Digital jukebox device with karaoke and/or photo booth features, and associated methods
View Patent ↗Certain exemplary embodiments relate to entertainment systems and, more particularly, certain exemplary embodiments relate to jukebox systems that incorporate digital downloading jukebox features along with karaoke jukebox and/or photo booth features. A combined karaoke/photo booth/jukebox may enable more integrated performance-like experiences in an in-home or out-of-home location or venue. By leveraging vast audio media libraries, trusted rights-respecting network infrastructure, and on-site image/video capturing from integrated recorders and/or remote portable devices, a more sociable experience may be created for karaoke jukebox patrons, e.g., where custom content can be generated and shared in a safe and legally appropriate manner.
1. A method of recording a karaoke performance in which a karaoke performer sings a song through a first microphone connected to a jukebox that is playing the song, the method comprising:
enabling a user to check in to a site where the jukebox is located via an application running on a portable electronic device being operated by the user, the application having access to a karaoke queue maintained by the jukebox, the karaoke queue indicating the songs that are being sung;
synchronizing times as between the jukebox and the electronic device upon said check in;
causing the electronic device to capture at least video of the karaoke performance mediated by the jukebox, the electronic device further capturing low-quality audio data corresponding to the karaoke performance via a second microphone, the second microphone being attached to or integral with the electronic device;
receiving the captured video from the electronic device at a network location;
at the network location, combining, with reference to the synchronized times, the captured video with high-quality audio captured by the first microphone connected to the jukebox and high-quality song audio corresponding to the song associated with the karaoke performance, in order to create a combined recording of the karaoke performance; and
blending in, at a predetermined non-zero level, the low-quality audio data with the high-quality audio captured by the first microphone and the high-quality song audio.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying digital effects to the high-quality audio captured by the first microphone.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining how well the karaoke performer is performing by comparing aspects of the high-quality audio captured by the first microphone against a dominant melody line and/or a rhythm for the song being performed.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising adjusting the first microphone's volume in dependence on the determination.
5. A method of recording a karaoke performance in which a karaoke performer sings a song through a first microphone connected to a jukebox that is playing the song, the method comprising:
enabling a user to check in to a site where the jukebox is located via an application running on a portable electronic device being operated by the user, the application having access to a karaoke queue maintained by the jukebox, the karaoke queue indicating the songs that are being sung;
synchronizing times as between the jukebox and the electronic device upon said check in;
causing the electronic device to capture at least video of the karaoke performance mediated by the jukebox;
receiving the captured video from the electronic device at a network location;
receiving audiovisual data captured from the application running on the electronic device, the audiovisual data including first audio data and the captured video data, the first audio data having a quality lower than the high-quality audio captured by the first microphone; and
at the network location, combining, with reference to the synchronized times, the captured video with high-quality audio captured by the first microphone connected to the jukebox and high-quality song audio corresponding to the song associated with the karaoke performance, in order to create a combined recording of the karaoke performance;
wherein the combining digitally combines the first audio data and the high-quality audio such that the first audio data is at least partially replaced with the high-quality audio in order to produce the combined recording with user-generated video content including at least some of the captured video data synchronized with high-quality audio content based on a common time reference value, the common time reference value being generated in connection with the application running on the user device, the combined recording being a newly generated audiovisual data file.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising retaining at least some of the first audio data so that ambient noise is present in the high-quality audio.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the high-quality audio includes backup music from the jukebox and vocals from the first microphone.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the digital combining further includes images and/or video captured by one or more cameras of the jukebox.
9. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
uploading the new audiovisual data file to a server; and
making the new audiovisual data file available via a social networking site.
10. A digital jukebox system, comprising:
a digital jukebox device comprising processing resources including at least one processor and a memory, the processing resources being configured to cause the digital jukebox device to operate in standard jukebox and karaoke jukebox modes;
wherein the standard jukebox mode is programmed to cause the digital jukebox device to reproduce instances of media when corresponding payments have been made;
wherein the karaoke jukebox mode is programmed to cause the digital jukebox device to enable a karaoke performer to participate in a karaoke performance in which the karaoke performer sings a song through a first microphone connected to the digital jukebox device that is playing the song; wherein the system further comprises:
a synchronization module configured to cause time to be synchronized as between the digital jukebox device and a portable electronic device operated by a user and running an application thereon, the application having access to a karaoke queue maintained by the digital jukebox device, the karaoke queue indicating the songs that are being sung;
a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to receive, via the application, at least video of the karaoke performance mediated by the jukebox captured by the electronic device; and
a mixer configured to combine, with reference to the synchronized times, the captured video with high-quality audio captured by the first microphone connected to the jukebox and high-quality song audio corresponding to the song associated with the karaoke performance, in order to create a combined recording of the karaoke performance,
wherein the application is configured to cause the electronic device to capture low-quality audio data corresponding to the karaoke performance via a second microphone, the second microphone being attached to or integral with the electronic device, and
wherein the mixer is further configured to blend in, at a predetermined non-zero level, the low-quality audio data with the high-quality audio captured by the first microphone and the high-quality song audio.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a digital effects filter configured to apply digital effects to the high-quality audio captured by the first microphone.
12. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a performance evaluation module configured to calculate how well the karaoke performer is performing by comparing aspects of the high-quality audio captured by the first microphone against corresponding aspects of the song being performed.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first microphone's volume is adjustable, and/or digital effects are to be applied to the high-quality audio, in dependence on the determination.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein time is caused to be synchronized as between the digital jukebox device and the electronic device in response to the user checking into a site where the digital jukebox device is located.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing a program that, when executed, implements the method of claim 1 .
16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly storing a program that, when executed, implements the method of claim 5 .