JP4170125B2 - Prepaid karaoke equipment characterized by a system that prompts users to deposit money - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Technical field to which the invention belongs]
The present invention relates to a performance right prepaid karaoke apparatus, and more particularly to a technique for prompting the user to input a performance right without stopping the performance of a requested song even if the performance right is insufficient.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Karaoke devices that include a coin box and require payment of charges when using karaoke are widely used. As disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent No. 3290925), if a request is made by putting a coin equal to or more than the usage fee into the coin box and depositing the performance right and requesting it, Is executed. When the number of songs that can be used with the amount inserted is finished, the next song is not played until a coin is additionally inserted even if a request is accepted, and a message prompting the user to insert a coin is displayed on the screen. If you insert a coin, the requested song starts playing.
[0003]
Such a technique is intended to prevent the intended performance from being provided to the user after paying a fee in consideration of the balance between the user's singing desire and the profit of the karaoke store. It is often used in small bars, clubs, and pubs, and it is a good opportunity to remind users that karaoke is a paid service.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent No. 3290925 [0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Karaoke stores are often used as customer service tools, especially in small bars, clubs, and pubs. There are many shops called karaoke bars where familiar customers gather exclusively to sing karaoke. While looking after the customer, the mama in the store makes a reservation for the customer's favorite song and puts a karaoke fee in the coin box on behalf of the customer.
[0006]
In such stores, karaoke can affect the overall atmosphere of the store. Some people enjoy singing karaoke and others enjoy listening as BGM. There are various forms, but everyone in the store enjoys the same karaoke music. With such an unspecified number of customers, if the karaoke performance stops due to a lack of fees as described above, the atmosphere in the store will turn white as soon as possible.
[0007]
This can also happen because karaoke users are so crazy that they forgot to pay. Even if Mama cares about it, it can happen while one hand cannot be released. In any case, it will be unexpected for karaoke users in most cases. If the performance is stopped unexpectedly due to a lack of fees, the mood is chilled out at a stretch, even though the performance starts waiting for the start of the performance with the willingness to sing the next song.
[0008]
In consideration of the atmosphere of the place, a karaoke apparatus is also known that plays an appropriate BGM or broadcasts a CM between songs that are not played karaoke. However, there is no difference that it is not a song that users have been waiting to sing. For users, extra energy is required to regain the feeling of being discouraged once. For the store, the water will be poured into an important opportunity that should be able to fully enjoy karaoke.
[0009]
At a karaoke bar, etc., the seemingly contradictory matter of collecting karaoke usage fees and serving customers with karaoke is freely distributed by the mom of the store while looking at the customer's face, making the customer uncomfortable. It is desirable to be able to collect usage fees casually without giving. The present invention has been created for this purpose.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The prepaid karaoke apparatus according to the present invention is characterized by a system for prompting the user to deposit money, and is described by the following items (1) to (8).
(1) It is a prepaid karaoke apparatus that includes accounting means and control means and processes the karaoke data stored in the storage means. (2) The karaoke data is associated with the accompaniment music data and the elapsed time of the accompaniment music. (3) The billing means can accept deposits at any time (4) The control means performs normal performance processing when the deposit balance value exceeds the specified value, and the deposit balance value is (5) The normal performance process is to process the accompaniment music data of the desired song and output the accompaniment music as a sound, and to synchronize the lyrics rendering data of the song. Outputting lyrics subtitles as video (6) Preliminary performance processing is to process the accompaniment music data of the desired song and output the accompaniment music. When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the accompaniment music, the deposit balance value is checked and specified Beyond the value If not, the first process is performed. (7) The first process checks whether the progress of the accompaniment music has passed the lyric display start point. Stop the output of the accompaniment music and perform the normal performance process. If not, continue the output of the accompaniment music and move to the normal performance process. (8) The second process is the beginning of the accompaniment music for a predetermined period. The deposit balance value is sequentially examined while repeating the output of the above, and when the deposit balance value exceeds the prescribed value within a predetermined period, the process proceeds to the first process, and the output of the accompaniment music is terminated when the predetermined period elapses. ]
Desirably, a state in which the performance right is not kept is displayed by a cipher display means in a form in which the meaning of the display is unknown to a person who does not know the cipher.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
=== Karaoke performance function ===
FIG. 1 shows an example of a hardware-based configuration of a karaoke apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The karaoke device is a computer application device equivalent to a known personal computer, and the central processing unit 11 is a computer main body including a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM.
[0013]
The reproduction of the karaoke music piece is performed as follows under the control of the central processing unit 11. The user designates and inputs the music ID via the user interface device 12 including a remote control transmitter or an operation panel. Accompaniment music data and lyric rendering data of the specified music ID are read from the hard disk device 13. Accompaniment music data composed of MIDI signals are sequentially input to the synthesizer 14, converted into audio signals, and output from the speaker via the mixing amplifier 15. In synchronism with the audio output, the central processing unit 11 sequentially converts the lyric rendering data into a character string and writes it into the video RAM of the video processing device 16 and performs a color change process indicating the progress of the song on the lyric character string. The contents of the video RAM are displayed on the display 17 by the display control unit of the video processing device 16. The mixing amplifier 15 has a mixing function with the output of the microphone.
[0014]
The moving image information for the background video is reproduced by the optical disk reproducing device 18. The display control unit of the video processing device 16 is composed of a microcomputer that operates in response to an instruction from the central processing unit. The display control unit performs selection processing of video data to be played back and plays back the selected and determined video data on the optical disc playback device 18. The display control unit synthesizes the video signal from the optical disk playback device 18 and the image of the lyric character string in the video RAM and displays the synthesized image on the display 17.
[0015]
The accompaniment music data describes performance processing to be executed in association with the elapsed time from the start of performance. A delimiter code (section ID) corresponding to the elapsed time from the start of performance can be attached, and a section composed of a start section ID and an end section ID for sections such as a prelude section (the beginning part), a singing section, and a follower section An identifier is attached.
Similarly, in the lyric rendering data, effects such as lyric characters to be drawn and color change are specified in association with the elapsed time from the start of the performance. Separation marks indicating the display start position of each lyric character, the start position of the color change process, and the like are attached.
[0016]
In this karaoke apparatus, a message as described later can be appropriately displayed on the display 17 via the display control unit based on display data stored in the ROM of the central processing unit 11 according to each operation situation.
[0017]
=== Billing process ===
In this karaoke device, the user pays a predetermined fee for each song and obtains a performance right, so that the user's requested song is subjected to karaoke performance processing. For this purpose, this karaoke device is provided with a well-known prepaid coin box as a billing device for performing billing processing for collecting fees from users and depositing or digesting performance rights. . This coin box has a built-in microcomputer. This microcomputer is connected to the central processing unit 11 via the accounting interface 19 and operates in response to a command from the central processing unit 11. With this coin box, the money previously put in the coin box is acquired in accordance with the execution of the karaoke performance.
[0018]
This charging operation is performed under the control of the central processing unit 11 on the karaoke apparatus side. For example, when performing a performance preparation for performing a karaoke performance for a certain music ID, the balance in the microcomputer in the coin box is inquired and acquired. Then, the usage amount for one song is subtracted from the balance to check whether there is a necessary balance. If there is no balance, the karaoke apparatus is notified to prompt the user to insert money into the coin box and waits until the necessary balance is obtained. This notification will be described later. If there is a necessary balance, karaoke performance processing for this music ID is started.
[0019]
When the karaoke performance is started, the data of the corresponding usage amount is sent to the coin box as the collection amount. The coin box is deducted from the current balance to make a new balance.
When money is inserted from the user, the deposit amount is added to the current balance and set as a new balance.
[0020]
=== Karaoke performance processing ===
FIG. 2 shows a process flow chart of the karaoke performance process characteristic of the present invention.
The central processing unit 11 first confirms the presence or absence of the performance right before starting the performance of the requested music. That is, as described above, the balance is inquired to the microcomputer in the coin box via the accounting interface 19 and obtained (step 202 in FIG. 2). As a result, if the necessary balance is obtained, karaoke performance is started for the entire range of accompaniment music data and lyrics rendering data of the requested music (step 208).
[0021]
On the other hand, when the balance is insufficient, an encryption display for prompting the user to insert money into the coin box is displayed on the display 17 (step 203). As the cipher display, for example, a small circular icon is blinked 2-3 times. At the same time, a timer for measuring a predetermined performance right input available period (predetermined period) is started (step 203). Then, the prelude section of the accompaniment music data is subjected to performance processing (step 204). After this, the balance is confirmed with the microcomputer of the coin box intermittently at appropriate intervals.
[0022]
If the necessary balance cannot be obtained even after the performance of the prelude section is finished, the performance of the prelude section is repeated again (steps 204 to 206). That is, after the performance process is completed up to the end section ID of the prelude section, the performance process is repeated by returning to the start section ID again. At this time, when returning from the end section ID of the prelude section to the start section ID, well-known fade-in / fade-out and overlap performance effect processing is appropriately added so that the performance continues. For example, the sound volume is gradually lowered to the end section ID and faded out, and the sound volume is gradually increased from the start section ID to fade in, or the performance sections of both are overlapped so as to be continuously switched.
[0023]
If the necessary balance is not obtained until the above-mentioned timer expires and the performance right input period elapses, the performance is stopped (step 205). You may stop immediately when the timer expires, or you may play until the end of the prelude section. In either case, it may be faded out. At this time, a message indicating that the performance is to be stopped due to a lack of fees may be displayed.
When it is confirmed that the necessary balance has been obtained before the timer expires, the performance processing of the sections (singing section and subsequent section) following the prelude section of the accompaniment music data is continued following the performance of the prelude section (step 206). ~ 207).
[0024]
When the balance required at the start of performance is obtained, the lyrics rendering data is synchronized with the output of the accompaniment music data from the predetermined lyrics display start position immediately before the end of the prelude section (before the singing section). Output to the display. However, when performing the above-described processing when the balance is insufficient, the output processing of the lyric rendering data is stopped until the necessary balance is obtained even after the lyrics display start position has elapsed.
FIG. 3 illustrates an outline of a processing sequence of accompaniment music data and lyrics rendering data. If it is confirmed that the necessary balance has been obtained within the period in which the performance right can be entered after the balance has become insufficient, the performance of the prelude section is continued and this time, lyrics output data is output in synchronization with it. Processing is also executed (case 1 in FIG. 3). However, if the lyric display start position has passed when the necessary balance is obtained, the music is returned to the beginning of the music and the lyric rendering data output process is executed (case 2). In this way, the lyrics are not displayed with insufficient performance rights, and unauthorized use of karaoke can be prevented.
[0025]
=== Other Embodiments ===
As the predetermined period during which performance data can be input, an example in which time is used is given above, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it is possible to define the number of times to repeat the prelude section and set this as a predetermined period. Furthermore, the number of repetitions can be changed and defined according to the length of the prelude section, and this can be set as a predetermined period.
[0026]
In addition to the coin box method, a prepaid card method can be adopted as a prepaid performance right method. A well-known prepaid card reader / writer is integrated and operated with the central processing unit 11, and performance rights data in a predetermined format is recorded on the prepaid card in advance. Similarly, a method of recording performance right data in an appropriate memory area using an IC card or a mobile phone and collecting it before the performance is also applicable.
[0027]
The accompaniment music data generally uses the aforementioned MIDI signal, but the application of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, MPEG data obtained by digitally compressing accompaniment music can be used. The MPEG data is multiplexed with video data or lyrics data obtained by compression-coding mood video that matches the content of each karaoke piece. In this case, the lyric data is multiplexed so that it can be controlled not to be displayed in the prelude section of the accompaniment music. For example, it is prepared in the format of the above-described lyrics rendering data.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
According to the performance right prepaid karaoke apparatus according to the present invention, even if the performance right is insufficient, the performance of the requested song is started, and if the performance right is input, the performance of the singing section is started as it is. An input request is also notified casually so as not to be noticed by the encryption display. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the karaoke place from becoming white and to collect usage fees casually. Furthermore, since the user who has forgotten to enter the performance right can encourage and excite the feeling of singing without defying the feeling of singing, loss of the opportunity to use karaoke can be prevented. In addition, the entertainment value of karaoke is increased and the number of users can be increased.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a hardware configuration of a communication karaoke terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram of karaoke performance processing when a performance right is insufficient according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an outline of a processing sequence of accompaniment music data and lyrics rendering data according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
11 Central processing unit 12 User interface device 17 Display 19 Billing interface

Claims (3)

A prepaid karaoke apparatus comprising a charging means and a control means for processing karaoke data stored in a storage means,
Karaoke data includes accompaniment music data and lyrics rendering data associated with the elapsed time of the accompaniment music,
Billing means can accept payments at any time,
The control means performs normal performance processing when the deposit balance value exceeds the specified value, and performs provisional performance processing when the deposit balance value does not satisfy the specified value.
In the normal performance process, the accompaniment music data of the desired song is processed and the accompaniment music is acoustically output, and the lyrics rendering data of the song is synchronously processed to output lyrics subtitles as video.
The provisional performance process is to process the accompaniment music data of the desired song and output the accompaniment music. When a predetermined time has elapsed from the start of the accompaniment music, the deposit balance value is checked. If not exceeded, perform the second process,
In the first process, it is checked whether or not the progress of the accompaniment music has passed the lyric display start point. If the accompaniment music has passed, the output of the accompaniment music is stopped and the normal performance process is performed. Move on to normal performance processing while continuing output,
The second process sequentially checks the deposit balance value while repeating the output of the beginning part of the accompaniment music for a predetermined period. When the deposit balance value exceeds the specified value within the predetermined period, the process proceeds to the first process, and the predetermined period elapses. A prepayment-type karaoke device that ends the output of accompaniment music. The prepaid karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second process performs fade-in / fade-out at a portion where the accompaniment music is repeated. The prepayment-type karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the provisional performance processing further causes display to change a predetermined figure in a predetermined manner.

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