Control system

• US 20020059617A1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Terakado, Tomoko, Miki, Nanami
• Application Number:
  US09/894,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059617A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23051 Remote control, enter program remote, detachable programmer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23077 Reconfigurable remote programmer, learn control signals for different devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23377 Touch screen, with representation of buttons, machine on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34038 Web, http, ftp, internet, intranet server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/021 Arrangements integrating additional peripherals in a keyboard, e.g. card or barcode reader, optical scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8186 : specially adapted to be executed by a peripheral of the client device, e.g. by a reprogrammable remote control

Abstract

A control system includes a first control apparatus including, at least, a display screen which can also be used as a touch panel. The first control apparatus operates a predetermined electronic apparatus. A second server communicates with the first control apparatus and is connected or linked to a plurality of electronic apparatuses. A third server establishes a connection with the second server through a network. Based on at least one of GUI data, internal processing data, and display data, which are stored or designated by the second server, the first control apparatus changes settings of at least one of GUI data, internal processing data, and display data, which are contained in the first control apparatus.

Claims

1. A control system comprising:

a first control apparatus comprising, at least, a display screen which can also be used as a touch panel, said first control apparatus operating a predetermined electronic apparatus;

a second server for communicating with said first control apparatus, said second server being connected or linked to a plurality of electronic apparatuses;

a third server for establishing a connection with said second server by a network;

wherein said first control apparatus changes settings of at least one of GUI data, internal processing data, and display data, which are contained in said first control apparatus, based on at least one of GUI data, internal processing data, and display data, which are stored or designated by said second server.

2. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said first control apparatus comprises a remote control.

3. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

4. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic apparatuses comprise home appliances and audio-visual apparatuses.

5. A control system according to claim 1, wherein the display screen of said first control apparatus comprises a liquid crystal display screen.

6. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said second server receives information recorded by said third server through the network;

and

said second server transfers the received information to said first control apparatus using wired or wireless communications.

7. A control system according to claim 1, wherein communication data communicated among said first control apparatus, said second server, and said third server comprise meta-data.

8. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said second server includes control data for the electronic apparatuses;

and

said first control apparatus receives the control data for a specific electronic apparatus from said second server and uses the data as the internal processing data.

9. A control system according to claim 8, wherein said second server downloads the control data from said third server.

10. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said first control apparatus further comprises display means for combining the control data for the electronic apparatuses and displaying the combined data.

11. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said first control apparatus downloads data received from said second server to the electronic apparatuses which are connected or linked to said second server.

12. A control system according to claim 11, wherein the data includes data downloaded from said third server.

13. A control system according to claim 12, wherein the data includes an electronic program guide.

14. A control system according to claim 1, wherein said second server and the electronic apparatuses are connected by link connection with a digital interface which conforms to the IEEE 1394 specification standard.

16. A control system according to claim 15, wherein said first control apparatus comprises a remote control.

17. A control system according to claim 15, wherein the electronic apparatuses comprise home appliances and audio-visual apparatuses.

18. A control system according to claim 15, wherein the display screen of said first control apparatus comprises a liquid crystal display screen.

19. A control system according to claim 15, wherein said first control apparatus transfers the information contained therein to said second server using wired or wireless communications.

20. A control system according to claim 15, wherein communication data communicated between said first control apparatus and said second server comprise meta-data.

21. A control system according to claim 15, wherein said second server includes control data for the electronic apparatuses;

and

said first control apparatus receives the control data for a specific electronic apparatus from said second server and uses the data as the internal processing data.

22. A control system according to claim 15, wherein said first control apparatus further comprises display means for combining the control data for the electronic apparatuses and displaying the combined data.

23. A control system according to claim 15, wherein said first control apparatus downloads data received from said second server to the electronic apparatuses which are connected or linked to said second server.

24. A control data according to claim 23, wherein the data includes an electronic program guide.

25. A control system according to claim 15, wherein said second server and the electronic apparatuses are connected by link connection with a digital interface which conforms to the IEEE 1394 specification standard.

15. A control system comprising:

a first control apparatus comprising, at least, a display screen which can also be used as a touch panel, said first control apparatus operating a predetermined electronic apparatus; and

a second server for communicating with said first control apparatus, said second server being connected or linked to a plurality of electronic apparatuses;

wherein said first control apparatus changes settings of at least one of GUI data, internal processing data, and display data, which are contained in said first control apparatus, based on at least one of GUI data, internal processing data, and display data, which are stored or designated by said second server.