Remote operation apparatus

• US 5,825,336 A
• Filed: 07/03/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujita, Kenichi, Kawaguchi, Toru, Nagao, Takeshi, Kaneko, Shigeki, Hikita, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Saras, Steven J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SURACI, JOHN F
• Application Number:
  US08/675,478
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 345/2, 345/1, 345/331, 345/501, 345/502, 345/504, 395/135, 395/161, 395/610, 348/13
• US Class Current: 345/2.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A remote operation apparatus comprises a MA term having a video display, an operation data generator, and a parameter data generator and at least a slave term, coupled to the MA term through at least a network, including operation data receiver, a video data generator and a display, a screen parameter receiver, and a video data acquiring portion. The operation data generator generates and transmits operation data to the video data generator of the slave term to generate and display video data. The screen parameter data generator generates screen parameter data indicating required video data and quality and transmits it to a video data acquiring portion acquiring the generated video data in the required region and quality and transmits it to the display of the MA term. A resource data of the networks and interface ckts is held by the slave term and is transmitted to the screen parameter data generator to utilize the resource data for generation of the screen parameter. The operation data generator may require to transmit drawing data to the slave term. The MA term holds imaginary screen including screen regions of slave terms. The operation data can be duplicated for another slave term. The video data in one slave term is duplicated in the memory in the MA term and transmitted to another slave term.

Claims

1. A remote operation apparatus comprising a master display terminal and at least a slave display terminal, coupled to said master terminal through at least a network, to be remote controlled by said master display terminal, said master display terminal including:

a video data receiving portion for receiving first video data from said slave display terminal;

a first display portion, having a first display;

a display control portion for operating said first display portion to display a first image in accordance with said first video data with positions of said first image controlled in accordance with first positional data;

a screen parameter data input portion for inputting a request;

a screen parameter data generation portion responsive to said inputted request for generating screen parameter data including said first positional data;

a screen parameter transmission portion for transmitting said screen parameter data to said a slave display terminal;

a first operational data input portion for receiving first operational data input;

an operational data generation portion for generating first operational data in accordance with said first operational data input and converting said first positional data to second positional data; and

an operational data transmission portion for transmitting said first operational data and second positional data to said slave display terminal, said slave display terminal including;

an operational data receiving portion for receiving said first operation data and said second positional data from said operational data transmission portion through said at least network;

a second operational data input portion for inputting second operational data including position data;

a task operation portion including a plurality of tasks and a task detection portion, wherein said task detection portion detects one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said first operational data and said received second positional data and said task operation portion supplying said first operational data and said second positional data from said operational data receiving portion to the detected one of said plurality of tasks to operate it to generate a first drawing command using said second positional data when said operational data receiving portion receives said first operation data and said second positional data, said task detection portion detects one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said second operational data and said received position data and said task operation portion supplying said second operational data and position data from said second operational data input portion to the detected one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said second operational data and said position data to operate it to generate a second drawing commands when said second operational data input portion receives said second operational data and said position data,

a second display portion, having a second display, for generating second video data in accordance with said first and second drawing commands to display a second image on said second display;

a screen parameter receiving portion for receiving said screen parameter data from said screen parameter transmission portion;

a screen data acquisition portion for generating said first video data from said second video data from said second display portion in accordance with said screen parameter data from said screen parameter receiving portion; and

a video data transmission portion for transmitting said first video data from said video data acquisition portion to said video data receiving portion.

2. A remote operation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said video data transmission portion has a plurality of transmission modes for transmitting said video data, said slave display terminal further comprises a resource video data control portion for holding and controlling resource data indicative of said transmission modes and a resource video data transmission portion for transmitting said resource data to said master display terminal, and said master display terminal further comprises a resource data receiving portion for receiving said resource data from said resource data transmission portion and a second resource data control portion for holding said resource data from said resource data receiving portion and generate resource control data, and said screen parameter data generation portion generates said screen parameter data in accordance with said resource control data in addition to said request.

3. A remote operation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said screen parameter data input portion further receives a second request indicative of requiring said first and second drawing commands and said screen parameter data generation portion generates said screen parameter data indicative of said second request, said screen parameter transmission portion transmits said screen parameter indicative of said second request via the screen parameter receiving portion to the task operation portion, said slave display terminal further, comprises a drawing command transmission portion, said task operation portion transmits said first and second drawing commands to said master display terminal in response to said parameter data indicative of said second request from said screen parameter transmission portion, said master display terminal further comprises a drawing command receiving portion for receiving said first and second drawing commands from said drawing command transmission portion, and said display control portion further responses to said first and second drawing commands from said drawing command receiving portion during operating said first display portion.

4. A remote operation apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least a slave display terminal comprises first and second slave video terminals, said master display terminal further comprises operational data storing portion for storing said first operational data and an operational data copy request input portion for receiving an operational data copy request, said operational data generation portion generates second operational data by duplicating said first operational data, and said operation data transmission portion transmits said second operational data to said second slave display terminal.

5. A remote operation apparatus comprising a master display terminal and at least a slave display terminal, coupled to said master terminal through at least a network, to be remote controlled by said master display terminal, said master display terminal including:

a video data receiving portion for receiving first video data from said slave display terminal;

a first display portion, having a first display;

a display control portion for operating said first display portion to display a first image in accordance with said first video data with positions of said first image controlled in accordance with first positional data;

a screen parameter data input portion for inputting a request;

a screen parameter data generation portion responsive to said inputted request for generating screen parameter data including said first positional data;

a screen parameter transmission portion for transmitting said screen parameter data to said a slave display terminal;

a first operational data input portion for receiving first operational data input;

an operational data generation portion for generating first operational data in accordance with said first operational data input and converting said first positional data to second positional data; and

an operational data transmission portion for transmitting said first operational data and second positional data to said slave display terminal, said slave display terminal including;

an operational data receiving portion for receiving said first operation data and said second positional data from said operational data transmission portion through said network;

a second operational data input portion for inputting second operational data including position data;

a task operation portion including a plurality of tasks and a task detection portion, wherein said task detection portion detects one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said first operational data and said received second positional data and said task operation portion supplying said first operational data and said second positional data from said operational data receiving portion to the detected one of said plurality of tasks to operate it to generate a first drawing command using said second positional data when said operational data receiving portion receives said first operation data and said second positional data, said task detection portion detects one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said second operational data and said received position data and said task operation portion supplying said second operational data and position data from said second operational data input portion to the detected one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said second operational data and said position data to operate it to generate a second drawing commands when said second operational data input portion receives said second operational data and said position data,

a second display portion, having a second display, for generating second video data in accordance with said first and second drawing commands to display a second image on said second display;

a screen parameter receiving portion for receiving said screen parameter data from said screen parameter transmission portion;

a screen data acquisition portion for generating said first video data from said second video data from said second display portion in accordance with said screen parameter data from said screen parameter receiving portion; and

a video data transmission portion for transmitting said first video data from said video data acquisition portion to said video data receiving portion,

wherein said at least a slave display terminal comprises first and second slave video terminals to which first and second addresses assigned respectively, said display control portion stores third positional data of screen areas of said first and second slave display terminals such that said screen areas form an imaginary screen area having coordinates, each of said screen areas being uniquely represented by said third positional data on said coordinates, and said master video terminal further comprises;

a display region input portion for inputting and supplying a display request including fourth positional data on said coordinates indicative of a region at said screen area of said first slave display terminal to said display control portion, said display control portion judging which of said first and second address data corresponds to said region by comparing said fourth positional data with said third positional data and converting said fourth positional data to said first positional data and operating said screen parameter data generation portion to generate said screen parameter data in accordance with said display request so as to operate one of said first and second slave display terminals to transmit said first video data of an image at said region of said one of said first and second slave display terminals which is selected in accordance with the judged address, to said master display terminal.

6. A remote operation apparatus comprising a master display terminal and at least a slave display terminal, coupled to said master terminal through at least a network, to be remote controlled by said master display terminal, said master display terminal including:

a video data receiving portion for receiving first video data from said slave display terminal;

a first display portion, having a first display;

a display control portion for operating said first display portion to display a first image in accordance with said first video data with positions of said first image controlled in accordance with first positional data;

a screen parameter data input portion for inputting a request;

a screen parameter data generation portion responsive to said inputted request for generating screen parameter data including said first positional data;

a screen parameter transmission portion for transmitting said screen parameter data to said a slave display terminal;

a first operational data input portion for receiving first operational data input;

an operational data generation portion for generating first operational data in accordance with said first operational data input and converting said first positional data to second positional data; and

an operational data transmission portion for transmitting said first operational data and second positional data to said slave display terminal, said slave display terminal including;

an operational data receiving portion for receiving said first operation data and said second positional data from said operational data transmission portion through said network;

a second operational data input portion for inputting second operational data including position data;

a task operation portion including a plurality of tasks and a task detection portion, wherein said task detection portion detects one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said first operational data and said received second positional data and said task operation portion supplying said first operational data and said second positional data from said operational data receiving portion to the detected one of said plurality of tasks to operate it to generate a first drawing command using said second positional data when said operational data receiving portion receives said first operation data and said positional data, said task detection portion detects one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said second operational data and said received position data and said task operation portion supplying said second operational data and position data from said second operational data input portion to the detected one of said plurality of tasks corresponding to said second operational data and said second position data to operate it to generate a second drawing commands when said second operational data input portion receives said second operational data and said position data,

a second display portion, having a second display, for generating second video data in accordance with said first and second drawing commands to display a second image on said second display;

a screen parameter receiving portion for receiving said screen parameter data from said screen parameter transmission portion;

a screen data acquisition portion for generating said first video data from said second video data from said second display portion in accordance with said screen parameter data from said screen parameter receiving portion; and

a video data transmission portion for transmitting said first video data from said video data acquisition portion to said video data receiving portion, wherein said at least a slave display terminal comprises first and second slave video terminals, said first operational data input portion further receives a data transmission request, said operational data generation portion generates said first operational data indicative of said data transmission request, said master display terminal further comprises a data control portion, a first data transmission and receiving portion, and a first data storing portion, said operational data generation portion generates said first operational data indicative of said data transmission request, said operational data transmission portion transmits said first operational data indicative of said data transmission request to said task operation portion via said operation data receiving portion of said first slave display terminal, said first and second slave display terminals further include second and third data storing portions and second and third data transmission and receiving portions respectively, said task operation portion of said first slave display terminal operates one of said plurality of tasks corresponding said first operational data indicative of said data transmission request to generate data and store said data in said second data storing portion of said first slave display terminal and operates said second data transmission and receiving portion of said first display terminal to transmit said data to said first data transmission and receiving portion of said master display terminal, said first data storing portion stores said data from said first data transmission and receiving portion, said operational data input portion further receives a data pasting request, in response to said first operational data indicative of said data pasting request, said operational data generation portion generates said first operational data indicative of said data pasting request, said data control portion reads said data in said first data storing portion and transmits said data from said first data storing portion to said second data transmission and receiving portion of said second slave display terminal, and said second data storing portion of said second slave display terminal stores said data from said data transmission and receiving portion of said second slave display terminal to supply said data in said second data storing portion of said second slave display terminal to said task control portion of said second slave display terminal.