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Control method

  • US 10,318,121 B2
  • Filed: 12/25/2013
  • Issued: 06/11/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A control method used in a remote control system including a plurality of apparatuses and an information terminal that controls at least one of the apparatuses as a target apparatus via a network, the control method comprising:

  • obtaining, via the network,(a) pieces of apparatus state information of the plurality of apparatuses, respectively, the pieces of the apparatus state information each including an apparatus type and an apparatus operational behavior,(b) sensor information indicating at least one including a sensed value of a spatial environment condition,(c) information indicating which of the plurality of apparatuses are in which rooms,(d) person sensor information indicating whether a person is present in each room, respectively, and(e) apparatus priority levels, for each apparatus, correlated with predetermined sensor-value-ranges of the spatial environment condition;

    determining, for each room in which the person sensor information (d) indicates that a person is present, a score indicating priorities of target apparatus candidates, which are apparatuses that are indicated as being in the room by the information (c),the score prioritizing the target apparatus candidates according to the apparatus priority levels (e), the pieces of apparatus state information (a), and the sensor information (b);

    sorting, according to the determined score, pieces of identification information identifying the target apparatus candidates;

    displaying, on the user interface region of the display unit of the information terminal, apparatus icons in an arrangement in accordance with the sorted pieces of identification information, the arrangement having rows and columns and reflecting the priorities indicated by the score;

    generating a control signal for causing, as the target apparatus, an apparatus corresponding to an apparatus icon to perform an operation, when the apparatus icon is selected from the apparatus icons which are displayed; and

    transmitting the control signal to the target apparatus via the network.

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