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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A music data processing apparatus comprising:
a local storage provided for locally stocking first information including
music data and various application programs which are selectively executed
to treat the music data;
interface means used for communicating with a network having a remote
storage which remotely stores second information including music data and
various application programs which are made available latest by the
network;
check means for detecting whether or not the interface means is allowed to
communicate with the network;
control means operative when the check means detects that the interface
means communicates with the network for downloading the second information
from the remote storage of the network and for storing the downloaded
second information in the local storage so as to supplement or update the
first information stocked in the local storage; and
processor means for selectively executing the various application programs
to treat the music data based on the second information when the second
information is downloaded and otherwise for selectively executing the
various application programs to treat the music data based on the first
information when the second information is not downloaded.
2. A music data processing apparatus according to claim 1, further
comprising display means for displaying an image of a virtual town map
containing various objects corresponding to the various application
programs, and operation means manipulated for designating one of the
various objects so as to select one of the various application programs
corresponding to the designated object so that the processor means
executes the selected one of the various application programs.
3. A terminal apparatus connectable to a host station and responsive to a
command to execute an application program to treat music data, the
terminal apparatus comprising:
a local storage that locally stores an old version of software containing
music data and various application programs which are selectively executed
to treat the music data;
an interface that is optionally activated prior to execution of an
application program for communication with the host station having a
remote storage which remotely stores a new version of software including
music data and various application programs which are made available
latest by the host station;
a controller that operates when the interface establishes the communication
with the host station for downloading the new version from the remote
storage of the host station and for transferring the downloaded new
version to the local storage so as to renew the old version stocked in the
local storage by the new version; and
a processor that responds to the command for selectively executing the
various application programs to treat the music data based on the new
version when the interface has been activated and otherwise for
selectively executing the various application programs to treat the music
data based on the old version when the interface has not been activated.
4. A terminal apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a display
that graphically presents a map containing various objects corresponding
to the various application programs, and a pointing tool that is
manipulated for pointing one of the various objects on the display so as
to select one of the various application programs corresponding to the
pointed object to thereby input the command.
5. A terminal apparatus connectable to a host station for transacting music
contents, the terminal apparatus comprising:
a local storage that is provided for locally storing the music contents;
a production section that is operated to produce an item of the music
contents which is stored in the local storage for later distribution;
a reproduction section that is operated to reproduce the music contents
stored in the local storage;
an interface that is activated for communicating with the host station
having a remote storage which remotely stores the music contents for
distribution;
an uploader that uploads the produced item of the music contents from the
local storage to the remote storage through the interface for distributing
the produced item of the music contents; and
a downloaded that downloads another item of the music contents from the
remote storage to the local storage through the interface for collecting
the music contents.
6. A terminal apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the interface
comprises a graphic user interface including a display for graphically
presenting a virtual shop so that the uploader and the downloaded transact
the music contents through the virtual shop.
7. A multimedia apparatus comprising:
a storage that stores music information and picture information;
a display that graphically presents a map of a virtual town according to
the picture information stored in the storage, the map containing a
plurality of sites which are linked to provide a plurality of services
associated to the music information stored in the storage;
a pointing tool that is manipulated for tracing the map on the display to
address a site so as to specify a service allotted to the addressed site,
and
a processor that operates when the site is addressed by the pointing tool
for processing the music information stored in the storage so as to
provide the specified service.
8. A multimedia apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an
interface that is activated for communicating with a host station having a
remote storage which remotely stores a new version of the music
information and the picture information, which are made available latest
by the host station, and a controller that operates when the interface
communicates with the host station for downloading the new version from
the remote storage of the host station and for transferring the downloaded
new version to the storage so as to renew an old version of the music
information and the picture information stored in the storage by the new
version.
9. A method of operating a terminal apparatus which is connectable to a
host station and which is responsive to a command to execute an
application program to treat music data, the method comprising the steps
of:
locally storing in a local storage an old version of software containing
music data and various application programs which are selectively executed
to treat the music data;
optionally activating an interface prior to execution of an application
program for communication with the host station having a remote storage
which remotely stores a new version of software including music data and
various application programs which are made available latest by the host
station;
operating a controller when the interface establishes the communication
with the host station for downloading the new version from the remote
storage of the host station and for transferring the downloaded new
version to the local storage so as to renew the old version stocked in the
local storage by the new version; and
operating a processor in response to the command for selectively executing
the various application programs to treat the music data based on the new
version when the interface has been activated and otherwise for
selectively executing the various application programs to treat the music
data based on the old version when the interface has not been activated.
10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of
graphically presenting on a display a map containing various objects
corresponding to the various application programs, and manipulating a
pointing tool for pointing one of the various objects on the display so as
to select one of the various application programs corresponding to the
pointed object to thereby input the command.
11. A method of operating a terminal apparatus, wherein the terminal
apparatus has a local storage for locally storing music contents which is
connectable to a host station for transacting music contents, the method
comprising the steps of:
producing an item of music contents which is stored in the local storage
for later distribution;
reproducing the music contents stored in the local storage;
activating an interface for communicating with the host station having a
remote storage which remotely store the music contents for distribution;
uploading the produced item of the music contents from the local storage to
the remote storage through the interface for distributing the produced
item of the music contents; and
downloading another item of the music contents from the remote storage to
the local storage through the interface for collecting the music contents.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the step of activating
comprises activating the interface composed of a graphic user interface
including a display for graphically presenting a virtual shop so that the
music contents are treated by the virtual shop during the uploading and
downloading of the music contents.
13. A method of operating a multimedia apparatus comprising the steps of:
storing music information and picture information in a storage;
graphically presenting on a display a map of a virtual town according to
the picture information stored in the storage, the map containing a
plurality of sites which are linked to provide a plurality of services
associated to the music information stored in the storage;
manipulating a pointing tool for tracing the map on the display to address
a site so as to specify a service allotted to the addressed site, and
operating a processor when the site is addressed by the pointing tool for
processing the music information stored in the storage so as to provide
the specified service.
14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of
activating an interface for communicating with a host station having a
remote storage which remotely stores a new version of the music
information and the picture information, which are made available latest
by the host station, and operating a controller when the interface
communicates with the host station for downloading the new version from
the remote storage of the host station and for transferring the downloaded
new version to the storage so as to renew an old version of the music
information and the picture information stored in the storage by the new
version.
15. A machine readable medium for use in a terminal apparatus including a
CPU, the terminal apparatus being connectable to a host station and being
responsive to a command to execute an application program to treat music
data, said medium containing instructions executable by the CPU for
causing the terminal apparatus to perform the steps of:
locally storing in a local storage an old version of software containing
music data and various application programs which are selectively executed
to treat the music data;
optionally activating an interface prior to execution of the application
program for communication with the host station having a remote storage
which remotely stores a new version of software including music data and
various application programs which are made available latest by the host
station;
operating the CPU when the interface establishes the communication with the
host station for downloading the new version from the remote storage of
the host station and for transferring the downloaded new version to the
local storage so as to renew the old version stocked in the local storage
by the new version; and
operating the CPU in response to the command for selectively executing the
various application programs to treat the music data based on the new
version when the interface has been activated and otherwise for
selectively executing the various application programs to treat the music
data based on the old version when the interface has not been activated.
16. A machine readable medium according to claim 15, further containing
instructions for causing the terminal apparatus to perform the steps of
graphically presenting on a display a map containing various objects
corresponding to the various application programs, and enabling a pointing
tool for pointing one of the various objects on the display so as to
select one of the various application programs corresponding to the
pointed object to thereby input the command.
17. A machine readable medium for use in a terminal apparatus including a
CPU, the terminal apparatus being connectable to a host station for
transacting music contents, the machine readable medium containing program
instructions executable by the CPU for causing the terminal apparatus to
perform the steps of:
controlling a local storage for locally storing the music contents;
producing an item of the music contents which is stored in the local
storage for later distribution;
reproducing the music contents stored in the local storage;
activating an interface for communicating with the host station having a
remote storage which remotely stores the music contents for distribution;
uploading the produced item of the music contents from the local storage to
the remote storage through the interface for distributing the produced
item of the music contents; and
downloading another item of the music contents from the remote storage to
the local storage through the interface for collecting the music contents.
18. A machine readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the step of
activating comprises activating the interface composed of a graphic user
interface including a display for graphically presenting a virtual shop so
that the music contents are treated by the virtual shop during the
uploading and downloading of the music contents.
19. A machine readable medium for use in a multimedia apparatus including a
CPU, the medium containing program instructions executable by the CPU for
causing the multimedia apparatus to perform the steps of:
storing music information and picture information in a storage;
graphically presenting on a display a map of a virtual town according to
the picture information stored in the storage, the map containing a
plurality of sites which are linked to provide a plurality of services
associated to the music information stored in the storage;
enabling a pointing tool for tracing the map on the display to address a
site so as to specify a service allotted to the addressed site, and
operating the CPU when the site is addressed by the pointing tool for
processing the music information stored in the storage so as to provide
the specified service.
20. A machine readable medium according to claim 19, further containing
program instructions for causing the multimedia apparatus to perform the
steps of activating an interface for communicating with a host station
having a remote storage which remotely stores a new version of the music
information and the picture information, which are made available latest
by the host station, and operating the CPU when the interface communicates
with the host station for downloading the new version from the remote
storage of the host station and for transferring the downloaded new
version to the storage so as to renew an old version of the music
information and the picture information stored in the storage by the new
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a music data processing
apparatus for processing music data, in which application programs and
music data are distributed in a local storage such as a hard disk and a
CD-ROM and in a remote storage of a host computer of a network.
A so-called communication karaoke is known as a system for transferring
music data over a network. In this system, music data prepared by a host
computer is distributed to communication karaoke apparatuses or terminal
devices over a communication network. On the other hand, a music training
apparatus or the like is constructed as a stand-alone type, in which a
CD-ROM (Compact Disk-ROM) drive is connected to an electronic musical
instrument and necessary programs and data are stored on a CD-ROM which is
loaded into the CD-ROM drive. These programs and data are read from the
CD-ROM and the read programs and data are executed or processed for
implementing various music training operations using music data. Further,
in the field of personal computer communication, an on line service has
recently come to be offered in which a map of streets or a town for
example is graphically displayed on a video display terminal and the user
can virtually trace the map to visit a desired site of the displayed
streets or town.
However, the above-mentioned communication karaoke system is restricted in
capability only to distribution of music data to local terminals through
the network. The above-mentioned music training apparatus of the
stand-alone type with a CD-ROM drive connected to an electronic musical
instrument is restricted in capability only to use of programs and data
stored in a CD-ROM. The above-mentioned virtual system realized on a
personal computer network in which the user can walk about displayed
streets or town merely uses such a displayed map as a user interface and
hence can do nothing more than that.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a music data
processing apparatus for processing music data in a variety of ways by use
of local information stored in a local storage such as a hard disk and a
CD-ROM and remote information stored in a remote storage of a network. It
is another object of the present invention to provide a music data
processing apparatus that allows easy addition of new capabilities and
easy upgrading of programs.
According to one aspect of the invention, a terminal apparatus is
connectable to a host station and is responsive to a command to execute an
application program to treat music data. In the inventive terminal
apparatus, a local storage locally stores an old version of software
containing music data and various application programs which are
selectively executed to treat the music data. An interface is optionally
activated prior to execution of an application program for communication
with the host station having a remote storage which remotely stores a new
version of software including music data and various application programs
which are made available latest by the host station. A controller operates
when the interface establishes the communication with the host station for
downloading the new version from the remote storage of the host station
and for transferring the downloaded new version to the local storage so as
to renew the old version stocked in the local storage by the new version.
A processor responds to the command for selectively executing the various
application programs to treat the music data based on the new version when
the interface has been activated and otherwise for selectively executing
the various application programs to treat the music data based on the old
version when the interface has not been activated. Preferably, the
terminal apparatus further comprises a display that graphically presents a
map containing various objects corresponding to the various application
programs, and a pointing tool that is manipulated for pointing one of the
various objects on the display so as to select one of the various
application programs corresponding to the pointed object to thereby input
the command.
According to another aspect of the invention, a terminal apparatus is
connectable to a host station for transacting music contents. In the
inventive terminal apparatus, a local storage is provided for locally
storing the music contents. A production section is operated to produce an
item of the music contents which is stored in the local storage for later
distribution. A reproduction section is operated to reproduce the music
contents stored in the local storage. An interface is activated for
communicating with the host station having a remote storage which remotely
stores the music contents for distribution. An uploader uploads the
produced item of the music contents from the local storage to the remote
storage through the interface for distributing the produced item of the
music contents. A downloaded downloads another item of the music contents
from the remote storage to the local storage through the interface for
collecting the music contents. Preferably, the interface comprises a
graphic user interface including a display for graphically presenting a
virtual shop so that the uploader and the downloaded transact the music
contents through the virtual shop.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a multimedia apparatus
comprises a storage that stores music information and picture information.
A display graphically presents a map of a virtual town according to the
picture information stored in the storage. The map contains a plurality of
sites which are linked to provide a plurality of services associated to
the music information stored in the storage. A pointing tool is
manipulated for tracing the map on the display to address a site so as to
specify a service allotted to the addressed site. A processor operates
when the site is addressed by the pointing tool for processing the music
information stored in the storage so as to provide the specified service.
Preferably, the inventive multimedia apparatus further comprises an
interface that is activated for communicating with a host station having a
remote storage which remotely stores a new version of the music
information and the picture information, which are made available latest
by the host station, and a controller that operates when the interface
communicates with the host station for downloading the new version from
the remote storage of the host station and for transferring the downloaded
new version to the storage so as to renew an old version of the music
information and the picture information stored in the storage by the new
version.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention disclosed herein will be understood better with reference to
the following drawings of which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an overall constitution of a music
data processing apparatus associated with the present invention;
FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are a diagram illustrating structure of graphic data
representing an object such as a building necessary for displaying a map
of town sight;
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a two-dimensional map of
town sight;
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a three-dimensional map of
town sight;
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of overall music data processing;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of network connection processing;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of music data upload processing;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of status check processing;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of command input processing;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of download processing to be performed when the user
enters a CD shop; and
FIG. 11 is a flowchart of CD listening/purchase processing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
This invention will be described in further detail by way of example with
reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram
illustrating an overall constitution of a music data processing apparatus
associated with the present invention. This music data processing
apparatus has a central processing unit (CPU) 101, a random access memory
(RAM) 102, a read-only memory (ROM) 103, a hard disk drive (HDD) 104, an
input device 105, a CD-ROM drive 106, a communication interface (I/F) 107,
a display 108, a MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) 109, and a
bus line 110.
The CPU 101 controls the overall operation of this terminal apparatus. The
RAM 102 provides a main memory for use as a work area of the CPU 101. The
ROM 103 stores a power-on sequence start-up routine program and a BIOS
(Basic Input/Output System) for controlling low-level I/O processing. The
HDD 104 is a local storage device of this music data processing apparatus.
The HDD 104 stores picture data for display, music data including music
performance data, and application programs for processing or treating the
music data. These data and programs have been installed from the CD-ROM
drive 106 to the HDD 104. A desired one of the application programs for
music data processing is loaded by the user into the RAM 102 to be
executed by the CPU 101. Thus, various processing operations are performed
on the music data. The input device 105 includes a keyboard and a pointing
tool such as a mouse tool connected to an ordinary personal computer. The
CD-ROM drive 106, in which a removable CD-ROM is loaded, reads programs
and music data from the CD-ROM. The CD-ROM may be used as a machine
readable medium in the music data processing apparatus including the CPU
101. The machine readable medium may contain program instructions
executable by the CPU 101 for causing the inventive apparatus to perform
desired steps of music data processing operation.
The communication interface 107 connects this music data processing
apparatus to a network 120. The music data processing apparatus is
connected to a host station in the form of a host computer 121 through the
network 120 to download programs and data from a remote storage of the
host computer 121. The display 108 is an output device on which various
pieces of graphics and picture information are displayed. The MIDI
interface 109 connects this music data processing apparatus to external
MIDI devices. The above-mentioned components 101 through 109 are
interconnected by the two-way bus line 110. It should be noted that the
apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is implemented by installing a CD-ROM drive, a
communication interface, a MIDI interface, and necessary software on a
general-purpose personal computer.
According to one aspect of the invention, the terminal apparatus shown in
FIG. 1 is connectable to a host station in the form of the host computer
121 and is responsive to a command to execute an application program to
treat music data. In the inventive terminal apparatus, a local storage in
the form of the HDD 104 or other storage locally stores an old version of
software containing music data and various application programs which are
selectively executed to treat the music data. The communication interface
107 is optionally activated prior to execution of an application program
for communication with the host computer 121 having a remote storage which
remotely stores a new version of software including music data and various
application programs which are most recently made available latest by the
host computer 121. A controller in the form of the CPU 101 operates when
the interface 107 establishes the communication with the host computer 121
for downloading the new version from the remote storage of the host
computer 121 and for transferring the downloaded new version to the local
storage composed of the HDD 104 so as to renew the old version stocked in
the local storage by the new version. A processor also in the form of the
CPU 101 responds to the command for selectively executing the various
application programs to treat the music data based on the new version when
the interface 107 has been activated and otherwise for selectively
executing the various application programs to treat the music data based
on the old version when the interface 107 has not been activated.
Preferably, the terminal apparatus further comprises the display 108 that
graphically presents a map containing various objects corresponding to the
various application programs, and a pointing tool or the input device 105
that is manipulated for pointing one of the various objects on the display
108 so as to select one of the various application programs corresponding
to the pointed object to thereby input the command.
According to another aspect of the invention, the terminal apparatus shown
in FIG. 1 is connectable to the host station for transacting music
contents. In the inventive terminal apparatus, the local storage is
provided in the form of the HDD 104 or the CD-ROM drive 106 for locally
storing the music contents. A production section or module is operated by
the CPU 101 to produce an item of the music contents which is stored in
the local storage for later distribution. A reproduction section is
operated by the CPU 101 to reproduce the music contents stored in the
local storage. The communication interface 107 is activated for
communicating with the host station having a remote storage which remotely
stores the music contents for distribution. An uploader uploads the
produced item of the music contents from the local storage to the remote
storage through the interface 107 for distributing the produced item of
the music contents to the network 120. A downloaded downloads another item
of the music contents from the remote storage to the local storage through
the interface 107 for collecting the music contents from the network 120.
Preferably, the interface 107 comprises a graphic user interface including
the display 108 for graphically presenting a virtual shop so that the
uploader and the downloaded transact the music contents through the
virtual shop.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the multimedia apparatus
shown in FIG. 1 comprises a storage such as the HDD 104 that stores music
information and picture information. The display 108 graphically presents
a map of a virtual town according to the picture information stored in the
storage. The map contains a plurality of sites which are linked to provide
a plurality of services associated to the music information stored in the
storage. A pointing tool or the input device 105 is manipulated for
tracing the map on the display 108 to address a site so as to specify a
service allotted to the addressed site. A processor in the form of the CPU
101 operates when the site is addressed by the pointing tool for
processing the music information stored in the storage so as to provide
the specified service. Preferably, the inventive multimedia apparatus
further comprises the communication interface 107 that is activated for
communicating with the host computer 121 having a remote storage which
remotely stores a new version of the music information and the picture
information, which are made available latest by the host computer 121, and
a controller also in the form of the CPU 101 that operates when the
interface 107 communicates with the host computer 121 for downloading the
new version from the remote storage of the host computer 121 and for
transferring the downloaded new version to the storage composed of the HDD
104 so as to renew an old version of the music information and the picture
information stored in the storage by the new version.
As mentioned above, this inventive music data processing apparatus displays
a sight of a town on the display 108 as a virtual reality. By manipulating
the input device 105 such as a mouse tool, the user can get an image as if
he or she walks about in the displayed sight. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) show
picture data structure representing objects such as buildings necessary
for displaying a sight of a town. FIG. 2(a) shows the structure of object
index data. FIG. 2(b) shows the structure of object content data. These
two pieces of data are stored in the HDD 104.
The object index data shown in FIG. 2(a) is composed of a header part 201
and a plurality of index data parts 202, 203, 204 and so on. The header
part 201 records the size of this object index data and the number of
index data parts. Each index data part represents index information about
one object. Consequently, the number of index data parts denotes a total
number of objects such as buildings arranged in a map of the sight.
The following describes the structure of one index data part exemplified by
the first index data part 202. The index data part 202 is composed of
object code 211, object location data 212, object outline data 213, and
script data 214. The object code 211 is a number unique to this building.
The object location data 212 denotes a location at which this building is
located in the sight of a town. The object outline data 213 denotes an
outline of this building arranged in the sight. The script data 214 is
explanatory data for describing which processing or service is to be
performed when the name of this building or the building itself is pointed
and clicked with the mouse tool. Namely, the various objects are linked to
various services. A desired object may be designated to specify a
corresponding service which is provided by executing an appropriate
application program. Each of the index data parts 203, 204, and so on has
the same structure as that of the index data part 202. These index data
parts are collected by the number equal to the number of buildings in the
sight, and the header part 201 is combined to the collected index data
parts to form the entire object index data.
The object content data shown in FIG. 2(b) denotes various pieces of
detailed information about one building. This object content data is
provided for each of the buildings in the sight. The object content data
is composed of an object code 221, a version number 222, object location
data 223, shape data 224, object interior image data 225, an application
program corresponding to a command admitted when the object is addressed,
and various pieces of data 227 necessary for execution of the application
program.
The object code 221 is a number unique to this building. This object code
221 corresponds to the object code 211 shown in FIG. 2(a). That is, if the
object code 211 is the same as the object code 221 in number, the index
data part and the object content data are coupled to each other to
graphically present the building. The version number 222 is information
representing a version of this building. The object location data 223
denotes the detailed location or site of this building in the sight. The
shape data 224 denotes detailed shape of this building in the sight. The
term "detailed" denotes "more detailed" than the object location data 212
and the object outline data 213 of the index data part of this building.
The object location data 223 and the shape data 224 are generically called
object exterior data 231. The object interior image data 225 indicates an
interior image of this building to be displayed when the user issues a
command to enter this building. The application program 226 is commenced
in response to the command which is virtually admitted in the building
when user manipulates the mouse tool inside the building. The various
pieces of data 227 are necessary for execution of the application program
226.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are examples of a sight graphically presented on the display
108 when the music data processing program stored in the HDD 104 is
started as a main application program in the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
shows the sight of a town in a two-dimensional map. FIG. 4 shows the same
sight of FIG. 3 in a three-dimensional map. The user can switch between
the two-dimensional map and the three dimensional map.
In this sight, many streets run crisscross and various buildings are
arranged thereon as objects. Each building is attached with a suggestive
name. For example, "CD SHOP," "VISUAL ARRANGER," and "KARAOKE HOUSE" are
specific names of constructions or facilities among various buildings. The
basic frameworks (for example, the size of the entire town and the
location of each street) other than buildings are stored in the HDD 104 in
a predetermined manner. The frameworks are displayed according to this
stored information. On the basic frameworks, the buildings indicated by
the object index data shown in FIG. 2(a) are laid out on the map. For
example, the index data 202 is used to display a building having a name
indicated by the script data 214, in a shape indicated by the object
outline data 213, at a location indicated by the object location data 212.
When all the buildings corresponding to the index data parts 202, 203 and
so on shown in FIG. 2(a) are displayed, the graphic presentation of the
virtual sight such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are completed.
According to this music data processing apparatus, the user can trace the
map on the display 108 as if walking about in the sight such as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4, and the user can access or address any desired building to
perform desired processing on the music data in unique manner to that
building. The following describes steps of this music data processing.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the entire processing to be performed when the
music data processing is instructed to start. The music data processing
program is stored in the HDD 104 in the music data processing apparatus
shown in FIG. 1. First, in step 501, various initializing operations are
performed. Next, in step 502, a title screen is displayed. The title
screen shows an entrance for example to the virtual town as shown in FIGS.
3 and 4. In step 503, the user enters his or her personal information
(name and password for example) for verification. In step 504, network
connection processing is performed.
FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the network connection processing of step 504.
In step 601, the network interface (namely, the communication interface
107) is initialized and a request for connection is made. This request for
connection is a step for sending the connection request by this user to
the network 120 by using the personal information entered in step 503.
Next, in step 602, it is determined whether the connection has been
successful. If the connection is found successful, then in step 603, a
connection flag is set to "1" and control is returned to the music data
processing program. If the connection is found unsuccessful in step 602,
the connection flag is set to "0" in step 604 and control is returned to
the music data processing program.
Referring to FIG. 5 again, it is determined in step 505, after the
connection processing of step 504, whether the connection flag is "1". If
the connection flag is found "1", the object index data is read from the
host computer 121 on the network 120 in step 506. As described with
reference to FIG. 2(a), the basic portion of the object index data has
already been stored in the HDD 104 from the CD-ROM drive 106. However,
when this music data apparatus has been connected to the network 120, the
object index data of the most recent or latest version is downloaded from
the host computer 121 to update or renew the existing earlier object index
data stored in the HDD 104. This allows the processing to be performed
with the most recent data every time this music data processing apparatus
is connected to the host computer 121 of the network 120. If the
connection flag is found not "1" in step 505, then, in step 507, the
object index data stored in the HDD 104, a local storage device, is read
out. Thus, if this music data processing apparatus is not connected to the
host computer 121 of the network 120, the necessary processing can be
performed by using the existing data stored in the HDD 104.
When the operations of steps 506 and 507 have been completed, then, in step
508, town sight data is generated according to the object index data
stored in the HDD 104 and clock data indicative of current date and time.
If this music data processing apparatus is connected to the host computer
121 of the network 120, the most recent object index data may be utilized.
The generated town sight data is graphically presented on the display 108
as shown in FIG. 3 Laor FIG. 4. The current date and time are stored in a
backup storage device that keeps storing date and time data when this
music data processing apparatus is powered off. The town sight data is
generated according to the current date and time. For example, the town
sight data is varied according to seasons. If it is spring now, a
spring-like sight is generated for example. If it is daytime now, a
daytime-like sight is generated for example.
Then, in step 509, inputting of movement information is accepted. This is
the processing in which, while the town sight such as shown in FIG. 3 or
FIG. 4 is displayed, a cursor position during walking along a street or
upon entering a desired building is inputted by the manipulation of the
input device 105 such as the mouse and is accepted by the apparatus. A
command to access a building is issued by clicking the mouse at that
building. In step 510, it is determined whether the command for accessing
the building has been issued. If this command is found issued, control is
passed to step 512; if not, control is passed to step 511. In step 512,
the specific processing allotted to the building for which the command to
enter has been issued is performed. In step 511, the current screen is
replaced by a screen after the movement on the map is performed. After the
operations of steps 511 and 512 have been completed, it is determined in
step 513 whether a request for ending the processing has been entered. If
the request for ending the processing is found entered, this music data
processing apparatus is disconnected from the network if required in step
514, upon which the processing comes to an end. If no request for ending
the processing is found in step 513, control is returned to step 509 and
this music data processing apparatus waits for an input operation by the
user.
As described above, the inventive music data processing apparatus is
provided with a local storage such as the HDD 104 for locally stocking
first information including music data and various application programs
which are selectively executed to treat the music data. The interface
means in the form of the communication interface 107 is used for
communicating with the network 120 having a remote storage which remotely
stores second information including music data and various application
programs which are made available latest by the network 120. Check means
is prepared in the form of the connection flag for detecting whether or
not the interface means is allowed to communicate with the network 120.
Control means implemented by the CPU 101 operates when the check means
detects that the interface means communicates with the network 120 for
downloading the second information from the remote storage of the network
120 and for storing the downloaded second information in the local storage
so as to supplement or update the first information stocked in the local
storage. Processor means is also implemented by the CPU 101 fo | | |
