Description

ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM USING AN AVATAR IMAGE

BASED ON AN USER AND THE VIRTUAL REALITY, AND

METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SAME

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an entertainment system using an avatar image based on an user and virtual reality, and a method for operating the same, and more particularly, to a karaoke system using a user-based avatar image and employing a virtual reality scheme and a method for operating the same. Background Art

[2] Recently, the character industry is recognized as a higher value-added business. The use of characters can maximize the effects of items and make various types of brands. The Walt Disney Company, the leader of the character industry, possesses about one thousand characters and receives royalties related to its characters from companies in many countries.

[3] Generally, in selling goods or providing services, the character industry allows features, such as customer- attracting power, market power, differentiation from other companies' products, and improvement in name value, to be used in marketing. Consequently, features related to a character, such as name, personality, behavior and voice, together with an external appearance are developed and transferred to products or services, thereby making people feel comfortable about the products or services.

[4] In the character industry described above, i.e., in the avatar-related industry, due to popularization of mobile communication terminals and advancement in mobile communication technology, services of downloading avatars into mobile communication terminals in addition to through wired communications are spotlighted.

[5] Such an avatar is registered in a telephone directory and used for showing a counterpart of message transmission or voice communication or used as a background scene. Since the frequency of using avatars gradually increases, there have been developed methods of describing users more realistically and characteristically.

[6] Meanwhile, many content providers are studying methods of applying user-based avatars to other contents, such as karaoke, mobile communication terminals, shopping malls, and games, in order to provide more familiar and interesting contents to users. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[7] Therefore, the present invention is conceived from the above studies to solve the

problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide an entertainment system using a user-based avatar image and virtual reality and a method for operating the same, wherein a user-based three-dimensional avatar image is provided to a karaoke system, a background scene and a scenario are selected, and the avatar image included in the background scene is moved according to the scenario when music is played. Technical Solution

[8] To achieve the object, the present invention provides an entertainment system that uses a user-based avatar image and virtual reality, communicates with a mobile communication terminal having a user-based avatar image stored therein and including a short distance communication interface, and is capable of playing back music selected by a user. The entertainment system comprises a database for storing background scene data and scenario data; a wireless transceiver unit for communicating with the short distance communication interface of the mobile communication terminal to receive the avatar image, and providing the data to the mobile communication terminal in response to a request from the user of the mobile communication terminal; a memory unit for storing avatar images received through the wireless transceiver unit; an interface unit for providing a menu selection screen that allows a search and selection of the background scene data, the scenario data and the avatar images in the database and the memory unit; a matching unit for matching the selected avatar image and background scene data with each other; a display control unit for causing the data matched by the matching unit to be displayed on a display unit; and a motion control unit for controlling the avatar image displayed on the display unit, based on the scenario data selected through the menu selection screen, as the music selected by the user is played back.

[9] Further, the present invention provides a method for operating an entertainment system that uses a user-based avatar image and virtual reality, communicates with a mobile communication terminal having a user-based avatar image stored therein and including a short distance communication interface, has a database for storing background scene data and scenario data and is capable of playing back music selected by a user. The method comprises the steps of communicating with the short distance communication interface of the mobile communication terminal to receive the avatar image; providing a menu selection screen that allows a selection of at least one of each of the background scene data and scenario data according to the music selected by the user; matching the avatar image received from the mobile communication terminal with the background scene data selected through the menu selection screen; and displaying the matched data on the display unit, and controlling a motion of the avatar image displayed on the display unit, based on the selected scenario data, as the music

selected by the user is played back.

Advantageous Effects

[10] According to the present invention, there is provided a virtual karaoke system, wherein a user-based three-dimensional avatar image is provided to the karaoke system, a background scene and a scenario are selected, and the avatar image included in the background scene is moved according to the scenario when music is played. Thus, a user can utilize karaoke equipment based on more realistic images and also utilize the karaoke system with a feeling that the user presents himself or herself on the stage. Brief Description of the Drawings

[11] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a virtual karaoke system using a user-based avatar image according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[12] Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a method for operating the virtual karaoke system using a user-based avatar image according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[13] <Explanation of Reference Numerals for Main Portions in Drawings>

[14] 100: Database unit 102: Wireless transceiver unit

[15] 104: Memory unit 106: Interface unit

[16] 108: Matching unit 110: Display control unit

[17] 112: Storage medium 114: Microcomputer

[18] 116: Display unit 118: Key input unit

[19] 120: Motion control unit 130: Mobile communication terminal

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[20] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[21] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a virtual karaoke system using a user-based avatar image according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[22] Referring to Fig. 1, the virtual karaoke system using a user-based avatar image comprises a database unit 100, a wireless transceiver unit 102, a memory unit 104, an interface unit 106, a matching unit 108, a display control unit 110, a storage medium 112, a microcomputer 114, a display unit 116, a key input unit 118, a motion control unit 120, and a mobile communication terminal 130. Here, the database unit 100 comprises a music data base (DB) 100a for storing a plurality of pieces of music data to be used in the karaoke system, a background scene DB 100b for storing a plurality of pieces of background scene data, and a scenario DB 100c for storing a plurality of

pieces of scenario data.

[23] The background scene data stored in the background scene DB 100b may include, for example, data on stages such as a night club stage, natural images, and a scene of a party mood. The scenario data stored in the scenario DB 100c may include, for example, data on dances, hip-hop, blues, ballade and the like.

[24] The key input unit 118 is provided with a plurality of keys for use in generally controlling the virtual karaoke system, such as keys for selecting music, a scenario and a background scene, driving the wireless transceiver unit 102, and the like. A user can control the virtual karaoke system by manipulating the key input unit 118.

[25] The mobile communication terminal 130 is embedded with a short distance communication interface, e.g., an infrared communication or Bluetooth interface, and stores a user-based avatar image therein.

[26] Such a mobile communication terminal 130 performs communication with the virtual karaoke system by driving the short distance communication interface, and then provides the user-based avatar image to the virtual karaoke system through the short distance communication interface.

[27] The user-based avatar image is a three-dimensional image that is created based on data obtained by scanning the user's body. Such an avatar image may be created using an avatar creation system operated by a mobile communication service provider or created by other service providers.

[28] The wireless transceiver unit 102 transmits and receives data by communicating with the short distance communication interface of the mobile communication terminal 130. For example, the wireless transceiver unit receives the avatar image from the mobile communication terminal 130 or provides data stored in the storage medium 112 to the mobile communication terminal 130 in response to a request from the user of the mobile communication terminal 130.

[29] The microcomputer 114 is a means for generally controlling the function of the virtual karaoke system. Particularly, the microcomputer stores the avatar image received through the wireless transceiver unit 102 into the memory unit 104, provides the data stored in the storage medium 112 to the mobile communication terminal 130 through the wireless transceiver unit 102, and controls the interface unit 106 and the matching unit 108 or searches the database unit 100 in response to a key signal from the key input unit 118.

[30] The interface unit 106 creates a menu selection screen and displays the menu selection screen on the display unit 116 in response to a user's request under the control of the microcomputer 114, wherein the menu selection screen allows a search and selection of background scene data and scenario data stored respectively in the background scene DB 100b and the scenario DB 100c of the database unit 100 and

avatar images stored in the memory unit 104.

[31] The background scene data and the avatar image selected through the interface unit

106 are provided to the matching unit 108. The matching unit 108 matches the avatar image with the background scene and provides the matched data to the display control unit 110.

[32] The display control unit 110 causes the data matched by the matching unit 108 to be displayed on the display unit 116. According to the playback of music selected by the user, the display control unit controls the motion of the avatar image displayed on the display unit 116, based on the scenario data selected through the menu selection screen.

[33] Here, the display unit 116 is a three-dimensional display means for three- dimensionally displaying the data matched by the matching unit 108 or a means for displaying a general two-dimensional picture.

[34] At this time, the microcomputer 114 processes the data displayed on the display unit 116 according to the moving picture expert group (MPEG) signal processing scheme in response to a recording request of the user and stores the processed data in the storage medium 112.

[35] The motion control unit 120 is driven under the control of the microcomputer 114 and controls the motion of the avatar image displayed on the display unit 116 based on the selected scenario.

[36] A method for operating the virtual karaoke system constructed as above will be described with reference to Fig. 2.

[37] Fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the method for operating the virtual karaoke system using a user-based avatar image according to the present invention.

[38] Referring to Fig. 2, when a user manipulates the key input unit 118 to drive the wireless transceiver unit 102 so that the user's mobile communication terminal 130 communicates with the virtual karaoke system, the wireless transceiver unit 102 of the virtual karaoke system performs communication with the short distance communication interface of the mobile communication terminal 130 (S200).

[39] Then, when the user selects an avatar image stored in the user's mobile communication terminal 130 and presses a transmission button to transmit the avatar image, the mobile communication terminal 130 performs communication with the wireless transceiver unit 102 and provides the avatar image to the virtual karaoke system. The microcomputer 114 of the virtual karaoke system stores the avatar image received from the mobile communication terminal 130 into the memory unit 104 (S202). At this time, the memory unit 104 stores avatar images received from a plurality of user's mobile communication terminals 130.

[40] Thereafter, the microcomputer 114 determined whether a key signal for selecting

music is inputted from the key input unit 118 (S204).

[41] If it is determined in step S204 that a key signal for selecting music is inputted, the microcomputer 114 searches background scene data and scenario data in the background scene DB 110b and the scenario DB 100c of the database unit 100 as well as the avatar images stored in the memory unit 104, and provides the searched data and images to the interface unit 106. The interface unit 106 creates a menu selection screen, using the background scene data, scenario data and avatar images, through which the user will select a background scene, a scenario and an avatar image corresponding to selected music, and then causes the menu selection screen to be displayed on the display unit 116 (S206).

[42] Then, the microcomputer 114 determines whether a signal for selecting a background scene, a scenario and an avatar image on the menu selection screen is inputted from the key input unit 118 (S208).

[43] If it is determined in step S208 that the user selects a background scene, a scenario and an avatar image, the microcomputer 114 provides the selected background scene data and avatar image to the matching unit 108. The matching unit 108 matches the selected background scene and avatar image with each other and provides the matched data to the display control unit 110. The display control unit 110 constructs the matched data into a three-dimensional picture and causes the three-dimensional picture to be displayed on the display unit 116 (S210).

[44] Thereafter, the microcomputer 114 determines whether a key signal for starting music is inputted from the key input unit 118 (S212).

[45] If it is determined in step S212 that a key signal for starting music is inputted, the microcomputer 114 provides the selected scenario data to the motion control unit 120, and the motion control unit 120 controls the motion of the avatar image displayed on the display unit 116 according to the provided scenario data (S214).

[46] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S208 that the user does not select a background scene, a scenario and an avatar image, the microcomputer 114 returns to step S206 to cause the menu selection screen to be continuously displayed on the display unit 116 and performs the subsequent steps.

[47] In addition, if it is determined in step S212 that a key signal for starting music is not inputted, the microcomputer 114 returns to step S210 to cause the match data to be continuously displayed on the display unit 116 and performs the subsequent steps. Industrial Applicability

[48] In the entertainment system using a user-based avatar image and virtual reality and the method for operating the same according to the present invention, a user's avatar is combined with a mobile communication terminal, so that the user's avatar can be con-

veniently moved and easily transferred to other external devices, thereby assisting in promoting a variety of entertainment industries using avatars.