Data transmission device

When the terminal 5 requests a partial access of a desired karaoke song to the center 3 in S380, only the climactic passage data of the karaoke song is transmitted from the center 3 to the terminal 5. The terminal 5 reproduces the climactic passage in S400. Then, the terminal 5 determines whether or not the user will pay for the karaoke song in S410. When the payment is confirmed, the terminal 5 requests total access to the center 3 in S340, receives the entire data of the karaoke song in S350, and reproduces the data in S360. It is possible to prevent the user from erroneously requesting a total access of a karaoke song which the user does not want to sing. It is ensured that the user can obtain karaoke songs which he/she really wants to sing, within a short period of time.

What is claimed is:

1. A data transmission device for transmitting a desired information via a transmission line from a central control unit to a plurality of terminals, the data transmission device comprising:

a central control unit including data memory means for storing information data, including image information, sound information, or both, in separate plural data units and in separate plural partial access data, at least a part of each partial access data being the same as a part of a corresponding data unit so as to indicate the content of the information data of the corresponding data unit; and

a plurality of terminals connected to said central control unit via a transmission line so that the information data can be transmitted from the central control unit to the plurality of terminals, each of the plurality of terminals including:

data selection means for selecting a desired information data of at least one data unit out of the information data stored in the memory means in the central control unit;

partial access request means for requesting partial access of the information data selected by the data selection means;

total access request means for requesting total access of the information data selected by the data selection means; and

output means for, based on the information data transmitted from the central control unit, reproducing and outputting image information, sound information, or both from the partial access data in response to the partial access request performed by the partial access request means and from the entire part of the data unit in response to the total access request performed by the total access request means, wherein each partial access data is included in a corresponding data unit as a predetermined portion of the corresponding data unit that indicates the content of the information data of the corresponding data unit.

2. A data transmission device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data units represent informations on a plurality of game programs, the entire data of each data unit representing an entire part of a corresponding game program, each partial access data representing a demo program for a game program represented by the corresponding data unit, the demo program and the corresponding game program having common sections.

3. A data transmission device of claim 1,

wherein the partial access request means includes partial access request transmitting means for transmitting, to the central control unit, a partial access request signal requesting the partial access of the data unit selected by the data selection means,

wherein the total access request means includes total access request transmitting means for transmitting, to the central control unit, a total access request signal requesting the total access of the data unit selected by the data selection means,

wherein the central control unit includes:

partial access request signal receiving means for receiving the partial access request signal from the terminal, for extracting the partial access data of the selected data unit from the data memory means, and for transmitting the partial access data to the terminal; and

total access request signal receiving means for receiving the total access request signal from the terminal, for extracting the entire data of the selected data unit from the data memory means, and for transmitting the entire data unit to the terminal, and

wherein each terminal further includes output control means for controlling the output means to reproduce and output image information, sound information, or both from one of the partial access data and the entire data unit transmitted from the central control unit.

4. A data transmission device of claim 1,

wherein each terminal further includes request signal transmission means for transmitting a signal requesting transmission of the entire data unit selected by the data selecting means to the terminal when the data selecting means selects the data unit,

wherein the central control unit includes request signal receiving means for receiving the request signal from the terminal, for extracting the entire data of the selected data unit from the data memory means, and for transmitting the entire data unit to the terminal,

wherein each terminal includes temporary memory means for temporarily storing the data unit transmitted from the central control unit, and

wherein the output means includes:

partial access output means for reproducing only the partial access data out of the data unit stored in the temporary memory means, in response to the partial access request made by the partial access request means; and

total access output means for reproducing the entire part of the data unit stored in the temporary memory means, in response to the total access request made by the total access request means.

5. A data transmission device of claim 1, wherein the central control unit further includes payment information processing means for performing a predetermined payment information process when the total access request means requests total access of the selected information data.

6. A data transmission device for transmitting information via a transmission line from a central control unit to a plurality of terminals, the data transmission device comprising:

a central control unit; and

a plurality of terminals connected to the central control unit via a transmission line,

wherein said central control unit includes data memory means for storing a plurality of information data units representative of a plurality of informations, each of the information data units having a partial data representing a predetermined part of the corresponding information which indicates the content of the information,

wherein each of the plurality of terminals includes:

data selection means for selecting at least one information data unit representative of an information desired to be obtained, out of the plurality of information data units stored in the data memory means in the central control unit;

access type input means for inputting a desired access type out of a partial access for requesting transmission of the partial data out of the information data unit selected by the data selection means and a total access for requesting transmission of the entire data of the information data unit selected by the data selection means;

access request means for transmitting to the central control unit a partial access request signal requesting transmission of the partial data of the selected information data unit when the partial access is inputted by the access type input means and for transmitting to the central control unit a total access request signal requesting transmission of the entire data of the selected information data unit when the total access is inputted by the access type input means; and

information output means for receiving the partial data transmitted from the central control unit in response to the partial access request signal and outputting the part of the desired information, and for receiving the entire data unit transmitted from the central control unit in response to the total access request signal and outputting the entire part of the desired information.

7. A data transmission device of claim 6, wherein the central control unit further includes:

partial access request signal receiving means for receiving the partial access request signal from the terminal, for extracting the partial data of the selected information data unit from the data memory means, and for transmitting the partial data to the terminal; and

total access request signal receiving means for receiving the total access request signal from the terminal, for extracting the entire data of the selected information data unit from the data memory means, and for transmitting the entire data unit to the terminal.

8. A data transmission device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of information data units represent informations on a plurality of karaoke songs, the entire data of each information data unit representing an entire part of the corresponding karaoke song, the partial data in each information data unit representing a climactic part of the corresponding karaoke song,

wherein the data selecting means selects at least one information data unit representative of at least one karaoke song desired to be sung, and

wherein the output means of each terminal includes accompaniment playing means for playing accompaniment sound of the climactic part of the selected karaoke song represented by the partial data transmitted from the central control unit and for playing accompaniment sound of the entire part of the selected karaoke song represented by the entire data unit transmitted from the central control unit.

9. A data transmission device of claim 8, wherein the central control unit further includes a payment information processing unit for performing a predetermined payment information process when the access type input means inputs total access of the selected information data unit.

10. A data transmission device of claim 6,

wherein said central control unit includes mode sense polling signal transmission means for transmitting a mode sense polling signal, via the transmission line, to each of the plurality of terminals for confirming an operation mode of each terminal;

wherein each of said plurality of terminals includes mode response signal transmission means for transmitting, in response to the mode sense polling signal, a mode response signal indicating a present operation mode of the each terminal to said central control unit via the transmission line,

wherein said central control unit further includes:

determination means for determining the operation mode of each terminal, based on the mode response signal transmitted from each terminal; and

request polling signal transmission means for selectively transmitting a request polling signal to a terminal that is determined by the determination means to be in the predetermined operation mode for detecting whether the terminal requests transmission of desired information,

wherein the access request means in each of said plurality of terminals includes request response signal transmission means for transmitting a request response signal indicating whether or not the terminal requests the transmission of information when the terminal receives the request polling signal transmitted from central control unit, the request response signal indicating that the terminal requests the transmission of information being added with data indicating the result selected by the data selection means and the desired access type inputted by the access type input means, and

wherein said central control unit further includes information transmission means for selectively transmitting the selected information data unit to a terminal that has transmitted the request response signal indicating that the terminal requests the transmission of the selected information and requests the total access and for transmitting partial data of the selected information data unit to a terminal that has transmitted the request response signal indicating that the terminal requests the transmission of the selected information and the partial access.

11. A data transmission device for transmitting information via a transmission line from a central control unit to a plurality of terminals, the data transmission device comprising:

a central control unit; and

a plurality of terminals connected to the central control unit via a transmission line,

wherein said central control unit includes data memory means for storing a plurality of information data units representative of a plurality of informations, each of the information data units having a partial data representing a predetermined part of the corresponding information which indicates the content of the information,

wherein each of the plurality of terminals includes:

data selection means for selecting at least one information data unit representative of an information desired to be obtained, out of the plurality of information data units stored in the data memory means in the central control unit;

request means for transmitting to the central control unit a request signal requesting transmission of an entire data of the selected information data unit from the central control unit when the data selecting means selects the information data unit;

temporary memory means for temporarily storing the entire data of the selected information data unit transmitted from the central control unit;

access type input means for inputting a desired access type out of a partial access for requesting output of the partial data out of the selected information data unit and a total access for requesting output of the entire data of the selected information data unit; and

information output means for extracting the partial data from the data unit stored in the temporary memory means, in response to the partial access inputted by the access type input means, and outputting the part of the desired information, and for extracting the entire data of the data unit stored in the temporary memory means, in response to the total access inputted by the access type input means, and outputting the entire part of the desired information.

12. A data transmission device of claim 11, wherein the central control unit further includes request signal receiving means for receiving the request signal from the terminal, for extracting the entire data of the selected information data unit from the data memory means, and for transmitting the entire information data unit to the terminal.

13. A data transmission device of claim 12, wherein the central control unit further includes payment information processing means for performing a predetermined payment information process when the access type input means requests total access of the selected information data unit.

14. A data transmission device of claim 13, wherein the plurality of information data units represent informations on a plurality of movies, the entire data of each information data unit representing an entire part of the corresponding movie, the partial data in each information data unit representing a climactic part of the corresponding movie,

wherein the data selecting means selects at least one information data unit representative of at least one movie desired to be reproduced, and

wherein the output means of each terminal includes movie reproducing means for reproducing the climactic part of the selected movie represented by the partial data stored in the temporary memory means and for reproducing the entire part of the selected movie represented by the entire information data unit stored in the temporary memory means.

15. A data transmission device of claim 11,

wherein said central control unit includes mode sense polling signal transmission means for transmitting a mode sense polling signal, via the transmission line, to each of the plurality of terminals for confirming an operation mode of each terminal;

wherein each of said plurality of terminals includes mode response signal transmission means for transmitting, in response to the mode sense polling signal, a mode response signal indicating a present operation mode of the each terminal to said central control unit via the transmission line,

wherein said central control unit further includes:

determination means for determining the operation mode of each terminal, based on the mode response signal transmitted from each terminal; and

request polling signal transmission means for selectively transmitting a request polling signal to a terminal that is determined by the determination means to be in the predetermined operation mode for detecting whether the terminal requests transmission of desired information data unit,

wherein the request means in each of said plurality of terminals includes request response signal transmission means for transmitting a request response signal indicating whether or not the terminal requests the transmission of information when the terminal receives the request polling signal transmitted from central control unit, the request response signal indicating that the terminal requests the transmission of the desired information data unit being added with data indicating the result selected by the data selection means, and

wherein the request signal receiving means in said central control unit includes information transmission means for selectively transmitting the information data unit to a terminal that has transmitted the request response signal indicating that the terminal requests the transmission of the selected information data unit.