Apparatus operating system
First Claim
1. An apparatus operating system including at least two apparatuses which provide output of the same type, and a control server capable of communicating with each apparatus, wherein each apparatus includes a communication section for transmitting to the control server a notification signal indicative of a pending change or a change in an output state of the apparatus, and wherein the control server includes:
- a control rule storage section having stored therein a control rule which associates an output state of one apparatus with an output state to be taken by another apparatus when said one apparatus is in said output state;
a location-related information acquiring section for acquiring location-related information which is set in association with a location of each apparatus;
a determination section for receiving the notification signal from any one of said at least two apparatuses, and in response to the notification signal, determining the output state to be taken by an operation target apparatus which is other than an apparatus having transmitted the notification signal, based on the control rule and the location-related information; and
an operating section for operating the operation target apparatus so as to transition into the output state determined by the determination section.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Each apparatus transmits to a control server a notification signal indicative of a pending change or a change in an output state of the apparatus. The control server has stored therein a control rule which associates an output state of one apparatus with an output state to be taken by another apparatus when said one apparatus is in said output state. The control server acquires location-related information which is set in association with a location of each apparatus. Then, the control server receives a notification signal from any one of the apparatuses, and in response to the notification signal, determines the output state to be taken by an operation target apparatus which is other than an apparatus having transmitted the notification signal, based on the control rule and the location-related information. Further, the control server operates the operation target apparatus so as to transition into the output state determined by a determination section.
238 Citations
11 Claims
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1. An apparatus operating system including at least two apparatuses which provide output of the same type, and a control server capable of communicating with each apparatus,
wherein each apparatus includes a communication section for transmitting to the control server a notification signal indicative of a pending change or a change in an output state of the apparatus, and wherein the control server includes: -
a control rule storage section having stored therein a control rule which associates an output state of one apparatus with an output state to be taken by another apparatus when said one apparatus is in said output state;
a location-related information acquiring section for acquiring location-related information which is set in association with a location of each apparatus;
a determination section for receiving the notification signal from any one of said at least two apparatuses, and in response to the notification signal, determining the output state to be taken by an operation target apparatus which is other than an apparatus having transmitted the notification signal, based on the control rule and the location-related information; and
an operating section for operating the operation target apparatus so as to transition into the output state determined by the determination section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A control server capable of communicating with at least two apparatuses which provide output of the same type, the server comprising:
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a control rule storage section having stored therein a control rule which associates an output state of one apparatus with an output state to be taken by another apparatus when said one apparatus is in said output state;
a location-related information acquiring section for acquiring location-related information which is set in association with a location of each apparatus;
a determination section for receiving from any one of said at least two apparatuses a notification signal indicative of a pending change or a change in an output state of that one apparatus, and in response to the notification signal, determining the output state to be taken by an operation target apparatus which is other than an apparatus having transmitted the notification signal, based on the control rule and the location-related information; and
an operating section for operating the operation target apparatus so as to transition into the output state determined by the determination section.
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10. An apparatus operating method for use in an apparatus operating system including at least two apparatuses which provide output of the same type, and a control server capable of communicating with each apparatus,
wherein the control server has stored therein a control rule which associates an output state of one apparatus with an output state to be taken by another apparatus when said one apparatus is in said output state, and wherein the method comprises the steps of: -
transmitting to the control server a notification signal indicative of a pending change or a change in the output state of said one apparatus;
acquiring location-related information which is set in association with a location of each apparatus;
upon receipt of the notification signal from any one of said at least two apparatuses, determining the output state to be taken by an operation target apparatus which is other than an apparatus having transmitted the notification signal, based on the control rule and the location-related information; and
operating the operation target apparatus so as to transition into the output state determined by the determination section.
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11. A program which can be read by a computer in a control server capable of communicating with at least two apparatuses which provide output of the same type,
wherein the control server has stored therein a control rule which associates an output state of one apparatus with an output state to be taken by another apparatus when said one apparatus is in said output state, and wherein the program causes the control server to implement: -
a location-related information acquisition step for acquiring location-related information which is set in association with a location of each apparatus;
a determination step for receiving from any one of said at least two apparatuses a notification signal indicative of a pending change or a change in an output state of that one apparatus, and in response to the notification signal, determining the output state to be taken by an operation target apparatus which is other than an apparatus having transmitted the notification signal, based on the control rule and the location-related information; and
an operation step for operating the operation target apparatus so as to transition into the output state determined by the determination section.
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Specification