APPLIANCE CONTROL SYSTEM, HOME CONTROLLER, REMOTE CONTROL METHOD, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20160301543A1
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Published: 10/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: MINEZAWA, Satoshi, MARUYAMA, Ichiro, YABE, Masaaki, YOSHIKAWA, Toshiaki, YANO, Hirotoshi, IIZAWA, Daisuke, TANAKA, Kenichiro, OGINO, Takashi, NAKAMURA, Shinji, KOMATSU, Masayuki, OGAWA, Yuki
• Granted Patent: US 10,778,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• 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: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/005 Transmission of information for alerting of incoming communication

Abstract

In an appliance control system, a receiver receives, from a terminal device used by a first user, an instruction for remotely controlling an appliance installed in a home. A determiner determines whether a second user is present in a location in which an appliance-to-be-instructed is installed. When it is determined that the second user is not present in a location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed, an appliance controller controls the appliance on the basis of the instruction. On the other hand, when it is determined that the second user is present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed, the appliance controller does not control the appliance.

Claims

1. An appliance control system comprising a home controller configured to manage an appliance installed in a home, and a terminal device configured to communicate with the home controller,

the terminal device comprising:

an acceptor configured to accept an instruction for remotely controlling the appliance from a first user, and

a transmitter configured to transmit the instruction accepted by the acceptor to the home controller,

wherein the home controller comprises;

a receiver configured to receive the instruction from the terminal device,

a determiner configured to determine whether a second user is present in a location in which an appliance-to-be-instructed is installed, and

an appliance controller configured to control the appliance based on the instruction when the determiner determines that the second user is not present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed, and not configured to control the appliance based on the instruction when the determiner determines that the second user is present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed.

2. The appliance control system according to claim 1,

wherein the home controller further comprises:

a notifier configured to notify to the terminal device that the appliance cannot be remote controlled based on the instruction, when the determiner determines that the second user is present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed.

3. The appliance control system according to claim 1,

wherein the terminal device further comprises a display device configured to display a list of appliances installed in the home;

and

the acceptor is further configured to accept an operation that selects any of the appliances from among the list.

4. The appliance control system according to claim 3,

wherein the determiner of the home controller is further configured to determine a current location of the second user;

the terminal device further comprises an obtainer configured to obtain information indicating the determined current location of the second user from the home controller;

the list includes an area indicating an installation location of the appliance; and

the display device is further configured to display an image representing the second user in an area in the list, the area indicating the installation location that matches with the determined current location of the second user.

5. The appliance control system according to claim 1,

wherein the terminal device further comprises a display device configured to display a layout chart to illustrate an arrangement of each location and appliances installed in each location in the home;

and

the acceptor is further configured to accept an operation that selects any one of the appliances from among the layout chart.

6. The appliance control system according to claim 5,

wherein the determiner of the home controller is further configured to determine a current location of the second user;

the terminal device further comprises an obtainer configured to obtain information indicating the determined current location of the second user from the home controller; and

the display device is further configured to display an image representing the second user in a location that matches with the determined current location of the second user in the layout chart.

7. The appliance control system according to claim 1,

wherein the terminal device further comprises a display device configured to display a list of appliances installed in the home and a layout chart showing an arrangement of each location and the appliances installed in each location in the home;

and

the display device is further configured to highlight, when the instruction is accepted, information indicating the appliance-to-be-instructed in the list, and the appliance-to-be-instructed indicated in the layout chart.

8. The appliance control system according to claim 6,

wherein the obtainer is further configured to obtain information indicating an operating condition of the appliance installed in the home from the home controller;

and

the display device is further configured to display, when a specific phenomenon occurs in the appliance installed in the home, an image or a message indicating the phenomenon.

9. The appliance control system according to claim 6,

wherein the obtainer is further configured to obtain a message from the second user;

and

the display device is further configured to display, when the image representing the second user is selected by the first user, a message obtained by the obtainer.

10. The appliance control system according to claim 1,

wherein the acceptor is further configured to accept an instruction to place a telephone call or to send an email to the second user;

and

the terminal device further comprises a communicator to place a telephone call based on an instruction to place a telephone call to the second user or to send an email based on an instruction to send an email to the second user.

11. The appliance control system according to claim 5,

wherein the acceptor is further configured to accept an instruction to designate the layout chart to be displayed whether in a first mode or in a second mode that is different from the first mode;

and

the display device is further configured to display the layout chart either in the first mode or in the second mode based on the instruction accepted by the acceptor.

12. The appliance control system according to claim 11,

wherein the terminal device further comprises a detector configured to detect an orientation of the terminal device;

and

the display device is further configured to display the layout chart in the first mode or in the second mode based on the orientation detected by the detector.

13. A home controller comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an instruction to remote control an appliance installed in a home from a terminal device used by a first user;

a determiner configured to determine whether a second user is present in a location in which an appliance-to-be-instructed is installed; and

an appliance controller configured to control the appliance based on the instruction when the determiner determines that the second user is not present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed, and not configured to control the appliance based on the instruction when the determiner determines that the second user is present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed.

14. The home controller according to claim 13, further comprising:

a notifier configured to notify to the terminal device that the appliance cannot be remote controlled based on the instruction, when the determiner determines that the second user is present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed.

15. The home controller according to claim 13,

wherein a wireless device is associated with the second user;

a plurality of access points for communicating with the wireless device exist in the home; and

the determiner is further configured to determine a current location of the second user by determining an access point, of the plurality of access points, to which the wireless device communicates.

16. The home controller according to claim 13,

wherein a camera to image an inside of the home is installed in the home;

and

the determiner is further configured to determine a current location of the second user by analyzing the image imaged by the camera.

17. The home controller according to claim 13,

wherein the determiner is further configured to determine a current location of the second user based on an input from the second user.

20. The home controller according to claim 13, further comprising:

a storage configured to store in advance an association between the appliance installed in the home and the second user,

wherein the determiner is further configured to determine the second user associated with the appliance-to-be-instructed based on the stored association, and is not configured to determine whether the second user is present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed.

18. A remote control method comprising:

receiving an instruction to remote control an appliance installed in a home from a terminal device used by a first user;

determining whether a second user is present in a location in which an appliance-to-be-instructed is installed; and

controlling the appliance based on the instruction when the second user is determined not to be present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed, and not controlling the appliance based on the instruction when the second user is determined to be present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed.

19. A non-transitory recording medium storing a program for allowing a computer to function as:

a receiver configured to receive an instruction to remote control an appliance installed in a home from a terminal device used by a first user;

a determiner configured to determine whether a second user is present in a location in which an appliance-to-be-instructed is installed; and

an appliance controller configured to control the appliance based on the instruction when the determiner determines that the second user is not present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed, and not configured to control the appliance based on the instruction when the determiner determines that the second user is present in the location in which the appliance-to-be-instructed is installed.