CONTROL APPARATUS, CONTROL METHOD, AND CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20180173178A1
• Filed: 02/16/2018
• Published: 06/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: MUSHIKABE, Kazuya, SUYAMA, Akihiko, TSUKADA, Keisuke, KATO, Shinichiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,642,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A control apparatus can include a network interface that achieves a connection to a network, a user interface that accepts a selection operation from among images displayed on a display portion, and at least one processor that implements stored instructions to execute a plurality of tasks, which can include a control task, a designation task, and a display control task. The control task is configured to, through the network, control a plurality of external devices that transmit or receive content data. The designation task is configured to designate an image to display on the display portion. The display control task is configured to display, for each of the plurality of external devices, an image relating to the respective external device on the display portion. The display control task changes an image selected through the user interface to the image designated by the designation task.

Claims

1. A control apparatus comprising:

a network interface configured to connect to a network;

a user interface configured to receive a selection operation from among a plurality of images displayed on a display portion; and

at least one processor that implements stored instructions and execute a plurality of tasks, including;

a control task that controls, through the network, a plurality of external devices that transmit or receive content data;

a designation task that designates, through the user interface, an image to display on the display portion; and

a display control task that;

displays, for each of the plurality of external devices, an image relating to the respective external device on the display portion; and

changes the image selected through the user interface to the image designated by the designation task.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the display control task displays, on the display portion, an image selection screen to display thereon a plurality of images categorized by type, and

the designation task designates the image through the image selection screen.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display control task displays the image designated by the designation task blurred and part of colors thereof enhanced.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of tasks include a setting task that sets, when a plurality of external devices are selected through the user interface, one of the external devices associated with one of the plurality of images as a master device and sets the rest of the external devices as slave devices.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display control task blurs the one image associated with the external device set as the master device by the setting task and hides images associated with the external devices set as the slave devices by the setting task.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the display control task compositely displays the one image associated with the external device set as the master device by the setting task and images associated with the external devices set as the slave devices by the setting task.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of tasks includes an acquisition task that acquires, from outside, information relating to an external device associated with an image selected through the user interface, and

the designation task designates an image based on the acquired information.

8. A control method for a control apparatus having a network interface configured to connect to a network and a user interface configured to receive a selection operation from among a plurality of images displayed on a display portion, the method comprising:

a controlling step of controlling a plurality of external devices that transmit or receive content data;

a displaying step of displaying, on a display portion, for each of the plurality of external devices, an image relating to the external device;

a designating step of designating an image to display on the display portion; and

a display controlling step of;

displaying, for each of the plurality of external devices, an image relating to the respective external device on the display portion; and

changing the image selected through the user interface to the image designated in the designating step.

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein:

the display controlling step displays, on the display portion, an image selection screen to display thereon a plurality of images categorized by type, and

the designating step designates the image through the image selection screen.

10. The control method according to claim 8, wherein the display controlling step displays the image designated in the designating step blurred and part of colors thereof enhanced.

11. The control method according to claim 8 further comprising a setting step of setting, when a plurality of external devices are selected through the user interface, one of the external devices associated with one of the plurality of images as a master device and setting the rest of the external devices as slave devices.

12. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the display controlling step blurs the one image associated with the external device set as the master device in the setting step and hiding images associated with the external devices set as the slave devices in the setting step.

13. The control method according to claim 11, wherein the display controlling step compositely displays the one image associated with the external device set as the master device in the setting step and images associated with the external devices set as the slave devices in the setting step.

14. The control method according to claim 8, further comprising an acquiring step of:

acquiring, from outside, information relating to an external device associated with an image selected through the user interface; and

designating an image based on the acquired information.

15. A control system comprising:

a plurality of external devices connected to a network and that transmit or receive content data;

a user interface that accepts a selection operation from among a plurality of images displayed on a display portion; and

at least one processor configured to implement stored instructions and execute a plurality of tasks, including;

a control task that controls, through the network, the plurality of external devices;

a designation task that designates an image to display on the display portion; and

a display control task that;

displays, for each of the plurality of external devices, an image relating to the respective external device on the display portion; and

changes the image selected through the user interface to the image designated by the designation task.

16. The control system according to claim 15, wherein:

the display control task displays, on the display portion, an image selection screen to display thereon a plurality of images categorized by type, and

the designation task designates the image through the image selection screen.

17. The control system according to claim 15, wherein the display control task displays the image designated by the designation task blurred and part of colors thereof enhanced.

18. The control system according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of tasks includes a setting task that sets, when a plurality of external devices are selected through the user interface, one of the external devices associated with one of the plurality of images as a master device and sets the rest of the external devices as slave devices.

19. The control system according to claim 18, wherein the display control task blurs the one image associated with the external device set as the master device by the setting task and hides images associated with the external devices set as the slave devices by the setting task.

20. The control system according to claim 18, wherein the display control task compositely displays the one image associated with the external device set as the master device by the setting task and images associated with the external devices set as the slave devices by the setting task.