Device control apparatus, device control system, and non-transitory computer-readable medium that store device control program

• US 10,117,310 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Ryosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): White, Dylan
• Application Number:
  US15/788,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20180153022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 315158
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/3922 and measurement of the incident light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A controller includes a connection determination unit configured to determine whether a device and a device control apparatus are directly communicatively connected to each other. The device control apparatus functions as a type 1 device control apparatus under a condition where the connection determination unit has determined that the device and the device control apparatus are directly communicatively connected to each other. On the other hand, the device control apparatus functions as a type 2 device control apparatus under a condition where the connection determination unit has determined that the device and the device control apparatus are not directly communicatively connected to each other.

Claims

1. A device control apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a control signal from an outside; and

a controller capable of controlling a device based on the control signal received by the receiver, wherein

the device control apparatus selectively performs one of a first function as a type 1 device control apparatus which directly controls the device and a second function as a type 2 device control apparatus which, instead of directly controlling the device, controls another device control apparatus which functions as the type 1 device control apparatus,

the controller includes a connection determination unit configured to determine whether the device and the device control apparatus are directly communicatively connected to each other, and

the device control apparatus functions as the type 1 device control apparatus under a condition where the connection determination unit has determined that the device and the device control apparatus are directly communicatively connected to each other, and

the device control apparatus functions as the type 2 device control apparatus under a condition where the connection determination unit has determined that the device and the device control apparatus are not directly communicatively connected to each other, wherein

the controller includes a reception determination unit configured to determine whether the receiver has received a predetermined control signal from the outside in a case where the connection determination unit has determined that device and the device control apparatus are not directly communicatively connected to each other,

the device control apparatus functions as the type 1 device control apparatus under a condition where the reception determination unit has determined that the receiver has not received the predetermined control signal from the outside, and on the other hand, and

the device control apparatus functions as the type 2 device control apparatus under a condition where the reception determination unit has determined that the receiver has received the predetermined control signal from the outside.

2. The device control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the device is a lighting instrument,

the device control apparatus further comprises an imager capable of acquiring image data, and

the controller controls the lighting instrument based on the control signal received by the receiver and the image data acquired by the imager.

3. A device control system comprising:

a first device control apparatus according to claim 1, which functions as the type 2 device control apparatus by receiving the predetermined control signal from the outside; and

a second device control apparatus according to claim 1, which functions as the type 1 device control apparatus by being controlled by the device control apparatus.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a device control program causing a computer embedded in a device control apparatus to operate as

a receiver configured to receive a control signal from an outside and

a controller capable of controlling a device based on the control signal received by the receiver, wherein

the device control program causes the computer to operate such that the device control apparatus selectively performs one of a first function as a type 1 device control apparatus which directly controls the device and a second function as a type 2 device control apparatus which, instead of directly controlling the device, controls another device control apparatus which functions as the type 1 device control apparatus, and

the device control program causes the controller to function as a connection determination unit configured to determine whether the device and the device control apparatus are directly communicatively connected to each other, thereby

causing the computer to operate such that the device control apparatus functions as the type 1 device control apparatus under a condition where the connection determination unit has determined that the device and the device control apparatus are directly communicatively connected to each other, and

causing the computer to operate such that the device control apparatus functions as the type 2 device control apparatus under a condition where the connection determination unit has determined that the device and the device control apparatus are not directly communicatively connected to each other, wherein

the controller includes a reception determination unit configured to determine whether the receiver has received a predetermined control signal from the outside in a case where the connection determination unit has determined that the device and the device control apparatus are not directly communicatively connected to each other, the device control apparatus functions as the type 1 device control apparatus under a condition where the reception determination unit has determined that the receiver has not received the predetermined control signal from the outside, and on the other hand, and

the device control apparatus functions as the type 2 device control apparatus under a condition where the reception determination unit has determined that the receiver has received the predetermined control signal from the outside.