Abstract:
The invention relates to a multimedia apparatus and more particularly to a multimedia apparatus capable of providing karaoke service through Internet servers or other external devices. The invention provides operating interfaces that are compatible to individual hardware, internet server, and mode of instruction input. The invention identifies multimedia files in external storages and further offers an offline karaoke service.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a multimedia apparatus and more particularly to a multimedia apparatus capable of providing karaoke service through Internet servers or other external devices. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Online karaoke services and apparatuses currently on the market are normally realized via designated Multimedia on Demand (MOD) service providers, or via specific websites. However, the above mentioned online karaoke services and apparatuses do not provide operating interfaces that are completely compatible to individual hardware, internet server, and mode of instruction input. This phenomenon causes users of different internet servers unable to enjoy the same online karaoke service with different operating interfaces, and therefore limits the number of prospective users and the opportunities of using the interactive device. 
         [0003]    The early technology of the online karaoke services and apparatuses mentioned above can only offer users the functions like online request, download, and play songs, but fails to identify the media files in the external storage and offer an offline karaoke service. At their most, they simply display and play the existing files. As for those devices which fail to provide a song-request mode similar to that of a karaoke machine, the users tend to find it inconvenient to search for files and play songs. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    The FIGURE shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the claimed invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The FIGURE shows one embodiment of the dual-connection multimedia apparatus  10  of the claimed invention. The dual-connection multimedia apparatus  10  includes a docking unit  11 , a recognition unit  12 , a storage unit  13 , a processing unit  14 , a connecting unit  15 , an input unit  16 , an audio output unit  17 , a video output unit  18 , and a user interface  19 . The docking unit  11  connects to an external device  20 . The recognition unit  12  connects to the docking unit 11 . The external device  20  comprises a multimedia file  21  which is transferred to the recognition unit  12  via the docking unit  11 , so that the recognition unit  12  recognizes the multimedia file  21 . A storage unit  13  connects to the recognition unit  12 . The recognition unit  12  recognizes the multimedia file  21  and generates a sorting information  131 , the sorting information  131  is transferred to the storage unit  13 . A processing unit  14  connects to the storage unit  13 . The processing unit  14  accesses the sorting information  131  stored in the storage unit  13 . A connecting unit  15  connects to the processing unit  14  and the Internet  30  service. The connecting unit  15  receives a song information  521  via the Internet  30  service and transfers the song information  521  to the processing unit  14 . An audio output unit  17  connects to the processing unit  14 . A video output unit  18  connects to the processing unit  14 , wherein the processing unit  14  merges and processes the song information  521  with an audio input  161  or a video information  521   a,  and the processed information can be exported by the audio output unit  17  or the video output unit  18 . A user interface 19  shown on the video output unit  18 , wherein the user  40  can operate the user interface  19  and give instructions to the processing unit  14 , in order to carry out dual-connection karaoke service. An input unit  16  connects to the processing unit  14 , wherein an audio input  161  and an video input  162  are imported to the processing unit  14  via the input unit  16  according to the instructions received from the user interface. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, the user interface  19  displayed on the video output unit  18  receives instructions indicative of the at least one multimedia file  21  transmitted from the external device  20  via the docking unit  11  or from the at least one multimedia server  50 . The input unit  16  receives the audio input  161  and the video input  162  from the user  40 . The recognition unit  12  recognizes the at least one multimedia file  21  and generates the song information  521  and stores the song information  521  on the storage unit  13 . The processing unit  14  merges the song information  521  with the audio input  161  and outputs to the audio output unit  17 , and the processing unit  14  merges the song information  521  with the video input  162  and outputs to the video output unit  18 . 
         [0007]    The recognition unit  12  recognizes an identification code  211  and a tag information  212  of the multimedia file  21  to generate the sorting information  131 . The user interface 19  accesses the storage unit  13  via the processing unit  14  in order to process song request. The external device  20  refers to portable Universal Serial Bus, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, digital camera, digital video recorder, or other storage devices. 
         [0008]    The connecting unit  15  can be connected to a multimedia server  50  via the Internet  30  service. The multimedia server  50  may be one or more web server groups  51 . The multimedia server  50  provides karaoke services includes song streaming, broadcasting, replay of recorded audios , replay of recorded videos , multimedia file uploading, and personal multimedia blog to the dual-connection multimedia apparatus  10  via the Internet  30  service. 
         [0009]    The multimedia server  50  further includes a song database  52 ; the song database  52  stores the song information  521  which comprises a video information  521   a , a music information  521   b,  a subtitle for lyric information  521   c,  and the combination thereof; the multimedia server  50  can also send designated the song information  521  to the processing unit  14  via the Internet  30  service according to the instructions given by the user interface 19 . 
         [0010]    Regarding the song information  521  transferred to the processing unit  14 , when the user  40  operates the user interface  19 , the user  40  can choose to combine only the music information  52  lb and the subtitle information  521   c,  whereas the video input  162  and the subtitle information  521   c  can be processed via the processing unit  14  before being exported by the video output unit  18 , while the video input  162  can be imported by the input unit  16 . 
         [0011]    The song information  521  transferred to the processing unit  14 , when the user  40  operates the user interface 19 , the user can choose to combine only the music information  521   b  and the video information  521   a.  After the multimedia server  50  detects the import of the video input  162  into the input unit  16  via the web server groups  51 , the multimedia server  50  will automatically allow the song information  521  to include only the combination of the music information  521   b  and the subtitle information  521   c , so that the video input  162  and the subtitle information  521   c  can be processed by the processing unit  14  and be exported along the combination of the music information  521   b  and the subtitle information  521   c  via the video output unit  18 . 
         [0012]    The user interface 19  provides different layouts according to the size of the video output unit  18 , picture size, hardware, and Internet bandwidth. The user interface 19  provides song request services based on the information or categories such as performer&#39;s name, Chinese phonetic symbols, stroke-count, song title word-count, Pin-Yin, situational status, billboard ranking, latest updates, USB recorded songs, audio command, children&#39;s songs, English songs, and Japanese songs. 
         [0013]    The dual-connection multimedia apparatus  10  includes connected TV, regular TV with set-top-box, personal computer (PC), tablet personal computer (tablet PC), iPhone, iPod, iPad, smart phone, digital frame with Internet access, or handheld devices with Internet access. The audio output unit  17 , the video output unit  18 , and the input unit  16  can be either built-in or externally connected to the dual-connection multimedia apparatus. The audio output unit  17 , the video output unit  18 , and the input unit  16  can be externally connected to the dual-connection multimedia apparatus  10  with or without wire. 
         [0014]    Several descriptions and illustrations have been provided to aid in understanding the claimed invention. One skilled in the art will realize that numerous changes and variations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Each of these changes and variations is within the scope of the present invention.