Method of and apparatus for processing data transmitted through a communication line

A method of and an apparatus for processing communication data transmitted from a data center such as a sing-along data center to a terminal communication apparatus such as a communication type sing-along apparatus via a communication line. The method and apparatus are such that a data file may be stored in a first memory provided in the terminal communication apparatus when said data file has been transmitted from the data center while the terminal communication apparatus itself is not in operation, a version of the data file stored in the first memory is compared with a version of an existing data file formerly recorded in a second memory provided in the terminal communication apparatus when said terminal communication apparatus is in operation and said second memory is in ON state, the data file formerly recorded in the second memory is replaced by the data file recorded in the first memory if it is determined that the version of the data file recorded in the second memory is older than the version of the data file recorded in the first memory.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for
 processing communication data, particularly to a method of and an
 apparatus for processing communication data transmitted via a data
 communication line.
 There have been known various data communication systems capable of
 transmitting a data file via a data communication line such as a telephone
 line. One kind of data communication system includes a communication type
 sing-along apparatus.
 A communication type sing-along apparatus is usually adapted to down-load
 various music data and background picture data via a telephone line from a
 host computer in a sing-along data center. With the use of such a
 communication type sing along apparatus, it is allowed to obtain a large
 amount of music data and background picture data continuously accumulated
 in the sing-along data center, thereby making it possible to easily meet
 with customer's requests for singing new songs.
 In practice, the music data transmitted from the sing-along data center is
 stored in a hard disc drive contained in the communication type sing-along
 apparatus. Meanwhile, a large amount of music data that fail to be stored
 in the hard disc drive are stored in CD-ROMs stocked in the same sing
 along apparatus so that said music data may be properly managed.
 In fact, the CD-ROMs storing the music data are stocked together with DVDs
 storing the background picture data. In detail, both the CD-ROMs and the
 DVDs are stocked in a disc changer which is one part of the communication
 type sing-along apparatus.
 In more detail, the disc changer of the communication type sing-along
 apparatus is adapted to pickup, from the stocked CD-ROMs and DVDs, a
 desired CD-ROM storing music data required by a specific request and a
 desired DVD storing corresponding background picture data to be displayed
 on a monitor, so as to meet a customer's request for singing a song
 corresponding to the requested music data. Meanwhile, such disc changer is
 capable of reading the music data and the corresponding background picture
 data from the selected CD-ROM and DVD so as to effect a predetermined data
 reproduction.
 Generally, said disc changer of the communication type sing-along apparatus
 requires the use of an application software in order to perform the
 desired operation thereof. Further, such application software is often
 needed to be renewed in order to incorporate some new improvements or some
 newly developed functions, thereby requiring a version-up treatment. For
 this reason, a data file for version-up is transmitted via a telephone
 line from the sing-along data center, while an old application software
 stored in the disc changer is replaced by the new version of the
 application soft wear.
 However, there is a problem with a communication type sing-along apparatus
 formed according to a prior art. Namely, if a data file for version-up is
 transmitted to the sing-along apparatus from a sing-along data center when
 the disc changer is in an electrically OFF state, it is impossible for the
 transmitted data file to be downloaded into the disc changer.
 For example, with a communication type sing-along apparatus for business
 use, a disc changer is usually disconnected from an electric power source
 when not in business time. Further, since a data file for version-up is
 often transmitted from the sing-along data center during a time period
 when the sing-along apparatus is not in business use, it is required that
 the disc changer be constantly in an electrically ON state, thereby
 ensuring that a transmitted data file can be downloaded into the disc
 changer at any time.
 In addition, a disc changer of a communication type sing-along apparatus
 might have to be replaced by a new one for the purpose of maintenance.
 Accordingly, an application software of the new disc changer will also
 have to be replaced by a new version. If such a replacement of application
 software fails to be completed in time, the communication type sing-along
 apparatus will fail to provide desired operations obtainable by the new
 version of an application software, hence bringing about a deterioration
 in the quality of a sing-along service.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and
 apparatus for processing communication data, which is capable of exactly
 renewing a data file stored in a communication type sing-along apparatus
 by receiving a new data file from a sing-along data center via a
 communication line.
 It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method
 and apparatus for processing communication data, which is capable of
 exactly renewing a data file stored in a communication type sing-along
 apparatus, also capable of exactly transmitting information on the quality
 of the operation of the sing-along apparatus to a sing-along data center.
 According to the present invention, there is provided a method of
 processing communication data transmitted from a data center such as a
 sing-along data center to a terminal communication apparatus such as a
 communication type sing-along apparatus via a communication line, said
 method comprising: storing a data file in a first memory means provided in
 the terminal communication apparatus when said data file has been
 transmitted from the data center while the terminal communication
 apparatus itself is not in operation; comparing a version of the data file
 stored in the first memory means with a version of an existing data file
 formerly recorded in a second memory means provided in the terminal
 communication apparatus when said terminal communication apparatus is in
 operation and said second memory means is in ON state; replacing the data
 file formerly recorded in the second memory means with the data file
 recorded in the first memory means if it is determined that the version of
 the data file recorded in the second memory means is older than the
 version of the data file recorded in the first memory means.
 In one aspect of the present invention, the data file recorded in the first
 memory means is not erased even after the data file formerly recorded in
 the second memory means is replaced by the data file recorded in the first
 memory means.
 In another aspect of the present invention, quality data indicating an
 operation quality of the terminal communication apparatus is recorded on a
 third memory means which is in OFF state when said terminal communication
 apparatus is not in operation, the quality data recorded on the third
 memory means is then stored in a fourth memory means before the third
 memory means is turned OFF.
 In a further aspect of the present invention, when a data file is
 transmitted from the data center to the terminal communication apparatus,
 the quality data stored in the fourth memory means is transmitted to the
 data center via the communication line.
 In a still further aspect of the present invention, said terminal
 communication apparatus includes a controller having said first memory
 means and a disc changer having said second memory means. When the disc
 changer is in OFF state and a data file for use in the disc changer is
 transmitted from the data center to the terminal communication apparatus,
 the transmitted data file is at first stored in the first memory means
 provided within the controller.
 Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus
 such as a communication type sing-along apparatus capable of processing
 communication data transmitted from a data center such as a sing-along
 data center via a communication line, said apparatus comprising: a first
 memory means for storing a data file transmitted from the data center when
 said apparatus is not in its operation; a second memory means which is
 turned OFF when said apparatus is not in its operation; a comparator means
 for comparing a version of the data file stored in the first memory means
 with a version of an existing data file formerly recorded in the second
 memory means when the second memory means is in ON state; a controller
 means for replacing the data file formerly recorded in the second memory
 means with the data file recorded in the first memory means if it is
 determined by the comparator means that the version of the data file
 recorded in the second memory means is older than the version of the data
 file recorded in the first memory means.
 In one more aspect of the present invention, said apparatus further
 comprises: a third memory means which is adapted to record quality data
 indicating an operation quality of said apparatus and is turned OFF when
 said apparatus is not in its operation; a fourth memory means which is
 adapted to receive and store the quality data fed from the third memory
 means. In particular, the controller means is adapted to operate such that
 when said apparatus is in its operation, the quality data recorded on the
 third memory means is fed to and stored in the fourth memory means before
 the third memory means is turned OFF, and that when a data file is
 transmitted from the data center to said apparatus, the quality data
 stored in the fourth memory means is transmitted to the data center via
 the communication line.
 In still one more aspect of the present invention, said apparatus includes
 a controller having said first memory means and a disc changer having said
 second memory means. In particular, said controller means operates such
 that when the disc changer is in OFF state and a data file for use in the
 disc changer is transmitted from the data center to said apparatus, the
 transmitted data file is at first stored in the first memory means
 provided within the controller.
 The above objects and features of the present invention will become better
 understood from the following description with reference to the
 accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 Referring to FIG. 1, a communication type sing-along apparatus made
 according to the present invention includes a controller A and a disc
 changer B.
 The controller A includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 1, a modem 2, a
 RAM (Random Access Memory) 3, a changer controller 4, an operating section
 5, a HDD (Hard Disc Drive) 6, a grading comparator 7, an MIDI (Music
 Instrument Digital Interface) reproducing & background overlay section 8,
 and an electric power controller 9.
 The disc changer B includes a CPU 10, a disc pickup (transporting ) section
 11, a disc stocker 12, players 3 and 14, an external I/F section (SCSI)
 15, a decoder 16, and a RAM 17.
 As shown in FIG. 1, the CPU 10 contains a memory 10A storing an application
 software for operating the disc changer B.
 Since the modem 2 is connected to a host computer in a sing-along data
 center C via a telephone line t, the communication type sing-along
 apparatus is enabled to download sing-along music data transmitted from
 the sing-along data center C. Here, the sing-along music data includes
 MIDI data for reproducing an accompaniment music, background picture
 selection data for selecting background picture, character data for
 indicating song words.
 The sing-along music data downloaded from the sing-along data center C
 through the modem 2, is at first recorded in the HDD 6 . When a user
 operates the operating section 5 to select a desired song and a
 corresponding background picture, the selected sing-along music data may
 be easily read out from the HDD 6, and the n be demodulated into audio
 signal of accompaniment music by virtue of the MIDI reproducing &
 background overlay section 8. Further, the audio signal is mixed with the
 sound signal transmitted through a grading comparator 7 from a microphone
 D connected with the controller A, so as to be outputted through a speaker
 of an output section E including a monitor (not shown) and a speaker (now
 shown).
 At this time, if the controller A is set to be in a grading mode by
 operating the operating section 5, the grading comparator 7 will perform a
 comparison between one kind of data (indicating a musical interval and a
 timing of a melody, forming a standard value for singing a song) and a
 sound inputted through the microphone D, thereby performing a grading
 process to evaluate (grade) the performance of a singer, with the grading
 results being outputted to the output section E and indicated on the
 monitor.
 The electric power controller 9 is provided to control a power supply to
 the disc changer B, so that when a main power source (not shown) of the
 controller A is turned ON, the disc changer B will also be turned ON by
 virtue of an interlock arrangement.
 The RAM 3 is provided to temporarily store a kind of quality data
 transmitted from the RAM 17 of the disc changer B, such quality data is
 used to indicate an operation quality of the disc changer B.
 Various controlling operations performed by the controller A are all
 controlled by the CPU 1.
 The disc changer B is adapted to stock CD-ROMs storing music data and DVDs
 storing background picture data, and to optionally pickup a selected
 CD-ROM and a selected DVD, thereby reading out desired music data and
 desired background picture data, both of which are then outputted to the
 controller A.
 Since there is a limit in the memory capacity of the HDD 6, some sing-along
 music data prepared in and transmitted from the sing-along data center C
 may be stored in the CD-ROMs of the disc changer B. In this way, if a
 music data corresponding to a melody selected by a user has been stored in
 a CD-ROM, such music data may be read out from the CD-ROM, thus enabling a
 desired reproduction of the selected melody.
 When a user has selected a melody stored in a CD-ROM stocked in the disc
 stocker 12 of the disc changer B, the CPU 1 will cause the changer
 controller 4 to produce a selection signal through the external I/F
 section 15, so that the selection signal may be input into the disc
 changer B. At this time, the disc changer B will be operated in accordance
 with the selection signal, such that the pickup section 14 can operate to
 pickup a desired CD-ROM and a desired DVD from the stocker 12. The picked
 CD-ROM and DVD are then set in the players 13 and 14 respectively, thereby
 effecting a desired reading of the music data from the selected CD-ROM and
 a desired reading of the background picture data from the selected DVD.
 The music data read from the selected CD-ROM are fed to the MIDI
 reproduction & background overlay section 8 through the external I/F
 section 15 and the changer controller 4. Meanwhile, the background picture
 data read from the selected DVD and in a compressed state are expended in
 the decoder 16 so as to be fed to the MIDI reproduction & background
 overlay section 8. In fact, the background picture data are combined with
 the images of song words reproduced from character data contained in the
 selected music data, thereby obtaining a combined signal to be fed to the
 monitor of the output section E.
 The RAM 17 is provided to store quality data such as data concerning a
 reading error happened in a process of reading a CD-ROM and a DVD. In
 fact, such quality data occurs during the operation of the disc changer B.
 There may be various error data obtainable by the decoder 16, such as error
 correction data for correcting an error contained in the data reproduced
 from a DVD, a sort of data indicating an abnormal error rate, and another
 sort of data indicating a reduced output of a reproduced signal from a
 player. Further, an error data may also be used to indicate an abnormal
 voltage, an abnormal current, an abnormal timing of a driving section and
 a servo system of each of the players 13 and 14.
 Similarly, various controlling actions of the disc changer B are all
 controlled by the CPU 10 contained therein.
 A data file which may be an application software necessary for performing
 the operation of the disc changer B is constantly transmitted from a host
 computer in a sing-along data center C via a telephone line t, and is
 written into the memory 10A contained in the CPU 10 so as to replace old
 data recorded therein. In this way, it is sure to update an application
 software stored in the memory 10A at any time.
 Here, the memory 10 comprises a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory
 or a battery-backup RAM, so that even if the disc changer B is not
 connected with an electric power source, the data stored in the memory 10
 can be constantly maintained in a desired manner.
 A data file such as an application software for the operation of the disc
 changer B may be replaced by a new one in the following procedure.
 Usually, a data file such as an application software is transmitted from a
 sing-along data center C to a communication type sing-along apparatus at
 night when not in a business time. Since the disc changer B is not
 connected with an electric power source at such a time period, it is
 impossible for a new data file transmitted from the sing-along data center
 C to be recorded in the memory 10 to replace an old data file.
 Accordingly, the new data file transmitted from the sing-along data center
 C via a telephone line t is at first downloaded in the HHD 6 of the
 controller 6 whose power source is constantly set at a stand-by mode even
 at night when not in a business time.
 Further, a new data file transmitted from the sing-along data center C via
 a telephone line t contains a clock information. In this way, a clock
 contained in the CPU 1 will perform a time adjustment in accordance with
 the clock information contained in the new data file.
 FIG. 2 is a flowchart indicating a procedure where an old data file
 recorded in the memory 10 of the disc changer B is replaced by a new data
 file transmitted from a sing-along data center C and stored in the HDD 6.
 As shown in FIG. 2, a main power source (not shown) of the controller A in
 a stand-by mode is turned ON (step al). Then, the power controlling
 section 9 of the controller A operates so that the disc changer B is also
 turned ON (step a2).
 As soon as the disc changer B is turned ON in its electric power source,
 the CPU 10 of the disc changer B operates to confirm a version of the new
 data file transmitted from the sing-along data center C and downloaded on
 the HDD 6 of the controller A (step a3), thereby comparing the version of
 the new data file with the version of an old data file previously recorded
 in the memory 10A of the CPU 10 of the disc changer B (step a4).
 At the step a4, if it is determined that the version of the data file
 stored in the HDD 6 of the controller A is newer than the version of an
 old data file formerly recorded in the memory 10A of the disc changer B,
 the data file stored in the HDD 6 will be written into the memory 10A so
 as to replace the old data file formerly recorded therein (step a5).
 On the other hand, at the step a4, if it is determined that the version of
 the data file stored in the HDD 6 of the controller A is older than the
 version of a data file formerly recorded in the memory 10A of the disc
 changer B, the data file stored in the HDD 6 will not be written into the
 memory 10A so as not to replace the data file formerly recorded in the
 memory 10A.
 Then, the CPU 1 of the controller A operates to produce a time information
 from a clock contained therein to the disc changer B (step a6), so that
 the CPU 10 of the disc changer B will perform a time adjustment of a clock
 contained therein in accordance with the time information produced from
 the controller A.
 The clock of the CPU 1 of the controller A is constantly corrected in
 accordance with the time information contained in a new data file
 transmitted from the sing-along data center C. Thus, the clock of the CPU
 10 of the disc changer B is also constantly corrected in accordance with
 the time information produced from the CPU 1. Therefore, during the
 operation of the disc changer B, the disc changer B may be under a correct
 time system, thereby making it sure to correctly record a time at which an
 operation error occurs in the disc changer B.
 After the time adjustment on the clock of the CPU 10, the disc changer B is
 allowed to start its operation in accordance with the latest data file
 newly stored in the memory 10A of the disc changer (step a7).
 Here, at the step a5, after the old data file formerly recorded in the
 memory 10A of the disc changer B has been replaced by a new data file
 stored in the HDD 6 of the controller A, it is allowed to erase the new
 data file recorded in the HDD 6. On the other hand, the new data file may
 also be allowed not to be erased from the HDD 6. By keeping the new data
 file in the HDD 6 of the controller A, said new data file may be written
 into the memory 10 of a new disc changer B newly connected with the
 controller A to replace a former disc changer B for the maintenance
 purpose. In this way, the newly connected disc changer B is allowed to
 perform predetermined operations in accordance with the new date file,
 without having to download a new data file from the sing-along data center
 C.
 A procedure for processing error data (which is a quality data indicating
 an operation quality of the disc changer B) obtained during the operation
 of the disc changer B will be described in detail below.
 The error data possibly occurring during the operation of the disc changer
 B, may be a sort of data concerning a reading error when music data and
 background picture data are being read from a CD-ROM and a DVD. Such error
 data are then stored in the RAM 17 together with the clock data produced
 by the clock of the CPU 10.
 FIG. 3 is a flowchart indicating a procedure for treating the error data,
 by drawing said error data from the RAM 17 of the disc changer B to the
 controller A.
 As shown in FIG. 3, at first, the controller A is turned from an ON state
 to a STAND-BY state so as to terminate the operation of the sing-along
 apparatus (at a step b1). Then, the CPU 1 of the controller A operates to
 send a command to the CPU 10 of the disc changer B, orderring that error
 data recorded in the RAM 17 of the disc changer B be sent to the
 controller A (at a step b2), thereby actually effecting a transmission of
 the error data from the RAM 17 to the RAM 3.
 Subsequently, at a step b3, it is determined whether or not the error data
 from the RAM 17 of the disc changer B has been completely stored in the
 RAM 3 of the controller A. If it is determined that the error data from
 the RAM 17 of the disc changer B has been completely stored in the RAM 3
 of the controller A, the power control section 9 of the controller A
 operates to turn off the power source of the disc changer B (at a step
 b4). On the other hand, if it is determined that the error data from the
 RAM 17 of the disc changer B has not been completely stored in the RAM 3
 of the controller A, the storing process is continued until said storing
 process is completed.
 Then, the electric power source of the controller A is set at the STAND-BY
 mode (at a step b5).
 In fact, the error data (indicating errors occurred during the operation of
 the disc changer B) stored in the RAM 3 of the controller A is allowed to
 be transmitted to the sing-along data center C when a new data file is
 transmitted from the center C to the sing-along apparatus (by virtue of
 two-way communication system).
 Namely, during a time period when the disc changer B is in an electrically
 OFF state because the sing-along apparatus is not in a time of its
 business use, if a data file is transmitted from the sing-along data
 center C, the controller A in its STAND-BY mode can store the new data
 file transmitted via the telephone line t in the HDD 6, while the error
 data stored in the RAM 3 of the controller A is allowed to be transmitted
 to the data center C via the same telephone line t.
 In this way, since the error data recorded during the operation of the
 sing-along apparatus can be transmitted to the sing-along data center C
 when the sing-along apparatus is not in its operation for business use, it
 is sure for the sing-along data center C to exactly obtain valuable
 quality information about the disc changer B of the sing-along apparatus,
 thereby ensuring that an appropriate maintenance of the disc changer B may
 be conducted at an earlier time.
 Further, at the time when the error data of the disc changer B is
 transmitted to the sing-along data center C, some quality information
 about the controller A may also be transmitted to the sing-along data
 center C, thereby ensuring that an appropriate maintenance of the
 controller A may also be conducted at an earlier time.
 While the presently preferred embodiments of the this invention have been
 shown and described above, it is to be understood that these disclosures
 are for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and
 modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the
 invention as set forth in the appended claims.