Instruction device, program, instruction system, and instruction method

• US 10,460,595 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Suyama, Akihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Carlos
• Application Number:
  US15/516,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20170301228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: 340 461, 340 1222, 340 1228, 34053914
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/92 Universal remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An instruction device includes: a detection unit that detects a space in which the instruction device exists; a storage unit that stores association information including information indicating that the space and a target device are associated with each other; a specifying unit that specifies the target device associated with the detected space by referring to the association information; and an output unit that outputs an instruction signal corresponding to the specified target device in accordance with an operation by an operator.

Claims

1. An instruction system comprising a master device and an instruction device that communicates with the master device,

the instruction device comprising:

a first communication unit that receives a beacon outputted from a target device and a device ID included in the beacon outputted from the target device, by using a first communication means; and

a second communication unit that sends the received device ID and a reception strength of the beacon outputted from the target device, by using a second communication means different from the first communication means, and

the master device comprising;

a controller;

a communication unit that receives the device ID and the reception strength of the beacon from the instruction device, by using another second communication means;

a detection unit that detects, based on the received device ID and the reception strength of the beacon, a space in which the instruction device is located in together with the target device;

a storage that stores association information including information indicating that the detected space in which the instruction device is located in and the target device are associated with each other;

a specifying unit that specifies the target device associated with the detected space in which the instruction device is located in by referring to the association information; and

a signal outputter that outputs an instruction signal corresponding to the specified target device in accordance with an operation by an operator,

wherein the detection unit and specifying unit are implemented by the controller, and

wherein the communication unit of the master device receives a plurality of device IDs and reception strengths respectively associated with a plurality of beacons, the detection unit detects the space based on a device ID included in a beacon among the plurality of beacons having a maximum reception strength, and the specifying unit specifies a device by referring to the detected device ID and the associated information stored in the storage.

2. The instruction system according to claim 1,

wherein the space is a first space, and the target device is a first target device, and

the association information includes first information indicating that the first space and the first target device are associated with each other, and second information indicating that a second space different from the first space and a second target device different from the first target device are associated with each other.

3. The instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the master device operates based on an instruction signal from the instruction device.

4. The instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit receives first information including a first device ID and a first reception strength of a beacon outputted from a first device located in a first room and second information including a second device ID and a second reception strength of a beacon outputted from another device located in a second room different from the first room, and based on the received first information and second information, detects that the instruction device is located in either the first room together with the first device located in the first room or the second room together with the another device located in the second room.

5. The instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit of the master device sends information of the specified target device to the instruction device, by using the another second communication means.

6. The instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the space and the target device are associated with each other in the association information, and the association information further includes information identifying a remote control signal that causes the target device to operate with predetermined operation contents.

7. The instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the target device operates in accordance with an instruction from the instruction device by receiving a signal sent from the master device by using the another second communication means.

8. The instruction system according to claim 1, wherein the master device is an audio device that performs amplification and sound processing on an input audio signal, and the target device is a loudspeaker device that is controlled by the audio device.

9. A method executed by a master device and an instruction device that communicates with the master device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the instruction device, a beacon outputted from a target device and a device ID included in the beacon outputted from the target device, by using a first communication means;

sending, by the instruction device, the received device ID and a reception strength of the beacon outputted from the target device, by using a second communication means different from the first communication means;

receiving, by the master device, information from the instruction device, by using the second communication means;

receiving, by the master device, the device ID and the reception strength of the beacon from the instruction device;

detecting, by the master device, based on the received device ID and the reception strength of the beacon, a space in which the instruction device is located in together with the target device;

storing, in the master device, association information including information indicating that the detected space in which the instruction device is located in and the target device are associated with each other;

specifying, by the master device, the target device associated with the detected space in which the instruction device is located in by referring to the association information; and

outputting, by the master device, an instruction signal corresponding to the specified target device in accordance with an operation by an operator,

wherein a plurality of device IDs and reception strengths respectively associated with a plurality of beacons are received by the master device, the space is detected based on a device ID included in a beacon among the plurality of beacons having a maximum reception strength, and a device is specified by referring to the detected device ID and the associated information stored in the master device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein information of the specified target device is sent from the master device to the instruction device, by using the another second communication means.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the space and the target device are associated with each other in the association information, and the association information further includes information identifying a remote control signal that causes the target device to operate with predetermined operation contents.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the target device is operated in accordance with an instruction from the instruction device by receiving a signal sent from the master device by using the another second communication means.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the master device is an audio device that performs amplification and sound processing on an input audio signal, and the target device is a loudspeaker device that is controlled by the audio device.

14. The method according to claim 9,

wherein the space is a first space, and the target device is a first target device, and

the association information includes first information indicating that the first space and the first target device are associated with each other, and second information indicating that a second space different from the first space and a second target device different from the first target device are associated with each other.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the master device is operated based on an instruction signal from the instruction device.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein first information including a first device ID and a first reception strength of a beacon outputted from a first device located in a first room is received, and second information including a second device ID and a second reception strength of a beacon outputted from another device located in a second room different from the first room is received, and based on the received first information and second information, it is detected that the instruction device is located in either the first room together with the first device located in the first room or the second room together with the another device located in the second room.