CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/KR2020/004828, having an International Filing Date of Apr. 9, 2020, which claims priority to Korean Application Serial No. 10-2019-0042042, filed on Apr. 10, 2019. The disclosures of the prior applications are considered part of the disclosure of this application, and are incorporated in their entirety into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an apparatus, system and method for reproducing data in groups, and more specifically, to an apparatus, system and method for reproducing data in groups, in which some piece of data of sound source data that is already being reproduced through a specific terminal or external speaker is input through a microphone and compared with the entire data of the sound source data, thus to identify a current reproduction point, and synchronize the reproduction point with sound source data being played externally, thereby reproducing the sound source data at the same time.

2. Description of the Related Art

As well known in the art, in order to output data at a volume level loud enough to listen to music in many places where data reproduction such as a music is required, it is necessary to provide a speaker having a fairly large output.

However, speakers with that level of output are bulky and heavy, such that it is inconvenient to carry them. In addition, since it cannot determine when users need to play music, it is not possible to always carry the speaker.

Recently, Bluetooth speakers of various sizes and shapes have been released to help to reproduce a music. However, since such a Bluetooth speaker also does not have a large output capacity, it is difficult to expect an output of satisfactory performance unless it is reproduced in a closed and narrow space.

In this regard, since all individuals carry smart phones, if specific data is reproduced at the same time using such personal smart phones, a reproduction performance of a fairly large output may be expected.

However, implementing these functions is not practical due to several problems as follows.

First, when users make a promise to each other and several smart phones thereof start reproducing specific data at the same time, it is possible to simultaneously output sound sources or movies. However, since it is almost impossible to match the reproducing start timings of quite a number of smart phones at the same time, there is a problem that it is very difficult to simultaneously reproduce the sound sources or movies in groups.

Second, in a situation where several smart phones are already reproducing specific data, it is difficult to know the current reproduction point of the data, even if a user who wants to play data together wants to participate in a reproduction group. In addition, even if a user of the reproducing smart phone knows the current reproduction point, the reproduction point is already changed in real time while the reproduction point is notified to the user who wants to reproduce. Therefore, it is impossible to match the reproduction points.

As a result, it is impossible to synchronize the reproduction points because the device performance of each smart phone receiving reproduction point information, in particular, the time it takes to reproduce the data is different for each device.

In addition, since a time difference occurs depending on a network speed, it is more difficult to synchronize the reproduction points. Another problem is that a difference in the network speed occurs according to each location.

Therefore, even if the smart phone reproducing the data transmits the current reproduction location information to a smart phone of another user who wants to participate in the reproducing, due to the network speed or the reproducing delay time delayed in the device until reproducing, there is a problem that the data is reproduced after a delay of 1 second or 2 seconds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus, system and method for reproducing data in groups, in which some piece of data of sound source data that is already being reproduced through a specific terminal or external speaker is input through a microphone and compared with the entire data of the sound source data, thus to identify a current reproduction point, and synchronize the reproduction point with sound source data being played externally, thereby reproducing the sound source data at the same time.

To achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for reproducing data in groups including: a synchronization controller14configured to compare some piece of data100of sound source data input through a microphone4with sound source data200pre-stored therein, search for reproduction points of the piece of data100in the sound source data200, and synchronize reproduction points with each other, so that specific sound source data are synchronized with each other and reproduced simultaneously in a plurality of user terminals.

Preferably, the synchronization controller14includes: a comparison unit16configured to compare the some piece of data100of the sound source data input through the microphone with sound source data200pre-stored therein; a reproduction point determination unit18configured to search for a reproduction point of the piece of data100in the sound source data200pre-stored therein; and a reproduction point synchronization processer20configured to control synchronization so as to reproduce the sound source data200at the reproduction point determined by the reproduction point determination unit18.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) provided at a rear end of the microphone4to convert an analog sound source into digital data.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes a sound source data storage6configured to store the sound source data200.

Preferably, the apparatus further includes: a decoding unit22configured to, when the sound source data200is MP3 data, convert the MP3 data into PCM data; and a PCM data storage unit24configured to store the decoded PCM data.

Preferably, the comparison unit16numerically compares the piece of data100with the sound source data200.

Preferably, the reproduction point determination unit18drives a comparison cycle between an output point of the sound source data synchronized through the reproduction point synchronization processer20and the reproduction point of the piece of data100received through the microphone4a number of times, and when the reproduction point is within a preset error range, the comparison cycle ends.

Preferably, the sound source data200includes composite data60matched with lighting blinking data62including lighting colors and lighting patterns, and controls so that the lighting to blink or turn on at a predetermined reproduction point of the sound source data200.

Meanwhile, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for reproducing data in groups including: a data group reproducing apparatus2configured to provide some piece of data100of sound source data input through a microphone4to a sound source providing server30to receive sound source data200, compare the piece of data100with the sound source data200, search for reproduction points of the piece of data100in the sound source data200, and synchronize the reproduction points, so that specific sound source data are synchronized with each other and reproduced simultaneously in a plurality of user terminals; and a sound source providing server30configured to receive the piece of data100from the data group reproducing apparatus2, extract the sound source data200matched with the piece of data100, and provide it to the data group reproducing apparatus2.

Preferably, the sound source providing server30includes: a PCM data storage unit42configured to convert the sound source data200into PCM data to be comparable and store the same therein; and a comparison unit40configured to numerically compare the piece of data100with a plurality of sound source data included in the PCM data storage unit42to specify any one sound source data200matched with the piece of data100.

Further, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for reproducing data in groups including: a) comparing piece of data100, which is a portion of sound source data input through a microphone, with sound source data200pre-stored therein by a comparison unit16; b) searching for reproduction points of the piece of data100in the pre-stored sound source data200by a reproduction point determination unit18; and c) reproducing specific sound source data200at a specific reproduction point searched for by the reproduction point determination unit18by the reproduction point synchronization processer20.

Preferably, the step a) includes: comparing the piece of data100with a plurality of sound source data stored in the sound source data storage unit6and extract any one sound source data matched with the piece of data100by the comparison unit16; or extracting the sound source data by a signal of a user who designates the specific sound source data.

Preferably, the step a) includes: if the sound source data200matched with the piece of data100is not present in a sound source data storage unit6, automatically and remotely transmitting the piece of data100to a sound source providing server30by a data group reproducing apparatus2to request a provision of the sound source data200.

Preferably, after the step c), the method further includes: reproducing the sound source data at a specific point through the reproduction driving unit8by the reproduction point synchronization processer20; comparing an output point of the synchronized sound source data with the reproduction point re-searched through the steps a) and b) by the reproduction point determination unit18; determining whether the reproduction point is within a preset error range; and if the reproduction point is within the preset error range, ending a comparison cycle.

Preferably, the step c) includes: when lighting blinking data62matched with the sound source data200is present, determining whether an output point of the preset lighting blinking data62elapses by the reproduction point synchronization processer20; and when the output point elapses, controlling the lighting reproduction driving unit50to turn on or blink the lighting by the reproduction point synchronization processer20.

According to the apparatus, system, and method for reproducing data in groups of the present invention, it is possible to reproduce the sound source data with synchronized reproduction points through user terminals in a state in which specific sound source data is already being reproduced through the smart phones or an external speaker provided in a plaza or concert hall. Therefore, a plurality of users can reproduce the same sound source data together in groups without carrying an additional apparatus or device, such that the volume may be amplified. In addition, by blinking the lighting every period of a certain bit of a signal, etc. based on the lighting data matched in advance with the sound source data, it is possible to give greater pleasure and obtain a synergistic effect.

