Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TTTT7T TOllv
The present invention relates to a juke box for playing song
titles, including a playback device for the song titles to be
selected and a selection device for selecting the song titles
to be played, said selection device including an electronic
computer unit and an input unit for the song titles to be
selected, which is coupled to said computer unit.
In connection with such a juke box as may be taken, for
instance, from DE-A 38 30 300 it is known that the selection
of desired song titles usually is effected by means of mecha-
nical keys or key fields which are characterized, for
instance, by combinations of letters and numbers or figures,
such a mechanical selection by means of keys or key fields
yet being particularly complex in terms of structure. More-
over, it is disadvantageous with embodiments of that type
that any rearrangement or new allocation of individual keys
or key fields involves accordingly high efforts in newly
labeling the select fields or enabling a selection. Further-
more, it is to be anticipated that with the progressive
further development of, in particular, electronically con-
trolled playback systems such as, for instance, a CD player
according to DE-A 38 30 300, these will offer a variety of
additional options that cannot be readily taken into account
by a selection by means of mechanical keys and key fields in
a suitable manner.
From US-A 5,576,844, an interactive computer-controlled video
editing system has become known, which is aimed to produce
video tapes.
The present invention aims to further develop a juke box for
playing song titles of the initially defined kind with a view
to enabling a simplified selection of song titles to be
played, in particular by applying electronic or electroni-
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cally controlled selection devices that are coupleable to
likewise electronically controlled playback devices in an
accordingly simple manner. To solve this object, the juke box
according to the invention is essentially characterized in
that the input unit is comprised of a screen provided with a
touch-sensitive surface or LCD display and that the computer
and/or input unit is coupled to a payment means receiving
and/or debiting device. By providing such an electronic
computer unit and an input unit coupled to said computer unit
and comprised of a screen or LCD display provided with a
touch-sensitive surface, the known mechanical selection de-
vices, part of which are particularly complex in terms of
structure such as, for instance, keyboards may be obviated,
so that an appropriate selection of song titles to be played
may now be performed in a simple manner via the input unit
and the electronic computer unit, for instance a micro-
processor. In addition, such~a selection device using a com-
puter unit as well as an input unit coupled to said computer
unit enables accordingly simple tuning or adaptation at any
change of the song titles stored in the juke box beside the
further options of simplified handling and electronic control
as regards the operation of the juke box. Due to the use of a
screen or LCD display provided with a touch-sensitive surface
as proposed by the invention, it has become feasible to per-
form in so-called screen menus a desired selection of indivi-
dual titles as well as, in addition, a further selection of
other parameters aimed at the operation of the juke box such
as, e.g., loudness, bass, treble, number of titles and the
like. Since juke boxes, as a rule, are operated on publicly
accessible sites against monetary compensation, the inven-
tion, furthermore, provides that the computer and/or input
unit is coupled to a payment means receiving and debiting
device, whereby a plurality of different known devices for
receiving and checking means of payment such as coins or
notes or even suitable debiting devices for account cards or
credit cards may be employed.
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In this context, it is proposed according to a further pre-
ferred embodiment that in the event of a payment means debi-
ting device an additional selection relating to the number or
playing time of the song titles to be played is provided such
that, when using account cards or credit cards, no predeter-
mined amount need necessarily be debited, but an individual
amount may be debited, for instance, as a function of the
number of titles to be played or of the playing time.
Moreover, it may be provided for the.juke box according to
the invention that a voice input device for the song titles
to be selected is additionally provided as said input unit.
By providing such a voice input facility, the optional appli-
cations of a juke box according to the invention may be
extended further, wherein the voice input device in an ac-
cordingly designed computer and/or control unit substantially
may be composed of a recording device, for instance a micro-
phone, a conversion of the voice input into the song titles
to be selected being effected in the computer unit. The va-
rious optional input units such as keyboard, screen or voice
input may, of course, be combined with one another in a suit-
able manner.
As already indicated above, the provision of a selection
device comprising an electronic computer unit and an input
unit coupled to the computer unit renders feasible, in
addition to a basic selection of individual song titles to be
played, also the setting of other parameters intended for the
operation of a juke box, wherein it is additionally contem-
plated in this respect that the computer and/or input unit is
coupled to a storage and/or programming unit for storing
and/or programming a series~of song titles that are desired
or to be selected, settings for the operation of the juke box
etc., as in correspondence with a further preferred embodi-
ment of the juke box according to the invention. Since dif-
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ferent settings of individual playback parameters such as,
for instance, treble and bass, for different song titles may
be implied or recommended by the piece of music to be played,
the use of appropriate electronic playback systems readily
enabling the simple communication of such additional charac-
teristic data, it is provided according to a further pre-
ferred embodiment of the juke box according to the invention
that the storage and/or programming unit is coupleable to an
automatic control device aimed for the optimum setting of the
song titles to be played, for instance as regards treble and
bass, such that the optimum sound effect of the song titles
to be played will be obtained in a simple and substantially
automated manner.
In addition to recordings of pieces of music, for instance on
CD-ROMs, it has now been partially provided on account of the
high storage density offered by such CD-ROMs, to make avail-
able along with the song title to be played the~respective
video films, wherein it is, moreover, proposed for the simul-
taneous reproduction of such song titles and so-called video
clips that the playback device is additionally equipped with,
or coupled to, a unit for playing video recordings, as in
correspondence with another preferred embodiment of the juke
box according to the invention.
Besides the configuration according to the invention, of the
selection device comprising an electronic computer unit and
an input unit coupled to said computer unit, which offers a
simplified and extended range of selection, it is provided
according to a further preferred embodiment that the computer
unit is coupled to a remote control, in particular an IR-
controlled remote control, thus further enhancing operational
ease, whereby, for example for such a remote control, reduced
alternatives as opposed to a selection device comprised of a
touch-sensitive screen or LCD display may be provided in such
a remote control.
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For coupling with optionally larger systems or auxiliary
units, it is, moreover, provided in a preferred manner that
the juke box is coupleable with external accessory components
such as, e.g., headphones, external loudspeakers, external
amplifiers, a microphone and evaluation or accounting devices
or the like.
In the following, the invention will be explained in more
detail by way of an exemplary embodiment schematically
illustrated in the accompanying drawing representing a block
diagram of the juke box according to the invention.
In the drawing, 1 generally denotes a playback device for
song titles to be selected, for instance a CD player, which
CD player 1 is coupled to a computer unit 2. In addition to
the computer unit 2, the selection device for song titles to
be selected comprises a keyboard, which is schematically
indicated by 3, and a screen 4, said screen 4 being equipped
with a touch-sensitive surface. In the embodiment illustra-
ted, it is, thus, feasible to make a selection of song titles
to be selected or played, facultatively via the screen or LCD
display 4 provided with a touch-sensitive surface or by means
of the keyboard 3 with the electronic computer unit 2 being
arranged therebetween, said song titles then being played by
the playback device comprised of the CD player.
As is schematically illustrated in the drawing, the keyboard
3 may be composed of a keyboard 3 substantially containing
the complete range of characters and figures so as to enable,
for instance, an input of the song titles of choice via the
name of the song, its performer or the like, and offer dif-
ferent selection or search programs based on the input of
such data or search words. Alternatively, such a 'keyboard 3
may be provided, for instance, with five keys in order to
enable the selection of a side, of a title, and the final
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confirmation of the selection, and with a more extensive key-
board as illustrated in the Figure at 3 it is also feasible
to allocate special instructions to merely some of the keys.
If a keyboard 3 is available, a simple screen 4 on which a
selection is indicated will do, whereas, for instance, with
the use of a screen 4 equipped with a touch-sensitive surface
no keyboard 3 may optionally be provided at all.
Moreover, a voice input device, for instance in the form of a
microphone, is schematically indicated at 13 as a further or
additional option of inputting the song titles of choice, a
conversion of the selected titles input by means of the voice
input means being feasible by an appropriate design of the
computer and/or control unit 2.
The individual components of the playback device 1 comprised,
for instance, of a CD player are not illustrated in detail,
only loudspeakers being schematically indicated by 5.
Furthermore, a plurality of outputs 6 are indicated at the
playback device 1, to which external auxiliary units such as,
for instance, headphones, external loudspeakers, external
amplifiers, a microphone and evaluation and/or .accounting
units may be connected. The playback~device 1 in the instant
case comprises an automatic CD changer, a CD playback unit
and the respective amplifiers and auxiliary means.
To the electronic computer unit 2 is further coupled a
payment means receiving and debiting device indicated by 7,
wherein, when using automated systems for receiving coins or
bills, these are equipped with suitable check means, whereas,
when using account cards or credit. cards, suitable card
reading facilities are integrated in unit 7. Depending on the
amount of money received by the device 7, or with the option
of debiting an account card or credit card, a selection of
song titles or of the time for playing the desired song
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titles may, thus, be set via the selection device in the form
of a keyboard 3 and/or a touch-sensitive screen 4.
Moreover, the electronic computer unit 2 is additionally
coupled to a storage and/or programming unit 8, or such a
storage and/or programming unit is integrated in the computer
unit 2, in order enable the storage and programming of, for
instance, a series of song titles desired or to be selected,
settings for the operation of the juke box etc. Furthermore,
a remote control is indicated at 9, which is coupled to the
computer unit 2 by means of an infrared coupling schemati-
cally indicated by 10, wherein, for instance, a reduced
number of alternative selections may be provided with the
remote control 9 as opposed to the use of a keyboard 3 or a
touch-sensitive screen 4.
In order to be able to play video recordings or video clips
supplied along with song titles, a video playback unit
schematically indicated by 11 is additionally integrated in
the playback device 1, being directly connected with the
screen 4 via line 12. If no such screen is provided in the
context of the selection device, a separate screen capable of
being coupled to the video playback unit 11 would have to be
provided instead of that screen.
The juke box components represented in the Figure may sub-
stantially be integrated in a common housing or combined set
so as to provide for a particularly compact and, in parti-
cular, stable embodiment. It goes without saying that it may
be envisaged, especially in stationary systems, to install so
as to be freely accessible merely the input unit, for in-
stance, a keyboard 3 including a screen 4 or a screen 4 pro-
vided with a touch-sensitive surface or a voice input device
13, while further units, in particular the playback unit 1
and the central computer and/or control unit 2 are firmly and
safely arranged on locations different from that of the input
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unit so as to enable the generation of a desired sound in
quite large rooms, for instance, by distributing the loud-
speakers 5 accordingly.
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