METHOD FOR CONTROLLING INFORMATION APPARATUS AND COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20150143249A1
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: SASAKI, Takamitsu, NAGATA, Minehisa
• Granted Patent: US 10,067,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/740
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications

Abstract

In the case where selection of an icon representing an air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a first room on the floor plan that is larger than a predetermined area, the region corresponding to the first room is switched to an adjustment region for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner. In the case where selection of the icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a second room on the floor plan that is equal to or smaller than the predetermined area, an adjustment screen for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner installed in the region corresponding to the second room is displayed on the display screen.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a touch-panel display and connected to a network, over which one or more target devices are controlled,

the method causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display a display screen representing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display;

display an icon representing each of the one or more target devices on the display screen representing the floor plan, the one or more target devices including an air conditioner;

in the case where selection of an icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a first room on the floor plan that is larger than a predetermined area, switch the region corresponding to the first room to an adjustment region for changing a set temperature of the air conditioner;

in the case where selection of the icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a second room on the floor plan that is equal to or smaller than the predetermined area, display an adjustment screen for changing the set temperature of an air conditioner installed in the region corresponding to the second room on the display screen; and

in the case where it is sensed that a contact to the touch-panel display moves within the adjustment region or adjustment screen, transmit, to the network, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with a movement amount in which the contact moves.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the adjustment screen is displayed on the region corresponding to the second room in enlargement.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the adjustment screen is displayed in the middle of the display screen on the display screen.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

in the case where a movement starting point of the contact is sensed within a range of the adjustment screen, and a movement ending point of the contact is sensed beyond the adjustment screen, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with the movement amount in which the contact moves, including an extra movement amount beyond the adjustment screen, is transmitted to the network.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

in the case where the contact moves beyond the adjustment screen, the set temperature of the air conditioner is not changed in accordance with an extra movement amount beyond the adjustment screen.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the set temperature of the air conditioner is changed greater as the movement amount in which the contact moves increases, and the set temperature of the air conditioner is changed smaller as the movement amount in which the contact moves decreases.

7. The method according to claims 1, wherein

in the case where a movement starting point of the contact is sensed within a range of the adjustment region, and a movement ending point of the contact is sensed beyond the region corresponding to the first room, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with the movement amount in which the contact moves, including an extra movement amount beyond the region corresponding to the first room, is transmitted to the network.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein

in the case where the contact moves beyond the region corresponding to the first room, the set temperature of the air conditioner is not changed in accordance with an extra movement amount beyond the region corresponding to the first room.

9. A method for controlling an information apparatus, the information apparatus having a touch-panel display and connected to a network, over which one or more target devices are controlled,

the method causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display a display screen representing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display;

display an icon representing each of the one or more target devices on the display screen representing the floor plan, the one or more target devices including an air conditioner;

in the case where selection of an icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a first room on the floor plan that is larger than a predetermined area, display, on the display screen, an adjustment region for changing a set temperature of the air conditioner installed in the region corresponding to the first room;

in the case where selection of the icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a second room on the floor plan that is equal to or smaller than the predetermined area, display an adjustment screen for changing the set temperature of an air conditioner installed in the region corresponding to the second room on the display screen; and

in the case where it is sensed that a contact to the touch-panel display moves within the adjustment region or adjustment screen, transmit, to the network, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with a movement direction in which the contact moves.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the adjustment screen is displayed on the region corresponding to the second room in enlargement.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein

the adjustment screen is displayed in the middle of the display screen on the display screen.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein

in the case where a movement starting point of the contact is sensed within a range of the adjustment screen, and a movement ending point of the contact is sensed beyond the adjustment screen, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with the movement direction in which the contact moves, including an extra movement direction beyond the adjustment screen, is transmitted to the network.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein

in the case where the contact moves beyond the adjustment screen, the set temperature of the air conditioner is not changed in accordance with an extra movement direction beyond the adjustment screen.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein

in the case where it is sensed that the contact moves upward on the display screen, the set temperature of the air conditioner is increased, and in the case where it is sensed that the contact moves downward on the display screen, the set temperature of the air conditioner is decreased.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein

in the case where a movement starting point of the contact is sensed within a range of the adjustment region, and a movement ending point of the contact is sensed beyond the region corresponding to the first room, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with the movement distance in which the contact moves, including an extra movement direction beyond the region corresponding to the first room, is transmitted to the network.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein

in the case where the contact moves beyond the region corresponding to the first room, the set temperature of the air conditioner is not changed in accordance with an extra movement distance beyond the region corresponding to the first room.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program that is executed by an information apparatus having a touch-panel display and connected to a network, over which one or more target devices are controlled,

the program causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display a display screen representing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display;

display an icon representing each of the one or more target devices on the display screen representing the floor plan, the one or more target devices including an air conditioner;

in the case where selection of an icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a first room on the floor plan that is larger than a predetermined area, switch the region corresponding to the first room to an adjustment region for changing a set temperature of the air conditioner;

in the case where selection of the icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a second room on the floor plan that is equal to or smaller than the predetermined area, display an adjustment screen for changing the set temperature of an air conditioner installed in the region corresponding to the second room on the display screen; and

in the case where it is sensed that a contact to the touch-panel display moves within the adjustment region or adjustment screen, transmit, to the network, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with a movement distance in which the contact moves.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which stores a program that is executed by a information apparatus having a touch-panel display and connected to a network, over which one or more target devices are controlled,

the program causing a computer of the information apparatus to:

display a display screen representing a floor plan of a building on the touch-panel display;

display an icon representing each of the one or more target devices on the display screen representing the floor plan, the one or more target devices including an air conditioner;

in the case where selection of an icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a first room on the floor plan that is larger than a predetermined area, display, on the display screen, an adjustment region for changing a set temperature of the air conditioner installed in the region corresponding to the first room;

in the case where selection of the icon representing the air conditioner is sensed in a region corresponding to a second room on the floor plan that is equal to or smaller than the predetermined area, display an adjustment screen for changing the set temperature of an air conditioner installed in the region corresponding to the second room on the display screen; and

in the case where it is sensed that a contact to the touch-panel display moves within the adjustment region or adjustment screen, transmit, to the network, a control command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner in accordance with a movement direction in which the contact moves.