CONTROL DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20110301722A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sato, Katsuyuki, Utsumi, Yoshimasa, Sato, Kazuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,503,273 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/40 Remote control systems using repeaters, converters, gateways
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204

Abstract

A control device, which handles a network system in which electronic devices installed in each of multiple rooms are connected via a communication network and each electronic device can perform communication via the communication network, includes: a control unit to selectively set a first control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed as to a particular single electronic device, a second control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices installed in the same room, and a third control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices connected to the communication network, as an operation control mode according to predetermined operation input, and to generate a control command; and a transmission unit to transmit a control command that the control unit has generated according to the control mode.

Claims

1. A control device, which handles a network system in which electronic devices installed in each of a plurality of rooms are connected via a communication network, and each electronic device can perform communication via said communication network, said control device comprising:

a control unit configured to selectively set a first control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed as to a particular single electronic device, a second control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices installed in the same room, and a third control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices connected to said communication network, as an operation control mode according to predetermined operation input, and to generate a control command; and

a transmission unit configured to transmit a control command that said control unit has generated according to the control mode.

2. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an integral or separate operating unit;

wherein said control unit determines distinction of an operation mode as to an operator in said operating unit to select said first, second, or third control mode.

3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein said control unit determines the number of times of operation and/or operation time as to an operator as determination of distinction of an operation mode.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit takes said second control mode as a mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to an electronic device installed in the same room as a room where said control device itself exists, and generates a control command as to an electronic device which exists in this room.

5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit takes said second control mode as a mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to an electronic device installed in a room specified by operation input, and generates a control command as to an electronic device which exists in this room.

6. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit; and

an operating unit configured to perform a touch panel operation by a touch panel on said display unit;

wherein said control unit causes said display unit to execute display indicating a room corresponding region corresponding to each room, and an electronic device installed in each room;

and wherein said control unit selects said first, second, or third control mode according to a position on the touch panel of a predetermined touch panel operation serving as predetermined operation input by a touch panel operation as to the display of said display unit.

7. The control device according to claim 6, wherein said control unit

selects said third control mode when determining that said predetermined touch pattern operation has been performed across generally the whole face of said touch panel including at least a plurality of said room corresponding regions on said touch panel,

selects said second control mode when determining that said predetermined touch pattern operation has been performed within said one room corresponding region on said touch panel, and also across generally the whole face of said room corresponding region, and

selects said first control mode when determining that said predetermined touch pattern operation has been performed on display indicating one electronic device on said touch panel.

8. The control device according to claim 7, wherein said control unit generates, in the event that said second control mode has been selected, a control command according to said predetermined touch pattern operation as to an electronic device installed in a room corresponding to said room corresponding region where said predetermined touch pattern operation has been performed.

9. The control device according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined touch pattern is a touch panel operation for drawing a generally x-shaped operation path.

10. The control device according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined touch pattern is a touch panel operation for drawing a general checkmark operation path.

11. The control device according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined touch pattern is a touch panel operation for drawing an ascending/descending curved operation path or a vertically linear operation path while moving in the horizontal direction.

12. The control device according to claim 8, wherein said predetermined touch pattern is a touch panel operation for drawing a generally circular operation path.

13. The control device according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined operation input is one of a power-on operation, a power-off operation, a volume operation, and a mute operation.

14. A control method in a network system in which electronic devices installed in each of a plurality of rooms are connected via a communication network, and each electronic device can perform communication via said communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

selectively setting a first control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed as to a particular single electronic device, a second control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices installed in the same room, and a third control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices connected to said communication network, as an operation control mode according to predetermined operation input, and to generate a control command; and

transmitting a control command that said control unit has generated according to the control mode.

15. A program of a control device which deals with a network system in which electronic devices installed in each of a plurality of rooms are connected via a communication network, and each electronic device can perform communication via said communication network, said program causing said control device to execute the steps of:

selectively setting a first control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed as to a particular single electronic device, a second control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices installed in the same room, and a third control mode in which operation control according to operation input is performed in common as to electronic devices connected to said communication network, as an operation control mode according to predetermined operation input, and to generate a control command; and

transmitting a control command that said control unit has generated according to the control mode.