Main body apparatus, remote control apparatus, and control method for remote control system

• US 20050125081A1
• Filed: 10/29/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Mukaigawa, Shinichi, Kobayashi, Hideyuki, Kubota, Masazumi, Takeuchi, Hisashi, Ota, Shunji
• Application Number:
  US10/976,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125081A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices

Abstract

It is an object of the invention to prevent an inconsistency from occurring between settings in a main body apparatus and plural remote controllers in a remote control system in which a setting of the main body apparatus can be changed from the remote controllers. The remote control system includes: the main body apparatus and the plural remote controllers that changes a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations. The main body apparatus includes: a changing apparatus holding unit; a main body side communication possibility judging unit that judges whether communication with the other remote controllers excluding the remote controller, which has changed the setting to the present setting, is possible; and a setting notifying unit.

Claims

1. A main body apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a changing apparatus holding unit that stores apparatus identification information, which is capable of specifying a remote control apparatus that has changed a setting to a present setting, in a storage unit;

a communication possibility judging unit that judges whether communication with the other remote control apparatuses excluding the remote control apparatus, which has changed the setting to the present setting, is possible; and

a setting notifying unit that, when communication with the other remote control apparatuses has become possible, transmits setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus itself to the remote control apparatuses.

2. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a setting acquiring unit that receives setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus from the main body apparatus; and

a presentation unit that presents the setting information to a user.

3. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a setting acquiring unit that receives setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus from the main body apparatus; and

a setting managing unit that stores the setting information in a storage unit.

4. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a changing apparatus holding step of storing apparatus identification information capable of specifying a remote control apparatus that has changed a setting to a present setting;

a communication possibility judging step of judging whether communication between the main body apparatus and the other remote control apparatuses excluding the remote control apparatus, which has changed the setting to the present setting, is possible; and

a setting notifying step of, when communication with the other remote control apparatuses has become possible, transmitting setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus to the remote control apparatuses.

5. A main body apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a setting notification request acquiring unit that receives a notification request for setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus itself from a remote control apparatus; and

a setting notifying unit that, when the notification request for setting information is received by the setting notification request acquiring unit from a remote control apparatus, transmits the setting information to the remote control apparatus.

6. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a setting notification requesting unit that transmits a notification request for setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus to the main body apparatus; and

a setting acquiring unit that receives the setting information from the main body apparatus.

7. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system according to claim 6, further comprising a presentation unit that presents the setting information received from the main body apparatus to a user.

8. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system according to claim 6, further comprising a setting managing unit that stores the setting information received from the main body apparatus in a storage unit.

9. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a setting notification requesting step of transmitting a notification request for setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus from a remote control apparatus to the main body apparatus; and

a setting notifying step of transmitting the setting information from the main body apparatus to the remote control apparatus.

10. A main body apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a communication possibility judging unit that judges whether communication with the remote control apparatuses is possible; and

a setting changing unit that, when a state in which communication with any one of the remote control apparatuses is impossible continues for a predetermined time, changes the setting in the main body apparatus itself to a defined value setting determined in advance.

11. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a communication possibility judging unit that judges whether communication with the main body apparatus is possible; and

a presentation unit that, when a state in which it is impossible to communicate with the main body apparatus continues for a predetermined time, presents an indication that the setting in the main body apparatus has been changed to a defined value setting determined in advance to a user.

12. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a communication possibility judging unit that judges whether communication with the main body apparatus is possible; and

a setting managing unit that, when a state in which it is impossible to communicate with the main body apparatus continues for a predetermined time, stores a defined value setting determined in advance in a storage unit as setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus.

13. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a communication possibility judging step of judging whether communication between the main body apparatus and the remote control apparatuses is possible; and

a setting changing step of, when a state in which communication between the main body apparatus and any one of the remote control apparatuses is impossible continues for a predetermined time, changing the setting in the main body apparatus to a defined value setting determined in advance.

14. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a change order managing unit that stores change order information, which is capable of specifying a sequencing relation between a change made by the remote control apparatus itself and a change made by another remote control apparatus, in a storage unit;

a change order information exchanging unit that exchanges the change order information with the another control apparatus;

a change order comparing unit that specifies a sequencing relation between a change made by the remote control apparatus itself and a change made by the another remote control apparatus on the basis of the change order information; and

a presentation unit that, when the change made by the another remote control apparatus is later than the change made by the remote control apparatus itself, presents an indication that the setting in the main body apparatus has been changed by the another remote control apparatus to a user.

15. A remote control apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a change order managing unit that stores change order information, which is capable of specifying a sequencing relation between a change made by the remote control apparatus itself and a change made by another remote control apparatus, in a storage unit together with setting information indicating a setting state of the main body apparatus according to the change made by the remote control apparatus itself;

a change order information exchanging unit that exchanges the change order information with the another remote control apparatus;

a change order comparing unit that specifies a sequencing relation between a change made by the remote control apparatus itself and a change made by the another remote control apparatus on the basis of the change order information; and

a setting information correcting unit that, when the change made by the another remote control apparatus is later than the change made by the remote control apparatus itself, updates the setting information and the change order information in the storage unit according to setting information and change order information in the remote control apparatus.

16. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a change order managing step of, in each of the remote control apparatuses, storing change order information, which is capable of specifying a sequencing relation between a change made by the remote control apparatus itself and a change made by another remote control apparatus;

a change order information exchanging step of, in each of the remote control apparatuses, exchanging the change order information with the another remote control apparatus; and

a change order comparing step of, in each of the remote control apparatuses, specifying a sequencing relation between a change made by the remote control apparatus itself and a change made by the another remote control apparatus on the basis of the change order information.

17. A main body apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a priority holding unit that stores a priority given to a remote control apparatus, which has changed a setting to a present setting, in a storage unit; and

a priority comparing unit that, when a request for a setting change is received from a remote control apparatus, compares a priority given to the remote control apparatus and the priority stored in the storage unit and permits the setting change only when the priority given to the remote control apparatus is higher.

18. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a priority holding step of storing a priority given to a remote control apparatus that has changed a setting to a present setting; and

a priority comparing step of, when the main body apparatus receives a request for a setting change from a remote control apparatus, compares a priority given to the remote control apparatus and the priority stored in the storage unit and permits the setting change only when the priority given to the remote control apparatus is higher.

19. A main body apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, a range of a setting changeable from the remote control apparatus being set as an authority in each of the remote control apparatuses, comprising:

an authority judging unit that, when a request for a setting change is received from a remote control apparatus, permits the change when the remote control apparatus has an authority for the change; and

a setting change unit that changes the setting when the change is permitted by the authority judging unit.

20. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

an authority setting step of setting, in each of the remote control apparatuses, a range of setting changeable from the remote control apparatus as an authority;

an authority judging step of, when the main body apparatus receives a request for a setting change from a remote control apparatus, permitting the change when the remote control apparatus has an authority for the change; and

a setting change step of changing the setting when the change is permitted in the authority judging step.

21. A main body apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a distance measuring unit that measures a distance between a remote control apparatus, which has transmitted a request for a setting change, and the main body apparatus itself;

a distance judging unit that, when requests for a setting change are received from the plural remote control apparatuses, specifies a remote control apparatus closest to the main body apparatus itself; and

a setting changing unit that changes the setting in accordance with the request for a setting change from the closest remote control apparatus specified by the distance judging unit.

22. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a distance measuring step of measuring a distance between a remote control apparatus, which has transmitted a request for a setting change, and the main body apparatus;

a distance judging step of, when requests for a setting change are received from the plural remote control apparatuses, specifying a remote control apparatus closest to the main body apparatus; and

a setting changing step of changing the setting in accordance with the request for a setting change from the closest remote control apparatus specified in the distance judging step.

23. A main body apparatus for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a request counting unit that holds requests for a setting change received from the remote control apparatuses and permits the setting change when a predetermined number of requests for a setting change with identical contents are collected; and

a setting changing unit that changes the setting when the change is permitted by the request counting unit.

24. A control method for a remote control system including a main body apparatus that performs a predetermined operation and plural remote control apparatuses that change a setting in the main body apparatus from remote locations, comprising:

a request counting step of holding requests for a setting change received from the remote control apparatuses and permitting the setting change when a predetermined number of requests for a setting change with identical contents are collected; and

a setting changing step of changing the setting when the change is permitted in the request counting step.