Remote control system and remote control method

• US 20060192790A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakai, Ryuichi, Hirose, Koji, Maniwa, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,617,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/41 Remote control of gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

A remote control system in which an instruction from a remote terminal is transmitted to a controlled device through a remote control device. Device unique data which is information specific to the controlled device is stored in the remote control device or the controlled device. The remote control device generates WEB display data to be displayed on the remote terminal based on a device type of the controlled device and the device unique data. Alternatively, the remote control device generates WEB display data based on the device unique data stored in the controlled device. Thus, even when a new type of controlled device is developed, or even when the function for the controlled device is extended, it does not need to modify programs for achieving functions of the remote control device. Accordingly, it facilitates a change of an operational screen of the terminal in response to those changes.

Claims

1. A remote control system which includes a controlled device capable of being controlled through a network and a remote control device which transmits control information based on a user instruction provided on a terminal to the controlled device through the network, wherein

a) the controlled device includes a communication controller that communicates with the network and a device type storage section that stores device type information representing a type of the controlled device,

b) the remote control device includes:

a communication controller which communicates with the network;

a device type decision section that reads device type information from the device type storage section of the controlled device;

a device unique data storage section that stores device unique data which is information unique to the controlled device; and

a device data analyzer that generates data necessary for generating a WEB screen on the basis of the device unique data and device type information; and

a WEB display data generator that generates a WEB screen on the basis of the data generated by the device data analyzer,

the device data analyzer extracts data unique to the controlled device on the basis of the read device type information, from the device unique data stored in the device unique data storage section, and

the WEB display data generator generates WEB display data on the basis of the extracted unique data, and transmits the WEB display data to the terminal through the communication controller.

3. The remote control system according to claim 1, wherein the controlled device is a video recording device which records a received broadcast program.

4. The remote control system according to claim 3, wherein the device unique data is information related to a recording operation.

2. A remote control system which includes a controlled device capable of being controlled through a network and a remote control device which transmits control information based on a user instruction provided on a terminal to the controlled device through the network, wherein

a) the controlled device includes a communication controller that communicates with the network and a device unique data storage section that stores device unique data which is information unique to the controlled device,

b) the remote control device includes:

a communication controller that communicates with the network;

a device data memory that receives the device unique data from the device unique data storage section of the controlled device through the communication controller, and stores the device unique data;

a device data analyzer that generates data necessary for a WEB screen on the basis of the device unique data stored in the device data storage section; and

a WEB display data generator that generates a WEB screen from the data generated by the device data analyzer, and transmits the WEB screen to the terminal through the communication controller.

9. The remote control system according to claim 2, wherein the controlled device is a video recording device which records a received broadcast program.

10. The remote control system according to claim 9, wherein the device unique data is information related to a recording operation.

5. A remote control method for a remote control system including a controlled device capable of being controlled through a network and a remote control device which transmits control information based on a user instruction provided on a terminal to the controlled device through the network, the remote control method comprising:

storing device type information representing a type of the controlled device in the controlled device;

reading the stored device type information from the controlled device;

storing device unique data which is information unique to the controlled device in the remote control device;

extracting device unique data from the stored device unique data on the basis of the read device type information; and

generating WEB display data on the basis of the extracted device unique data to transmit the WEB display data to the terminal.

7. The remote control method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the controlled device is a video recording device which records a received broadcast program.

8. The remote control method according to claim 7, wherein the device unique data is information related to a recording operation.

6. A remote control method for a remote control system including a controlled device capable of being controlled through a network and a remote control device which transmits control information based on a user instruction provided on a terminal to the controlled device through the network, the remote control method comprising:

storing device unique data which is information unique to the controlled device in the controlled device;

receiving the stored device unique data; and

generating a WEB display data on the basis of the received device unique data to transmit the WEB display data to the terminal.

11. The remote control method according to claim 6, wherein the controlled device is a video recording device which records a received broadcast program.

12. The remote control method according to claim 11, wherein the device unique data is information related to a recording operation.