoke song data to each communication karaoke terminal device 1 based on a call from the communication karaoke terminal device 1 via the telephone exchange 3.
[0014]
Moreover, each communication karaoke terminal device 1 has the same structure, and the communication karaoke terminal device 1 is comprised centering on CPU10. The entire communication karaoke terminal device 1 is controlled via the CPU 10. The CPU 10 includes a RAM 12 that is used as a work area and temporarily stores various calculation data, a main processing program for the communication karaoke terminal apparatus described later, and various programs necessary for the operation of the communication karaoke terminal apparatus 1. Are connected to a ROM 14 for storing data, a hard disk drive (HDD) 16 for sequentially storing karaoke station data distributed from the host station 4, and a modem 18 for transmitting / receiving data to / from the host station 4 as a communication partner. Yes.
[0015]
Further, a sensor 15 is connected to the CPU 10, and the sensor 15 detects various optical signals transmitted from the remote controller 13 and outputs the detection signals to the CPU 10. Here, the remote controller 13 is provided with various buttons such as a call cycle change button, a numerical value button, and a music selection button. When each button is pressed, an optical signal corresponding to the button is sent to the sensor 15. It is a thing to send to. Further, a CRT 11 is connected to the CPU 10, and various data such as a call cycle change menu, lyrics data, and background video data when the main processing program is executed are displayed on the CRT 11.
[0016]
The communication karaoke terminal device 1 is provided with various functions such as a performance function for karaoke songs, but since these functions are equivalent to those in a known device, detailed description thereof is omitted here. To do. As karaoke song data, data based on the MIDI (MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DISITAL INTERFACE) standard is used.
[0017]
Next, the operation of changing the calling cycle when calling the distribution of karaoke song data from the communication karaoke terminal device 1 configured as described above to the host station 4 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the main processing program of the communication karaoke terminal apparatus 1. The main processing program is executed every predetermined time, and the calling cycle is changed in the main processing program.
[0018]
First, after the communication karaoke terminal device 1 is turned on, in step (hereinafter abbreviated as S) 1, one day (24 hours) is set as the initial value of the calling cycle. This initial value setting process is executed only once after the power is turned on. The call cycle data set in this way is stored in the RAM 12.
[0019]
In S2, the internal clock built in the communication karaoke terminal device is referred to, the current time is compared with the time of the previous call, and it is determined whether or not the call cycle set as described above has elapsed. . If the calling cycle has not yet elapsed (S2: NO), there is no need to call the host station 4 at that time, and the process proceeds to S4. On the other hand, when the calling cycle has elapsed (S2: YES), the data communication task is activated in S3. Although the flowchart of the data communication task is omitted, the data communication task is a process necessary for data communication such as calling the host station 4, data communication, line disconnection, etc. by controlling the modem 18. Thus, the host station 4 is called by the data communication task activated in S3, and karaoke song data relating to a predetermined new song is distributed from the host station 4 to the communication karaoke terminal apparatus 1. The distributed karaoke song data is stored in the HDD 16. After the data communication task is activated in S3, the process proceeds to S4.
[0020]
In S4, it is determined whether there is a request for changing the calling cycle. Such a determination is made based on whether or not a signal transmitted when the call cycle change button of the remote controller 13 is pressed is detected via the sensor 15. If such a detection signal from the sensor 15 is detected, it is determined that a call cycle change request has been made (S4: YES), and the call cycle change menu is activated in the subsequent S5. When the call cycle change menu is activated in this way, the call cycle change menu shown in FIG.
[0021]
In FIG. 3, the calling cycle is shown as 1 time / _day, and a desired daily unit is input to the blank part of the daily unit. Such daily input is performed by the owner of the communication karaoke terminal device 1. Specifically, the owner presses a numeric button on the remote controller 13 to input in the range of 1 day to 31 days. For example, in S1, one day is automatically set as the initial value, but when the owner inputs three days via the numerical buttons, the calling cycle is changed to a cycle once every three days. . The changed call cycle is rewritten with the call cycle (set in S1) already stored in the RAM 12.
[0022]
In this way, the owner of the communication karaoke terminal apparatus 1 can change the calling cycle for calling the host station 4 as necessary, thereby matching the usage status of the communication karaoke terminal apparatus 1. Call costs can be reduced by optimizing the call time required for data communication of karaoke song data, and the number of host stations installed can be reduced. In addition, a new karaoke song can be obtained by changing the calling cycle for calling the host station 4 on a daily basis in accordance with the installation location of the communication karaoke terminal device 1 and the usage situation of the customer layer where the communication karaoke terminal device 1 is used. Data can be obtained at the appropriate time.
[0023]
After the calling cycle changing process is performed in S5 as described above, other various processes performed in the communication karaoke apparatus 1 in S6, such as processes necessary for karaoke performance, are performed, and the process returns to S2. . When it is determined in S4 that there is no call cycle change request (S4: NO), the process immediately proceeds to S6 and other processing is performed. Then, the current time is compared with the time of the previous call, and it is determined whether the call cycle changed as described above has elapsed (S2), and the above operation is repeated.
[0024]
As described in detail above, in the communication karaoke system S according to the present embodiment, when data communication is performed from the communication karaoke terminal apparatus 1 to the host station 4, the calling cycle for calling the host station 4 is changed. The CRT 11 displays a call cycle change menu when the call cycle change button on the remote controller 13 is pressed, and changes the call cycle on a daily basis when the desired numeric button is pressed on the remote controller 13. Since it comprised so that the owner of the communication karaoke terminal device 1 can change the calling period which calls the host station 4 as needed, by this, the use situation of the communication karaoke terminal device 1 can be changed. By matching the call time required for data communication of karaoke song data, the call charge can be reduced and the host station is installed. It is possible to reduce the number. Also, a new karaoke song can be obtained by changing the calling cycle for calling the host station 4 on a daily basis in accordance with the installation location of the communication karaoke terminal device 1 and the usage situation of the customer layer where the communication karaoke terminal device 1 is used. Data can be obtained at the appropriate time.
[0025]
Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the calling cycle change menu shown in FIG. 3 may be configured to be displayed on the CRT 11 as one of the items of the environment setting menu of the communication karaoke terminal device 1 as a whole.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the data communication system according to claim 1, it is possible to change the call cycle for calling the host station as necessary by the call cycle change means on the terminal device side. The call charge can be reduced by optimizing the call time required for data communication in accordance with the usage status of the terminal device, and the number of installed host stations can be reduced.
[0027]
Further, in the data communication system according to claim 2 , the call cycle for calling the host station by the call cycle changing means is set according to the installation location of the communication karaoke terminal device, the usage situation of the customer layer etc. where the communication karaoke device is used. By changing on a daily basis, new karaoke song data can be obtained at an appropriate time.
[0028]
As described above, the present invention makes it possible to change the calling period for calling a host station when performing data communication from the terminal device to the host station as necessary, thereby reducing the communication fee required for data communication. And a data communication system capable of reducing the number of installed host stations.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a communication karaoke system.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a main processing program performed in the communication karaoke terminal device.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a call cycle change menu.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Online Karaoke Terminal 4 Host Station 10 CPU
11 CRT
13 Remote control 15 Sensor S Communication karaoke system

Claims (2)

In a data communication system that periodically performs data communication between a host station and a terminal device,
When performing data communication from the terminal device to the host station, comprising a calling cycle changing means for changing a calling cycle for calling the host station ,
It said terminal device is a communication karaoke terminals, a data communication system wherein data is characterized Oh Rukoto in karaoke data. The calling period changing means, the data communication system of claim 1, wherein changing the call period in days.

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