Method and Apparatus for Controlling Automatic Interworking of Multiple Devices

• US 20140111316A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mtek C&K Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mtek C&K Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jong-Yong
• Granted Patent: US 9,240,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/12.5
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for controlling automatic interworking of multiple devices, and more particularly, to a method for controlling automatic interworking of multiple devices, by which the multiple devices can be easily controlled according to a set operation mode by combining functions of the multiple devices through one central control device without individually controlling the functions of each of the multiple devices, that is, all operations of the multiple devices can be controlled through interworking by one command of an operation mode set in the central control device. To this end, the present invention is a method for controlling automatic interworking of multiple devices by using multiple electronic devices and a central control device for controlling the same, comprising: an operation mode setting step of setting an operation mode in which performable functions of the electronic devices are combined and performed in a specific order and storing the set operation mode in the central control device; an operation mode selecting step of selecting an operation mode to be executed from among a plurality of set operation modes; and a controlling step of controlling the electronic devices according to the selected operation mode.

Claims

1. An automatic interoperation control method for multiple devices performed with a plurality of electronic devices (300) and a central control unit (100) controlling the electronic devices (300), which method is characterized in that it comprises:

an operation mode setting step (S100) in which to set an operation mode so that the functions performed by each electronic device (300) are combined and performed in a certain sequence and to store the set operation modes in a central control unit (100);

an operation mode selection step (S200) in which to select an operation mode which is performed in the set multiple operation modes; and

a control step (S300) in which to control each electronic device in accordance with the selected operation mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control step (S300) is characterized in that a control signal is transmitted to a terminal control unit (200) of each electronic device in accordance with a sequence of the operation mode selected by the central control unit (100).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the control step (S300) is characterized by comprising:

a control signal transmission step (S311) in which a control signal containing an exclusive code and a to-be-performed function of the electronic device (300) is transmitted so as to perform a corresponding function in accordance with a sequence set in the operation mode selected by the central control unit; and

a function performing step (S312) in which to analyze a control signal received from the terminal control unit (200) of a corresponding electronic device (300) and in which the electronic device (300) performs a function contained in the control signal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising a feedback step (S313) in which the terminal control unit (200) transmits a function completion signal to the central control unit (100) after the electronic device 300 performs a corresponding function.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the control step (S300) is characterized by comprising:

a control signal transmission step (S321) in which to transmit a control signal containing an exclusive code and the selected operation mode of an electronic device (300) which performs the first function set in the operation mode selected by the central control unit (100);

a function performing step (S322) in which to analyze a control signal received from the terminal control unit (200) of a corresponding electronic device (300) and in which the electronic device (300) performs a corresponding function of the operation mode; and

an interoperation control signal transmission step (S324) in which to transmit a control signal containing an exclusive code and the selected operation mode of the electronic device (300) performing the next function in the terminal control unit (200) after the electronic device (300) performs a corresponding function, and

the electronic device (300) performing the second function of the operation mode performs only the function performing step (S322) and the interoperation control signal transmission step (S324).

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the interoperation control signal transmission step (S324) is characterized in that the operation mode from which the function performed by the current electronic device (300) is removed is contained in a control signal and is transmitted to the terminal control unit (200) of the electronic device (300) which performs the next function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation mode setting step (S100) is characterized in that the central control unit (100) transmits all the set operation modes to the terminal control unit (200) of each electronic device (300), and the terminal control unit (200) of each electronic unit 300 receives it and stores in the second storing unit (220).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the control step (S300) is characterized by comprising:

a control signal transmission step (S331) in which to transmit a control signal containing the exclusive code and the code of the selected operation mode of the electronic device (300) performing the first function set in the operation mode selected by the central control unit (100) and the position information indicating the sequence of the to-be-performed function in the operation mode;

a function performing step (S332) in which the terminal control unit (200) of a corresponding electronic device (300) analyzes the received control signal, and a corresponding operation mode is selected from the operation modes stored in the second storing unit (230), and the function performed in the selected operation mode is selected, and the electronic device (300) performs a corresponding function; and

an interoperation control signal transmission step (S334) in which the electronic device (300) performs a corresponding function, and the terminal control unit (200) transmits a control signal containing the exclusive code and the codes of the selected operation mode of the electronic device (300) that the terminal control unit (200) performs the next function and the position information of the function which will be performed in the next step, and the electronic device (300) performing the second function of the operation mode performs only the function performing step (S332) and the interoperation control signal transmission step.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

feedback steps (S323 and S333) in which the terminal control unit (200) transmits a function completion signal to the central control unit (100) after the function performing steps (S322 and S332).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation mode is set by an external device (400) and is transmitted to the central control unit (100) or the operation mode is directly set by the central control unit (100).

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

feedback steps (S323 and S333) in which the terminal control unit (200) transmits a function completion signal to the central control unit (100) after the function performing steps (S322 and S332).

11. An automatic interoperation control apparatus for multiple devices characterized in that it comprises:

a central control unit (100); and

a terminal control unit (200) which is installed in each of multiple electronic devices (300) and communicates with the central control unit (100) based on a wired or wireless connection way, and

wherein the central control unit (100) has operation modes for combining the functions performed by each electronic device (300) and performing the functions in a sequence for thereby controlling each electronic device (300).

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the central control unit (100) is characterized by comprising:

a first storing unit (120);

a first transmission and receiving unit (130) communicating with each electronic device (300);

a control panel (140) that a user operates; and

a first control unit (110) controlling the first storing unit (120) and the first transmission and receiving unit (140) in accordance with the operation of the control panel (140).

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the central control unit (100) further comprises an external device connection unit (150) for thereby connecting to the external device (400) and transmitting an externally set operation mode to the first storing unit (120).

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first storing unit (120) stores the functions of each electronic device (300) and sets the operation modes by combining each function with the aid of the control panel (140).

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the terminal control unit (200) comprises:

a second transmission and receiving unit (230) communicating with the central control unit (100); and

a second control unit (210) which analyzes a control signal received by way of the second transmission and receiving unit (230) and transmits to the electronic device control unit (310) installed in the electronic device (300) or directly controls the electronic device (300).

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the terminal control unit (200) comprises a second storing unit (220) for storing the operation modes which are received by way of the second transmission and receiving unit (230).