Method for controlling information apparatus and computer-readable recording medium

• US 10,237,141 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Takamitsu, Tahara, Kohei
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Li, Liang Y
• Application Number:
  US14/453,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20150033136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method of the present disclosure causes a computer of an information apparatus to: display device type icons on a display; display room icons on the display; when it is determined that selection of any one of the device type icons is detected, display room icons each representing a room, in which a target device of a type corresponding to the selected device type icon is installed, in a different display mode from a mode for room icons each representing a room in which the target device of the type is not installed; when it is determined that selection of a room icon displayed in the different display mode is detected, display a first operation screen for operating a controlled target device on the display; and output a control command for controlling the controlled target device to the network based on an operation on the first operation screen.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a display and being connected to a network, one or more target devices, which are installed in a building, being controlled over the network,

the method causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display on the display one or more device type icons representing types of the respective target devices installed in the building;

display on the display one or more room icons representing each of rooms included in the building, the one or more room icons each being separately displayed and having a same shape;

when it is determined that selection of one of the device type icons among the one or more device type icons is detected, display a first group of one or more room icons each representing a room, in which a target device of a type corresponding to the selected device type icon is installed, and display a second group of one or more room icons each representing a room, in which the target device of the type corresponding to the selected device type icon is not installed, wherein the first group of the one or more room icons is displayed brighter than the second group of one or more room icons;

when it is determined that selection of one of the room icons among the first group of the one or more room icons is detected, display on the display a first operation screen for operating a controlled target device, the controlled target device being installed in a room corresponding to the selected room icon, the type of the controlled target device corresponding to the selected device type icon; and

output a control command for controlling the controlled target device to the network based on an operation on the first operation screen,

wherein, when it is determined that the selection of the one of the room icons among the first group of the one or more room icons is detected, a collective operation screen is displayed alongside the first operation screen on the display, the collective operation screen being used for collectively controlling power supplies of target devices of all types that are installed in the room corresponding to the selected room icon.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

an all-types icon for selecting all types of the respective target devices installed in the building is displayed on the display, and

when it is determined that selection of the all-types icon is detected, all of the one or more room icons respectively representing all of the rooms included in the building is displayed on the display.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more room icons have a same size.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the one or more room icons include an operation button for causing a second operation screen to be displayed, the second operation screen being used for operating instructions other than instructions operable by the first operation screen, and

when it is determined that selection of the operation button is detected, the second operation screen is displayed on the display.

2. A method for controlling an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a display and being connected to a network, one or more target devices, which are installed in a building, being controlled over the network,

the method causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display on the display one or more device type icons representing types of the respective target devices installed in the building;

display on the display one or more room icons representing each of rooms included in the building, the one or more room icons each being separately displayed and having a same shape;

when it is determined that selection of one of the device type icons among the one or more device type icons is detected, display one or more room icons each representing a room, in which a target device of a type corresponding to the selected device type icon is installed, without displaying one or more room icons each representing a room, in which the target device of the type corresponding to the selected device type icon is not installed;

when it is determined that selection of one of the room icons among the one or more room icons is detected, display on the display a first operation screen for operating a controlled target device, the controlled target device being installed in a room corresponding to the selected room icon, the type of the controlled target device corresponding to the selected device type icon; and

output a control command for controlling the controlled target device to the network based on an operation on the first operation screen,

wherein, before it is determined that the selection of the one of the device type icons among the one or more device type icons is detected, all of the one or more room icons representing each of the rooms included in the building are displayed, and

after it is determined that the selection of the one of the device type icons among the one or more device type icons is detected;

the one or more room icons each representing the room, in which the target device of the type corresponding to the selected device type icon is not installed, are caused to disappear;

the one or more room icons each representing the room, in which the target device of the type corresponding to the selected device type icon is installed, are rearranged to be displayed closely to each other using an area, in which the one or more room icons each representing the room, in which the target device of the type corresponding to the selected device type icon is not installed, are not displayed; and

the first operation screen is displayed in a vacant area made available by displaying the one or more room icons closely to each other, the one or more room icons each representing the room in which the target device of the type corresponding to the selected device type icon is installed.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program for controlling an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a display and being connected to a network, one or more target devices, which are installed in a building, being controlled over the network,

the program causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display on the display one or more device type icons representing types of the respective target devices installed in the building;

display on the display one or more room icons representing each of rooms included in the building, the one or more room icons each being separately displayed and having a same shape;

when it is determined that selection of one of the device type icons among the one or more device type icons is detected, display a first group of one or more room icons each representing a room, in which a target device of a type corresponding to the selected device type icon is installed, and display a second group of one or more room icons each representing a room in which the target device of the type corresponding to the selected device type icon is not installed, wherein the first group of the one or more room icons is displayed brighter than the second group of one or more room icons;

when it is determined that selection of one of the room icons among the first group of the one or more room icons is detected, display on the display a first operation screen for operating a controlled target device, the controlled target device being installed in a room corresponding to the selected room icon, the type of the controlled target device corresponding to the selected device type icon; and

output a control command for controlling the controlled target device to the network based on an operation on the first operation screen,

wherein, when it is determined that the selection of the one of the room icons among the first group of the one or more room icons is detected, a collective operation screen is displayed alongside the first operation screen on the display, the collective operation screen being used for collectively controlling power supplies of target devices of all types that are installed in the room corresponding to the selected room icon.