Control terminal device and audio system control method that displays a source selection screen with an area image background

• US 10,521,183 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Hinokio, Akie, Ohno, Masaharu, Muchikabe, Kazuya, Suyama, Akihiko, Tsukada, Keisuke, Kato, Shinichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burwell, Joseph R.
• Application Number:
  US15/843,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20180121158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2227/005 Audio distribution systems for home, i.e. multi-room use
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 27/00 Public address systems circuits for preventing acoustic reaction H04R3/02; circuits for distributing signals to loudspeakers H04R3/12; monitoring or testing arrangements for public address systems H04R29/007; amplifiers H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/12 for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407

Abstract

A control terminal device includes a display, at least one processor, and a memory configured to store instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the control terminal device to transmit command messages to the plurality of communication devices disposed in respective areas and connected via a network, and to display on the display an operation screen, a device selection screen for selecting any one of the plurality of communication devices, and area images indicating the areas in which the respective communication devices are disposed so as to serve as a selection operation section for selecting the respective communication devices.

Claims

1. A control terminal device comprising:

a display;

at least one processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the control terminal device to;

transmit command messages to a plurality of communication devices, the plurality of communication devices being disposed in respective areas and being connected via a network; and

display, on the display, an operation screen, a device selection screen for selecting any one of the plurality of communication devices, and area images indicating the respective areas in which the plurality of communication devices are disposed, so as to serve as a selection operation section for selecting among the plurality of communication devices, wherein

when one of the area images is selected, the at least one processor displays, instead of the device selection screen, a source selection screen for selecting an audio source that can be reproduced by the communication device disposed in the respective area indicated by the selected one area image; and

wherein the source selection screen includes a source selection operation section corresponding to one or each of a plurality of audio sources, and

wherein a background of the source selection screen is formed by the selected one area image.

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

the memory is configured to store a plurality of candidate images serving as candidates to be the area images;

and

wherein the at least one processor displays an image selection screen for selecting from among the candidate images the area image of each area, and displays the selected candidate image as the area image of the area on the device selection screen.

3. The control terminal device according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one processor displays a display group setting screen for selecting a master device by which an audio source is selected on the source selection screen and for selecting a slave device that receives sound of the audio source selected for the master device via the network, and synchronously reproduces the sound;

and

wherein when a group setting is performed, the at least one processor changes a display mode of the area image corresponding to a selected master device on the device selection screen or changes contents to be displayed in the selection operation section of the master device.

4. An audio system comprising:

a plurality of audio devices disposed in respective areas; and

a control terminal device mutually connected with the plurality of audio devices via a network, wherein

the control terminal device comprises

a display;

at least one processor; and

a memory configured to store instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the control terminal device to;

transmit command messages to a plurality of communication devices, the plurality of communication devices being disposed in respective areas and being connected via the network; and

display, on the display, an operation screen, a device selection screen for selecting any one of the plurality of communication devices, and area images indicating the respective areas in which the plurality of communication devices are disposed, so as to serve as a selection operation section for selecting among the plurality of communication devices, wherein

when one of the area images is selected, the at least one processor displays, instead of the device selection screen, a source selection screen for selecting an audio source that can be reproduced by the communication device disposed in the respective area indicated by the selected one area image; and

wherein the source selection screen includes a source selection operation section corresponding to one or each of the plurality of audio sources, and

wherein a background of the source selection screen is formed by the selected one area image.

5. An audio system control method comprising:

transmitting command messages to a plurality of communication devices disposed in respective areas and mutually connected via a network;

displaying a device selection screen for selecting any one of the plurality of communication devices; and

displaying area images indicating the respective areas in which the plurality of communication devices are disposed so as to serve as a selection operation section for selecting among the plurality of communication devices on the device selection screen, wherein

when one of the area images is selected, displaying, instead of the device selection screen, a source selection screen for selecting an audio source that can be reproduced by the communication device disposed in the respective area indicated by the selected one area image, and

wherein the source selection screen includes a source selection operation section corresponding to one or each of a plurality of audio sources, and

wherein a background of the source selection screen is formed by the selected one area image.

6. The audio system control method according to claim 5, further comprising:

displaying an image selection screen for selecting, from among a plurality of candidate images, the area image of each area; and

displaying the selected candidate image for each area as the area image of the area on the device selection screen.

7. The audio system control method according to claim 5, further comprising:

displaying a group setting screen for selecting a master device by which an audio source is selected on the source selection screen and for selecting a slave device that receives sound of the audio source selected for the master device via the network, wherein the slave device synchronously reproduces the sound; and

when a group setting is performed, changing a display mode of the area image corresponding to a selected master device on the device selection screen or changing contents to be displayed in the selection operation section of the master device.