REMOTE CONTROL, REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM, AND REMOTE CONTROL METHOD

• US 20130057395A1
• Filed: 08/23/2012
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohashi, Yoshinori
• Granted Patent: US 9,972,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop

Abstract

Provided is a remote control, including: a wireless communication unit configured to be capable of sending a control signal for controlling a device by means of wireless communication; and a determining unit configured to transmit a device detection request by means of the wireless communication unit, and to identify installation locations of a plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on responses from the plurality of devices having received the device detection request, each of the responses including measurement information reflecting an installation location.

Claims

1. A remote control, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to be capable of sending a control signal for controlling a device by means of wireless communication; and

a determining unit configured

to transmit a device detection request by means of the wireless communication unit, and

to identify installation locations of a plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on responses from the plurality of devices having received the device detection request, each of the responses including measurement information reflecting an installation location.

2. The remote control according to claim 1, wherein

the determining unit is configured

to receive responses including a plurality of pieces of radio-field-intensity information, respectively, the plurality of pieces of radio-field-intensity information being detected by the plurality of devices having received the device detection request, respectively, and

to identify installation locations of the plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on the plurality of pieces of radio-field-intensity information of the plurality of devices, respectively.

3. The remote control according to claim 2, wherein

the determining unit is configured to identify installation locations of the plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on a distribution of a plurality of radio-field-intensity values, the plurality of radio-field-intensity values being replied from the plurality of devices, respectively.

4. The remote control according to claim 3, further comprising:

a display unit including a display screen;

a zone selection unit configured to allow a user to select an arbitrary zone from the one or more zones; and

a GUI display unit configured to display an operation GUI of each of one or more devices on the display screen, the installation location of each of the one or more devices being identified as the selected zone.

5. The remote control according to claim 4, wherein the zone is a room in a building.

6. The remote control according to claim 1, wherein

the determining unit is configured

to receive responses including a plurality of pieces of GPS (Global Positioning System) information, respectively, the plurality of pieces of GPS information being detected by the plurality of devices having received the device detection request, respectively, and

to identify installation locations of the plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on the plurality of pieces of GPS information of the plurality of devices, respectively.

7. The remote control according to claim 6, wherein

the determining unit is configured to identify installation locations of the plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on a distribution of a plurality of pieces of GPS information, the plurality of pieces of GPS information being replied from the plurality of devices, respectively.

8. The remote control according to claim 7, further comprising:

a display unit including a display screen;

a zone selection unit configured to allow a user to select an arbitrary zone from the one or more zones; and

a GUI display unit configured to display an operation GUI of each of one or more devices on the display screen, the installation location of each of the one or more devices being identified as the selected zone.

9. The remote control according to claim 8, wherein the zone is a room in a building.

10. A remote control method, comprising:

transmitting, by a determining unit of a remote control, a device detection request by means of a wireless communication unit, the wireless communication unit being configured to be capable of sending a control signal for controlling a control-target device by means of wireless communication; and

identifying, by the determining unit, installation locations of a plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on responses from the plurality of devices having received the device detection request, each of the responses including measurement information reflecting an installation location.

11. A remote control system, comprising:

a remote control; and

a plurality of devices capable of being controlled by the remote control, wherein

each of the devices includes

a first wireless communication unit configured to be capable of receiving a control signal from the remote control by means of wireless communication, and

a measuring unit configured to measure measurement information reflecting an installation location, and

the remote control includes

a second wireless communication unit configured to be capable of sending the control signal for controlling the device by means of wireless communication, and

a determining unit configured

to transmit a device detection request by means of the second wireless communication unit, and

to identify installation locations of a plurality of devices as one or more zones, respectively, based on responses from the plurality of devices having received the device detection request, each of the responses including the measurement information reflecting an installation location.