Method for controlling information apparatus and computer-readable recording medium

• US 10,326,607 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2014
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• 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): Dao, Thuy
• Application Number:
  US14/487,431
• Publication Number:
  US 20150005952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/10 Controlling the light source

Abstract

A control method according to the present disclosure causes a computer of an information apparatus to: display on a display, a display screen representing a floor plan of one floor including at least two or more rooms; display each device icon representing each of one or more target devices in a region of each room, the one or more target devices including a specific target device that stores a set content when power has been previously turned off; and when selection of the device icon that represents the specific target device in any region of the at least two or more rooms is sensed, and selection of any region in the room, in which the selection of the device icon has been sensed, is sensed, output an on-off control command for controlling an on-off state of power of the specific target device corresponding to the room.

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 being controlled over the network,

the method causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display, on the display, a display screen representing a floor plan of one floor including at least two rooms;

display at least one device icon, including a device icon representing an air conditioner; and

output an on-off control command to the network, when a selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region of a first room of the at least two rooms included in the floor plan, and then a selection of the region of the first room is sensed at a position where no device icon is displayed after the selection of the device icon is sensed, the on-off control command controlling an on-off state of power of the air conditioner corresponding to the first room,

wherein the on-off control command is not output to the network after the selection of the specific device icon is sensed until the selection of the region of the first room is sensed at the position where no device icon is displayed,

wherein, when the power of the air conditioner is turned on and when the air conditioner is operated as a heater, a region on the display screen corresponding to the first room is displayed using a warm color, and when the power of the air conditioner is turned off, the region on the display screen corresponding to the first room is displayed with brightness lower than specified brightness.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in the region of the first room, the device icon representing the air conditioner is moved outside of the region corresponding to the first room.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner is sensed, the device icon representing the air conditioner is moved outside of the floor plan represented in the display screen.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in the region of the first room, an operation screen for the air conditioner corresponding to the first room is displayed on the display screen.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

when the air conditioner is switched to an off state by sensing the selection of the region of the first room, and after the operation screen for the air conditioner corresponding to the first room is displayed on the display screen, the operation screen is continued to be displayed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner is sensed and the air conditioner corresponding to the first room is in an on state, an operation screen for the air conditioner corresponding to the first room is displayed on the display screen.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein

when the air conditioner is switched to an off state by sensing the selection of the region of the first room, and after the operation screen for the air conditioner corresponding to the first room is displayed on the display screen, the displayed operation screen is erased from the display screen.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

when the displayed operation screen is erased from the display screen, status information regarding the air conditioner is displayed on the display screen.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the display comprises a touch panel display, and

sensing of the selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner in the region of the first room or sensing of the selection of the region of the first room, is performed by sensing a contact to the touch panel display.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein

sensing of the selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner in the region of the first room or sensing of the selection of the region of the first room, is performed by sensing a click of a mouse pointer.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when a selection of a device icon representing a target device other than the air conditioner is sensed, a control screen is displayed on the display screen representing the floor plan, the control screen being used either for operation or for state confirmation of the air conditioner.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the power of the air conditioner is turned on and the air conditioner is operated as a cooler, a region on the display screen corresponding to the first room, is displayed using a cold color.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the power of the air conditioner is turned on and the air conditioner is operated as a heater, a display image stating that the air conditioner operates as a heater is provided in the region on the display screen corresponding to the first room.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein

when the power of the air conditioner is turned off, a display image stating that the power of the air conditioner has been turned off is provided in the region on the display screen corresponding to the first room.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein

when the power of the air conditioner is turned on and the air conditioner is operated as a cooler, a display image stating that the air conditioner operates as a cooler is provided in the region on the display screen corresponding to the first room.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program to be executed by an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a display and being connected to a network, one or more target devices being controlled over the network,

the program causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display, on the display, a display screen representing a floor plan of one floor including at least two rooms;

display at least one device icon, including a device icon representing an air conditioner; and

output an on-off control command to the network, when a selection of the device icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region of a first room of the at least two rooms included in the floor plan, and then a selection of the region of the first room is sensed at a position where no device icon is displayed after the selection of the device icon is sensed, the on-off control command controlling an on-off state of power of the air conditioner corresponding to the first room,

wherein the on-off control command is not output to the network after the selection of the specific device icon is sensed until the selection of the region of the first room is sensed at the position where no device icon is displayed,

wherein, when the power of the air conditioner is turned on and when the air conditioner is operated as a heater, a region on the display screen corresponding to the first room is displayed using a warm color, and when the power of the air conditioner is turned off, the region on the display screen corresponding to the first room is displayed with brightness lower than specified brightness.