Karaoke service method and system by telecommunication system

A karaoke service method by telecommunication system downloads karaoke data through a portable karaoke device and provides a karaoke service by using a radio data transmitting and receiving function of a mobile telephone network and a system thereof. In the method, it is judged whether a stored music executing mode or a new music down load mode is selected. A karaoke service server is connected to a public switched data network when the new music down load mode is selected. A file down load with respect to a selected music is requested. A file of a corresponding music selected is downloaded. According to the method, the karaoke device is connected to a karaoke service server having a simple communication protocol system and performs music files and a basic communication function and the karaoke service server reads music file information out of the data network and transmits the read music file information to the karaoke device. Accordingly, a small and inexpensive karaoke device can be realized.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a karaoke service method and system by a 
telecommunication system, more particularly, to a karaoke service method 
by telecommunication system which downloads karaoke data through a 
portable karaoke device and provides a karaoke service by using a radio 
data transmitting and receiving function of a mobile telephone network and 
a system thereof. 
2. Prior Art 
Generally, a karaoke device is a device which reproduces sound of a musical 
instrument in order to help and accompany vocalists. Advancements in 
electronic industry, provided a device which electronically process sound 
to replace a physical accompaniment of a musical band or group. Such a 
device mixes a wave of a sound source and digitalizes element of sound 
such as accompaniment instruments free of voice. Karaoke device enhances 
the stage and helps the singer by displaying a background image and music 
lyrics on a television monitor along with a musical sound. The karaoke 
device includes a memory which stores data corresponding to a selection of 
songs. When a user wants to add new songs, a memory which stores a new 
selection of songs must be added. 
A karaoke device out in the fields includes a portable device storing a 
selection of songs is connected to a TV receiver or an amplifier. However, 
since such portable device is unable to add newly released songs a 
selection of new songs must be stored on another portable device taking 
place of an old portable device. Currently, a development of wire data 
communication through the internet makes it possible to selectively 
download an accompaniment musical data and voice of singers which are 
digitalized through a computer in which a music card is mounted. More 
particularly, since acquirement of musical data through such medium can be 
converted to various kinds of musical data formats as occasion demands, a 
user is able to process the data compatible with a karaoke device. 
However, karaoke devices should utilizing a computer or a notebook computer 
needs a music card function. Currently, a portable device which converts a 
music file downloaded through a cable into a compressed music file by a 
computer has been developed and popularized. However, due to the amount of 
data that the portable device have to process is large, the portable 
device needs a considerable memory capacity. Accordingly, increasing its 
cost. Recent developments in transmission enables a user to connect a 
mobile station and a notebook computer to a data network out in the 
fields, for downloading various musical data. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,532,923 (issued to Takurou Sone on Jul. 2, 1996) discloses 
a karaoke network system composed of a central station for serving a song 
data, and local stations each connected to the central station through a 
communication line for presenting a karaoke event in response to a request 
according to the served song data. 
FIG. 1 shows a conventional karaoke service system by a mobile telephone 
system. When a user of a mobile station (MS) 106a tries to call a wire 
telephone subscriber, MS 106a is connected to a base station 106b on the 
radio. A calling signal transmitted or received through an antenna 106e of 
the mobile station 106a and an antenna 106f of a base station 106b is 
connected to a mobile switching center (MSC) 106d through a base station 
106b and a base station controller 106c by wire. And the calling signal is 
transmitted to a public switched telephone network 110 through MSC 106d so 
that the user of the mobile station (MS) 106a calls a wire telephone 
subscriber. 
On the other hand, in order to receive a radio data service through a 
mobile telephone network 106, a data network interworking function 104, 
mounted between a public switched data network 108 and MSC 106d, provides 
a data path between the public switched data network 108 and MSC 106d. In 
the conventional karaoke service system, a notebook computer 102 is 
connected to the mobile telephone network 106 through the mobile station 
106a. The MSC 106d and BSC 106c are connected to PSDN 108 through an IWF 
104. As previously described, when the connection between the mobile 
station 106a and PSDN 108 is completed and a data path is set, the user 
searches a web site of PSDN 108 which provides karaoke data and downloads 
selected musics and stores it in the notebook computer 102. Accordingly, 
the notebook computer 102 can execute song accompaniments upon completion 
of the downloading operation. 
However, according the conventional karaoke service system, a user 
downloads music files through a mobile station and a notebook computer and 
listens musics of the downloaded music files. In order to listen song 
accompaniment out in the fields, a user always need to take the notebook 
computer. In the conventional portable karaoke system free of a new music 
adding function, data with respect to new musics cannot be added. 
Moreover, in the conventional karaoke service system, in order to acquire 
karaoke data from the radio transmission, an expensive notebook computer 
as well as a mobile station is needed, making the system uneconomical for 
consumers. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention, for the purpose of 
solving the above mentioned problems, to provide a karaoke service method 
by telecommunication system wherein a mobile telephone terminal downloads 
karaoke data through a portable karaoke device and provides a karaoke 
service by using a radio data transmitting and receiving function of a 
mobile telephone network and a system thereof. 
In order to attain the object, according to the present invention, there is 
provided a karaoke service method by a telecommunication system, the 
method comprising the steps of: 
(a) judging whether a stored music executing mode or a new music down load 
mode is selected; 
(b) connecting a karaoke service server to a public switched data network 
when the new music down load mode is selected in step (a); 
(c) requesting a file down load with respect to a selected music; and 
(d) downloading a file of a corresponding music selected in step (c). 
The step (d) preferably includes: (d-1) downloading the corresponding music 
file from the karaoke service server to a karaoke device responsive to a 
signal corresponding to a request of the corresponding music file down 
load; (d-2) judging whether the downloading of the corresponding music 
file of step (d-1) is completed; and (d-3) in step (d-2), when the 
downloading of the corresponding music file is not completed, executing 
step (c), and when the downloading of the corresponding music file is 
completed, executing step (a). 
Also, there is provided a karaoke service system by a telecommunication 
system, the system comprising: 
a karaoke device connected to a mobile station for selectively generating a 
stored file executing mode signal or a new music down load mode signal in 
order to select a stored file executing mode signal or a new music down 
load mode, respectively, for playing a stored music when the stored file 
executing mode is selected and for requesting a down load with respect to 
a selected music file when the new music down load mode is selected; 
a karaoke service server for reading the selected music file from a public 
switched data network responsive to the request of the downloading and 
downloading the read music file to the karaoke device; and 
a data network interworking function for connecting the karaoke device to 
the karaoke service server through a mobile telephone network responsive 
to the new music down load mode signal generated by the karaoke device. 
The karaoke device preferably includes: a memory for storing karaoke data 
having sound and lyrics data; a key input section for generating a stored 
file executing mode signal or a new music down load mode signal and for 
generating a signal indicative of a download request with respect to a 
selected music; an audio outputting section for mixing and outputting the 
sound data stored in the memory and a voice generated by a microphone; a 
caption generator for converting the words data stored in the memory into 
a caption; an image synthesizer for synthesizing the caption from the 
caption generator and a background image signal; a liquid crystal display 
for displaying an output signal of the image synthesizer; and a controller 
for judging whether a stored file executing mode or a new music down load 
mode is selected, for playing stored music when the stored file executing 
mode is selected and connecting the karaoke device to the karaoke service 
server when a new music down load mode is selected. 
According to the present invention, the karaoke device is not directly 
connected to a data network such as a PSTN or an internet but is connected 
to a karaoke service server having a simple communication protocol system 
and performs accompaniment of music files and a basic communication 
function. And the karaoke service server reads music file information out 
of the data network and transmits the read music file information to the 
karaoke device. Accordingly, a small and inexpensive karaoke device can be 
realized. The karaoke service system according to the present invention 
converts music files into sound while downloading the music files through 
a mobile station. The karaoke service system can display lyrics on an LCD 
while executing song accompaniment. 
Other objects and further features of the present invention will become 
apparent from the detailed description when read in conjunction with the 
attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The preferred embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be 
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 
shows a configuration of a karaoke service system 20 by a 
telecommunication system according to a preferred embodiment of the 
present invention. The karaoke service system 20 includes a karaoke device 
202, a karaoke service server 204, and a data network interworking 
function 206. 
The karaoke device 202 is connected to a mobile station (MS) 208a and 
selectively generates a stored file executing mode signal or a new music 
down load mode signal in order to select a stored file executing mode or a 
new music down load mode. The karaoke device 202 plays a corresponding 
stored music when the stored file executing mode is selected and requests 
a down load of selected music file when a new music down load mode is 
selected. 
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for showing one example of the karaoke device 
shown in FIG. 2. The karaoke device includes a memory 302, a key input 
section 304, an audio outputting section 306, a caption generator 308, an 
image synthesizer 310, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 312, and a 
controller 314. 
The memory 302 stores karaoke data having sound and words data. The key 
input section 304 generates the stored file executing mode signal or the 
new music down load mode signal and for generating a signal indicating the 
download request with respect to a selected music. The audio outputting 
section 306 mixes and outputs the sound data stored in the memory 304 and 
a voice generated by a microphone 307. The caption generator 308 converts 
the words data stored in the memory 304 into a caption. The image 
synthesizer 310 synthesizes the caption from the caption generator 308 and 
a background image signal. The LCD 312 displays an output signal of the 
image synthesizer 310. The controller 314 judges whether a stored file 
executing mode or a new music down load mode is selected, plays a 
corresponding stored music when the stored file executing mode is 
selected, and connects the karaoke device to the karaoke service server 
204 when the new music down load mode is selected. 
The karaoke device 202 downloads data having song accompaniment. The 
karaoke device 202 also functions to convert stored music file into sound. 
The karaoke device 202 includes an external output terminal and a TV 
receiver 214 connected to the karaoke device 202 through the external 
output terminal and displays words of accompaniment music on a screen. An 
audio system 216 is connected to the karaoke device 202 through the 
external output terminal and plays the accompaniment music. The karaoke 
device 202 also includes a computer matching connector and transmits data 
with a computer 218 through the computer matching connector. The karaoke 
device 202 can be mounted on a mobile station 208a or a household electric 
appliance such as a TV receiver 214 or an audio system 216. 
The karaoke service server 204 reads a corresponding music file from a PSDN 
210 responsive to the request of the downloading with respect to the 
selected music file and downloads the read music file to the karaoke 
device 202. The data network interworking function 206 connects the 
karaoke device 202 to the karaoke service server through a mobile 
telephone network 208 responsive to the new music down load mode signal 
generated by the karaoke device 202. The PSDN 210 and karaoke service 
server 204 provide an additional radio data service to the karaoke device 
202 by using a standard data communication protocol such as a TCP/IP. 
A communication protocol between the karaoke device 202 and karaoke service 
server 204 can be set and modified to recognize each other. The mobile 
station 208a, a base station 208b, a base station controller 208c, and a 
mobile switching center (MSC) 208d constitutes a mobile telephone network 
208. Reference numerals 208e and 208f notes an antenna of the mobile 
station 208a and an antenna of the base station 208b. 
Hereinafter, an operation of the karaoke service system 20 and the karaoke 
service method by a telecommunication system according to a preferred 
embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 4 
illustrates a karaoke service method by a telecommunication system 
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In step 
S101, a user presses a power button of a key input section 304, to 
initialize the system. In step S102, the controller 314 of the karaoke 
device 202 judges whether or not a stored music executing mode is 
selected. According to a result of the judgement in step S102, when the 
stored music executing mode is not selected, the controller 314 judges 
whether or not a new music down load mode is selected (step S103). 
According to a result of the judgement in step S103, when the new music 
down load mode is not selected, total operation comes to an end. When it 
judged that the new music down load mode is selected, the controller 314 
outputs a new music down load select signal (step S104). The new music 
down load select signal is applied to a mobile switching center (MSC) 208d 
through MS 208a, a base station (BTS) 208b, and a base station controller 
(BSC) 208c of the mobile telephone network 208. MSC 208d outputs a PSTN 
control signal and a data network interworking function control signal to 
a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 212 and a data network 
interworking function (IWF) 206, respectively (step S105). 
PSTN 212 does not connect with the MS 208d in response to the PSTN control 
signal from the MSC 208d. The IWF 206 operates in response to the data 
network interworking function control signal from the MSC 208d and 
controls an operation of the karaoke service server 204. Accordingly, the 
karaoke device 202 is connected to the karaoke service server 204 through 
a mobile telephone network 208 and IWF 206 (step S106). Then, the 
controller 314 judges whether or not a user requests a music list (step 
S107). According to a result of the judgement in step S107, when the user 
requests a music list, the karaoke device 202 applies a music list select 
signal to the karaoke service server 204 through the mobile telephone 
network 208 and IWF 206. Accordingly, the karaoke service server 204 is 
connected to PSDN 210 through IWF 206 and extracts a music list from a web 
site or an information provider having karaoke data and transmits the 
music list to the karaoke device 202(step S109). 
When the user requests a file down load a selected music on the music list 
by using the karaoke device 202 or when the user requests a file down load 
of a selected music when the user does not request the music list in step 
S107, the karaoke device 202 outputs a signal indicative of the request of 
the corresponding music file down load to the karaoke service server 204 
through the mobile telephone network 208 and IWF 206(step S110). The 
karaoke service server 204 downloads a corresponding music file to the 
controller 314 of the karaoke device 202 through the IWF 206 and mobile 
telephone network 208 in response to the signal indicative of the request 
of the corresponding music file down load. The downloaded music file is 
stored in an empty area of the memory 302 which is not written or in a 
memory left vacant after erasing unnecessary karaoke data. The controller 
314 judges whether or not a music file down load is completed (step S112). 
According to a result of the judgement in step S112, when the music file 
down load has not been completed, the routine returns step S117. When it 
is judged that the music file down load has been completed, the routine 
returns to step S102. 
On the other hand, according to the result of judgement in step S102, when 
the stored music executing mode is selected, the user presses a music 
number input button to input a music number or inputs a desirable music 
name by means of a voice when a voice recognition chip is mounted on the 
system (step S113). Accordingly, the karaoke device 202 executes a 
corresponding accompaniment of the selected music inputted by the user 
(step S114). That is, the controller 314 processes karaoke data having 
sound and words data which are stored in the memory 302 and feeds the 
sound and words data to an audio outputting section 306 and a caption 
generator 308, respectively. Accordingly, the audio outputting section 306 
mixes and outputs the sound data processed by the controller 314 and a 
voice generated by a microphone 307. On the other hand, the caption 
generator 308 converts the words data processed by the controller 314 into 
a caption and provides the caption to the image'synthesizer 310. The image 
synthesizer 310 synthesizes the caption from the caption generator 308 and 
a background image signal. The LCD 312 displays an output signal of the 
image synthesizer 310 so that the user can sing with the help of a caption 
displayed on a background screen of the LCD 312. 
Then the controller 314 judges whether or not a new music down load mode is 
selected while executing the accompaniment of a corresponding music (step 
S115). When the new music down load mode while executing the accompaniment 
of a corresponding music is selected, step S104 is executed. When it is 
judged that the new music down load mode while executing the accompaniment 
of a corresponding music is not selected, the controller 314 judges 
whether or not the user selects accompaniment of other music (step S116). 
As a result of the judgement in step S116, when the user did not select 
accompaniment of other music, a total operation comes to an end. When it 
judged that the user selected accompaniment of other music, the routine 
returns to step S113. 
On the other hand, the user wants a general calling, a base station 208a 
generates a calling message by the operation of the user, the generated 
calling message is transmitted to the PSTN through the mobile telephone 
network 208 so that the calling is achieved. 
As mentioned above, the karaoke device is not directly connected to a data 
network such as a PSTN or an internet but is connected to a karaoke 
service server having a simple communication protocol system and performs 
accompaniment of music files and a basic communication function. And the 
karaoke service server reads music file information out of the data 
network and transmits the read music file information to the karaoke 
device. Accordingly, a small and inexpensive karaoke device can be 
realized. The karaoke service system according to the present invention 
converts music files into sound while downloading the music files through 
a mobile station. The karaoke service system can display lyrics on an LCD 
while executing song accompaniment. Also, when the karaoke service system 
is connected to an external TV monitor, it can display the lyrics through 
the TV monitor. 
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing 
from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present 
embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative 
and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the 
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes 
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are 
therefore intended to be embraced therein.