Device control system, device control method for use in the device control system, and program for implementing the device control method

• US 20050033835A1
• Filed: 07/07/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kinjo, Naoto
• Application Number:
  US10/885,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033835A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link

Abstract

A device control system includes plural devices arranged in a predetermined space, a position detection unit for detecting an arrangement position of each device, a control unit for remotely controlling the plural devices, being carried by a user, and detecting a direction and a position of itself at the time of remote control and a management apparatus that grasps the arrangement position of each device and identifies one device to be remotely controlled based on the arrangement position and the direction and the position. A device control method detects the arrangement position, the position and the direction, identifies one device to be remotely controlled and remotely controls the one device. A program implements the device control method.

Claims

1. A device control system comprising:

plural devices arranged in a predetermined space;

position detection means for detecting an arrangement position of each of said plural devices in said predetermined space;

control means for remotely controlling said plural devices, said control means being carried by a user of said plural devices, being directed toward said arrangement position of one device of said plural devices to be remotely controlled, and detecting a direction and a position of itself in said predetermined space at the time of remote control of said one device; and

a management apparatus that acquires said arrangement position of each of said plural devices detected by said position detection means, and identifies said one device to be remotely controlled by said control means based on said arrangement position of each of said plural devices and said direction and said position of said control means,

wherein said control means remotely controls said identified one device via said management apparatus.

2. The device control system according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said plural devices comprises an image display apparatus; and

when said identified one device is said image display apparatus, said management apparatus outputs image data to said image display apparatus to display a predetermined image, and said image display apparatus displays said predetermined image based on said image data.

3. The device control system according to claim 1, wherein:

said control means has a voice communication function;

said management apparatus includes a voice search unit for searching information based on voice contents inputted from said control means and a database in which said information to be searched by said voice search unit has been stored; and

said voice search unit searches said database for information matching said voice contents based on said voice contents inputted by voice with said control means, and when said one device to be remotely controlled with said control means comprises an image display apparatus, said management apparatus outputs a searched result by said voice search unit to said image display apparatus.

4. The device control system according to claim 3, wherein:

said searched result is image data; and

said management apparatus transmits said image data to said image display apparatus and causes said image display apparatus to display an image based on the image data.

5. The device control system according to claim 1, wherein:

at least one of said plurality of devices comprises a photographing device provided for a article;

said control means includes an image display unit;

said photographing device photographs said article and outputs data of a photographed image of said article to said control means directly or via said management apparatus; and

said control means displays an image of said article on said image display unit based on the data of said photographed image.

6. The device control system according to claim 1, wherein:

said control means has an image display unit; and

after acquiring information concerning said one device to be remotely controlled with said control means, said management apparatus transmits said information concerning said one device to said control means to display said information concerning said one device on said image display unit.

7. The device control system according to claim 1,

wherein said control means has at least one of a reception function of acquiring data concerning said one device to be remotely controlled directly or via said management apparatus and a transmission function of outputting said data concerning said one device to be remotely controlled directly or via said management apparatus.

8. The device control system according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of devices contain a first device and a second device to be remotely controlled by said control means; and

said control means has a function of causing said first device as a target of remote control to transmit data held therein to said management apparatus and a function of causing said management apparatus to transmit data held therein to said second device as a target of the remote control.

9. A device control system comprising:

image display means for displaying an image at a specific place;

pointing means for pointing a predetermined place, said pointing means being carried by a user and having a function of detecting a position and a direction of itself; and

a management apparatus that acquires said position and said direction detected by said pointing means, identifies as said specific place said predetermined place pointed by said pointing means based on said acquired position and said acquired direction, and causes said image display means to display the image at said identified predetermined place,

wherein said image is displayed by said image display means at said predetermined place pointed by said pointing means via said management apparatus.

10. The device control system according to claim 9,

wherein said pointing means further has an information communication function.

11. A device control method comprising the steps of:

detecting an arrangement position of each of plural devices arranged in a predetermined space;

detecting a position and a direction of control means that is carried by a user of said plural devices and has a function of remotely controlling said plural devices;

identifying one device of said plural devices toward which said control means is directed by said user, based on detection results of said arrangement position of each of plural devices and said position and said direction of said control means; and

remotely controlling said identified one device of said plural devices by means of said control means.

12. A program for implementing a device control method comprising:

a step of acquiring first position information concerning plural devices arranged in a predetermined space from first position detection means for detecting an arrangement position of each of said plural devices, and identifying said arrangement position of each of said plural devices in said predetermined space based on said acquired first position information;

a step of acquiring second position information concerning a control means for remotely controlling said plural devices from a second position detection means for detecting a position and a direction of said control means, and identifying said position and said direction of said control means based on said second position information;

a step of identifying one device of said plural devices , toward which said control means is directed, based on said identified arrangement position of each of said plural devices and said identified position and said identified direction of said control means; and

a step of outputting, to said control means, a signal for obtaining a state where said identified one device is controllable with said control means.